A Christian Response to an Economic Crisis
Today we are dealing with circumstances involving a virus pandemic which is impacting both the markets and the economy. The shock of this virus pandemic has created a ripple effect through our lives and especially the economy as a whole. To understand the nature of this ripple effect we must first and foremost understand how God designed the economy to work and how it has gone wrong. The foundation of God’s economic system is found in Genesis 1:1,* which says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” and Genesis 1:26, which says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Many today cannot see the foundation of true economics in these passages. However, by understanding the creation account, we can construct the Ideal Economy by which humanity can both thrive and prosper.
God created the earth, and God has appointed man to have dominion over it. Humans are created in God’s image. The earth has been designed by God to respond and yield to humanity its fruits and all its gifts. God gave man the mission to take these resources, which have been given as a gift and move them to a higher level. Man takes things of a lower value and brings them to a higher value. In turn, the earth by God’s design yields to man and man through his productivity causes the earth to yield even more. God also created male and female to be fruitful and multiply and yield new generations. Man, and nature are compatible because of God’s creative design. As we adhere to God’s principles, we see an economy that works well and leads to investments based on productivity. These investments become the seeds of capital that are added back into productive activity. This is called a virtuous cycle in which ethical behavior creates conditions for better behavior in the future. The key to this cycle working is giving back to the Creator to calibrate our hearts and minds to the reality of this system. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” The most economically productive thing we can do is give from the first fruits of our labor. It provides us with the ability to acknowledge God as the one who owns it all and makes Him Sovereign over our lives.
The dominion of man on earth is built on this cycle as created by God. With man’s productivity come choices between consumption and investment. Reinforcing this productivity is a work-ethic that further enhances our productivity. As man foregoes consumption and saves, these savings are turned into investments. These investments are then put back into production, expanding the wealth of a society. From the wealth of society comes forth giving and generosity elevating those who are in need.
Man establishes a counterfeit god called the government, which is formed to replace the abundance and wealth of God’s true economic system.
So, what has gone wrong with our economic system? Why doesn’t it function as originally intended? The answer lies in the alienation of man from God. This alienation from God interrupts the virtuous cycle of the earth, man, productivity, and the capital markets. When the dominion of man is not understood from a Biblical Worldview, we underestimate man’s ability to be productive when entering various forms of enterprise. When God, the Creator, is removed from the cycle, that is when this system breaks down. Suddenly, productivity, wealth, and investment are reduced, and man sees all around him scarcity, not the abundant plan of God the Creator. From this scarcity, anxiety takes hold, and as anxiety increases, it causes consumption to increase to fill the void left by God. Yet God’s Word says in Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
In this dangerous state of anxiety, man instead of turning toward God pushes him away further. In his anxiousness, he seeks an alternative. An alternative that will restore the abundance and wealth of the system that only God Himself through His creative design and principles could create. Man establishes a counterfeit god called the government, which is formed to replace the abundance and wealth of God’s true economic system. Now the government, to create this abundance and wealth, establishes a mechanism called the Federal Reserve to print money to create the appearance of this wealth. Productivity and the capital markets are now distorted. There are cycles of boom and bust. The money supply and related interest rates are manipulated masking over the ability to assess risk. As money is continually introduced into the system, a false wealth is created as a result of debt being used to further increase consumption due to man’s anxiety. In turn, the government begins the process of confiscation through taxation, reducing further capital, investments, and giving, which could have gone elsewhere.
Simply put, our markets and our economic systems are a mirror image of our fallen nature and fractured creation.
Once God is removed from all aspects of our society, we continue to push God out of the way and rely on our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-7 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; hear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” Because God is no longer at the center of our lives, everything becomes fragmented. This becomes a chain reaction whereby man is separated from production, and production is separated from the economic system. The system itself becomes fragmented. There is now a disconnect between investments and consumption, and this separates economics from the assessment of risk, which is known as interest rates. Modern Portfolio Theory, also known as Asset Allocation, ignores production and consumption. There is now a severed relationship between Government action and investments. Wall Street operates on its own and focuses strictly on the markets themselves. Because Wall Street is running separately from production, markets are now emotionally driven, and people react out of anxiety, fear, and scarcity. Simply put, our markets and our economic systems are a mirror image of our fallen nature and fractured creation.
Some may question, especially during a time like this, where is God in all of this? The answer is that God has always been with us, and God created the perfect economic system for man to live. Perhaps the real question should be where is man in all of this? Has it not been humanity who relied on its own understanding and in the process erected false gods and idols to assuage its own inner anxieties due to its separation from God? Colossians 1:16-20 says, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”
During times of crisis, this is the time when we are to draw near to God. During times of crisis, it is God’s voice that calls us to His Word and for us to restore God’s place of being first and foremost in our lives. It is not the government, nor is it man’s contrived economic system that can save us. It is God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that brings us to salvation. God allows these things to occur so that we may see how He designed the perfect economy to be in harmony with humanity. It is during these times of crisis that we can see the transcendent principles of money management and stewardship, as found in over 3,000 verses of scripture, that show us the error of our ways. Now is the time for Christians and non-Christians alike to look to the Word of God and submit themselves under the Authority of God and His Ideal Economy.
More importantly, now is the time that the Word of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ be shared to get us through these trying times. Jesus Christ is the one who assuages our fears and brings all of humanity to salvation. Now is the time to bring the full tithe into the storehouse and fully trust in the Lord to be our provision (Malachi 3:10).
I want to leave you with the words of Luke 8:23-25, “and as they sailed, He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
Focus on Jesus Christ and not the storm, for He is our rock, our provision, and our salvation!
*All Scripture references are from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Theresa J. Yarosh, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, is the Founder and President of Macro Wealth Management, LLC. She has been in the financial services industry for over 20 years. She is considered to be on the leading edge of financial planning as it pertains to the impact of healthcare costs in retirement. This specialization has given her the focus to identify what financial products in a retirement plan result in higher healthcare costs versus what financial products do not. This allows for a plan that seeks to contain and reduce ongoing healthcare costs to restore the purchasing power of retirement assets.
Theresa is presently a student in the CKA® Educational Program, which satisfies the educational requirement portion of the CKA® designation. The CKA® Designation stands for Certified Kingdom Advisor, which is a Christian program based on the Biblical Principles of Money Management and Stewardship.
She is also the Founder and President of Main Street Medigap, LLC. Main Street Medigap, LLC, provides Medicare Supplement Insurance policies to seniors ages 65 and over. Also, Main Street Medigap, LLC, consults Attorneys. Banks, CPAs, and other Financial Advisors on Medicare and its related cost structure. She can be reached at tyarosh@macrowealthmanagement.com.
Representatives are registered through, and Securities are sold through Nationwide Planning Associates, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, located at 115 West Century Road, Suite 360, Paramus, NJ 07652. Investment Advisory Services are offered through NPA Asset Management, LLC. Nationwide Planning Associates, Inc. and Macro Wealth Management, LLC, are non-affiliated entities.
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