Commerce in Heaven?  
Bible Economics Series 
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Tradition will render the word of God useless in our lives if we place it ahead of truth.
 In our Christian walk, "tradition" can be a stone wall to the word of God - keeping it from taking root in our hearts and having a beneficial effect on our lives. When truth confronts tradition we are faced with a choice: change our thinking or discard the word of God. Often tradition rules because we lack the diligence to seek out truth in a particular area of our lives. Another way that tradition can rule is because of rebellion; i.e. we simply refuse to give up long-held beliefs with which we're more comfortable. Whatever the reason, Jesus stated in Mark 7:13 that tradition can make the word of God of no effect in our lives.
God's plan is for his will to manifest on this earth just as it is in heaven.

First, let us remember that God's desire is for life on earth to resemble the way things are in heaven. Most specifically we see this in the Lord's prayer where Jesus prayed:
"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" Mt:6:10
To replicate what takes place in heaven we must first understand the order of things there.



The bible teaches that there is trade or commerce in heaven.

 Obviously, if our lives are to be a reflection of what takes place in heaven, we must first learn the order of things there. Tradition has caused us to believe that the extent of life in heaven is to praise and worship God, sit by beautiful rivers, and walk barefoot through colorful fields of flowers. The problem with these notions is not that they are wrong but they are incomplete. There are, in fact, more elements to our heavenly life of which we need to be aware. One important heavenly element that has has been sorely overlooked is that of "trade" or "commerce."
If the thought of an economy in heaven seems strange or even heretical, don't be surprised. The scriptures dealing with this subject, while very plain, are rarely taught. As a result the body of Christ holds a strong misconception that somehow matters of commerce and finance take place on some "other" playing field that never crosses with matters of the spirit. This mentality creates the impression that we set our own rules for what is or isn't acceptable in business. Clearly this is not the case. So let's take a look to see what the bible says regarding the subject of trade or commerce.
Lucifer was perfect in all his ways until iniquity was found in him. Lucifer's Fall
"Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." Ez:28:15
Lucifer rebeled in heaven and was evicted with one third of the angels.
Most believers recognize the above verse as a description of Lucifer, one of the most beautiful of God's angelic creation, who, because of the iniquity that was found in him, was banished from heaven with a third of the angels that rebeled against God. But rarely do we hear the following three verses taught and their importance to the life of every Christian. Verses 16-18 of Ezekiel 28 say:


But many don't understand the nature of the iniquity that got him banished.
"By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee." Ez:28:16-18

It was unrighteous trade that brought about violence in heaven. 		Unjust Trade in Heaven
These verses speak about "merchandise" and "traffick." The NIV translates both of these words as trade - a term few believers consider as an activity to take place in heaven. We've frequently heard that Lucifer's great downfall came from pride resulting from his beauty. But according to these scriptures, Lucifer's acquisition of much merchandise through unrighteous trade practices brought about violence and defiled the sanctuaries of God.
The way we deal with matters of business and money is a barometer of our spiritual health.


True riches will only be entrusted to those who have been faithful with the riches of this world.


 Financial holiness - all part of the spiritual discipline
Due to our failure to understand the above, many mistakenly believe that matters of business and finance are ungodly and that the truly spiritual person will do everything possible to distance himself from such carnal activities and pursuits. Nothing could be further from the truth. To the contrary, the scriptures contain much instruction about these areas of our lives, telling us that how we handle matters of trade or commerce reflects the condition of our hearts and indicates whether or not we can be trusted to handle true, spiritual riches.
Because evil is rooted in the love of money, it is understandable that the business affairs of our lives would be the proving grounds of our character. Jesus said that the true believers would be known by their fruit. A person's attitude towards money is a primary way that fruit - either good or bad is made manifest.
"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Lk:16:11
Money plays a part in almost every aspect of our lives.


Money itself is not evil,

. . but the love and pursuit of money is. 		If I Just Had More Money
In Ecclesiastes 10:19 we read that:
. ."money answereth all things"
This explains why our flesh, left to itself, would be in endless pursuit of more and more money. The ungodly will go to any length to increase their wealth - even if it means cheating or killing others to get it. Unfortunately similar things happen within the body of Christ. Too often we hear of believers being charged with or convicted of carrying out some type of investment scam that leaves their victims penniless. Such activities are nothing less than both the perpetrator and the victim failing to bring under subjection their lust for more money. It's simply greed gone to seed and it wreaks more havoc in the body of Christ than we would like to believe.
Bible principles for righteous gain

Neither is "business" evil of itself.


Rather, it is business conducted with wrong motives that is evil.		 Bible Principles for Honest Trade
There is nothing inherently evil about "business" or about money. Trade or commerce is simply the buying and selling of goods or commodities and money is the means by which such exchange simplified and expedited. What makes business evil is when those with ungodly intents seek to acquire such goods through unjust means; i.e. cheating, fraud, extortion, etc. Selling a one pound box of nails that contains only 3/4 of a pound is an unjust gain because it cheats the buyer out of 1/4 pound of nails. Selling 5 acres of swampland as "beautiful waterfront property" is misleading advertising; and failing to deliver that which is promised is outright theft. Whether subtle or blatant, lies are lies and their purpose is to achieve gain at our neighbor's expense.
Scripture gives us clear guidelines regarding just, honest or righteous trade vs. unjust, dishonest, or unrighteous trade. Because the love of money is such a stronghold of the old nature, Satan frequently uses this vulnerability as a point of temptation and is often successful in seducing believers by appealing to one's desire to profit without applying labor to do so.
1. Labor . .

is the only means of acquiring honest wealth.		 1. Labor
. ."Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." Pr:13:11
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"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. ." Ge:3:19
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". .the hand of the diligent maketh rich" Pr:10:4
Rationalize as we may, honest gain always requires L-A-B-O-R. Failure to recognize and acknowledge this key point makes us easy targets for all kinds of financial trickery. Schemes and scams abound and their appeal is to those who believe they can increase wealth on the coat tails of someone else's labor. This is known as "plunder" which has no place in the life of a Christian.
2. Just Weights and
    Balances

Few would put a gun to someone's head and demand their money.

But many will use misleading information or shady practices to acquire wealth.


In bible times, dishonest balance scales were used to cheat people.


Today, more cunning and deceptive means are used in much broader systems to trick and ultimately to control the masses.

Playing the world's game to receive the world's gain will bring the world's wages. Some do so in ignorance; others by choice. All will reap the same reward.

OVERCOMING FINANCIAL SORCERY		 2. Use just weights and balances
. ."A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight." Pr:11:1
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"Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity." Lev:19:35 (NIV)
Relatively speaking there are few in our society who are so brazen as to put a gun to someone's head and demand his money. There are more than a few, however, who work diligently to plunder the wealth of others in less obtrusive ways. Using clever, deceptive words and practices or misleading ads, these ungodly schemers litter our financial and economic landscape with ingenious new ways to separate people from their money. Playing to peoples' love of money, the greedy are regularly duped out of their life's savings and, most amazingly - with their full consent and agreement.
A "just weight" or "just measure" is one of the ways in which the old testament instructed the people of God not to cheat others. In the market place of bible times, merchants used a balance scale to determine the weight of the commodity (wheat, flax, etc.) they were buying or selling. Dishonest merchants would use a false or "unjust" weight to cheat customers of what was righfully due them. We see in the scriptures above that the use of such unjust weights is an abomination to God.
Today unjust weights are in much broader use but in more subtle and cunning ways. Pervasive throughout government, the Federal Reserve, and the securities exchange system are dishonest weights and measures that are recongized by few and understood by fewer yet. These systems have been designed to deceive their participants. Their beauty to the perpetrators, however, is that the design elements are so cleverly crafted as to not only defraud the players but to do so in a way that is perceived to be beneficial to the victims.
To dabble in such worldly enticements subjects the participant to the whims of those who have created these systems and to unanticipated loss of God's financial blessings. This reflects poorly on a believer's faithfulness as a steward of God's bounty. The spiritual jeopardy of such activities for a child of God, however, is in the harm brought to our neighbor. The question rarely asked by one hoping to receive "something for nothing" is: "who might be harmed by what I am doing?" "Where does my gain come from?" If we have been the victim of a loss, it doesn't take long for us to demand: "What happened to my money?" "Where did it go?" But if we're on the receiving end of a windfall, we could care less where the money came from or who got hurt along the way. Hardly a proper, godly attitude for a child of God.
If you would like to understand more about the seduction of this world's financial system please read Overcoming Financial Sorcery in our Feature Article Archive.

3. Avoid Debt . .
Debt makes you it's servant.

God gives us a true prosperity. Debt offers us a false prosperity.
Debt is a thief that makes you feel wealthy while it robs you blind

a. FALSE TEACHING
Teachings that make allowances for debt open the door to financial destruction.

1. They are contrary to God's word

2. They ignore world economic trends

3. They fail to discern Satan's scheme

The greatest surprise for believers will be when economic collapse prevents them from being able to meet debt obligations.

Large scale foreclosures will transfer private property to banks and federal insuring agencies literally overnight.

b. INTENSE WORLDLY SEDUCTION

Would-be borrowers are diligently sought after. There's more than enough money to go around.


c. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

High stock and real estate prices are no accident. They result from excess money creation. When money supplies tighten asset values will plummet.


d. LACK OF FAITH
It takes faith to believe God to meet our needs. When needs can be easily met through other means faith is put to flight. 		3. Avoid debt
. .". . the borrower is servant to the lender." Pr:22:7
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". .and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee." Dt:15:6
Debt is a common component to a commercial transaction that has the potential to disrupt relationships and open the door for all kinds of demonic mahem. The Bible contains specific instruction regarding debt which, if heeded, will spare us from much agony. Disobedience to God's word always has consequences and the willingness to take on debt contrary to biblical instruction is probably the most rationalized of all acts of disobedience in the body of Christ. This has come about for 4 primary reasons:

  1. False teaching
    For years well-known and respected bible teachers have left room for debt financing usually with the proviso that you do so only within your ability to repay. Mortgage financing, in particular, is justified because of the steady appreciation that has historically taken place in real estate. While these instructions make sense to the natural mind they overlook three critical facts:
    1. Disregard for God's word - See verses above
    2. Failure to recognize world economic trends
      Despite overwhelming indications of impending economic danger, wide-eyed consumers and investors persist in borrowing to spend beyond their means. This process was largely responsible for the unfounded rise over the past 2 years in prices of stocks that had never turned an earnings profit. have declining earnings. Currency and general economic failures around the world point toward a worldwide economic slowdown yet few see any reason to curtail the breakneck spending spree.
    3. Failure to discern the global objective - you won't be able to repay.
      Those who teach that "manageable" debt is OK fail to discern the national redirection that has been steadily under way decades. The U.S. path toward global socialism is no accident and policies to curtail private property ownership are rapidly gaining momentum. New World Order operatives throughout our government are totally committed to this agenda and it will only take a currency crisis to put millions of family residences into foreclosure. The greatest secret from the American people is that their financial indebtedness - i.e. their service to the New World Order (NWO)- is the means by which their enslavement to this system is being sealed. Debt, by design is the NWO mechanism by which wholesale conversions of private property will soon be transfered into public hands. And it will all happen with consent of the borrower because he was willing to sign on the dotted line in order to keep up with the expected standard of living. This is precisely what happened as a result of the currency crisis in Mexico in 1994. Not only did the majority of the country's private mortgages tumble into default but the nation, itself, effectively yielded up its sovereignty to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to which it now finds itself economically enslaved..

  2. Intense worldly seduction
    It takes little discernment to recognize the diligence with which the world system is purposed to enslaving its members through debt. Endless barrages of radio, TV, telephone, direct mail, and email solicitations bombard American households mercilessly - all offering credit cards with attractive introductory rates, free airline miles, purchase discounts, etc., etc. Retail merchants offer merchandise with no payments and no interest till next year. Home equity mortgage lenders entice would-be borrowers with funding up to 125% of the home value. Investment brokerage firms enable the purchase of securities on margin. Yet how few understand the agenda behind all this generosity.


  3. Lack of knowledge
    Despite the general long-term trend, rising real estate values are not a given. Real estate prices, as any other, increase for only one reason: Federal Reserve money creation. During times of easy money policy, interest rates are low causing the dollar to lose purchasing power. Consequently prices trend upwards. - Fed money creation is what governs real estate prices.

    The little known reality of our widely lauded monetary system is that the Federal Reserve is nothing more than a money counterfeiting entity operating with the sanction and protection of law; - and the interest paid by borrowers on their loans is simply a tithe to the world system. (For a further exlpanation of the Federal Reserve money creation process see The Federal Reserve Note - Dishonest Money and the subsequent linked articles.


  4. Lack of faith
    Despite their acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord and provider, few believers are willing to trust God for their financial needs. Instead, most allow the enticement of MORE - NOW to rule their lives and find themselves dangling on the precipice of financial doom at the mercy of worldly creditors. A news article in a prominent national newspaper a while back entitled: "In Fed We Trust" cited how, to most of the investment community, Alan Greenspan is god.

4. Give Generously

God's law of return is activated as we "loosen up" and give according to his word.		 4. Give generously
. ."The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Pr:13:11
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"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Lk:6:38
The concept of generosity grates on the natural man like finger nails on a chalk board; - like a densists drill on an exposed nerve. It's beyond the ways of the carnal man. Being reminded that "The love of money is the root of all evil," it is no wonder that the unwillingness to give liberally is a major stronghold of the enemy in the lives of so many believers. It explains why so many rise up against ministers who will teach on tithing or who will encourage believers to give of their finances.

5. Don't Focus on
    Riches

Man's way to increase wealth is to seek after it with every fiber of his being. Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.



"Cast down" any thoughts that conflict with sound, biblical instruction.		 5. Don't focus on riches
. .". . if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. " Pr:62:10
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But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mt:6:33
The message of the world is to get all you can, as fast as you can, and how ever you can regardless of who you have to step on along the way. This doctrine of "self" pervades every aspect of our society and is like a cancer slowly eating away at the fabric on our nation. Glance through a magazine rack at any book store or supermarket and you'll find all the material imaginable about how to get ahead, how to climb the corporate ladder, to be strong, beautiful, sexy, become rich, stay young, please yourself, etc., etc. Such teachings are contrary to the word of God and, as such, our response when we are confronted with them should be the same as the apostle Paul's:
. ."Casting down evil imaginations and every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ . ." 2Co:10:5

6. Be Teachable		 6. Be Teachable
. ."Brethren, I count myself not to have apprehended . ." Ph:3:13
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"Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life."quot Pr:4:13
A man should not think more highly of himself than he he ought. (Ro 12:3) Pride goes before a destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Pr 16:18) These verses caution us about the need for us to be humble and to not think that we have attained to all spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
Conclusion
 The reality of commerce and trade in heaven is a vital truth to grasp.
As long as we believe that economic matters exist only on earth, we will view them as inherently earthly, carnal, and an evil to be endured only while we remain here in this life. The danger this poses for both our spiritual and natural well-being is that, by failing to comprehend the importance God places on these matters, we run the risk of diminishing the significance of how we handle financial activities and the importance of these decisions in living holy before God. This may very will explain why many in the body of Christ unwittingly fall prey to a variety of scams and schemes that abound to steal wealth.
Most importantly, since commerce and trade does, in fact, exist in heaven, we had best learn God's ways of proper economic conduct before we get there.
Hopefully you found this article enlightening and of benefit to your spiritual growth.
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