Are the rich Pastors giving to the poor?
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 Hummm, this is a good question I stole it from G4  I feel that all I ever met are taking the money and having a ball with it, maybe just a few bucks goes to the poor the rest is on vacations and savings for themselves.Most of them have no bills and say they are giving your money to the poor but they are saving it for trips and health and fun money.They have beautiful houses and cars and planes and other propertys,this all comes from the sheep not the shepard.Blind fools!!!!B3
baby3
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I know, it is absolutely obscene how some of them live. People like to point to the Pope and the Vatican, but the Pope just has a room in there and I think in a summer house, but the rest of the building is for those who work there. There are offices and storage rooms and kitchens and places for public access. The Vatican is not a fancy personal dwelling.
Our priests and bishops often live in shared accommodations that also serve other purposes, they are not living high off the hog like some do.
Many religious take a vow of poverty, and people mock them for this along with their vows of chastity/celibacy and obedience. Why is this a cause for mockery?
Anyone who feel called to serve the Lord in ministry, regardless of denomination, should be serving not fleecing the flock.
Pax et Bonum,
Faith_at_Large
"There are some in the Church, who not only do not do what is good, but even persecute it, and hate in others what they neglect to do themselves. The sin of these men is not that of infirmity or ignorance, but deliberate willful sin." — Pope St. Gregory the Great (AD 540-604)
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Absolutely right they have the nerve to promise the sheep they will be rich if they give all to the Lord, but the Lord gets nothing from this, the minister or (banker) gets it all. NO one should be a millionaire on the word of God!!!! Crack the whip!!
baby3
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Originally posted by baby3
Hummm, this is a good question I stole it from G4
I feel that all I ever met are taking the money and having a ball with it, maybe just a few bucks goes to the poor the rest is on vacations and savings for themselves.Most of them have no bills and say they are giving your money to the poor but they are saving it for trips and health and fun money.They have beautiful houses and cars and planes and other propertys,this all comes from the sheep not the shepard.Blind fools!!!!B3
So your saying God doesn't bless His people??.
If under the Old Testament, God gave them goodly houses, And in heaven we will have a mansion, And Jesus told us to pray,
"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven".
Where does the Bible say, God won't give as goodly houses now??
Remember, We have a better covenant built upon better promises, So if they had goodly houses that they didn't build in the old Covenant,
And we don't under the new Covenatnt, HOW IS IT A BETTER COVENANT??.
WAKE UP.
What you don't tell us, Id that some of those Minister, double and even treble tithe.
And what you give to God, He will multiply it and increase it so wil will ALWAYS have ALL sufficiency in ALL things.
Who said those Minister don't give to the poor??.
What thye do is, Teach them how to be rich.
Your problem is, You don't know [Or believe] the Bible, Just like he catholics.
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Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
I know, it is absolutely obscene how some of them live. People like to point to the Pope and the Vatican, but the Pope just has a room in there and I think in a summer house, but the rest of the building is for those who work there. There are offices and storage rooms and kitchens and places for public access. The Vatican is not a fancy personal dwelling.
Our priests and bishops often live in shared accommodations that also serve other purposes, they are not living high off the hog like some do.
Many religious take a vow of poverty, and people mock them for this along with their vows of chastity/celibacy and obedience. Why is this a cause for mockery?
Anyone who feel called to serve the Lord in ministry, regardless of denomination, should be serving not fleecing the flock.
The catholic church are the biggest fleec'rs that there is,
GET IT RIGHT.
The reason why your priest live in shared accomodation, Is because they either don't know the Bible or they don't believe it.
Under the old covenant they lived in goodly houses that they didn't build, And we have a BETTER covenant, That means we should be living in goodly houses that we didn't buy, Or eles God told us a lie.
If the OT people had goodly houses, And in heaven we have a mansion, Why did God give give the OT, and those in heaven goodly houses, And not the new testament Church??, Why do we have to settle for less.
ALL god's TRUE people areblessed, And should believe it and walk in the blessings of God, Incllueding good houses, cars and financial blessings.
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g4, you make me sick. you really do believe godliness is a means to financial gain and will manipulate scripture and even common sense to believe such crap. yes crap.
one thing i do know is that a lot of pentacostal people do not have mansions so i guess they are not really blessed.
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Originally posted by mikejuli
g4, you make me sick. you really do believe godliness is a means to financial gain and will manipulate scripture and even common sense to believe such crap. yes crap.
one thing i do know is that a lot of pentacostal people do not have mansions so i guess they are not really blessed.
Let me ask you two questions.
[1]Has God changed????.
[2]Has His word changed???.
If God and His word haven't changed, Then prosperity is still for God's people today.
Deut 7: 9 says God is a covenant keeeping God.
Deut 8: 18 says God gives us the power to get wealth, That He may establish His covenant.
God told Abaham His covenant was Between Him and Abraham and his seed after him in their generation.
WE, [Born again Christians] Are Abraham's seed in our generation,
Gal 3: 29, Also see, Gal 3: 7, & v9.
V9, says we are blessed with Abraham, And God blessed Abraham with ALL THINGS, Gen 24: 1.. Also see, Rom 8: 32. 1 Tim 6: 17.
NO, God or His word haven't changed,
But you are trying to changing God's word with your wrong beliefs.
What's even worse, You say God's word is, "Swear swear", I won't repeat the swearing that you said God and His word are.
It's a good job you are already going to hell.
Church history proves that those who believe God's word, Receive the blessings that are recorded in The Bible, [Inclueding financial prosperity], And those who boubt God's word, do without.
And you are one of the doubters.
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There is a difference between being blessed, and fleecing the flock. Being rich is not a sin, but when the rich hoard their money to increase their own gain and refuse to help those in need, then this is not a sign of blessing.
We shall know them by their fruit.
Pax et Bonum,
Faith_at_Large
"There are some in the Church, who not only do not do what is good, but even persecute it, and hate in others what they neglect to do themselves. The sin of these men is not that of infirmity or ignorance, but deliberate willful sin." — Pope St. Gregory the Great (AD 540-604)
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Originally posted by mikejuli
g4, you make me sick. you really do believe godliness is a means to financial gain and will manipulate scripture and even common sense to believe such crap. yes crap.
one thing i do know is that a lot of pentacostal people do not have mansions so i guess they are not really blessed.
It's funny how g4 thinks it's OK to use God for money and not help the poor in return (though Christ says the sheep and goats will be separated accordingly), but he thinks God sends people to hell for saying "crap".... Sounds like twisted, works-based religious slavery to me. In g4's mind, only words and appearances matter. He tries (yet fails) to clean the outside of the cup, while the inside of the cup is, well, full of crap.
"Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ." - Thomas Merton
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Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
There is a difference between being blessed, and fleecing the flock. Being rich is not a sin, but when the rich hoard their money to increase their own gain and refuse to help those in need, then this is not a sign of blessing.
We shall know them by their fruit.
[1]YEH, And the catholic priests know all about fleecing thie flocks.
[2]I don't know one TRUE Man of God who hoards money and doesn't give to the poor.
Because we know the Bible says , He that gives to the poor leands to God, And God will give it back with interest.
we know the Biblical principle of giving and receiving, So we are the greatest givers..GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT.
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quote:
Originally posted by acumenCry
quote:
Originally posted by mikejuli
g4, you make me sick. you really do believe godliness is a means to financial gain and will manipulate scripture and even common sense to believe such crap. yes crap.
one thing i do know is that a lot of pentacostal people do not have mansions so i guess they are not really blessed.
It's funny how g4 thinks it's OK to use God for money and not help the poor in return (though Christ says the sheep and goats will be separated accordingly), but he thinks God sends people to hell for saying "crap".... Sounds like twisted, works-based religious slavery to me. In g4's mind, only words and appearances matter. He tries (yet fails) to clean the outside of the cup, while the inside of the cup is, well, full of crap.
Who said we don't give to the poor??. STOP TELLING LIES, YOU NAUGHTY MAN. It's a good job you are already going to hell.
We are the greatest givers, Because we know the principle of sowing and reaping, And we know God will always honour His word.
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quote:
Originally posted by acumenCry
quote:
Originally posted by mikejuli
g4, you make me sick. you really do believe godliness is a means to financial gain and will manipulate scripture and even common sense to believe such crap. yes crap.
one thing i do know is that a lot of pentacostal people do not have mansions so i guess they are not really blessed.
It's funny how g4 thinks it's OK to use God for money and not help the poor in return (though Christ says the sheep and goats will be separated accordingly), but he thinks God sends people to hell for saying "crap".... Sounds like twisted, works-based religious slavery to me. In g4's mind, only words and appearances matter. He tries (yet fails) to clean the outside of the cup, while the inside of the cup is, well, full of crap.
There you go AGAIN, Swearing, There is no way you cathlics are saved.
A born again person will never dream of saying swear words like the catholics say.
When your in hell, You will know that I was right all the time, But it'll be to late for you.
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How ironic. A born-again would never dream of condemning someone to hell.
Sorry my God is not a neanderthal, man. Please forgive me, g4's god, for using a word for feces to strengthen the point I was trying to make.
"Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ." - Thomas Merton
www.percalamus.com
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I guess you'll have to go to hell for saying some of the words you do when hatefully calling us names, huh?
"Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ." - Thomas Merton
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Edited by acumenCry on 05/07/2012 13:21:45
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Originally posted by God4me
quote:
Originally posted by Faith_at_Large
There is a difference between being blessed, and fleecing the flock. Being rich is not a sin, but when the rich hoard their money to increase their own gain and refuse to help those in need, then this is not a sign of blessing.
We shall know them by their fruit.
[1]YEH, And the catholic priests know all about fleecing thie flocks.
Would they? How? The money they collect at Mass barely covers the basic needs of the Parish and its ministries to the poor, sick and imprisoned (whether Catholic or not).
[2]I don't know one TRUE Man of God who hoards money and doesn't give to the poor.
Because we know the Bible says , He that gives to the poor leands to God, And God will give it back with interest.
Amen, a true man of God is charitable, and I know what the Bible says, my Catholic Grandmother and Catholic relatives have always lived by that principle and taught it to me and all my Catholic siblings and cousins.
we know the Biblical principle of giving and receiving, So we are the greatest givers..GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT.
Prove it. What has your local church done?
Pax et Bonum,
Faith_at_Large
"There are some in the Church, who not only do not do what is good, but even persecute it, and hate in others what they neglect to do themselves. The sin of these men is not that of infirmity or ignorance, but deliberate willful sin." — Pope St. Gregory the Great (AD 540-604)
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The Bible on the Poor
or, Why God is a liberal
The Bible contains more than 300 verses on the poor, social justice, and God's deep concern for both. This page contains a wide sample of them, and some reflections. It's aimed at anyone who takes the Bible seriously.
As you read these passages, you will very likely feel a good deal of resistance (possibly at first manifesting itself as indifference). American churches have departed strongly from Biblical values in these areas, and even created a rationalization-- "prosperity theology"-- for rejecting them. It takes time and reflection to get past this misteaching.
But try to get past the resistance. Spiritual growth doesn't come from what goes down easily, or what we like to hear and read. It comes from what's different, and even difficult.
This page can easily be used as the basis for a Bible study. I tried writing it like one, but ultimately decided that web pages just don't work that way. It makes a smashing good one, though; if you want to try, replace the commentary with questions. The best questions to ask are those without a fixed answer (e.g. "Why does Jesus say this?" or "What did you learn from these verses?").
--M.R.
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God's concern for the poor
In this section we are not yet concerned with what the believer should think or do for the poor, but with God's thoughts. Though we often forget poverty and oppression, it is clear from the Bible that they are always on God's mind.
Deut. 26:5-9. The Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to... this land flowing with milk and honey.
Luke 4:16-21. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read... "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD... Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Ps. 140:12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor.
Is. 25:4. For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress.
Ps. 10:14. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan... O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed.
Is 41:17. The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.
Luke 6:20-21. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
James 2:5. Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Commentary: I think it's fair to say that American attitudes toward the poor-- and perhaps not just in America-- are mostly disdain and fear. They're dangerous and different. Sometimes there's a suspicion that their condition is their own fault, that they're simply lazy or inferior. Other Americans are more kind-hearted, but prefer not to look at the poor too closely; it's depressing, and they're surely not fun people to be with.
These attitudes are a world away from God's attitudes, as described in these verses. Neediness arouses compassion in God-- and action.
We may think: "Of course God loves the poor; he loves everybody." But it's not so simple as that; God's character is presented as a model for our own. If God values the poor, we have to think about what that means for us.
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God's commands concerning the poor
This section collects some specific commands from Old and New Testaments on serving the poor.
Deut. 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.
Deut. 26:12. When you have finished paying the complete tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and the widow, that they may eat in your towns, and be satisfied.
Lev. 19:19ff. Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.
Prov. 31:8ff. [Commandment to kings.] Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
Is. 58:66ff. Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Jer. 22:3. Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Luke 12:33. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."
Luke 3:11. And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, "Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."
Mt. 5:42. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Commentary: The message here is really very simple: help the needy. It's not hard to understand; it's just hard to do.
And the message is continuous. It's in the Torah; it's in the Prophets and Psalms; it's in the Gospels; it's in the Epistles. How many churches emphasize serving the poor as much as the Bible itself does? Would the world look the way it does if all believers followed these commands?
Another thing to note about these verses is the lack of caveats-- the lack of excuses. None of them add "...once a year" or "...when you feel you can" or "...if they're moral" or "...unless they're black" or "...if they speak English". We have plenty of reasons (I'm sure you can think of a dozen) why we can't go out and feed the hungry, why we have to turn away the needy borrower-- and God help us, how many of us have sold so much as a lawnmower in order to have money to give away? But all those reasons belong to our sinful human nature, not to God. God just wants those needy people helped.
If you wanted to be a Biblical one-issue voter, you'd do well to make that one issue serving the poor.
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Blessings on those who serve the poor
Serving poor may be The Right Thing To Do; but the Bible also associates it with material and spiritual reward. Here we'll look at the benefits promised to those who serve the poor; in the next section we'll examine the consequences of not doing so.
Prov. 22:9 He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.
Jer. 22:16 "Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is that not what it means to know Me?" declares the LORD.
Deut. 15:10. You shall give generously to [your poor brother], and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.
Prov. 19:17. He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.
Jer. 7:5-7. "For, if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever."
Is. 58:10. "And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."
Luke 14:12-14. "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Luke 12:44. "Sell your possessions and give alms; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Mt. 19:20ff. The young man said to Him, "All these commands I have kept; what am I still lacking?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Commentary: Americans like money; the American dream is about being rich. No wonder we're susceptible to religious quacks who promise riches to those who believe in God.
We do find promises of reward in the Bible-- to those who serve the poor. God's making a very simple proposal here: "You help the poor, and I'll repay it."
Full disclosure: there's a little bait-and-switch going on. Jesus promises treasure in heaven. In the sociology of religion game, we call this spiritualization. In plain English, it means that Jesus is asking us to go way past our comfort level in giving things away. And in not getting them back.
Who are the poor, by the way? Among our rationalizations is the feeling that the actual poor aren't people we really have to pay attention to. They may be of different races, or not speak our language, or aren't moral enough for us; they may be illegal immigrants. (Imagine that, a class of human beings that are illegal. Imagine explaining that to God.)
God doesn't want to hear these excuses; he specifically commands us to help the stranger, the alien, the sojourner. Jesus' command on dinner parties couldn't be clearer: the people you need to help are not the people like you, the people you like, the people who can repay you. As for racial prejudice, note that the first person in the gospel of John to whom Jesus clearly confesses to being the Messiah is a Samaritan; Samaritans were despised by the orthodox Jews of the time. (And for that matter, she was a woman, and an adulterer.)
Can you give too much? We believe in moderation in all things. Unfortunately, we get this idea from the Greeks, not the Bible. Jesus asks for immoderate giving.
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Consequences of not serving the poor
As there are blessings for those who serve the poor, there are consequences for those who oppress them... or who simply ignore them.
Ezek. 16:49ff. "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."
Is. 10:1-3. "Woe to those who enact evil statutes, and to those who continually record unjust decisions, so as to deprive the needy of justice, and rob the poor of My people of their rights... Now what will you do in the day of punishment, and in the devastation which will come from afar?"
Luke 1:52ff. [Mary's Magnificat.] "He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were hungry. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed."
Ezek. 22:29,31. "The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice... Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord GOD.
Jer. 5:28f. "[The wicked] do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. Shall I not punish these people?" declares the LORD. "On such a nation as this, shall I not avenge myself?"
James 5:1-6. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. ...Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and with you have withheld, cries out against you; and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
Luke 6:24. "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full."
Luke 16:19-25. "Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs would come and lick his sores.
Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.'
But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony...'"
Commentary: Many Evangelicals worry what might happen to our country if sexual immorality flourishes. Now, the sexual morality the Bible tells us to be worried about is our own, but that's another discussion. A more serious worry is what will happen to us, our churches, our nation, if we don't serve the poor.
Obviously, adding to the misery of the poor is bad-- exploiting workers, oppressing immigrants, robbing the needy. But it doesn't stop there. Merely ignoring the poor is a crime. Sodom wasn't destroyed because of sexual immorality; it was destroyed because it "had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease"-- and isn't that a pretty good description of America?-- and it "did not help the poor and needy".
There isn't the least suggestion that the rich man being punished in hell was responsible for Lazarus's condition... except in the most general sense: he was responsible as a fellow human being, as a man who was aware of the one suffering at his door and did nothing to help.
"Pleading the cause" of the poor, being their advocate and defender, is simply something a righteous person does. Are you someone who, when others are silent, advocates for the poor in your company, your church, your nation, your political party?
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Biblical attitudes for believers toward the poor
So far we've examined only the surface God's commands concerning the poor, what happens if we obey or if we don't. Here we consider the spirit in which we respond. Without some of these correctives, we might make many mistakes serving the poor.
Prov. 29:7. The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such concern.
1 John 3:17. But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Luke 6:33ff. "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same."
2 Cor 9:7. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Mt. 6:2-4. "When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
Mt. 6:24. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money."
1 Tim. 6:10. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.
Gal. 2:9ff. Recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John... gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor-- the very thing I also was eager to do.
Lev. 19:15. "You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly."
Acts 2:44. All those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began to sell their property and possessions, and share them with all, as anyone might have need.
Acts 4:32-35. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.
Eph. 4:28. Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.
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