Liberating Planet Earth
by Gary DeMar by Gary DeMar
Th Liberation of the Fami~ 79 ‘ legal possibili~ of “rags-to-riches-to-rags” is basic to the preservation of a free society. The example of a man who pulls himself up out of poverty, only to see his children squander his fortune, leaving his grandchildren destitute, is neither normative nor normal in a Christian social order. The godly do not lay up treasure for the ungodly; the reverse is true (Proverbs 13:22). Wealth in the long runjlows toward provident and productive citizens who exemise dominion in tams of Biblical law. Therefore, these dual obligations, from fathers to sons and fi-om sons to fathers, are an important aspect of the Biblical tendency toward economic growth over many generations. Fathers have economic incentives to expand the ‘family’s capital base, and they also have an incentive to train up children who will not dissipate the family% capital. The continui& of capital, under God’s law, is promoted by the laws of inheritance-honor. This preservation of capital is crucial for long-term economic development. In order to preserve family capital over time, godly parents must train their children to follow the ethical standards of the Bible. The Biblical basis for long-term expansion of family capital is ethical: character and competence. But this ethical foundation for long-term family capital growth is not acceptable to anti-Biblical cultures. They want the fruits of Christian culture without the roots. Thus, we find that civil governments often take steps to preserve already existing family fortunes at the expense of those productive families that are ready and willing to make their economic contribution to the production process. A phenomenon that is supposed to be the product of ethics and education — the expansion of family capital over many generations — is temporarz”ly produced by the use of State power. This substitution of power for ethics is characteristic of Satan’s religions — not power as the product of Biblical ethics (“right eventually produces might”), but power as an alternative to Biblical ethics (“might makes righ~). Compound Economic Growth The importance of the continuity of capital can be seen in any example involving compound interest. Let me say from the beginning, we’ cannot expect to see this compound interest phenome-
80 Libmating Planet Earth non continue uninterrupted in any family forever. We also cannot expect to see rates of growth over IfZo for centuries at a time. As I like to point out, the 4 billion people on earth in 1980 would multiply to over 83 trillion in a thousand years, if the rate of population growth were 1% per annum. But the fact remains, the longer the compound growth phenomenon continues, the smaller the annual percentage increase needs to be in order to produce spectacular results. Let us assume that we are dealing with a given monetary unit. We can call it a talent. A young married man begins with 100 talents. Say that he multiplies this capital base by 2% per annum. At the end of 50 years, the couple has 269 talents. Let us assume that the family, and their children’s families, multiply at l$ZO per annum, on the average, throughout each subsequent family’s lifetime. After 250 years, if the growth rates both of people and capital persist, the total family capital base is up to 14,126 talents. Divided by 24 heirs, each husband or wife now has 589 talents. This is almost a 6-fold increase per family unit, which is considerable. We now have 24 family units, even assuming that each heir has married someone who has brought no capital into the marriage, with almost six times the wealth that the original family started out with. What if the capital base should increase by 3% ? At the end of 50 years, the original couple would have 438 talents, over a 4-fold increase. This is quite impressive. But at the end of 250 years, the family would possess 161,922 talents, over 1,600 times as large. Even divided by 24 family units, the per family capital base would be 6,747 talents, or almost 68 times as great. Consider the implications of these figures. A future-oriented man — a man like Abraham — could look forward to his heirs’ possessing vastly greater wealth than he ever could hope to attain personally, Yet this is the kind of vision God offers His people, just as He offered it to Abraham: heirs two or three generations later who will be numerous and rich. God offers a man the hope of substantially increased wealth during his own lifetime, in response to his covenantal faithfulness, hard work, and thrift.
- Page 36 and 37: 2 THE GOD OF LIBERATION God spoke a
- Page 38 and 39: The God of Liberation 31 systems of
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- Page 42 and 43: T& God of Liberation 35 versal stan
- Page 44 and 45: T/w God of Liberation 37 theology -
- Page 46 and 47: 3 THE ENEMIES OF LIBERATION “No m
- Page 48 and 49: The Enemies of Liberation 41 Three
- Page 50 and 51: The Enemies of Liberation 43 built
- Page 52 and 53: The Enemies of Liberation 45 for Go
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- Page 56 and 57: The Enemies of Liberation 49 or God
- Page 58 and 59: The Couenant of Liberation 51 us al
- Page 60 and 61: The Covenant of Liberation 53 For Y
- Page 62 and 63: The Covenant of Liberation 55 Creat
- Page 64 and 65: The Covenant of Liberation 57 Satan
- Page 66 and 67: The Covenant of Liberation 59 all l
- Page 68 and 69: The Covenant of Liberation 61 their
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80 Libmating <strong>Planet</strong> <strong>Earth</strong><br />
non continue uninterrupted in any family forever. We also cannot<br />
expect to see rates of growth over IfZo for centuries at a time. As I<br />
like to point out, the 4 billion people on earth in 1980 would multiply<br />
to over 83 trillion in a thousand years, if the rate of population<br />
growth were 1% per annum. But the fact remains, the longer the<br />
compound growth phenomenon continues, the smaller the annual<br />
percentage increase needs to be in order to produce spectacular<br />
results.<br />
Let us assume that we are dealing with a given monetary unit.<br />
We can call it a talent. A young married man begins with 100<br />
talents. Say that he multiplies this capital base by 2% per annum.<br />
At the end of 50 years, the couple has 269 talents. Let us assume<br />
that the family, and their children’s families, multiply at l$ZO per<br />
annum, on the average, throughout each subsequent family’s lifetime.<br />
After 250 years, if the growth rates both of people and capital<br />
persist, the total family capital base is up to 14,126 talents.<br />
Divided by 24 heirs, each husband or wife now has 589 talents.<br />
This is almost a 6-fold increase per family unit, which is considerable.<br />
We now have 24 family units, even assuming that each heir<br />
has married someone who has brought no capital into the marriage,<br />
with almost six times the wealth that the original family<br />
started out with.<br />
What if the capital base should increase by 3% ? At the end of<br />
50 years, the original couple would have 438 talents, over a 4-fold<br />
increase. This is quite impressive. But at the end of 250 years, the<br />
family would possess 161,922 talents, over 1,600 times as large.<br />
Even divided by 24 family units, the per family capital base would<br />
be 6,747 talents, or almost 68 times as great.<br />
Consider the implications of these figures. A future-oriented<br />
man — a man like Abraham — could look forward to his heirs’ possessing<br />
vastly greater wealth than he ever could hope to attain<br />
personally, Yet this is the kind of vision God offers His people, just<br />
as He offered it to Abraham: heirs two or three generations later<br />
who will be numerous and rich. God offers a man the hope of substantially<br />
increased wealth during his own lifetime, in response to<br />
his covenantal faithfulness, hard work, and thrift.
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