Posted on 04/09/2007 6:48:52 AM PDT by Valin
NWO and CFR used to be bad words around FR just a few short years ago I thought??
Not to me.
HE told ONE to do this; not otherS.
Mark 10:21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
In John 13:29 it is assumed that this was His and their practice -For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast"; or else, that he should give something to the poor.
Today, some still think that Jesus has said one thing, while think He said something else, but the TEXT, as written, means what it says.
In Acts, there was NO 'command' to sell their stuff. The text merely records what happened.
I have no problem with folks who decide what they want to do with their own stuff, but I DO have a problem with folks who look at what others have done and assume that it would be a good idea for everyone else to do the same.
Jesus was not socialist. He called on civil society to act, not the state. It’s sad that there’s really little recognition of the difference of state/society and government.
Jesus seems to care little about the vehicle that we use to feed the hungry, cloth the poor, visit the prisons, heal the sick, etc. At least, he spends no time in the gospels talking about a preference for one vehicle or another. But whether we do it ourselves, one on one, or through our churches, private charities, or the government, it is abundantly clear that he cares alot about doing it, some how, some way.
Yes, He was clear that it was important. He also made note of the concept of the discinction of a separation of powers/responsibility - God vs Ceasar. I think it is unwise to assume that government was responsible for these things. The beatitudes are personal blessings which indicate personal responsibilities. If He had wanted the government to do these things, I think He would have been more specific. Taken in context, and not reading with a 21st centruy mindset, suggests that we are to come together voluntarily to do these things.
Government enforces ‘charity’ and removes our choice. Free will and choice are integral to most accepted forms of Christianity (most in that there are those who believe in predesitination, etc - I don’t mean to suggest that those holding such beliefs are not Christian...)
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