Communism and Christianity are not compatible. Let me give you my reasons why:
1. Communist countries have historically been antagonistic and oppressive to Christianity. Communist China, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, and the list could go on. Sometimes it is simple restrictions that hinder a Christian's ability to be evangelistic and other times they imprison and arrest church leaders, restrict Bibles, or close churches. Marx critiqued the church as a hindrance to his communist revolutionary ideas and Lenin injected Marx's ideas with atheism. Communism ultimately demands the rejection of faith in Jesus.
2. Government is not God. Communism insists that the government become the center of life for every individual in every way. This requires the exclusion of any competing ideas, including following Jesus as The Way. While the Bible clearly gives a place for government (we are not anarchists) and its responsibilities (punishing the wrongdoer; Romans 13:3-4 and 1 Peter 2:13-14), it is limited and not without boundaries in all that is expected or even permitted to do. Communism is political idolatry.
3. Government is not a replacement for family. There seems to be a real spiritual war on the biological family defined biblically. The biological family (a man and a woman in a monogamous marriage covenant) is God's design for all of civilization. Its benefit is easily seen and measured by sociologists, government leaders, and religious leaders of all stripes. Government cannot replace a father in the home by supplying money or social workers. When men become little more than sperm donors, government has overstepped its biblical authority.
4. The Bible repeatedly assumes individual ownership of property and possessions. Biblical ownership ultimately has to do with stewardship. This is not about stewarding what the government owns, rather we are stewarding what God has created. This is why the United States of America does not tax church property: how can you tax an institution founded by the Creator? When the government claims ownership of everything it devalues the image of God in each individual who should be allowed the opportunity to own that which they will steward on behalf of the glory of God.
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5. Communism denies basic biblical truth about the reality of our world. Critical theory (the basis for Marxist ideology) defines humanity by their socioeconomic status. Every individual is bound to an economic category (often broadened to race, culture, and gender). These categories are used to define the oppressed victims and unjust perpetrators based on their category rather than their actions or moral character. The "unjust" should be punished regardless of their actions and the "victims" should be rewarded. This is not Christian. The Bible, not Marx or Lenin, reveals the truth about human nature and the remedy of true salvation in Jesus the Messiah.
6. Government is not a means to salvation. Communism will never bring about an utopia that is often described by its proponents. The promise of socialism and ultimately communism is that the changing structures will inevitably create people who are morally good because the injustices have been removed (these injustices are typically described as economic disparity). Christianity described by the Bible says that the problem is actually the spiritually fallen state of all humanity. That everyone is in need of a Savior who can atone for their sins so that they can live in right relationship with their Creator. Salvation does not come through economics or government, but from the blood of Jesus.
7. Government welfare is not Christian charity. In fact, it is worse than a cheap counterfeit. It is often detrimental to those who receive it and vindicating for the person who expects government to care for the poor rather than address the real, deep issues of heartache in their culture. Voluntarily giving to help others is about more than monetary amounts, it necessitates involvement and accountability on a level that government can never reproduce. Communist governments seek to eradicate the ability of the church or other individuals to minister to the whole person in favor of becoming dependency-creating entities.
8. The problem of humanity is not economic, occupational, or civic. The problem is sin. There is only one way to deal with that problem. If you were able to create the perfect civil system, it would be powerless to change the heart of a single man! If you were able to take all the money in the world and give it out in equal shares to every person, it would be powerless to change a single soul. The great need of our hour is not more government control and programming, but a Savior.
So what do you think?
Check out these other articles:
I am Against the Horseless Carriage
Pastors, Scandals, and Faithfulness
A Note to Pastors on Friday
A Note to Pastors on Monday
Once You're Saved, Are You Always Saved?
