Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Sell what you have-give alms | Bible general Archive 4 | jlhetrick | 212230 | ||
flyman- alms speaks to charity, or charitable giving. The verse has to be considered in the context of the surrounding verses. Jesus is not saying sell all of your possessions, leaving yourself without means of living and giving it all away. The verse and the passage is speaking of the spiritual attitude, the mind-set of Christian living. Having more than enough while someone else doesn’t have enough is part of the issue. Worrying about getting more and keeping what we have is another part of the issue. We are to trust God for what we need and not become “self-reliant” which is nothing more than a mind-set because we actually could never be self-reliant. We have because He gives. Giving responsibly is a responsibility all Christians have. The loving others is the basis for why and how we give. Much more can be said but I’m only on a short break at work. Jeff |
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2 | Sell what you have-give alms | Bible general Archive 4 | flyman172 | 212236 | ||
Jeff - okay, I read the entire chapter Luke 12, and I don't find the theme to be charitable giving. In fact what I read is a teaching that we are not to worry about the future. Do not fear those who kill the body, but fear God who has the power to throw you into hell. Not the birds of the air does God forget, how much more will He care for His children. Jesus gives a parable of a rich man who plans well for retirement and stores up things for himself but is not rich with God. Then Jesus says in verse 22, do not worry about your life, what you eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens, they do not sow or reap yet God feeds them. How much more valuable we are than birds. Jesus says consider how the lilies grow, they do not labor or spin, yet God keeps them clothed, how much more will He clothe you. O you of little faith. Jesus says do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink, do not worry about it, your Father knows that you need them. In verses 33-34, (NIV) "Sell your possessions and give to the poor..." In your words Jeff "Jesus is not saying sell all of your possessions, leaving yourself without means of living and giving it all away." Quite the contrary, Jesus is saying DO NOT WORRY about anything. Sell what you have and give alms, DO NO WORRY is the message. The context of the surrounding verses is Do Not Worry!. I don't understand how you arrived at "charitable giving." I have read chapter 12 over and over and there is nothing pertaining to charitable giving. Help! |
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3 | Sell what you have-give alms | Bible general Archive 4 | jlhetrick | 212247 | ||
flyman- Good that you read the entire chapter. Now that you have done that read my post again but a bit more carefully. Also consider the wider context of Scripture, as a whole, as your reading. In my post I don't say that the theme of the chapter is charitable giving. I said the word "alms" in the verse you asked about speaks to charitable giving. That was only the first sentence. The rest of the post speaks to the theme (of the verse- not the entire chapter). There is more than one truth, point, and theme in the entire chapter. There is nothing contrary to my statement when I said Jesus is not saying to sell all of your possessions, leaving yourself without means of living and giving it all away. That statement is accurate, and again, must be understood in context of Scripture as a whole. We are to be good stewards of all we are blessed with. Consider a word study of “steward”. Four times in your post you point to "do not worry" as "A" theme. Great! It's not important that you did not get that from my post though I had hoped you would; better that you got it on your own from Scripture. I'm glad I was able to encourage you to do the work... the fruit is always sweeter when you pick it yourself :-) Not worrying about the future is a start but hardly the theme in and of itself. The "why" of not worrying about the future is what's important. Why? Because, we can have faith in God to supply all our needs. As a result we live with thanks giving, blessing as we are blessed. Your response to my post indicates that you may have a tendency to scan rather than read with focus. For example, you wrote "I have read chapter 12 over and over and there is nothing pertaining to charitable giving". Well, what pertains very specifically to charitable giving is the very verse you originally referenced, asking for help regarding its meaning. Luke 12:33-34 (NASB) 33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I included verse 34 as it speaks to the focus of my original response. It's about the spiritual condition. Trusting God for all of our needs and blessing others as we are blessed; in other words, trusting without worry and charitable giving. Try reading through passages and then reading a second time a bit more slowly. Where context is considered start first with the most immediate if you’re having trouble; that is, the immediate verses before and those after. The more you learn of God's word the better you will understand individual verses and passages; that is, as they are consistent with and relevant too truth. Hope this helps, Jeff |
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4 | Sell what you have-give alms | Bible general Archive 4 | flyman172 | 212250 | ||
Jeff - When you speak of "charitable giving" the impression given is donating old clothes, putting money in the Salvation Army kettle, delivering a box of can foods to the Food Bank, giving a few hundred dollars to a church program for the homeless or making a contribution of several thousand dollars to a local charity. Hardly a process of selling your possessions and giving to the poor. In your own words of you first answer, "The verse has to be considered in the context of the surrounding verses. Jesus is not saying sell all of your possessions, leaving yourself without means of living and giving it all away." Jeff, I am reading it as quite the opposite. Jesus is saying "Sell your possesions and give to the poor" for just as the birds, lilies of the field and the ravens are well looked after by God, God will look after us. We have no need to worry, we have no need for possesions. Jesus said do not be like the rich man who prepared for a good retirement but was not rich with God. Lay not your treasures on earth but in heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If you are keeping treasures here on earth, then your heart is there and not in heaven. Jeff, I want to follow my Lord the correct way and if it requires me to sell my possesions and give to the poor, then I must obey. flyman |
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5 | Sell what you have-give alms | Bible general Archive 4 | stjohn | 212252 | ||
Hello flyman: You wrote: "I want to follow my Lord the correct way and if it requires me to sell my possessions and give to the poor, then I must obey." Hey buddy, I'm poor, would you like me to give you my address? :-) Sorry for my little joke. But I really don't think He is saying all His followers are to sell all there possessions and give to the poor. What He is doing is letting this rich young man know, that he is far from keeping all His commandments, because this man is putting money before God, so he isn't even keeping the first commandment to, love the Lord thy God, and not to have any god's before Him, which this man is doing by putting his faith in his riches. Remember that the man was not asking how we are to follow Jesus or how to act after we are saved, but he was asking how to attain eternal life; there is a big difference. God bless John |
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