1994 Preacher’s Study Notes
The question that I will deal with is “May benevolent work be done from the treasury for unbelievers?” I would like to make a few comments before we go into the main discussion.
We can read in Scripture that the treasury can be used to help unbelievers become believers. We can also find in Scripture that we can use the treasury to help believers who are in need. Also, individual Christians can help believers and unbelievers.
The next two observations are going to give away how I feel about the treasury and using it for unbelievers. First, the treasury cannot be used in benevolent work for unbelievers. Second, the church treasury in benevolent work, as far as I can see, is for saints only.
I see two patterns in the Word of God. One of those patterns directs the church in how to use the treasury in benevolence. The other pattern directs individual Christians.
My remarks this afternoon are going to be drawn on a conclusion. The brethren before me have already established the fact that a treasury exists and that we can draw from it to do the work of the church. Of course, benevolent work is a part of the work of the church.
There is one thing about this subject that seems to enter into the picture whenever you study with people concerning benevolent work. I have dealt with this somewhat at home. It always seems to be an emotional thing. People will see these programs with these little children, and even older folks in distress, and their hearts will go out to them, and they will want to respond in some way to help them. So emotions often come into play when you study with people on this subject. However, as far study the Word of God, there are many things that come into play as far as our emotions are concerned. This is often a very difficult thing to overcome.
This evening, what I would like to do in my lesson is to establish the difference between the work of the church and the work of individuals as it relates to unbelievers and benevolent work. This must be done before we can come to any right conclusion.
We can look at the denominational world or the liberal element of the church of Christ and become amazed at some of the things that they do. I was privy to some of these things in some work that I performed. A particular congregation was carrying on all kinds of benevolent work and other activities from the treasury that involved an abuse of the treasury. You could see people supporting orphans’ homes, missionary societies, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, even martial arts classes. We must be very careful what we allow, as far as the treasury is concerned, for it is the Lord’s money and we are responsible for how it is used. So it is important that we have the right attitude, and we must not create problems that can haunt us.
Many times when you study this lesson with someone, you find something very prominent among those that you study with, and that is their attitude toward authority. Authority plays a large role in anything that we do. Unfortunately, there are many people who will cast authority aside because of their emotional involvement in the issue.
First of all, we need to look in the Bible and see if we can find a pattern for what we should be doing. Now, we need to understand the significance of a pattern (example). Moses was told by God in Hebrews 8:5 that he must be careful to follow the pattern. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:21, that Jesus has left us an example that we should follow. There are examples and patterns in God’s Word for us to follow. We will actually find the responsibility of the church is not as great as we sometimes place upon it. I think that the responsibility of the church for benevolent work is, over all, rather restricted by the Bible.
As you read the Bible there are some particular Scriptures that stand out. When I study this with someone, I refer to these, for they tell me and the person with whom I am studying what the Bible says about benevolent work and who it is to be used for. there are nine Scripture passages that are primarily used to prove what the treasury is to be used for in benevolent work:
Acts 2:44-45 “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”
Acts 4:32-34 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold.”
Acts 6:1-6 “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”
McGarvey on this passage makes the point that those who were needy were givers. So many times you have a dual role — those in need and those who relieve the need.
Acts 11:27-30 “And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”
In this passage, before the need actually arrived brethren determined to relieve those who were in need.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
2 Corinthians 8:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”
2 Corinthians 9:1 “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you.”
You see how Paul refers to this benevolence as a “ministering to the saints.”
Romans 15:25-26 “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.”
I Timothy 5:16 “If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”
So here are nine passages, there may be others but I am not aware of them, that have a central theme; namely, a responsibility of the church to help those in need. But it is restricted to saints only.
Well, what about unbelievers? When we open our Bibles and go to the Scriptures that teach we should be responding to the needs of unbelievers, we find none. We find no Scripture that places upon church or the church treasury the responsibility of helping needy unbelievers.
When I talk to people about this they become emotional and upset, because they think that you should just go to the treasury and draw it out for every situation. But we must understand what the mission of the church is in this world. It is a very important one. Lots of people do not really understand the mission of the church. The church’s mission, according to Jesus, is to seek and save the lost (Matthew 28:19-20). That was His mission (Luke 19:10). Also, you can understand from Ephesians 3:9-11, that the eternal purpose of God was that people would be saved through the church. So the church has a great responsibility to help unbelievers. It seems to me that if the mission of the Head is to save the lost (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16), then it must be our mission to save the lost.
I believe the apostles let us know that benevolent work was not the primary mission of the church, but that it was a secondary thing. It is taught in a way that we can understand. Remember how Peter said it in Acts 6:1-2, “It is not reason that we shouldleave the word of God and serve tables” Peter was just emphasizing that we must not leave the primary mission of the church and serve a secondary one. Of course, the primary mission of the church is the saving of souls and not reaching out to help people with temporal needs.
Another point that is very important relative to benevolent work being done for unbelievers—the world has a responsibility for it believe that God has ordained governments. He set in order governments to take care of their people. According to Romans 13:1-13 and 1 Peter 2:13-15, God does rule in the kingdoms of men, and that through that “kingdom” the needs and the wants of the world should be supplied. There are all kind of governmental agencies that can respond to these needs and these wants. The church, even if it wanted to, could not embark upon such a mission. It would be impossible for the church to fulfill such an awesome responsibility of caring for all the world’s people. We couldn’t even begin. I think that the agencies of the world have God’s approval for caring for their own.
Often, the work of individuals must come into consideration this study. Individuals may want to leave out their responsibility, but there are many Scriptures that cover our responsibility to help others. Even the Sermon on the Mount — “Let you light so shine before men” so that God can be glorified --- emphasizes this individual responsibility. Sometimes brethren ignore the individual responsibility and want to put the burden on the church.
I know there are brethren that do this. I have encountered it. One brother said, “You know, Jesus said that unless we become like little children, we have no part in Him.” He made this point: since little children are like Jesus they are saved, therefore, he concluded, the church has a responsibility to help them, via orphan homes, etc. It seems like it is way out in left field, but there are many people who think that the church should take upon itself all these burdens, but it is not and cannot be our responsibility. So some things belong in the area of personal and individual responsibility.
1 Timothy 6:17-18 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
Hebrews 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
I John 3:17-18 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
When you look on a brother and see he is needy and do not respond, you are not doing what you should be doing. So you have a responsibility as brethren to help others. I do not think that we are only limited to helping individuals who are Christians. I believe we can go beyond that as an individual. You can use your resources for whatever you want to as long as they are honorable. Jesus proved the principle in Matthew 25:31-46 — “I was hungry and ye fed me” Do you remember that Scripture? They were amazed— “When have we done this?” “As oft as ye have done unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” We do have individual responsibilities.
Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
This passage is sometimes misused. People interpret “As we therefore have opportunity. . . “ as admonition to the church to do for all men. However, in Galatians 6:3-10, we find the personal pronouns (him, himself, we, us, his) used twenty-three times. From that I draw the conclusion that Paul is talking about an individual responsibility. So we have many individual responsibilities.
10308 Republic Lane, Little Rock, Arkansas 72209.
No comments:
Post a Comment