Acts 2:44-47a (Amp)
11.16.2008
Why is the modern church so afraid of socialism?
And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common; and they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord's Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people.
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I'll have to go read Acts now. Thanks for that perspective! You should comment on my blog sometime.... ;)
ReplyDeleteDo not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).
ReplyDeleteThanx for the non sequitur response anonymous. But you didn't answer the question. But, since you brought up the subject of comforming to the world... let me rephrase my query: why is the modern church more capitalistic and less the way God designed?
ReplyDeleteI don't know, why are you more capitalistic and less the way God designed? The same reason. We are the church.
ReplyDeleteBut Modern Socialism is not the same thing that the Bible talked about. As I said before, it was not "taking" from the people against their will as modern socialism does. The government has no right to take what is not theirs. Period.
Giving to one another's needs if what the Church does, through ministries and missions. Showing God's love to others.
Yes I agree, the modern church doesn't do a very good job of taking care of the poor, but the government does a much worse job. It is not their job in the first place, it is ours, but not by force.
Giving to one another's needs if what the Church does, through ministries and missions.
ReplyDeleteSorry should be is not if.
However, the "church" does exist and thrive serving under governments that take what is not theirs, and prosecutes for simply being a Christian. Perhaps we have failed to realize that the same God we serve (in capitalism) is the same God that many serve (in dictatorships and other major religious interferance) at the expense of their lives. Perhaps we rely toooo much on governmental influence, looking for it to be primarily Christian, instead of demanding our lives be real Christ followers. Perhaps, we need a dose of reality where we realize that whatever the style of leadership of our government is, simply is not the major issue; the issue is us conforming to the image of the one who created us. This may also include each of us being willing to change who/what we think the church is. Christians, upon conversion, are not automatically capitalist, nor are we automatically slaves. We are truly individual seekers needing to involve our lives with others who also seek. Perhaps, if in America, as Christians, we would have taken care of those things we should have taken care of instead of the in-fighting and finger pointing (or as Chuck Swindoll states, the church is the only organization where we shoot our wounded/weak), then the question Nic posed for our thinking would have been unnecessary. Perhaps, we need to re-learn the intent of "known by their love for one another" and how that can impact others...regardless of their governmental leadership of where they live. Boy, do we ever have alot to learn (hint: finger is pointed specifically at me with this sentence)
ReplyDeleteMarlin,
ReplyDeleteWell said. I completely agree that the modern church needs to do more, love more, seek for the harvest more, but Nic's question made me think that our government should be a socialistic one, like what was described in Acts. We have to take part in our Government to make it effective. I don't want our government to decide how we should spend our money, whether it is on ourselves (selfishly) or on others (unselfishly). That defeats the purpose of giving from our hearts. That is all I was saying.
Dad, thanx for clarifying my point. I just think modern Christian society fears the future more than it ever should.
ReplyDeleteI'm not suggesting that our government should be socialistic... or capitalistic... or anything.
Christianity has survived empires of every incarnation; it has survived democracies and communism. Assuming the worst could happen in America, what makes you think the church will be worse off? From all I've seen, Christianity thrives in persecuted areas (i.e. China, Indonesia, Sudan, etc.)
The church in America needs to stop trying to conform our government into what we think it should be and create more churches the way God designed.