Matt. 19:12-22 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Somehow over the past few hundred years since the founding of the United States, we have taken Jesus’ words above and have given this responsibility over to government. We have taken biblical instructions given to us as individual Christians and have applied those concepts to government. This was a foolish and dangerous move on the part of the American church and the church as a whole.
When government takes money from one individual who has worked for that money and gives it freely to those who have not earned that money even if they are in need, expectations arise that those people in need are entitled to the money of those who work. This builds resentment in the hearts of the workers whose money is taken (taxed) and given to those who are perhaps able bodied but unwilling to work. Government is lazy and careless with other people’s money. So, government taking the place of the individual Christian creates anger, resentment, and waste for both the worker and the recipient.
Biblically, however, an individual who watches his neighbor and helps provide for that neighbor’s needs is seen as a person of fine character who pursues a Christian way of life. The person receiving the help doesn’t see the Christian as a source for a monthly check but as a person helping in a particular situation. Often the gift of food or clothing is much more helpful than that of cash. The recipient feels humble gratitude, a Christian emotion. The giver feels humbled and blessed to have been able to help his fellow man, another Christian emotion and motivation.
There is no expectation the person receiving the help need not work to provide for themselves if they can. They are simply being helped through a tough time. With this method, the biblical method, we see people trying to get themselves out of their struggle and rise to provide for themselves and later even for others.
With Government providing for those in need, we see family generations living on governmental assistance. Much of the tax money going to help those in need is also spent to provide the governmental structure needed to provide to millions. The one-on-one system God has provided in His Word has no waste. All the money goes to those in need. It also builds a very strong sense of community.
Why is this important?
The human condition is such that we are happy to have “someone else do it.” We have given up our responsibility as Christians to lend a hand to those who need one and have let government take over that responsibility.
One result of this mistake is that people look to government rather than God for help. A nation becomes more godless, Government becomes the Provider and takes the place of God’s people in the lives of millions. Churches become fortresses uninvolved in the community, a group of strangers unfamiliar to the local population because Christians are not working to make lives better for all. That’s now government’s job we believe.
On a large scale, Christians have given up God’s instructions to help the poor – Gal. 2:10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
Much of the nation’s opposition to “organized religion” is the fault of the Christian falling down on the job of helping others.
The United States last year spent $1.1 Trillion on welfare, nearly one fifth of the federal budget. This money was spent to help 42 million people. This amounts to a total cost of $23,809.52 for each man, woman, and child on welfare in the U.S. Since there were 144 million taxpayers in the U.S. last year, this averages out at just shy of $7,000 per taxpayer. Imagine what could be done had the Christian community continued to help those in need with that sort of available money.
Christians in America have fallen down on the job and allowed government to take over the job God has given to us.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 