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What responsibilities do Christians have to protect their belongings?

It’s important to start out with an essential fact: God owns everything. “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains (Ps. 24:1 NASB95).” That means any discussion of “What should I do with my stuff?” is necessarily on God’s terms. He’s the landlord, so he gets to set the terms.

So, do Christians have a responsibility to protect their property? The Bible says people shouldn’t steal things (Ex. 20:15). So that means what you own is yours. And taking measures to secure your stuff is in line with that.

But while this answer may seem straightforward, it brings up something else that complicates things. Jesus said, “Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back (Lk. 6:30 ESV).” 

What Jesus is calling for in that verse is radical generosity. Yet to some people, it seems to turn the idea of private property upside down. Because, if Jesus says we should let people get away with taking our belongings, then why should we do anything to secure our stuff in the first place?

Finding the meaning

Understanding this verse relies on several Biblical truths. First of all, this verse isn’t saying we can’t protect our stuff. Rather, Jesus is telling us what we should do if something of ours is stolen.  

And, this verse is in the section about loving our enemies (Lk. 6:27-36). When our friends are in need, do we not help them? We should love our enemies in the same way we love our friends.

David Guzik says on this verse, “The only limit to this kind of sacrifice is the limit that love itself will impose. It isn’t loving to give into someone’s manipulation without our transforming it into a free act of love. It isn’t always loving to give or to not resist.” 

In other words, the principles Jesus gave in that passage aren’t limited to exact situations. Jesus’s words were examples of God’s love in real life.

The Good Samaritan

The parable of the Good Samaritan is an excellent example (Lk. 10:30-36). Jews and Samaritans didn’t really get along. But after a priest and Levite—two “holy” and “righteous” men—passed by a Jewish man in need, the only person who cared enough to help was a Samaritan man! 

The Samaritan in this parable follows the principles that Jesus gave in Luke 6. Even though the injured Jewish man could be considered his cultural enemy, the Samaritan went above and beyond to care for him.

That is what Jesus was talking about in Luke 6:30. It’s not about letting people take advantage of you because “that’s more loving,” but about how to love as God does: lending and “expecting nothing in return (Lk. 6:35).”

Protecting Property

As to whether we should protect our property, Guzik’s commentary on the previous verse (Lk. 6:29) about letting someone slap the other cheek says, “It is wrong to think Jesus meant evil should never be resisted.” David Guzik then talked about how Jesus turned the tables in the temple. In that case, Jesus showed us that evil should be resisted.

There is a time and place to resist evil. For example, responding to a situation in self-defense. But, when we are being personally insulted—not assaulted—we should bear the insult instead of lashing out in revenge. That is what acting in God’s love is all about.

Our responsibilities

Additionally, the Parable of the Talents teaches us that we should steward wisely what God has given us (Matt. 25:14-30 CSB). While we could refrain from installing an antivirus on our computers and just forget about putting locks on our doors, that is not the best way to steward our God-given resources.

And God has given some Christians responsibilities such as children or dependent family members. If someone were to steal their money or vehicles, their children or ailing family members could suffer as a result. Is it kind to allow loved ones to come to harm through neglect?

An answer

So, the answer to the question, “What responsibilities do Christians have to protect their belongings?” has multiple parts. Christians should protect their property so their loved ones do not come to harm. We should also secure our belongings so we can steward them in the wisest way possible. Lastly, we also have a responsibility to resist the attempts of others to take what we own.

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