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Since the 1950s, the swelling tide of liberalism has caused many churches of Christ to lose the ability to distinguish between individual and church benevolence. Today, many can be heard saying, "The church can do anything that the individual can do." There are those who have embraced institutionalism, the sponsoring church concept, and other unscriptural methods of benevolence. What does the word of God teach concerning individual and church benevolence?
Benevolence is nothing more than giving of one's means to benefit another. Jesus said,
It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).There are numerous examples in the Bible that show how the Lord's people gave, whether it was done individually or by the church. These include Aquila and Priscilla, Dorcas, the church at Galatia, and Christ himself.
The scriptures also teach that we are to give with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7) and as God has prospered us (1 Corinthians 16:2). While He was at the Temple, Jesus taught His disciples the principles of giving. In Mark 12:41-44, we read,
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.When we do not have the right attitude toward giving, it will not be pleasing in the sight of God. Furthermore, we are no longer required to give one-tenth as was done under the Old Law. If one desires to bestow such an amount, so let him give.
Although there are a number of things which both the individual and the church can do in regards to giving such as providing financial support to preachers of the gospel in various places, the benevolence of the church is limited. In contrast, the individual has far more freedom to support organizations such as public and private schools, colleges, religious magazines(i.e. Guardian of Truth, Focus Magazine, The Preceptor, Truth Magazine, etc.), hospitals, and orphanages, whereas the church of Christ cannot.
Some have taken Galatians 6:10 and James 1:27 to mean that the church is obligated to provide benevolence to widows and orphans. Let us examine these passages to see what they really teach. In both of these passages the individual is discussed. We find that, in Galatians 6:10, the words "such an one", "man", and "him" indicate individual, rather than church, action. When James is speaking of "orphans" in James 1:27, he is referring to children whose christian parents have passed from this life. If the church is obligated to take care of widows and orphans, then Paul is a liar when he says,
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 (1 Timothy 5:16).The only time the church can help is when the ability of a Christian to provide for his family has become burdensome or if there is a widow who has no family members that are Christians who can provide for her need.
Church benevolence is not only limited to needy saints, but also the work that the Lord has assigned it to do. The only authorized method for the church to raise the necessary funds is by giving on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-3). It is not to be done through garage and bake sales, campaigns, love offerings, tithings, pledges, etc. Giving on any other day than Sunday is unauthorized. Moreover, Paul exhorted the Corinthian church to give of their means as he had commanded other churches.
In the New Testament, we do not read of any local church acting as a sponsoring church. The only scriptural method of distributing relief to the needy saints is through direct support. In other words, each church sends directly to those in need rather than to whom the payment is due. As in the case of the needy saints at Jerusalem, each local church set aside a part of its collection to send by Paul when he came (1 Corinthians 16:2). After arriving at Jerusalem, Paul would give the relief to the church and it would be distributed among those who were in need. Paul, in Romans 15:25-26, said,
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.
Does the congregation where you attend obey God's teaching of church benevolence? If not, then we encourage you to find a church of Christ in your area who follows this doctrine.
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
As the shadow of the cross hung heavy upon Christ, He prayed fervently for the work He had accomplished and the work He was about to do. The conclusion of His prayer is recorded in John 17 where Jesus prays for Himself, His disciples and for all believers. In the final words of His prayer, Christ prayed for the unity of all those who would believe on Him.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me (John 17:20-23).
The ones whom Jesus refers to as "those who will believe in Me through their word" are all those who today seek to be united with Christ. For all who read the word of God and seek to follow the plan of redemption laid down by God, Jesus prayed "that they all my be one." The manner the world will be able to know that Jesus is the Christ is for the world to see that the believers of Jesus Christ are one. Christ prayed for the unity of all believers.
The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and implored them to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).As a disciple of Jesus in the first century, Paul understood the importance of unity in all those who seek to follow Christ. The importance of unity was paramount to the fulfillment of God's plan. Paul wrote:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6).The word ONE appears seven times in this passage. The unity of the Spirit is based upon the number ONE.
In the religious world today, few would argue about the one Spirit, the one hope, our one Lord, the one faith and the one God. Some would argue about the one baptism. All would disagree about the one body. The "body" Paul is speaking about is the "church." Ephesians 1:22-23 says,
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His BODY, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Emphasis mine)
Can there be ONE church? Unity is based upon speaking the same thing.
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10).Jesus prayed for all believers to be one! We should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit. There is one body or one church. The one church must speak the same thing, be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Is this the way the religious world is made up? Sadly, no!
Jesus Christ prayed and died for one church. He said He would build His church: singular. He did not die for religious division as we have it today. Can man worship God as he chooses?
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).Man says to worship the church of your choice-- God says to worship the church His Son died for-- the ONE church found in the pages of the New Testament. Can there be ONE church? The one church is one body made up with one head. The one body is not many churches but one church and only one church.
Kent E. Heaton, Sr.
others@thechristianexaminer.com
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