The Benevolent Work Of The Church
The primary work of the local church is to preach the gospel. (Acts 6:2,4; 1 Tim. 3:15) However, under certain circumstances the local church is authorized to relieve certain needy. As the benevolent work of the church is secondary to preaching the gospel, it of necessity is limited. And the New Testament being a perfect guide, it of necessity sets the limits of the benevolent work of the church.
In this study we want to determine who the local church is authorized to relieve and through what organization this relief is to be administered. These two things cannot be determined by emotions, long standing practices nor majority opinions. But they must be determined by the word of God. "If any man speaketh, speaking as it were the oracles of God." From 1 Cor. 2:11 we learn why this is so important, i.e., no man can know the mind of God saving as the Spirit reveals it. Let us then put from our minds any preconceived notions whatever and with an open New Testament see just what the word of God does have to say on our subject.
Our subject is first mentioned in Acts 2:44-45. "And all that believed were together, and had all things common and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need." From this we learn:
1. The church provided for believers — all that believed had all things common.
2. The basis upon which a believer became the object of benevolence was need, unavoidable destitution.
3. The local church administered this relief. There certainly was no sponsoring church administering this relief, for the Jerusalem church was the only church at that time. There is no benevolent society mentioned in the, passage. Thus, the only organization to administer the relief was the local church.
We next find our subject mentioned in Acts 4:32-35. "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul and not one of them said that aught of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.... For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands and houses sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need." Here we learn:
1. The church provided for believers — "neither was there among them any that lacked."
2. The benevolent work of the church was under apostolic control — they laid the price of the things sold at the apostles' feet. Thus, the benevolent work of the church then was and now is limited by the apostles' instructions. No man dare go beyond that which the Spirit authorized through them.
3. The local church administered this relief. No other organization was under the direction of the apostles.
Turning through the book of Acts, we next find our subject mentioned in Acts 6:1-8. "Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It Is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables. Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly is prayer, and in the ministry of the word." In verses 5 and 6 we find this suggestion was obeyed. And from this we learn:
1. Preaching the gospel is placed above benevolence — "it is not fit that we should forsake the word of God and serve tables."
2. The local church relieved disciples — the murmuring arose from among the disciples when they were multiplying.
3. The local church administered the relief to its members. Seven men of their number were selected and the apostles set them over the business of serving tables. No outside agency was built and maintained to do this work; and the needy were not sent to some existing outside agency, whether a sponsoring church or benevolent society.
Our subject is once more mentioned in the book of Acts, chapter 11 and verses 27-30. "Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judaea: which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul." From this passage we learn:
1. One church may send funds to other churches to enable them to care for brethren among them for whom they are unable to provide.
2. This relief was sent to the elders of the needy brethren.
3. Those relieved were brethren who were unavoidably destitute.
4. The sending church selected its own messengers by which to send its contributions to the elders of the destitute brethren. The sending church did not turn its benevolent fund over to a benevolent society or to a sponsoring church, but by its chosen messengers it sent the funds to the local church where the need existed.
5. Thus, the local church of which the needy were first day of the week. The church is not to raise these members administered the relief.
Our subject is not mentioned again until we come to Romans 15:25-31. "But now, I say, I go unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints. For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make certain contributions for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem. Yea, it hath been their good pleasure; and their debtors they are. For if the gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things....Now I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea, and that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints." Here we learn:
1. The church relieved saints — "ministering to the saints," "contribution for the poor among the saints," "my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints."
2. Other churches sent a contribution to the Jerusalem church to enable it to relieve its own destitute saints.
3. The local church of which the needy were members administered the relief.
4. The benevolent work of the church is the fruit of Christianity, not to produce it. Because the gentiles had been partakers of the Jews' spiritual things, they should minister to the Jews in carnal things. The gentile churches did not do benevolence to make Christians. The gospel, not benevolent work, is God's power unto salvation. (Rom. 1:16)
5. This benevolence was not for the disobedient. This passage is the only one on our subject which mentions the disobedient, the alien. If the church can relieve the alien, it must be learned from this passage. Here Paul prayed that the ministration would be acceptable to the saints, but that he may be delivered from the alien in Judaea. So this contribution was for saints; Paul's concern with the alien in this connection was that he be delivered out of his evil hand.
The benevolent work of the church is next mentioned in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty to Jerusalem: and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me." Here we learn:
1. This collection was for saints. No order was given concerning a collection for anyone else.
2. This same order had been given to other churches relative to the Jerusalem need.
3. The benevolent funds of the church are to be raised by the saints contributing into a collective fund on the funds by farming, ranching, etc.
4. Each church was to select its own messengers to bring its bounty to the needy church in Jerusalem.
5. The local church of which the needy were members administered the relief.
Our subject is next mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4, 13, 14. "Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, beseeching us with much entreaty in regard to this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality." Here we learn:
1. This relief was for the saints — "ministering to the saints."
2. Though in "deep poverty," the Macedonian churches were in better condition than the church to which they contributed. The Macedonian churches were able to do their own work; the receiving church was not. And Paul said that none were to be distressed that others be eased, but that the contribution was to bring about mutual freedom from want — "your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want."
3. The local church of which the needy were members administered the relief.
Again in 2 Corinthians 9:1, 12-14 our subject is mentioned. "For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you....For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you." Here we learn:
1. This ministering was for the saints and supplied the wants of the saints.
2. A church with an abundance sent to a church in want to enable the receiving church to provide for its own destitute.
3. The local church of which the needy were members administered the relief.
4. This contribution accomplished two things: (1) relieved the wants of poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem, and (2) caused many thanksgivings to God. (verse 12) Some argue that "the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all" means that this contribution was for the relief of aliens 'as well as for saints. But when we gather all the facts about this contribution and then take this text in its context, we will see that such was, not the case. Consider the following evidence:
Paul was an honorable man. Thus, when we find the purpose for which he instructed the churches to take the contribution, we will have determined the purpose for which the contribution was used. In Romans 15:25-31, 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and 9 Paul said seven times that this collection was being taken for saints. As Paul had the churches to take a contribution for the saints, I am sure that he saw that the contribution was used for that purpose. For to use the contribution for any other purpose, no matter how worthy, would be a misappropriation of funds. Paul said (2 Corinthians 8:18-21) he wanted this contribution handled in an honorable way before God and man; thus, he instructed each church to select its own messengers to take its bounty to the poor saints in Jerusalem so that there could be no question about the contribution's being used for the purpose for which it was taken. And the purpose for which it was taken was to relieve poor saints in Jerusalem.
In verse 14 we learn that those relieved made supplication on behalf of the contributors and long after them by reason of the exceeding grace of God in them. This could only have reference to saints, for aliens certainly did not long after those who made this contribution possible. Rather, they tried to kill Paul on the very occasion when he and the messengers brought this bounty to Jerusalem. (Acts 21:17ff)
The word "all" in verse 13 does not have reference to aliens. Anyone who will stop and think will realize that this contribution could not have been large enough to have relieved all the needy men in the world. And if it did not relieve all needy men in the world, it of necessity was limited. We can only tell the limitations of this relief by closely studying the context. Just assume it included certain needy and left out certain needy is reckless handling of the word of God. The word "all" must be taken in its context. In any given passage it has reference to all of the class or category under consideration. The Pentecostal Churches make a mistake in their reasoning relative to Acts 2:1-4, because they do not take "all" in its context. They say "all" refers to the hundred and twenty of 1:15. But the context plainly indicates that "all" refers only to the apostles. Our brethren make a similar mistake in saying that "all" in this passage refers to all needy. As the class or category under consideration in Acts 2:1-4 was the apostles, just so the class or category under consideration in our text is Jewish saints. Thus, "all" in our text is limited to Jewish Saints.
This contribution from gentile Christians not only supplied the wants of poor Jewish saints, but beyond mere carnal relief, it was also abundant by many thanksgivings unto God on the part of "all" Jewish saints for the gentiles' professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ. Simplified, the money was raised for poor Jewish saints, sent to poor Jewish saints, and this exhausted the use made of the physical funds. But in addition to relieving the poor Jewish saints, the other Jewish saints were also benefited in that the contribution created good will and thanksgivings on their part for the gentiles who had taken thought for the poor Jewish brethren. Only in this manner can it be understood that the gift went to any other than poor Jewish saints. And this agrees perfectly with Paul's statement in verse 12 that this contribution filled the want of the saints and also abounded unto many thanksgivings to God. That is what Paul said the contribution was to accomplish, and that is what the contribution did accomplish. "Unto them and unto all" simply has reference to "them" (poor Jewish saints) having their wants relieved and "all" (other Jewish saints) giving thanksgivings to God for their gentile brethren.
The final time our subject is mentioned in the New Testament is in 1 Timothy 5:16. "If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." From this passage we learn:
1. The church is not to be burdened with widows who have children to relieve them.
2. The church is to relieve widows indeed. This is the only class that the church is to "enroll" or provide permanent relief. And a widow indeed has to be a saint. (verse 5) Thus, if the Lord restricted the church from relieving an old widow who is not a saint, surely He did not intend for the church to relieve, on any basis, an able bodied young alien who happened to need assistance on occasion. To do so would be to discriminate against the widow. God would never do this, for He is the friend of the widow and the fatherless. (Psa. 68:5)
These nine passages constitute all the New Testament has to say on the benevolent work of the church. Other passages deal with individual benevolence, and they certainly teach that the individual has a responsibility to the needy alien and to the orphan. So let none say we are advocating that they go hungry! We are simply advocating that the Lord's church do only that for which there is Biblical authority and that the individual Christian recognize and accept his personal obligations, rather than try to shift them off onto the local church.
Summary: Relative To The Benevolent Work Of The Church We Have Learned:
1. Preaching the word is placed before benevolence.
2. The benevolent work of the church is under apostolic control.
3. The benevolent work of the church is the fruit of Christianity, not to produce it.
4. The church provided for saints.
5. The basis of this relief to saints was need, unavoidable destitution.
6. When one church had more needy members than it could relieve, other churches enabled it to do its work of relieving its own members by sending a contribution to the needy church.
7. When one church sent funds to another church, the funds were delivered to the elders of the receiving church.
8. Each sending church selected its own messengers; no church turned its bounty over to another church for it to send to the needy church.
9. The extent of this help from one church to another was until there was freedom from want, equality.
10. The local church administered relief unto its own needy within its framework. No outside organization was built and maintained to administer this relief. No church sent its own needy to another church or to a benevolent society for the administering of relief.
11. As a result of this, thanksgivings went up to God and He was glorified. If God's people will again be content to follow this pattern, thanksgivings will go up to God and He will again be glorified. But as long as men insist on the local church doing a work for which there is no authority, and as long as men insist on the local church building and maintaining benevolent societies, the church will be troubled and God will not be glorified. Brethren, let us be content to speak where the Bible speaks on this subject as well as others.
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