Topical Bible: Property: Personal: Rights In, Sacred

◄ Property: Personal: Rights In, Sacred ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, the concept of personal property and the rights associated with it are deeply intertwined with the principles of stewardship, justice, and divine ownership. The Bible presents a framework where personal property is recognized, yet it is ultimately subject to God's sovereign rule and moral law.

Divine Ownership and Stewardship

The Bible begins with the assertion that God is the ultimate owner of all creation. Psalm 24:1 declares, "The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein." This foundational truth establishes that while individuals may possess property, they do so as stewards of God's creation. The role of a steward is to manage and use property in a way that honors God and aligns with His purposes.

The Eighth Commandment

The right to personal property is underscored by the Eighth Commandment, "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15). This commandment affirms the legitimacy of personal ownership and the protection of one's property from unlawful seizure or theft. It implies a respect for the boundaries of others' possessions and upholds the moral order within the community.

Property and Justice

The Bible emphasizes justice in the acquisition and use of property. Leviticus 19:13 instructs, "You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand." This verse highlights the ethical treatment of others in matters of property and commerce, ensuring fairness and integrity.

Sabbath and Jubilee

The laws of Sabbath and Jubilee further illustrate the sacred nature of property rights. The Sabbath year, as described in Leviticus 25:4 , commands, "In the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD." This practice acknowledges God's ultimate ownership and provides rest and renewal for the land and its people.

The Year of Jubilee, occurring every fifty years, is a profound expression of God's justice and mercy. Leviticus 25:10 states, "You shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan." This law ensured that property would not be permanently alienated from families, preventing the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few and promoting social equity.

Generosity and Charity

While the Bible upholds the right to personal property, it also calls for generosity and charity. Proverbs 19:17 teaches, "Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender." The use of one's property to aid those in need is seen as a sacred duty, reflecting God's compassion and care for all people.

Warnings Against Materialism

The New Testament provides warnings against the dangers of materialism and the improper attachment to wealth. Jesus cautions in Matthew 6:19-21 , "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This teaching encourages believers to prioritize spiritual wealth over material possessions.

Conclusion

The biblical perspective on personal property rights is one that balances individual ownership with communal responsibility and divine accountability. It calls for a recognition of God's ultimate authority over all possessions and a commitment to using property in ways that reflect His justice, mercy, and love.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is your neighbor's.
Nave's Topical Index

Deuteronomy 5:21
Neither shall you desire your neighbor's wife, neither shall you covet your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is your neighbor's.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Private Property and the Common Good
... 2. What legalized property rights are antagonistic to Jesus' principles? ... the sting
of sin out of private property? ... the influence of wealth on personal character ...
/.../the social principles of jesus/chapter viii private property and.htm

From Sinai to Kadesh.
... the afflicted; (b) The rights of property were to ... regarded and all violations of
such rights severely punished ... sanctity of the home and of personal virtue was ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vi from sinai to.htm

Letter xvi. Charity.
... shalt not steal," establishes the right of private property. ... or, if not to encroach
upon their rights, to take ... minds the truth, than by direct personal lectures ...
/.../a practical directory for young christian females/letter xvi charity.htm

The Foundations of Good Citizenship.
... one of the essential elements in the sacred day. ... to this normal human feeling of
personal wrong was ... of society additional types of property rights appear under ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study x the foundations of.htm

Sozomen as Author.
... pragmatism, and is not the exclusive property of Sozomen ... to imperial power, but in
sacred places even ... when all their political and personal rights were taken ...
/.../sozomen/the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/part ii sozomen as author.htm

A Nation's Duty in a War for Freedom.
... knowledge .nor skill to defend his property and the ... But I should like to warn you
lest personal ambition weaken ... that the sacred sense of the rights of nations ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/iii a nations duty in.htm

Tendencies Toward a Manifestation of the Unity of the American ...
... schism must reckon upon personal and property interests to ... for itself exclusive or
superior rights, is compelled ... should unite the gifts and personal labors of ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xxii tendencies toward a.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... wives, or children; no, not even their own bodies, much less property. ... reduces a
man to a thing, a "chattel personal," robs him of all his rights as a ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
... Fourth Decalogue: Responsibility for Property. ... The chief aim is to protect the rights
of the wronged and ... is demanded, but a love to God so personal that it ...
/.../viii the development of the.htm

Baptists.
... sin; honored the law by his personal obedience, and ... laws; and exercising the gifts,
rights, and privileges ... we will cheerfully contribute of our property for the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/baptists.htm