Scripture warns us about many things, such as being lazy, offering yourself as surety for a person taking out a loan, partaking of communion in an unworthy manner, and many other things. But there are some warnings that stand out as more important than others, such as do not fear the one who can kill your body, but fear Him who can cast your soul into hell, and whoever preaches a different gospel, let him be cursed.
Among the Scriptural warnings that fall into the more important class are those that deal with ignoring people who are in need around us. We know they fall into the more important class because of how frequently they are repeated, how seriously the early church took them, and how severe the warnings associated with them are.
Here’s a summary of the biblical warnings about ignoring those in need around us.
- Genesis
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, Lets go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? “I dont know, he replied. Am I my brothers keeper? (Genesis 4:8-9)
- Exodus
Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do, they will cry out to me and I will certainly hear their cry My anger will be aroused and I will kill you with the sword, your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. (Exodus 22:22-24)
- Deuteronomy
He [God] administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves for the stranger, giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 1:18)
- Job
If I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep, if I have raise my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. (Job 31:19-22)
- Psalms
A father to the fatherless, a defender of wiows, is God in his holy welling. God sets the lonely in families, he leas forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. (Psalm 68:5)
- Proverbs
The Lord will tear down the proud person’s house, but he will protect the widow’s property. (Proberbs 15:25
- Isaiah
Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
- Jesus
And he continued, You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, Honor your father and mother,’ and, Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God) then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that. (Mark 7:9-13)
As he taught, Jesus said, Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely. (Mark 12:38-40)
- Paul
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.
We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)
- John
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)
- James
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, Here’s a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, You stand there or Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? (James 2:5-7)
Clearly, God’s concern for the widow, the fatherless, the orphan and the needy in general permeates all of Scripture, from beginning to end. He reserves his harshest condemnation for those who ignore and mistreat them. And one of the clearest signs of a person’s salvation is their support for them.
So, my Christian friend, isn’t it time your church began focusing on those in need in your own congregation and community? If you think so, we can help you with that.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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