The 5 wise virgins carried out their responsibility to light the way for the bridegroom and were not reprimanded by the bridegroom for refusing to share their oil with the 5 foolish virgins.
Posted on 03/28/2010 6:52:20 AM PDT by Patriot1259
There has been a lot of criticism of late about Christians objecting to the massive government intrusion represented by the passage of the recent health care bill. "What would Jesus do?" is the cry. "You only love people while in the womb- after that you don't care about them!" "I thought Christians were supposed to love and care for people, like Jesus did!" So on and so forth. I thought it might be useful to look at some actual passages of the Bible of Jesus in action just so we can put to rest exactly what Jesus would do.
I'm not even going to provide commentary. I'm just going to cite the passage in full and let the reader decide for himself. I only ask that you read to the end. I will be happy to provide more texts in the future that likewise speak for themselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecypresstimes.com ...
Jesus never once told us to support government-run health care. He would NEVER condone a health care plan that paid for abortion. He would never support the forcible confiscation of wealth from one group of people for benefit of another.
Of all the things the left does, I would say that perversion of the The Gospel ranks up there at the top. Although I get a good laugh out of pro-baby-killing leftists questioning my Christian faith as they point out that I am supposed to support this health law because I am supposed to help "the least of people."
While we’re comparing the health care monstrosity with Scripture, how about Matthew 25, the Parable of the Talents...
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:14-30&version=AMP
The master, upon returning home, rewarded the man who took 5 talents and turned them into 10. He rewarded the man by taking the 1 talent given to another man who buried it. Using the left’s logic, the man who buried his one talent should be rewarded.
Jesus would tell you do give from your own pocket, labors, and time to feed and clothe the poor and to heal the sick.
When someone in our little town underwent a battle with cancer and racked up medical bills, the whole town turned out and had fundraisers to help pay them down.
Nobody put a gun to anybody’s head and said “you will pay or go to jail” like Obamacare does.
When you force behavior at the point of a sword you deprive the person of moral choice. You render them subservient, but not necessarily “good”.
We used to be a moral nation and now we are just becoming subservient.
They sound like little children, not adults! GROW THE ____ UP! You CAN'T be a child all of your life. And you need to THINK about your relationship with God BEYOND what you learned in Sunday School AS A CHILD!
Sorry, rant off.
Jesus, would want us to voluntarily help those in need. At no point in the Bible did he ever force anyone to follow him, or help him, or help anyone. Jesus is the Son of God, and God give us free will, his greatest gift.
I hope he follows up with an article about corban - how the Pharisees were using the money that was supposed to be used to provide for their parents and used it as a supposed “offering” instead. Jesus rebuked their willingness to manipulate the law in order to appear holy and compassionate on the outside while in fact shirking their direct responsibility - caring for their own family.
Seems to me like there are some direct correlations in there.
Seems like the Good Samaritan was “good” because he wasn’t dragged kicking and screaming into helping the man who needed him but because he did it willingly. If the leaders who passed on the other side of the injured man had grabbed the Samaritan, stolen his money, and used it to take care of the injured man the story would lose everything. The potential for sacrificial grace and the love and thankfulness it creates would be destroyed.
That’s what communism does. It makes love die. That’s why drug abuse, abortion, and suicide are so common in societies where the freedom and ability to love in tangible, voluntary ways are gone.
“He would never support the forcible confiscation of wealth from one group of people for benefit of another.”
I think you’re right about this. On the other hand, there’s also this:
19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
I’ve always found these verses a bit difficult to understand, since, clearly, if EVERYONE in the producing sector gave away his money to the poor, eventually there would be no one producing anything anymore - and then who would feed the wandering disciples?
I don’t claim to be a Bible scholar, but this would certainly seem, at least, to advocate some variety of communism. Maybe more than that, since Jesus isn’t advocating that everyone share the means of production, as did Marx, but, rather, that everyone follow Him and give up production altogether.
Or am I way off base?
Jack;
I believe the lesson was that the rich young man needed to put ALL his trust in Christ, and not his own successes (as the young man described his morality, and obedience to the law etc-his “works”). The disposal of wealth was not the end, but the means of understanding this fact of Christ-like living.
We must be willing to follow the Lord under all circumstances, not just when convenient.
So, when Jesus told the wealthy guy to give up his money, it was just a kind of test to see if he’d do it?
You may be right - as I said, I’m no Bible scholar; however... seems like, well, I mean it just seems to me that Jesus meant what he said. Literally.
Just my opinion, for what it’s worth - although, as I said, I don’t really understand how it would have been possible for EVERYONE to give up his wealth and follow along.
what people don’t quite get is that the health care bill isn’t about helping anyone... it’s about securing power for the fedgov.
as soon as this goes into effect... doctors will find their taxes jacked up radically (actually, even before the bill goes into effect). they will also find their waiting rooms start to fill up with people expecting ‘free’ healthcare.
this is all it takes for what would happen next.
doctors, not thrilled to have their work week increase from 50 hrs/wk to 80+ hrs/wk... while making less money... will look elsewhere for employment (like anyone would do)
many doctors will just retire, as a large number of doctors from the baby boom generation are just about ready to retire.
other doctors will work overseas under ‘doctors without borders’... and keep their money, untaxed, in overseas accounts. illegal? maybe... but then again, healthcare is unconstitutional.
as the number of doctors retiring/moving increases... the patients in their waiting rooms go to the next doctor. increasing his load. making it more likely for him to retire/move...
as this continues, waiting times for doctors will start to increase. in scotland, my uncle was told he had to wait 18 months for a cancer check... he was 66 at the time. (he had other means and went to another country to get treatment)
as the waiting times increase... costs will increase... next will be triage... otherwise known as rationing.
You will not get a rational answer to that one. Apologetics, yes....real world...no.
>>I don’t claim to be a Bible scholar, but this would certainly seem, at least, to advocate some variety of communism. Maybe more than that, since Jesus isn’t advocating that everyone share the means of production, as did Marx, but, rather, that everyone follow Him and give up production altogether.
Or am I way off base?<<
I think youi’re way off base. Jesus NEVER advocated state confiscation and redistribution of wealth. Jesus produced; he was a carpenter.
Paul, arguably the greatest Christian who ever lived, was a tentmaker.
Give up production? You CAN’T be serious.
The social gospel has always been an insidious counterfeit to authentic Christianity.
“...it just seems to me that Jesus meant what he said. Literally.”
He did mean what he said, to the specific person he was addressing.
He told a blind man to rub mud in his eyes. He did it. Jesus didn’t say, “Hey everyone, if you rub mud in your eyes, that is the new cure for blindness.” It was a test of faith for THAT MAN.
He told Lazarus to come out of the grave. He did it. I don’t recall anyone else following suit. The command was for Lazarus.
You make a good point. There are a lot of times when I sympathize with the rich man who is the subject of this teaching. But we are also taught in 2 Thessalonians 3:9-11:
3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
The disciples, as I've learned, were people with jobs.
I don’t claim to be a Bible scholar, but this would certainly seem, at least, to advocate some variety of communism.
Don't worry... none of us are... but it is interesting you bring up communism, as Jesus does indeed touch upon this Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. In this parable, while Jesus explains that all who come to Him at any stage of their lives are equally saved, but explains how workers who are paid the same regardless of how hard they work tend to not be very happy or productive.
Maybe more than that, since Jesus isn’t advocating that everyone share the means of production, as did Marx, but, rather, that everyone follow Him and give up production altogether.
No, I am certain Jesus did not advocate giving up on producing wealth, primarily because of what Paul taught in the book of 2 Thessalonians.
Yes, that makes sense; thanks.
The 5 wise virgins carried out their responsibility to light the way for the bridegroom and were not reprimanded by the bridegroom for refusing to share their oil with the 5 foolish virgins.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.