We are studying David Platt's book entitled 'Radical' in our Thursday morning men's group. Pastor Platt has amazing stories of his faith journey where he has traveled the world, helped and witnessed to the poorest of the poor, and is now leading a mega-Church in Birmingham, Alabama. And in our Men's group we are up to chapter 6 in his book, where Pastor Platt suggests with a straight face that we Americans should sell our possessions and give to the poor (Luke 12:33; Mark 10 (story of the Rich Young Ruler)). He points out that nowhere in the New Testament does it suggest that a person's obedience will lead to material blessings. And if God is the source for all of our skills, abilities and talents, and placed us in this wonderful, opportunity filled country of America, shouldn't we be willing to freely give to others what we have received? He also brings the hammer down on American believers by suggesting that rich people who neglect the poor are not people of God.
He suggests American Christians have a blind spot on this issue. As the Jewish people during the time of Jesus had a blind-spot of self-righteousness that prevented them from seeing Jesus, so Americans have a blind-spot about our wealth. The Protestant work ethic of 'I worked hard, I'm talented, and I deserve everything I worked for' does not leave much room for acknowledging God as the source for all blessings. And if material wealth is "earned" by us, then it is much harder for us to give it away to those who don't deserve it – you know, those who don't work so hard, aren't so smart or talented, or who live in a foreign land. Pastor Platt condemns these attitudes, and believes we need to do more, much more in helping the poor throughout the world.
This is a tough message. Won't we always have the poor, no matter what I do? Shouldn't I help those in my local community first, rather than "wasting" money overseas? Isn't the government already doing enough? To combat my attitude, I decided to look at what Jesus taught:
First is Jesus' teaching in John 14:15, which says If you love Me, keep My commandments.
We are told that the greatest Command is to love God, and the second is like it, to love others. But what does the Command to "love others" look like?
In the 'New Treasure of Scripture Knowledge' entry for 1 John 2:3, all of Jesus' commands from the Gospels were assembled. And the most frequently given command (24 times) is His command to love others by giving. Here are the verses:
Love Others (Giving/Generosity)
Charitableness, Mt 18:10. Lk 6:(37), 38. give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you;
Clothing to be shared with needy, Mt 5:40. Lk 6:29.
Giving, Mt 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Mt 10:42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Mt 19:21 (Rich Young Ruler – go sell all and give to the poor);
Lk 6:30, Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
Lk 6:38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
Acts +*20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
Give according to ability, Lk 11:41n. But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
Invite poor for meals, Lk 14:13. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
Liberality/generosity, Mt 5:42 (Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.) 6:30 (But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?) 12:33 (Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.), 34. Mk 12:41-44 (And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."), Lk 12:33 (Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.). Ac +*20:35 (In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.').
Lending, Mt 5:42 (Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.). Lk 6:34, 35 (And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.).
Pay adequate wages, Mt 10:10. Lk 10:7 (And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages…)
Sell what you have, Mk 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."). Lk 12:32-34 ("Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.)
Support of the ministry, Lk 10:7. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Support of the poor, Lk 14:13, 14. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
My prayer is that this topic and these verses are a blessing to you to help you see how best to help the poor and needy. In Christ, /s/Tom Wolff
1 comment:
My review of these verses shows me that we should not give everything we have to the poor. There are two sets of verses which mention selling all that you have – Mark 10:21 and Luke 12:33, which involve the same (synoptic) story of Jesus with the Rich Young Ruler. I find no other Bible teaching which suggests that we should sell everything we have to give to the poor. Instead, we see a repeated teaching of giving liberally to the poor, and giving to Churches in need, but no suggestion that everything that is owned should be given away. I think this understanding is in line with most Commentators which read the story of the Rich Young Ruler as a single event, and is not a universal teaching to the Church.
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