Grace Economics (2) (5)
“And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the LORD commanded Moses.” Numbers 27.8-11
A familial trust
In the grace economy outlined in God’s Law, property, thought of principally in terms of land, was considered a familial rather than a personal trust. People and families used their property as unto the LORD, to provide for their needs, care for their neighbors, and contribute to the overall wellbeing of their community.
It’s not that people did not own private property; they did. Rather, it is that real property, which we refer to as real estate, was to be held in trust by families to advance the purposes of God in creating just and stable communities. Upon the death of the owner, all property was to be passed on to his family, who would then be expected to continue the stewardship of that property in line with the requirements of love for God and neighbor.In a grace economy, there is no role for civil government in the transfer of property from one generation to the next, except to ensure that lawful heirs receive what is lawfully theirs (cf. Ruth 4). The idea that the State should be allowed to commandeer a portion of the proceeds or net worth of an estate would have been regarded as a form of thievery by ancient Hebrews.
It should be similarly regarded in our day.
Warding off the State
In our day people rely on carefully crafted wills and trusts to keep the State from seizing part or all of the inheritance they will leave behind upon their death. Estate taxes are a measure of the State’s sense of its ultimate authority to determine how best to allocate private property, whenever and wherever it can, running roughshod over individual responsibility, complicating relationships of love, and intruding into the peaceable lives of families and communities.
But in the economy outlined in God’s Law, the management of wealth was not a concern of civil government. Indeed, civil governments were regarded as evil whenever they cast their eyes on the property of private citizens (cf. 1 Kgs. 21).Christians, in order to practice proper stewardship of the property entrusted to them, should seek out every available means of keeping their inheritances from falling into the hands of the State. Every penny unjustly confiscated by the State means less to transact for the purposes of grace and the Kingdom economy. Where laws and policies cannot be changed to preclude the State seizing a share of such transactions, they should be circumvented by every lawful means. The transfer of private property within the bounds of family should not provide the State an occasion for lining its coffers.
Property and stability
Property in ancient Israel was a way of ensuring continuity of families and stability of communities. While our mobile society bears but little resemblance to the conditions of ancient Israel, the need for stable families and communities is just as great, and the transfer of property from one generation to the next is merely one way to help ensure such conditions.
When the State claims a right to any portion of inheritances and estates, it exceeds the authority granted to it by God, and compromises its ability to serve the people for good. By violating the individual responsibility of the people, government foments resentment and anger, which can then fuel self-seeking through the machinery of even more intrusive government.
The only justification for inheritance and estate taxes is an opportunistic one: It gives the State the power to appropriate resources for its political ends, which are only superficially related to the common weal, but are largely motivated by political gain.In the grace economy set forth in God’s Law, all property is a gift from God, a trust to be worked and employed by families for the flourishing of justice and neighbor-love, unto the peace and prosperity of communities, and as a resource for future generations, that they might continue the economics of justice inherited from their forebears.
Where the transfer of property to heirs and assigns is concerned, government needs to stay in its lane and keep its hands off what lawfully belongs to others.
For reflection
1. Look at Ruth 4 and the role of the local magistrates in deciding this case. What do we learn from this about the role of government in family matters?2. What justification does our government make for taxing estates as they pass from one generation to the next? Is this legitimate?3. Why do you suppose Americans continue to tolerate unjust government commandeering of private property through inheritance and estate taxes? Is this just?
Next steps—Preparation: Have you made preparations to ensure that your property will transfer tax-free to your heirs and assigns? What can you do to learn more about this?
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our Scriptorium series on Ephesians we will work through chapter 3. Our Read Moorepodcast takes up the question of what it means to “know” Jesus. Do we really know Him? This week our Crosfigell teaching lettertraces the beginnings of Brigit’s ministry in 6th-century Ireland. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved
