EDIT - My point in this isn't a debate on government-run healthcare btw. It's an addressing of the failing of American Christians in using our resources rightly.
I've listened some lately to commentary from conservative Christians on the vote on government-run healthcare. And it's got me wondering. Is there Biblical precedent to being vehemently opposed to it? Sure, I'm absolutely not in favor of government-funded abortion, and the cost is a bit of a sticker shock. But is the very idea of government-run healthcare unBiblical?
All throughout Scripture, God is constantly revealed as being near to, healing, and caring for the poor, needy, and brokenhearted.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 61:1 (prophecy concerning Jesus)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound
Deuteronomy 15:11
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'
Psalm 12:5
"Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD;"I will place him in the safety for which he longs."
Psalm 9:18
For the needy shall not always be forgotten,and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Psalm 37:14-15
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
Psalm 109:31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 31:9
Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Acts 2:42-47
42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The list could go on and on and on. God's character is to provide for the needy, poor, brokenhearted, etc... And we are given a mandate to do the same, and if we are Christians, we should have a desire to do that. And the fact is that, as a whole, we don't.
Giving in the United States to churches by members is around 2.5% of post-tax income. At the very least, Christians should observe the concept of 'tithing 10%', though the New Testament clearly shows that Christians should be generous, giving as is needed. Acts 2 describes the early church, showing how they were so in love with God that their money (though most were poor already) was viewed as a tool for glorifying God, and not just as a means to the end of their own self-fulfillment.
So we've been given a Biblical precedent to care for the poor and needy while being generous with our resources. And we have utterly failed at this. While some churches have done a lot of good with this (United Methodists with GraceMed in Wichita as well as some hospitals started by churches), the body of Christ in large part in the United States has failed. 2.5% is pitiful. Many people spend that much of their income on Starbucks.
One of the biggest problems conservatives have with the health care bill is the very high cost. The proposed cost ranges from $650 billion to $1 trillion. Taking survey numbers from empty tomb, inc. (as well as the 2.5%), if American church members began giving merely 10% of their income, that cost of healthcare could likely be covered by double at the low cost estimate, and easily cover all of it at the high end. And we could provide healthcare saturated with the Gospel, putting "awe" in the souls of 50,000,000 Americans who have no health coverage.
So perhaps since the church cares so much about our precious dollars, and so little about the sick, needy, and helpless, maybe it is now the government's job to care for them.
I've listened some lately to commentary from conservative Christians on the vote on government-run healthcare. And it's got me wondering. Is there Biblical precedent to being vehemently opposed to it? Sure, I'm absolutely not in favor of government-funded abortion, and the cost is a bit of a sticker shock. But is the very idea of government-run healthcare unBiblical?
All throughout Scripture, God is constantly revealed as being near to, healing, and caring for the poor, needy, and brokenhearted.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 61:1 (prophecy concerning Jesus)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound
Deuteronomy 15:11
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'
Psalm 12:5
"Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD;"I will place him in the safety for which he longs."
Psalm 9:18
For the needy shall not always be forgotten,and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Psalm 37:14-15
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
Psalm 109:31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 31:9
Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Acts 2:42-47
42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The list could go on and on and on. God's character is to provide for the needy, poor, brokenhearted, etc... And we are given a mandate to do the same, and if we are Christians, we should have a desire to do that. And the fact is that, as a whole, we don't.
Giving in the United States to churches by members is around 2.5% of post-tax income. At the very least, Christians should observe the concept of 'tithing 10%', though the New Testament clearly shows that Christians should be generous, giving as is needed. Acts 2 describes the early church, showing how they were so in love with God that their money (though most were poor already) was viewed as a tool for glorifying God, and not just as a means to the end of their own self-fulfillment.
So we've been given a Biblical precedent to care for the poor and needy while being generous with our resources. And we have utterly failed at this. While some churches have done a lot of good with this (United Methodists with GraceMed in Wichita as well as some hospitals started by churches), the body of Christ in large part in the United States has failed. 2.5% is pitiful. Many people spend that much of their income on Starbucks.
One of the biggest problems conservatives have with the health care bill is the very high cost. The proposed cost ranges from $650 billion to $1 trillion. Taking survey numbers from empty tomb, inc. (as well as the 2.5%), if American church members began giving merely 10% of their income, that cost of healthcare could likely be covered by double at the low cost estimate, and easily cover all of it at the high end. And we could provide healthcare saturated with the Gospel, putting "awe" in the souls of 50,000,000 Americans who have no health coverage.
So perhaps since the church cares so much about our precious dollars, and so little about the sick, needy, and helpless, maybe it is now the government's job to care for them.