Government & Church - Biblical Welfare #2
I've read accusations that the Biblical position of individual people providing charity assistance to those in need only applies to Christians. In other words, Christians only help other Christians and everyone else can starve.
Anyone who thinks that is the Christian attitude have not paid attention to what happens during disasters. It is Christians who provide the major of the relief and aid. It does not matter where the disaster strikes... in a Christian community or a Muslim country. Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians are all helped equally and without distinguishing who belongs to which religion.
Yes, there are some cults that call themselves Christian that limit their assistance to those who are members of their church. Or they serve their church first and if anything is left over they'll help others. But that's not what you see from Christians.
What are some examples from the Bible?
Leviticus 19:9-10 says: "When you harvest your crops, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your grape crop--do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners who live among you, for I, the Lord, am your God."
At that time most people were farmers raising crops. They were commanded to leave some of their crops for the poor. They were to give some of what they received to help those who could not help themselves.
An important point to note is, God did not command them to harvest crops and then give the food to the poor. Those who were in need--you could say they were in need of a job--could come and harvest what was left. They had to work to get their food. Those who had a harvest were responsible for providing for them, but they still had to put in some work to get what was given to them.
Let's look in the New Testament. This is from Mark 2:23-24
"One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of wheat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, 'They shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.'"
Were they accused of stealing grain? No. Jesus did not accuse them of stealing. And what the Pharisees said they were doing wrong was working on the Sabbath. Leviticus 19 allows travelers to glean grain from the unharvested edges of the fields. Jesus' followers were applying this principle.
How do we applythis principle today?
1. We are to put aside some of what we earn to be used to help those in need.
2. We should provide it to those in need, and who can work, in a way that gives them dignity; that builds them up; that strengthens them; and helps them build the habits they need to take are of themselves. In other words we should not just give them the cash, they need to work.
This does not mean we should take advantage of others, forcing them to be our servants so they can buy the food they need. Those who gleaned from the fields did not plow, plant, weed, nor put in all the work needed to care for the fields. They did a lot less work than the farmer. Yet, they still had to do something to earn their food. We need to structure our support for those in need the same way.
Anyone who thinks that is the Christian attitude have not paid attention to what happens during disasters. It is Christians who provide the major of the relief and aid. It does not matter where the disaster strikes... in a Christian community or a Muslim country. Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians are all helped equally and without distinguishing who belongs to which religion.
Yes, there are some cults that call themselves Christian that limit their assistance to those who are members of their church. Or they serve their church first and if anything is left over they'll help others. But that's not what you see from Christians.
What are some examples from the Bible?
Leviticus 19:9-10 says: "When you harvest your crops, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your grape crop--do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners who live among you, for I, the Lord, am your God."
At that time most people were farmers raising crops. They were commanded to leave some of their crops for the poor. They were to give some of what they received to help those who could not help themselves.
An important point to note is, God did not command them to harvest crops and then give the food to the poor. Those who were in need--you could say they were in need of a job--could come and harvest what was left. They had to work to get their food. Those who had a harvest were responsible for providing for them, but they still had to put in some work to get what was given to them.
Let's look in the New Testament. This is from Mark 2:23-24
"One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of wheat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, 'They shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.'"
Were they accused of stealing grain? No. Jesus did not accuse them of stealing. And what the Pharisees said they were doing wrong was working on the Sabbath. Leviticus 19 allows travelers to glean grain from the unharvested edges of the fields. Jesus' followers were applying this principle.
How do we applythis principle today?
1. We are to put aside some of what we earn to be used to help those in need.
2. We should provide it to those in need, and who can work, in a way that gives them dignity; that builds them up; that strengthens them; and helps them build the habits they need to take are of themselves. In other words we should not just give them the cash, they need to work.
This does not mean we should take advantage of others, forcing them to be our servants so they can buy the food they need. Those who gleaned from the fields did not plow, plant, weed, nor put in all the work needed to care for the fields. They did a lot less work than the farmer. Yet, they still had to do something to earn their food. We need to structure our support for those in need the same way.
Labels: government, helping the poor, welfare
posted by BrickBalloon
Read This Post In Our: Christianity in America Blog Archive
2 Comments:
So are you supporting the welfare system? I am a strong believer in charity. You were right on in what you said. I just want to clarify your point.
Hi Jeremy. Thanks for your comment.
We all are forced to support the welfare system, at least those who pay taxes. But if you are asking if I help others myself, outside of the government, the answer is yes. We are to help others, even if the government is also trying to do so. As far as I'm concerned there is no choice. God first loved us, and that is why we love Him and our fellow man. And love that is not action is no love at all.
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