Have we neglected some things??
 

This quote made me think about how we live out our Christianity.

James 1:26-27
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.


Apostolics are good at avoiding the world but have they really considered the first part of this verse? Are there people who take advantage and are lazy? Sure there are, but does that excuse us from our obligations. Not everything we do should be about shoving the Gospel down someone’s throat.

The only people more right wing than me are those that see black helicopters, I am anti-government handouts all the way. But I am all for the church, meaning both the collective body as well as individuals within the body, taking care of those they are expected to care for.

Apparently in the eyes of the Father true Christianity has always been defined by whether you provided a bologna sandwich to the hungry.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Brother with all due respect the scripture you cited was written to the church for the church....the church is not responsible to take care of the world and its lawlessness.

If it comes down to providing for a church family or member and someone in the world...I will choose the church first...EVERTIME....the gospel was not meant to provide welfare!

Look at the success Jesus had...he knew they followed for fishes and loaves only...

You have been fellowshipping the spirit of ecuminicalism to much.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Great thought!

I believe we get wrapped up in our "us four and no more" attitudes and forget we are here to reach out to the world!

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Your post contradicts itself.

You imply that we are NOT to feed the world, but then you turn around and say that Jesus knew the multitudes followed only for loaves and fishes.

So, are you saying we should NOT feed the world, or we SHOULD, because Jesus did?

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It doesn't say the saved widows and orphans.

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i beleive we should reach out inside and out of the church to the world, and the needy, we do have hearts of compassion, do we not, dt

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Jesus understood humanity was enamored with the handout and that it would never work to use the humanitarian angle to build His kingdom....

Being kind or philanthropic is wonderful (I have done it) BUT should never be equated with Christianity.

In the context of NT scripture provision for the needy, widows, etc. was only applied to the new testament believer not to the world at large.

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Right...however the letter was not written to sinners was it? Therefore the implications is that it applied to the church alone.

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Wow, another prime example of the twisting of scripture to shore up someone's totally inane interpretation of what Christianity is all about.

The Raven, I take my leave of you and your twisted theology.

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Jesus fed the 5000 I don´t find he ask for a card or what church they belonged to...He was full of mercy, goodness and kindness.
If we give to those that are just like us and love those that are just like us we have done little...real love is when we can love those different than us...

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I have no problem with kindness and generosity to humanity just do not call it Christianity.

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The letter was written to those who were saved instructing them to take care of widows and orphans.

So what's your point? Did you think you were making an argument about how statements in the Epistles aren't about how to be saved? Which for the Record I reject, because Acts was written to a Christian as well.

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Huh? What kind of nonsense is this? :snapout

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Thank you.

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Four what?

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The reason we have the government taking authority in places that it should not is largely because the church has abdicated it's position in the world. We have relegated Christianity to the purely 'spiritual' arena. The government is our messiah.

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You've heard that term before, haven't you?

Our four and no more? Just worry about your family/church and don't reach out and want more to come.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

“But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way?”

And at the end of the verses, there’s this haunting words:

“Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come.”

How do we know in giving who will or will not follow? Our job is like the sower...he sowed on all type ground...we too must give without looking to who we give...just give and give and give again...

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This is true, and I for one hate the government involvement in this area, so my solution is that we start practicing the Christianity we were intended to practice, and work the government out of a job.

I have noticed when reading the Scripture how much God takes notice of the widows and orphans, how he wants to be the Father to the fatherless. I have also noticed how little we take notice. There are widows and orphans, in our churches that aren’t receiving proper Christian attention much less those outside the church. There are boys all over this country in need of a father, when will the men in the church take their Christianity seriously and be a father to these boys?

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Sis Alvear with a Home Run! Great post!

I do seem to remember hearing that God is no respector of persons. Just a thought

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Ohhh ..... That'll Preach!

I read on here that one of churches men's ministry does work on the single women's cars... That is awesome, but I agree with you Baron, let's take it a step further and reach out to the World. I have heard that this is one thing that mormons do very well, and from what I have heard, their numbers are growing.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Deuteronomy 10:18
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

This doesn't sound like those within the fold to me.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

There are so many areas that we could help in. How can a hungry man even hear the gospel when his stomach is gnawing at him? Christianity is not just for church but for life. Our gospel is a comprehensive one.

Just for some who refuse to understand- Philanthropy doesn't save. It springs from our salvation.

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Perhaps we should make better use of our tithe?

Deuteronomy 26:12
When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

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Thank you, Brother ReformedDave!

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I have been praying for my son as he is in Romania and part of his ministry this month is to orphans. I have been praying that God would break Cody's heart for these kids and He has broken mine in the process.

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I've done 2 medical trips to Lithuania. It makes you appreciate the blessings of God and also it humbles you. Who am I to 'deserve' what I have?!

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

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Not a one of us would continue our lives as we do IF we really believed what the first church taught believed and lived...(my thoughts)
We find ourselves in the comfort zone whether we realize it or not.

Not too many Mordaciah´s around warning us of coming danger…

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

You are suffering from Affluenza...listen to Rush....

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i would like to thank those who gave to the childrens mansion in the 70s on here, thanks for food and shelter and education, because of you reaching into the world i have been a christian for 38 years, dt

Re: Have we neglected some things??
 

You are very welcome! God bless!

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It is always a blessing to see an investment make good.

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I prefer to give my monies and effort where it will do the most good. I don't want the government deciding for me.

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What an awesome testimony!

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What is the children's mansion?

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Listen to the Scripture. Rush is an entertainer, but it makes since now that we know where you get your theology from. (This is not a knock on Rush, just not where I get my theology.)

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The UPC has a sponsored orphanage.

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I see. I didn't know that. It's good that they do that.

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I played golf last week with a guy from Tupelo. I asked him if he knew about the children's home and he said it is well known in the community there!