But of course, even Christian communities are built of imperfect people. I was part of an intentional community that failed miserably. Others have worked very well over a long period of time.However, the leader (August Gottlieb Spangenberg) of the Moravian Brethren community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was the opposite. He is considered a genius at economic management. He took the helm of the community while it was staggering under Zinzendorf’s debts and within 20 years had managed to pay them all off and turn the community into an economic powerhouse that was able to finance many missionaries.
What distinguishes the ones that work well from the ones that do not?
To me, "Koine is socialism" is a step farther than I want to take it. Our fellowship and community is rooted in Jesus Christ, not in an economic system. The community in Acts 4:32 held all things in common, I am not convinced that all Christians in the New Testament did. But they did all practice radical community.Koine is socialism
If we take a peek at the Greek word for “common” in Acts 4:32, we find that it is κοινός (koinos). We can recognize a root word there (koin-) that is also in a word we sometimes hear: koinonia, which means “fellowship, sharing.” Something that is “koinos” is a shared, or common-to-all, object.
When we share Christian fellowship, we are practicing koinonia. But let’s put that into the context of our study of socialism and be straightforward and honest: the last part of Acts 4:32 could be justly translated as, “but they practiced socialism with all their things.”
For instance, I don't think that the Bible talks about anything like the government owning the means of production, Paul's tent-making supplies probably remained his.
Most translations interpret κοινωνικούς as "willing to share". I don't think this should be read as "sharing all things in common with", implying a common purse or socialism. So I'm a little uncomfortable with the word "socialist" here.Much more could be said concerning the biblical teaching of sharing God’s resources, but we will take va look at just one more, 1 Timothy 6:17-18: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.”
Note the bolded words. Can you guess what the Greek word is for “communicate”? Yes, κοινωνικούς (koinonikous). You can recognize the root word koin- in there. The (Middle) Liddel, Scott, Jones lexicon gives this definition for koinonikous: “held in common, social, giving a share of a thing.”
Summarized, the last part of 1 Timothy 6:17-18 could justly be translated as “ready to distribute and socialistic.”
The best cure for a greedy capitalist is to turn him into a willing socialist! Marxism failed because it tried to turn greedy capitalists into unwilling socialists by means of an AK-47 stuck to the capitalist’s head. Marxism also failed because it tried to push God out of the picture, and no one will overcome self-centeredness apart from being born again by the divine nature.
But these verses and many others say that Christians do not live for the same things our non-Christian neighbors live for, and to be a true Christian, we must have a very different relationship to wealth. Beyond that, we must not equate wealth and education with value in God's eyes. We must not worship the rich and powerful.