Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
II Corinthians 9:7
In New Zealand we have a Treaty Grievance "industry". Its fundamental animus is the unlawful historical expropriation by the Crown of Maori land and assets usually as an outcome of the Maori wars. Its more recent and increasingly pervasive animus is a revisionist recasting of the Treaty of Waitangi, where it is claimed that Maori are co-partners with the government in ruling the nation.
This “Treaty partner” concept has been used to argue for Maori ownership in some proportional sense of all economic activity, resources, assets, and wealth in New Zealand. In general the governing apparatus in this country has accepted the revisionist recasting and has proceeded to agree to dolling out large amounts to Maori to reflect their rightful status as “Treaty partners”.
To some it is considered a thing most passing strange that the government and the country would accept so readily and easily the idea that any government of the day would dole out millions upon millions of taxpayer expropriations to a newly discovered category of beneficiary—that is, to so-called Treaty partners. But it is not strange at all.
Expropriation and redistribution is what almost all people in the country believe is the central role and competence of government—so settling Treaty grievances is business as usual, as is the ever expanding claims and newly discovered rights of Maori. It's simply the way the country works now, as it has done for the past eighty years.
From time to time the Crown and Maori will talk about “full and final settlements”. The idea is that the Crown will have settled once-and-for-all an historical grievance, so that no further claims can be made. Both parties would apparently agree—but a few years later, the Oliver Twist syndrome appears, and those who had once agreed that they had received “full and final settlement” are back, begging for—sorry, demanding—more.
An absolute classic of the syndrome was the “special deal” given to Maori business interests when the government was crafting its ludicrous Emissions Trading Scheme. Now under this nonsense, all economic activity and enterprise is to be taxed for producing carbon dioxide—that wonderful, life giving, green producing gas. But under the legislation Maori business interests are to receive special treatment, exemptions, and supports because when the respective tribes signed “full and final” settlements they had no idea that one day the businesses and wealth established as a result of settlement of grievances would be subject to a carbon dioxide tax. So, Oliver's bowl was whipped out, and more settlements were made.
Of course the country will just shrug and move on. Everybody knows that that's just what governments do. Expropriation and redistribution. Good on the Maori for being clever enough to push themselves to the front of the line.
But this reality remains: anyone who continually has to make atonement and provide restitution for wrongs is enslaved. Consequently, the nation is progressively becoming enslaved atoning and making restitution, atoning and making restitution, and so on. It is precisely for this reason that Christians are free—well, more accurately, they are bonded slaves to Him who has made them free indeed. Compared to our former state, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Our Gospel is that Christ has provided full and final settlement for all our sin. He has made atonement, and He has sat down at the right hand of God the Father. It is complete, full, final, and perfect. We are free. We no longer need to make repeated sacrifices or atonements for our daily sins. This is a wonderful release, since the longer we walk with the Christ in the light of His law, the more we realise the depths and pervasiveness of our sinfulness and its former robbery of God. If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. How liberating for us is that cry from the Cross—it is finished! It is over. It is done. Full and final settlement for all the sin of all My people.
The implications are all consuming and extensive. They touch every part of our lives and daily existence. Amongst many other things, because of His full and final settlement we Christians are unmoved by the pseudo-guilt which the modern world would foist upon citizens and subjects. The mantra of needing to “pay up” and “settle” no longer has a hold over us. The pseudo-guilt of Oliver's bowl, offering us a way of atoning for past and present wrongs no longer has any impact or hold over our souls. Consequently, we are freed to give generously and cheerfully to those genuinely in need, rather than to those who have made begging a career and lifestyle choice.
Giving in a vain attempt to make atonement, or giving to make things right is compulsion, which is to be enslaved. For there is no end to it. Giving out of joy at being set free is a celebration of His full and final settlement for all our sin. Is it surprising, then, that the Scriptures declare that God loves and rejoices with the cheerful giver?
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