It's hard to explain to those who were not informed yet of what happened this week, to explain it adequately. Maybe I can summarize in a few sentences. There is a gentleman, very talented, very intelligent, very bold. who among many other things would go on to college campuses and seek out debate concerning the value of a free market and capitalism versus socialism. And this gentleman was shot and killed by a person on a college campus. It's shocking to the nation, this man with his having a young wife and two little children had such tremendous potential. He was a young man, he's 31 years old and he'd been a successful businessman, promoter of conservative causes since he was 18. and he's done very well for himself, thought of one of the most prominent, successful, powerful men in our country by many people. I only knew of him so well. I do marvel at how different the world has become where a person like him could have a podcast and it impacts millions of people. Some of his broadcasts, they say, have reached into the billions. It makes one think of Revelation Chapter 11, the two prophets who prophesy for three and a half years and then are slain. Such brutal response where the enemies of those prophets rejoiced and sent gifts back and forth to each other. But the whole world knew about it. And it is possible that much of the world came to know this would happen to Charlie almost instantaneously. I'm not saying in any way this is a fulfillment of Revelation 11, but it kind of indicates we're near that period, that time, when bizarre things will happen. I think we're on a tinderbox now. I'm old enough to remember when JFK was assassinated, and Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Governor Wallace was injured. and the impact on the nation. Here, in this case, things could go really bizarre for a lot of different reasons. We'll just pray that the Lord contains and we'll pray that good will come out of this. The person who was shot was Charlie Kirk, a professing Christian. And I went back and watched some of his diatribes, and I thought, quite impressive. I have a couple concerns, but they're beyond what we should talk about today. A topic which is, I think, in the center of what is at issue here is socialism. And so I'd like to share with you a biblical perspective on socialism. But before we do, some of you have given testimony. Is there anybody else who has a question or a testimony you'd like to share related to this topic before I hand out these handouts and we talk on the topic of biblical explanation of socialism? Anybody? OK. Can I have some help from some young men here? Thank you, young man. Here's some more. Let's make sure everybody gets a copy. If you'd like to turn in your Bibles, turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 12. Though I put this together rather hastily, and it's incomplete. Maybe we'll speak on it another week. But we're going to look at Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses 13 and 14. We aren't going to spend much time parsing out the verse, but it'll set the atmosphere. As we talk about the responsibilities of man. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, the last two verses, verses 13 and 14. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God. Keep his commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, our hearts are heavy as we see yet another expression of the wickedness of man. And as we see the travesty that can be caused by foolish, godless decisions. We pray for wisdom and protection. We pray for our country, that cooler heads will prevail, that the gospel will be advanced, and that the Lord will provide protection, correction, and leading. For the glory of God, in Jesus' name, we ask it. Amen. trying to pull out the, there we go. Okay, now we're on. The Responsibilities of Man. What is the fatal flaw of socialism? The fatal flaw is the belief that man is good and that it's the institutions that are bad Let government take over the institutions and good man will have a good life. That's the idea. The fatal flaw, again, is a doctrine that man is good. This doctrine contradicts the Bible which teaches that man has fallen. Man has sinned against the holy God. He has fallen away from God and his nature has been corrupted. So government taking over institutions will not solve the problem because government and institutions will still be comprised of men. And these, like all men, are fallen. this conflict between socialism and christianity has its foundation of differing beliefs in origins socialism is ultimately based on an atheistic theory of evolution the belief is that contrary to all observable laws of nature nothing turned into something and became everything in a totally random and purposeless manner, life is thus thought to have ascended to its present condition where the more highly evolved can help expedite the process to something better until perfection is aimed, attained. Where we are now, socialists claim, is at a clannish stage where people are competitive and nationalistic, border-sensitive turf protectors with grudges and outmoded concepts of patriotism and primitive instincts of warfare. We must move, socialists say, to a non-competitive global community mindset where there is peace and harmony. This, they say, is the only just and merciful goal to pursue given the aggression and waste and human suffering in the world today. The more highly evolved race, quote, unquote, we should say, they've gone to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, this more highly evolved race must assume their responsibilities for the good of all the less evolved. Their mission, they must demolish the old barriers of nationalism, religious prejudice, economic incentive, and exploitism. Does that make sense so far? They can do this in the public sector by destroying the free enterprise economies in the separate nations. They can do this by shutting down the voice or eliminating the Neanderthal ignorant people who believe otherwise. And they can reeducate and redirect priorities of the generation that is rising by taking control of the curriculum in the schools. Which leads us to our topic for today. Socialists say there is no God and man is good. The Bible says there is a God who made man and man rebelled against him, so now man is not good. This week we will see the natural consequences of these differing views as far as man's responsibilities. Three principal responsibilities I hear repeatedly from socialists in one form or another are protection, payback, and peace. First of all, protection. The interest of socialists is to protect the environment. We must take control of our future. The planet has limited resources. We must protect them from waste associated with human greed and materialism. Hence, government control of greenhouse gas emissions, alternate fuel production, shutting down and disallowing drilling for oil, taxing cow flatulence, farm dust, protecting the spotted owl or snail darter or polar bear, et cetera, and funding abortions around the world. protection. Second, payback. To achieve peace, particularly the descendants of white European males, must be punished hard and long for past sins of domination, land grabbing, exploitation, and enslavement. Included would be apologizing, providing reparations in the returning of land, resources, and money, and the lowering of boundary enforcement. You see how this all is playing out? California, there are those who seek to have whites paying reparations to blacks, even though the blacks had never been enslaved themselves. No, the whites had never owned slaves. to the tune of a million dollars or more per person. Number three, peace. Remember, the goal is to achieve a better society where there is no selfish motive, no competition, but all produce according to their abilities for the collective good as determined by the capable and highly evolved government leaders. So there must be no divisive moralizing, proselytizing, elevating one religion over others, not national pride, insistence on national constitution, encouragement of rugged individualism, dissenting voices on the public airwaves or press, et cetera. Now there are portions and shades of each of these goals which comport with the scriptures. Christians believe in protection of the environment, making restitution, and as much as lies within is being at peace with all men. There are major problems, however, with the presumptions and priorities, the motivations and methods. This is not anywhere near God's agenda. This is not anywhere near the list of responsibilities that God has provided. And since we're on the topic, let's look at the contrast to what God lays out as the responsibilities of man. I know it's kind of hard just to follow reading sometimes, but I thought it was the best way I could do it this afternoon. Okay, things for which God says we are responsible, in contrast to what the socialists say. We are responsible for our own family's housing, clothing, food, health, medical care, education, childcare, transportation. We are responsible for our moral choices, personal growth, time management, Bible literacy, knowledge of truth, declaration of truth, discovery and fulfillment of God's will, church selection and involvement, compassionate care for others, and motives in our soul. What I'm trying to show you this afternoon is in contrast to socialism, where our priorities should be. So let's go through that list and see how it is biblical. Number one, our own family's housing, clothing, food, health, medical care, education, child care, and transportation are our responsibility, not entirely, not without any exception in any way, but the main onus and responsibility is ours. It's true for housing. Government doesn't owe us housing. Proverbs 24, 27 says, prepare thy work without, make it fit for thyselves in the field and afterwards build thine house. Private ownership. Exodus 20, verse 17 says, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. This implies capitalism and the rightness of owning a house. So also clothing, food, medical care, et cetera. Again, there is no charge to the government but to the family headship. If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and it is worse than an infidel." We read in 1 Timothy 5.8. If one lacks, the scriptures urge us all to call upon God. Matthew 6.31, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? What shall we drink? Whither also shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Don't let government rob the Father or the Heavenly Father of this role. We're more and more and more dependent upon the government to provide, which God does not say is the government's job to provide. As for health, God holds us responsible. I just thought I'd add a few verses and point out the relationship between our moral choices and our health. It's not everything, but it's a consideration. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? Verse Corinthians 619. Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Proverbs 3, 7 and 8, be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to thine navel and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 12, 4, a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. See the connection. Proverbs 14, 30, a sound heart, life of the flesh, but envy, the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 15.30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, and a good report maketh the bones fat. Proverbs 16.24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs 17.22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dryeth the bones. There's insinuation, if not direct declaration, that the moral choices a person makes can affect his or her health. We are responsible for our health. We are responsible, the primary ones responsible, for our education and health care. These are not in the jurisdiction of the government, but the family. If they want to hire out some of the work, that is their choice, but the responsibility falls squarely on the family. People are seeing how their youth are being transformed to go to college. That's one thing that Charlie tried to combat against, being transformed into socialists while in college. It's said that 95% of all college faculty are socialists. Deuteronomy 6, 6 and 7 says, these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Ephesians 6, 4 says, and ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So again, things for which we are responsible include our own families, housing, clothing, food, health, medical care, education, child care, transportation. And now, talk about who's responsible for what. We are responsible for moral choices. Number two, moral choices. We must not listen to the atheistic socialists who would have us believe that morality is personal and subjective, that we should go with what works, that everyone should follow the dictates of their own consciences or comfort levels, for example, living together. But the scriptures say in Hebrews 13.4, marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. this promotion on campus, letting everybody define their own reality, and everyone else is required to respect it, is silly. And that's where Charlie got in trouble with them in part, saying that a person who thinks she's pudding is not pudding. She's a woman. A man thinks he's something else. He isn't. He's a man. pretty logical pretty simple we are responsible for moral choices as declared in the scriptures and god has declared what is moral see for example the ten commandments and he places the moral imperative upon us to be as holy as he is being holy in all manner of conversation or behavior first peter one fifteen number three we are responsible for personal growth you and I are not turning to government to do these things for us. We are responsible, we are responsible for our personal growth. Are you growing? 2 Corinthians 3.18, but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. We are responsible for moral choices. We are responsible for personal growth. Number four, we are responsible for time management. We must not be deluded to think that how our culture wastes time can be our excuse for wasting time. The Bible says in Proverbs 30, 12, there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness. The truth is we have the charge to redeem the time because the days are evil, to walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Number five, we are responsible for Bible literacy. There is such appalling ignorance of the scriptures today, but we are responsible to know the scriptures. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I was very impressed with Charlie's adeptness at handling the scriptures. See, this is how he didn't go to seminary, didn't go to college, except for one year. Number six, knowledge of truth. Here's what we are responsible for, knowledge of truth. Jeremiah 6.16, Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, there's a revelation, you're truly born again. Then are you my disciples, indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. What are we to give ourselves to? Pursuing truth, studying the scriptures, being transformed. We are the light of the world. Declaration of truth, number seven. We are responsible to declare truth. You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, unto the uttermost part of the earth. You and I are responsible to declare truth. Ezekiel 33.8, when I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die. If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Are we communicating truth in our venue according to God's calling for us? 8. We are responsible for discovery and fulfillment of the will of God. Don't plan to tell God you wanted to know but just couldn't figure it out. God is not trying to hide it. Some people give themselves over to the pursuit of things of little value are being misshaped by the idea of socialism. If there is no God, we have to carve out our own evolution, take the bull by the horns, as it were, and move forward. Oh, give us the scholars from the big-name universities so we can move more quickly in becoming the peace-loving, boundary-less people of the world. Number nine, we are responsible for church selection and involvement. Church selection and involvement. This is God's militia in this age. This is his mechanism for getting his work done in this age. Don't neglect it. Christ is building his church. It is the church triumphant. It is his body. I believe all people should be members of a local church. It's God's design for this age. Hebrews 10.25 says, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another in so much the more as you see the day approaching. Number 10, compassionate care for others. compassionate care for others. Proverbs 19.17 says, he that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given, will he pay him again. Number 11, we are responsible for motives. 1 Corinthians 13, motive of love. If I do all these things and have not love, I am nothing. We are responsible to have the right motive. And finally, number 12, we are responsible for our souls. Psalm 25 says, Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, in thee I trust. Let me not be put to shame. Let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know thy way. Teach me thy paths. unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice. We are to commend our spirits into the hands of God. We are to lift up our souls. We live in a desperate time. Who knows what the motive is of those who were behind the assassination or behind similar events? What they would like to see happen? What kind of violence might be fomented? What would occur if people started taking militia into their own hands? Oh, there are so many ways that things could go wrongly. But what we need to do is the things that are listed here as our primary concerns in growing godliness and trust that Lord will do what the Lord will do in and through us and like people of like disposition. That's what I wanted to share with you. I hope that was helpful. I have much more we could do at another date. When we go to the book of Ecclesiastes, And we'll look at those two verses to conclude. Ecclesiastes 12 verse 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. All the wisdom from this whole book, let's sum it up in a sentence. Let's boil it down to its essence. Here is the heart of everything that was taught in those twelve chapters of wisdom in Ecclesiastes. The conclusion of it all is this. Fear God. Have a reverential awe of God. Believe that God is. That our God is a consuming fire. That our God is all-powerful. majestic, in control of everything. He utters his voice, and the earth melts. He is God, and there is no other. Know ye that the Lord, he is God, and he hath made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Fear God. Is there anything more ignorant and stupid and destructive than to deny the existence of the God who made us? No, if a people are going to find what is right, they must fear God. God can open up a heart. He can soften a heart. He can cause a fire to blaze in a soul. If you do not fear God, cannot come up with a way to have reverence for God, ask God to help. But the issue here, what was going on in these college campuses and the terrible destruction which has occurred, one way to pit it is between those who fear God and those who don't. Do you fear God? Because if you fear God, you know you are accountable to him. And know that you must keep his commandments. Because that's the whole duty of man. We don't earn our salvation. We don't keep our salvation. by keeping his commandments. But now that we fear God, we find ourselves more and more inclined to know the mind of God and the will of God. When we look at those simple 10 commandments, we understand each one is an umbrella with all sorts of applications in our lives. And you and I should become experts with the law of God. It is by the law that conviction of sin comes and enlightenment occurs. What do we do in such an age like this, where it's almost scary to turn on the internet or go to any site or listen to a podcast? Who knows what they might say is next, and where we are today, and who has been hurt now, and how misrepresented we may be, and how frightening and overwhelming it may be to us? Here's the answer. Fear God. Fear God. Know that the Lord will protect and has all power and will care for us and his will will be accomplished. Fear God, amen? Fear God. Be preoccupied with the word of God and the commandment of God. That's the one way to, I understand that Ecclesiastes has a select context and audience, but the truth still prevails. The issue is, do you fear God and do you keep his commandments? It's the whole duty of man. Four, God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing. That means every thought contemplated, every motive concerned, every quiet word whispered, every thought contemplated, every desire roiling within our hearts. God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. There be many who say, who will show us any good? Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, O Lord. Thou hast put joy in my heart more than when their grain and new wine abound. Oh, that we would have a transformed heart as we follow this edict in chapters 12, verses 13 and 14. And we were transformed such that the light of our eyes rejoiced the hearts of others. And people inquire, what is the reason of the hope that is in you? And we respond. in meekness and fear. Our Father God, protect our country, but may there be a motive here for all the men and women hearing this message right now that we be more serious, that we be better stewards of time, that we embrace the Word of God more perfectly, that we be transformed into the image of Christ more and more, glory to glory to glory. as if it made a difference. One man, one woman, what a difference can be made if we are committed wholly. And so we pray for grace to that end. In Jesus' name, amen.