Last time in part 1, I tackled comprehensively why certain high yield investment schemes has been flagged as scams by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) base on what the law says about this. In part two of this three-part series I will discuss the theological perspective of this issue.
Why a theological aspect? While the primary motivation for joining this high yield investment schemes is primarily monetary gain, a theological perspective is needed considering that some of these schemes are perpetuated by pastors of certain religious groups and a lot of pastors are actively involved in recruiting their members to join these dubious schemes. Probably part of the reason why these scams proliferated so easily is because of the fact that pastors exercise influence over their members.
Since pastors who got themselves in these illegal schemes use Scripture to justify what they are doing, as a theologian let me also quote Scripture so that we can see what it really says about the issue.
1.) Pastor must submit to the government and obey the laws of the land??? This command is not given only to pastors but all Christians. In Romans Chapter 13 the Apostle Paul admonishes us to be in subjection to government authorities as these authorities are established by God. Opposing government authorities is opposing God. The government through the SEC has already unequivocally ruled on the matter. Solicitation of investment from the public regardless of whatever animal it is called and whatever animal is being fronted as a business requires a secondary license from the SEC as provided for under the Securities Regulation Code (See Part 1 for the legal discussion)
The continued violation of the Securities Regulation Code of some pastors shows how they have disregarded the instructions of the Apostle Paul for Christians to ” . . . be in subjection (to the government), not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for conscience sake.” (Romans 13:5 ESV) Their actions do not set a very good example for their members. As pastors we are supposed to be the very persons encouraging our members to submit to the government and obey the laws of the land. Yet this is not what is happening right now in these investment schemes. Pastors are the ones the very ones taking the lead in refusing to submit to the government and disobeying the laws of the land.
2.) Pastors must be above reproach – In 1 Timothy 3:2-1, Scripture sets the requirements for a bishop, an overseer of the church, a pastor. One of the requirement set forth is that a pastor must be above reproach and well thought of by outsiders. How can we as pastors be well thought of by others and be of above reproach if we ourselves continue to engage in illegal schemes and even encourage others to violate the law? If we do this, we are indeed setting a very bad example for our members and those who are not our members.
3.) Pastor are to properly shepherd God’s flock – The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:28 admonishes pastors to take care of the Church of God. The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:2 makes the same admonition to pastors. Scriptures is replete with metaphors with regards to the shepherd-flock relationship between pastors and members and our Lord Jesus Christ even pictures himself as the good shepherd who protects His sheep and is even willing to “lay down his life for his sheep “(John 10:11) How can we as pastors consider ourselves as properly “shepherding” the flock of God as we are instructed if we lead our members to financial ruin by encouraging them to invest in financial schemes that has been explicitly declared by the government already as illegal? If we do this we are as those who, to use the words that Christ has used in describing persons who are mere hired hands who does not care for their sheep “ . . . sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and jscatters them. He flees because . . . he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” (John 10:12,13 ESV) Are we properly shepherding, protecting God’s flock or are we leading them to financial destruction and ruin? (Not to mention to be criminally liable) If we continue to lead them to invest in these dubious illegal schemes, we are not exercising proper oversight or properly shepherding our members. We are merely pastoring for ???sordid gain.??? As such we do not deserve to become pastors or even be called as one.
4.) Pastors are to properly teach their members what Scriptures has to say about money and material possessions. Scriptures are replete with warnings in pursuing dishonest gains. “Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.” (Proverbs 16:8 ESV) Great income derived from ponzi schemes as what the government has called today’s current high yield investments schemes is indeed injustice as it simply takes money from new members and give it the ones that came in earlier. (More on this in Part 3) The unreasonable returns obtained as a result of these ponzi scheme is indeed hastily gained wealth and Proverbs 13:11 warns that “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” Further Proverbs 28:20 warns that “whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 23:4-5 even wisely admonishes us not to “ . . . toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven” and the Apostle Paul warns believer in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the “love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Indeed because of the love of money, pastors are now doing all kinds of evil by taking the lead in committing illegal acts and enticing members to join investment scams. The Apostle Paul aptly continues that “… it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” When pastors fail to submit to the government, the laws of the land, encourage others to do the same and fail to properly shepherd and protect their flock, they commit acts that violates the continuing requirements of a pastor. Their acts show that they have certainly wandered from the faith.
5.) Pastor are to set a good example – The Apostle Paul instructed the young pastor Timothy to “ . .. set the believers an example . . . in conduct” (1 Timothy 4:12 ESV) The Apostle Peter gives the same advice when he exhorted elders to be an example to their flock ( 1 Peter 5:3) When pastors blatantly disregard the law and commit illegal acts, certainly they are not not setting a good example for their members to follow.
In part 3, the last part of this series I will conclude this series with a discussion on the business, investment and economic perspective of these investment scams.
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Amen pastor.