BENEVOLENCE

1
BENEVOLENCE

• Our Duty to One Another
• Acts 244-45 432-37 1 Timothy 53-16

2
The big picture

• Benevolence one of churchs works
• Acts of kindness, love and mercy
• EssentialMatt. 2531-46
• Confusion often focuses on duty of individual vs.
  duty of church

3
Individual responsibility

• Galatians 61
• Parable of Good Samaritan outlines scope of our
  dutyLuke 1025-37
• Other pertinent passagesJames 127 Hebrews
  1316 1 John 317-18 1 Timothy 617-19
• Duty to work includes this responsibilityEph.
  428 Acts 2033-35

4
Erroneous views about benevolence

• Every obligation of individual is an obligation
  also of the church
• Benevolence is important tool in evangelism

5
Church role important but limited

• To deal with needs of the saints
• Collections received and sent to needy Christians
  in Judea, etc
• No examples or commands in N.T. for church to
  undertake benevolence to non-Christians

6
Further limitations noted

• Church is not a collective
• Two primary limitations placed on church
  benevolence in scriptures
• 1. Limitation of TRUE NEED
• 2. Limitation as secondary resource while
  family is primary resource

7
Obligated to truly needy

• No duty to lazy2 Thess. 310-14
• 1 Tim. 53-16 (widow indeed, or those who are
  really widows)
• No duty where person can provide for himself or
  herself
• Church isnt financial rescue team for
  irresponsible or wasteful persons

8
Family duty comes first

• Look again at 1 Timothy 58 and Mark 78-13
• We have a duty to care for our own
  familyespecially those of our own household
  (i.e., those who live with us)

9
Wrapping things up

• We want to encourage benevolence
• But distinguish individual, church duties
• Goal is to helpnot encourage sin
• Help is for those truly in need
• Love and benevolence is an attractive fruit of
  faith, not tool for establishing faith