In Galatians 2:9, Paul recounted how Peter, James, and John gave to he and Barnabas the “the right hand of fellowship.” The three primarily taught Jews, while Paul and Barnabas primarily preached to Gentiles. Paul went on to mention one thing Peter, James, and John exhorted him and Barnabas to do. Galatians 2:10: They only asked us to remember the poor – which very thing I was also zealous to do.
New Testament examples of early Christians show God’s desire for all of His children to be zealous for helping the poor (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35; 11:29-30).
Fulfilling this responsibility can seem challenging when we consider the qualifier given in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Those who are poor because of an unwillingness to work should be encouraged to repent.
While laziness should not be “enabled,” Scripture shows that laziness is far from the only cause of poverty.Amos 4:1 speaks against those who “oppress the poor” and “crush the needy,” inferring that poverty can be caused (or worsened) by oppression. People can be poor because they’ve had things stolen (Heb. 10:34). Some have been made poor because of famine (Acts 11:28), or other natural disasters. In other words, the poor includes much more than just those who are unwilling to work.
The poor and needy should receive our compassion. Notice 1 John 3:17: But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Those who are “rich in this present world” (1 Tim. 6:17) are exhorted to be rich in good works and to be “ready to distribute, willing to share” (verse 18).
As zealous as we should be to help the poor, we should be careful to do so in accordance with God’s pattern.
God established a weekly “collection for the saints” (1 Cor. 16:1). He commanded, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him” (verse 2).
This is God’s pattern for raising funds for all authorized works of the church. In the immediate context, though, the apostle Paul indicated that this collection would be used to carry aid to needy saints in Jerusalem (verse 3). This passage shows that local churches have biblical authority to provide for needy saints (not only those of their own number, but of other local churches as well).
Benevolence as a collective work of the church is specifically for saints though. Church benevolence in the New Testament was not an “evangelism tool” to attract the lost, but rather a work intended to help needy Christians. Moreover, church benevolence does not supersede family’s obligation to provide for its own (cf. 1 Tim. 5:4, 8, 16).
While benevolence as a collective work of the church is for needy saints, individual Christians have responsibility to help both brethren and non-Christians as we have the ability and opportunity.
Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
This passage teaches about responsibilities of individual Christians, rather than the collective work of the church (cf. verses 1-9).
Notice, though, how this verse stresses our need to do the best we can to help others. While we must cautiously avoid unscriptural work in the area of benevolence, we must be zealous to pursue that which is scriptural. The effort we put forth to help the poor is of eternal significance (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). Like the apostle Paul, may each of us be zealous to “remember the poor.”
– Michael Hickox