The verse I used says nothing about work. It says that the believers gave over everything they owned, and it was used for the common good of all.
Read it again.
for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.
They lived as a community of believers with each other.
They eventually had to go underground for the persecution they suffered from the Jewish leaders of the temple, then the Romans. They were essentially forced to live in common in their community of churches.
Also, the verse I believe you're refering to is from 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Jim
Yes, and the Apostles were not secular leaders, but each put charity to the use of the Church - Apostles.
Which is how Christians ought to be able to live and give one to another - and not give up their work to the government.
Which is what many have been saying over and over.
The government is not the Church and yet they demand taxes off the rich to supposedly give to the poor?
Yet it doesnt happen like that.
Looking at Social security in and of itself tells us the misuse and mishandling of funds by the government is not the way to go.
HERE is the circle of money and what problems come about to make things go wonky...
Capitalism is freedom to proceed in our labors that we may gain from our work. And then, are we to go out and share our blessings from God thru charity of our
Church for others...who handle the funding for our poor. AND if afforded, to all other charities for the poor.
Capitalism means freedom to pursue wealth by our labors - and not be punished for doing so.
Socialism is punishment...
because it mandates what charity is and how best to use the funding that is often misused and mishandled and misappropriated according to the whims of secular authorities...often not coinciding with the Church.
Such for instance giving tax money for abortions, euthanasia, gay partner insurances and rights..well the list goes on.
The Apostles certainly would not recognize how we give through mandated government agencies.
So far the US is holding on by a thread of their Christian rights.
Though the current administration took tax deductibles and lowered the rate. Making in these hard times, less affordable for people to be able to give to charity or give less.
Incentives help the pocketbook. [so to speak] because though someone may have been willing to give a greater amount previously and had in the past they may not be able to afford giving as much since they can only deduct less.
Hypothetical:
Susie works all year so she can save to give to the poor at Christmas time.
She works to do this charitable contribution each year aside from offering to the Church.
She saves $500.00 and although she needs to keep some of the money for the bills coming in January she gives it and knows when Jan comes she can get some back while the charity gets to keep all that she gave.
So with the lower deductible amount - she now can only send $460 [or whatever] and holds back whatever she would normally get back to pay her January bills.
She comes out even, but the charity is losing income if everyone has to do this.
And middle America gives to the poor, and they are the ones who struggle most.
This is what she chooses to do above and beyond the usual amount she gives to her Church.
Now with the economy as bad as it is, she has to rethink giving anything at all. Because rumors are she and many others could lose their job because less Americans want to spend their money and save it rather than spend it because so many companies have had lay offs and ppl need extra income in the future since too many companies are losing profit and closing or laying off to meet the demands.
Charity is now suffering as middle America suffers...
While government misappropriates funding and spends it on pork and barrel.
The deficit is huge and China owns most of what we are...by aiding us.
The tax system is so tight it has tears all around the seams and is about to burst...if and when the health care reform comes into play. The middle America is now becoming dangerously close to destitute...the poor numbers are increasing and taxes must increase on middle America as well as the rich to pay off the new debt for insurance and the other unneeded spending.
AS we breach the Constitution in favor of socialism making everyone pay for mandated governmental health care laws.
Usurping the funding on Medicare by $500 billion to put into this new socialized health care.
So its not capitalism that fails, it is inflation on necessary health related items that needed capped. It is the burdening of all people to pay for some who if more entreprenuers were able to invest in healthy ventures would increase employment even for the poor.
America may have had some indigent people - who with the charity of the Churches would overcome, instead relying on government to be our charity sounding boards...still has by large the smallest number of poor and or the least poor according to other countries.
IE - our poor look like Rockefellar compared to the squalor of other countries that charities were once able to help had the donations been forth coming.
Now the donations are drying up - the poor have become poorer in other nations...as well as what will happen in this nation since Churches are also unable to receive donations in these hard times.
All for the
hypothetical, inflated numbers of those without health care who
often times chose to not own insurance... or were very
wealthy and didnt need to buy insurance.
I for one in my 20's didnt get insurance... and didnt use health care.
And so it goes for many 20 something's who dont have the need for it... because they have less than 5% in health concerns and seldom went to visit a doctor.
And to make a nation pay for the poor thru taxation is mandating a type of socialized service.
THE BIBLE says we are to do these things - thru our Church [Apostles] and not the government.
So - thats that in a nutshell.
If we care about the poor - the government is the last establishment on earth to do the right job.
Yes, its circular.
