Defining Principles of God’s Economy

Based on The Economic Awakening by Scott Nelson

In The Economic Awakening, Scott Nelson challenges many of the assumptions we hold about money, ownership, and economic systems. Rather than viewing the economy as a neutral or purely human construct, Nelson invites readers to see economics through a biblical lens rooted in God’s original design for the economy. Drawing from the economic structure of ancient Israel, Nelson presents a system that is relational, decentralized, and vastly different from today’s traditional economic systems.

Below are five key takeaways from The Economic Awakening that help define what God’s economy looks like and how it differs from the systems we live under today.

1.     God owns the economy.

Today, the idea of ownership seems very linear. You own your house because you worked, saved, and bought it. Ownership is tied to effort, contracts, and legal systems. But in ancient Israel, the people lived under a very different understanding of ownership.

In God’s economy, the land and everything it produces ultimately belongs to Him. Scripture is clear that God is the true owner of all things, and people are entrusted with stewardship of these assets. This worldview reframes how resources are understood: they are not earned independently from God, nor are they controlled apart from Him. When God is recognized as the owner, economic power is no longer about domination or accumulation, but about faithful management of what He has provided.

2.     We have the right of possession and cannot lose it.

In today’s economy, ownership and possession are often treated as the same thing. If you lose your property, default on a loan, or go bankrupt, your access to resources can disappear entirely. In ancient Israel, however, there was a clear distinction between ownership and possession.

In God’s economy, absolute ownership belongs to the Lord while people are given the right of possession. Every family in Israel was allotted land that could not be permanently taken away. God was the true owner, and the family had the right to the yield of the land for generations. Even if land was temporarily sold due to hardship, it would eventually return to the original family.

Because God was the ultimate owner, no human institution had the authority to permanently remove a family’s place in the economy. This ensured that every household retained long-term access to provision. Unlike modern systems where people can permanently lose assets and be excluded from economic participation, God’s economy safeguarded each family’s ability to meet their needs across generations.

3.     Family is the central unit of the economy.

In God’s economy, the family is the foundational economic unit. This stands in sharp contrast to today’s systems, where wealth and power are often concentrated in artificial legal entities such as banks, governments, and corporations.

In ancient Israel, economic power was decentralized. Every family was given land by God, and that land could not be permanently sold or consolidated. This prevented excessive concentration of wealth and kept economic participation widespread.

Because the family was central, culture and economy were closely connected. Rather than a transactional culture focused on efficiency and profit, God’s economy emphasized relationships, responsibility, and love for one’s neighbor. The economy, therefore, flowed out of the culture.

4.     Wealth and treasures flow through God’s people.

Today, we see wealth heavily concentrated in the hands of few, many being artificial legal entities. In God’s economy, wealth is meant to flow through God’s people, with the excess being freely given to those in need. Today, people primarily look to their own benefit and store their wealth on earth, causing massive wealth disparities.

When we spend our money and give freely, it creates more turns in the economy, which ultimately grows it. Furthermore, rather than have assets sit around, Nelson argues that the economy grows fastest when assets at rest (underutilized assets) are used within the economy. Therefore, when we have assets, we have priority in their use, but if they are not being used, we are to lend them to those in need.

5.     Periodic built-in resets allow for rest, the forgiveness of debts, and a change in pace.

Lastly, in ancient Israel, the Israelites were commanded to rest every seven years. During this seventh year, the economic value of assets was shared, debts were cancelled, and the land was given a rest from being cultivated. While the Israelites still had to work to get their provision, they were not allowed to expand or cultivate.

Additionally, there was a reset of the economy every fifty years. During the Year of Jubilee, land that had been sold was restored, debts were forgiven, and indentured servants were released. Not only did this prevent permanent systemic poverty among the Israelites, but it allowed the land and Israelites to rest.

Today’s economy has no built-in reset, so debt can last a lifetime, families can permanently lose land and assets, and poverty can be generational. Without this periodic release or restoration, wealth concentrates in fewer hands and many people remain trapped in long-term financial burdens.

The principles of God’s economy stand in sharp contrast to many of the assumptions that shape today’s economic systems. As illustrated in Scripture through ancient Israel, ownership belongs to God, people are to steward the resources God has given them, families are protected within the economy, wealth is meant to circulate, and regular resets prevent long-term poverty. While the context today is vastly different from ancient Israel, the foundation of God’s economy remains relevant, offering a framework that challenges how we view ownership, wealth, and today’s economy.