Government Regulation for the Benefit of the Poor

‘When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’” (Lev 23:22 NASB)

As David Noebel has noted, government is "the institution of justice" and "should prohibit, prevent, prosecute, and punish injustice;" government should not "attempt to dispense grace through tax-funded handouts."

Noebel's assertions are based on a close examination of biblical principles concerning government, and they lead to a conservative view concerning the role of government.

One area in which political conservatives' instincts may run contrary to scriptural principles, however, is concerning the regulatory powers of government. Many conservatives seem to take such a "hands-off" approach that-- if they had their way-- government would be allowed virtually no say in regulating private enterprise. But notice the passage at the beginning of this post. Leviticus 23:22 is not a suggestion, but a command, coming within the Mosaic law. Presumably, if an ancient Israelite was found guilty of violating this law, they could find themselves facing a legal proceeding. The Mosaic law prescribed government regulation of private enterprise for the benefit of the poor.