1 / 13

The Work of the Local Church (Benevolence)

The Work of the Local Church (Benevolence). (Bible Authority, Part 14). The Issue Defined. Is there Bible authority for a congregation to give relief to non-Christians in its benevolence work and from its collected treasury?

colton
Download Presentation

The Work of the Local Church (Benevolence)

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Work of the Local Church(Benevolence) (Bible Authority, Part 14)

  2. The Issue Defined • Is there Bible authority for a congregation to give relief to non-Christians in its benevolence work and from its collected treasury? • Is the benevolent work of the local church general or limited in scope? • God’s pattern gives the answer, Heb. 8:5; 2 Tim. 1:13 2

  3. NT Pattern of Local Church’s Work in Benevolence • Pattern of congregational action: Local churches assisting Christians • Relief of local Christians, Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 6:1-6 • Relief of Christians elsewhere, Acts 11:27-30; Rom. 15:25-27 (1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 12-13) 3

  4. NT Pattern of Local Church’s Work in Benevolence • Pattern of individual action: Helping all men as one has ability and opportunity • Must distinguish individual action and congregational action • “Whatever the Christian can do, the local church can do.” Wrong! 1 Tim. 5:16 • “We do many things without authority.” Wrong! Col. 3:17 4

  5. Churches or Individuals? 5

  6. James 1:26-27 Visit Fatherless and widows • Bridle tongue • Do not deceive • Keep oneself unspotted The Same Man 6

  7. Local Church’s Work in Benevolence • Never a tool to introduce the gospel • Social gospel: Salvation Army, Rescue Mission • Local church’s benevolent work is the fruit of faith, not the means of spreading it • Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35 (Rom. 15:28; 2 Cor. 8:3-5) • Jesus & multitude, Mk. 6:34; Jno. 6:25-27, 66 • Gospel draws, Jno. 6:44-45 (Rom. 1:16) 7

  8. Defending General Benevolence as a Tool of Evangelism • “We are saying also that in the benevolent work of the church there are some occasions wherein aid is rendered to one who is not a Christian and that this in itself has opened doors of evangelism.” Bill Jackson (LaCoste-Jackson Debate, 1984) 8

  9. Defending General Benevolence with 2 Corinthians 9:13 • pantas: “all men” (KJV, NKJV); “all others” (ESV) • Who are the “all”? • “All” must be qualified (cf. 2 Ths. 3:10) • Context discusses needy saints, 2 Cor. 9:1 • Recipients thank and glorify God in prayer for the obedience of the Gentiles – Saints, 2 Cor. 9:12-14 9

  10. Defending General Benevolence with 2 Corinthians 9:13 • pantas: “all men” (KJV, NKJV); “all others” (ESV) • Gentile Christians partook (koinonia) of spiritual things with recipients, Rom. 15:25-27 • Prayer for deliverance from disobedient and be accepted by saints, Rom. 15:30-31 (Ac 21:17) • Did unbelievers attack Paul after getting relief? • Paul did not misapply the funds! • Who are the “all”? • “All” the Christians in Jerusalem – None left out 10

  11. Difference: Individual Funds and Collected Funds, Acts 3:1-6 • Collected funds existed, Acts 2:44-45 • Alien sinner was in need, Acts 3:2-3 • The apostles “had no money” for him, Acts 3:4-6 • Yet, funds were at their disposal for relief, Acts 4:35 • Therefore, the collected funds were not for unbelievers 11

  12. Difference: Individual Funds and Collected Funds, Acts 3:1-6 • Apostles had power to give the lost man: • A miracle of healing, Acts 3:6-7 • The gospel to save his soul, Acts 3:11-26 • Apostles did not have power: • To give an unbeliever relief from the local church’s treasury • To use benevolence as an evangelistic tool 12

  13. The Work of the Local Church(Benevolence) • Through honest labor, each Christian is to help the weak, Acts 20:33-35 • The local church must meet its specific responsibility of relieving needy saints, cf. 1 Tim. 5:16 • Must not change these God-given roles 13

More Related