If You Don't Work You Shouldn't Eat

[LadyKay]

3 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Is the message intended to tell us that Christians should feed and cloth the world?

Well? Should we?   

[Kristin]

6 minutes ago, LadyKay said:

Well? Should we?   

Yes. In our own free will. Through the Church!  Not taxing people to do things they don’t want to spend their labor on. Let the Church do it from their own free will. That is good. 

[saved34]

3 minutes ago, LadyKay said:

Well? Should we?   

I don’t think so, but we can do our part. Our first and foremost mission is to get them the Gospel. We will never eradicate poverty on this side of glory.  Our Lord said we will always have the poor among us.  Peter told one gentleman I don’t have any money to give you. 

Act 3:6  Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Mar 14:7  The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.

 

 

[missmuffet]

I am sticking with my statement from 2016.

[Dennis1209]

9 hours ago, Willa said:

I was told by a Christian psychologist and our churches' associate pastor that it is psychologically predictable for people who cannot repay their benefactors to turn against them.  That is why it is best to give anonymously to the poor.  It is true that some people can receive gifts as from the Lord, Who is our ultimate supplier even when He uses people.  However even Christians are inclined to become beholden to people and to turn against them when they can't repay.  As I have said before, that is why the current hand outs of our socialistic  government doesn't work and why so many try to scam the government.  They save face and feel in control by scamming, or they become ungrateful or feel entitled and demanding.  It is how they preserve their dignity.  It is also why most men in Russia are alcoholics according to Russian evangelistic Christians, and why so many women become prostitutes there.  Socialism robs people of their self respect.  

Others have said and I concur that some are desperate and in great need or in temporary need.  These definitely need help.  This is especially true of disaster relief.  

Hi Willa,

Well said, and I totally agree. The church(s) use to be the center of most communities, and knew the citizens, their needs and problems and worked collectively and more efficiently helping those in true need. The churches are no longer the centers of our communities and lives in most places. It doesn't take long for the church to discover when someone is taking advantage of the church. Charity through the churches in every way is more efficient, cost effective, productive and brings honor and glory to our Lord and attention to non-believers.

Just an after thought: Our country has gone from 'freedom of religion' to 'freedom from religion'. 

[LadyKay]

10 hours ago, Kristin said:

Yes. In our own free will. Through the Church!  Not taxing people to do things they don’t want to spend their labor on. Let the Church do it from their own free will. That is good. 

That is how it should be. But I think a problem with that is that the community churches may not have the means to help everyone who needs help. Especially if the church is in a lower income area and the church depends on donations and funding from people in the community who are already living in poverty.  

 

[missmuffet]

5 hours ago, maryjayne said:

can I have a link please?

Yes, it is on page one the fifth post down. 

[R. Hartono]

So does this mean a pastor must work like Paul to make money ? Otherwise he may not eat from church donation ?

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Paul did not have to work, and when he did , it was out of God’s will for him.He thought he knew better than God when it came to taking up the collection.God told Paul to take up offerings when he gave out the Gospel.Paul was concerned That some would think he was only in it for the money.....Well, duh.....I guess God never knew that could happen ! God wanted it done in spite of that— he knows that the Good News Of The  Gospel will be “ foolishness” to many.He knew some in the crowds would consider Paul a crook.He wanted it done, knowing full- well how some would react.True Believers would WANT to give to the man that gave then a message that would SAVE THEIR SOULS! He was depriving the new Believers of an opportunity to “ build treasure in Heaven” as Jesus said to do.How many soul- winning opportunities did Paul miss by sitting around making tents? Paul was the greatest man who ever lived in my opinion— but he blew it by trying to one- up GOD in this case.Paul was not, nor never claimed to be a perfect man.God’s Way is ALWAYS the right way , and if Paul were given the chance to do it again, he would do what God said to do, despite his well- intentioned, but misguided thinking.

[ejected]

Elders that dont work should not eat. Acts 20