The Trinitarian Nature of Private Property

Genesis 1:1 clearly establishes God as the owner of creation. Genesis 1:28 tells man to fill and subdue the earth (His property) and have dominion over every living thing (also His property). God didn’t transfer ownership–He is still the original owner, but He did delegate ownership. We see man’s responsibilities in properly exercising this delegation over God’s property in parables like the Parable of the Talents.

Life works like the Trinity. Nobody is an individual without built-in relationships that cannot be discarded, no matter how much we try. It works that way with property ownership too.

When I as an individual own property, it isn’t just mine to use as I wish. I must use it to benefit not only myself but others. In an unfallen world, doing so would be easy, because i would have both the desire to do so and the wisdom to know how to do so. It is not so easy today, but I must do the best I can. The best way to figure that out is by examining how I affect other people’s property.

So, for instance, if I dig on my property and dump the dirt on another’s property, I am likely not using my property correctly. However, if I paint my house yellow and my neighbor doesn’t like it, that is more likely on his end. The government, then, could tell me not to dump my property on his property, but couldn’t (well, shouldn’t) tell me not to paint my house yellow.

Zoning, most building codes, eminent domain, and the like all clash with this Trinitarian view of private property ownership. And these actually result in worse stewardship of the earth that God has given us. This should be of concern not only to Christians, but to all who care about the earth, wherever they think it might have come from. The challenge for all of is, though, if we fail to submit to God’s word, then we think that we know best how to accomplish all these things.