"Beware that there is no base thought in your heart... and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you."1
There is great sin in the Land, the poor cry out to the Lord. He has heard their cry, he will raise up one who understands their affliction, justice will be given to the poor who cry out to His name. In the old covenant there were many laws of social responsibilities to the poor, these poor of the Land were God's people, they would be those of the Church today. In general we in the Church think opposite of scripture when it comes to how we treat the poor. We might justify our thinking by teachings that teach our earthly prosperity is a result of our righteousness. We must be careful in how we treat the poor, so that we do not sin.
There is great sin in the Land, the poor cry out to the Lord. He has heard their cry, he will raise up one who understands their affliction, justice will be given to the poor who cry out to His name. In the old covenant there were many laws of social responsibilities to the poor, these poor of the Land were God's people, they would be those of the Church today. In general we in the Church think opposite of scripture when it comes to how we treat the poor. We might justify our thinking by teachings that teach our earthly prosperity is a result of our righteousness. We must be careful in how we treat the poor, so that we do not sin.
"For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land."4
Today, the poor in the "Land" would be those in the Church. James said we should exalt these in the church. Why would we mistreat another human being, especially a brother or sister? Maybe it is because of how we view debt, how we think those in debt are evil. Like the people who asked Jesus about the debtors the tower of Siloam had fallen on, surely these were evil they asked Jesus. We too often think death, debt, and trials only happen to evil people, but such is not truth.5 We are hypocrites to think that we are not in debt to God. And we think wrong that poor people are evil. Paul writes we are to owe no one anything but love. So who is not in debt, as to judge another justly?
“If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers... you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks..."7
Surely a principle of judging is that the way we measure others it will be measured back to us, the burden of those we afflict will be returned to us, put upon our shoulders. Surely those who afflict the poor of God's people will not have peace. Maybe we try to justify such by lowering our own standards, well, everyone gets treated this way, we might say... then as Paul said who are wise among you to judge, all are cheating and swindling each other.
"If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest. “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious."8
We see that one way rich men justify their mistreatment of those in debt is through encouraging principles that support their own greedy ways. The poor are considered "scum bag," lazy, uneducated, they run from their commitments, they go back on their word... But usually we see these wealthy men take excessive profits and use principles to justify their exploitation of people. They justify their acts based upon some debt owed, and by how they encourage society to view the poor as evil.
We see in the Bible people mistreated the poor, so God commanded against such. These commands were because the greedy would take the clothing off the backs of people, even the orphans and widows. The Pharisees Jesus said would devour widows homes. Today they can call it a "standard," the way they treat everyone, but they do not live to the same standard. The poor are ladened down with excessive fees... They say this is a "penalty" or punishment for breaking their commitment, but it is just adding heavy burdens without lifting a finger to help them.
We can say the poor are not credit worthy, they should manage their money better... but if we lift not a finger to teach them we care not for them. It seems it is just another way to mistreat the poor and to make a profit also. Church leaders who turn away the poor while living off the tithing and giving of others, is not such a double standard? Truly, such love of the poor is reflective of the love of God abiding in our hearts.
"You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. if you afflict them at all, and if they cry out to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My anger will be kindled... and your wives will become widows and your children fatherless"9
We hear much about end time judgment today, but we do wise to look at the history of Israel, what was the crime of God's people before they were taken away into captivity? God says to Israel they were worse than Sodom, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy."10
“You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. “But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing."11
What would be the crime of America be if Jesus returns? would it be because we have not been so faithful in much? to have been blessed with such wealth and have misused it? surely we have mistreated the poor of our country. "Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts."12 And what about within the Land?
"moreover, whoever might have the worlds goods and might see the brother of him in need and he might close up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?14
If God has blessed me with such wealth and I turn my heart from my brother, I have sinned. This is a new covenant principle as it was an old covenant one. John, the beloved, writes of such, that it is a sin to have earthly riches and to see your brother in need and to not help him. Maybe we have been a church who has been mislead in our thinking about the poor, but now we see the truth, the words of Christ speak to us. A Church transformed to the mind of Christ is what we seek, not one that seeks the glory of men, but the glory of the One, Jesus Christ.
"You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today."15
The greatest way we can minister or serve the poor of the world is to give them food that does not perish, such is the greatest blessing that anyone can give another man, "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now, we must not ignore another truth, You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land. Can I supply a man spiritual food and then turn my heart from his need of physical food? How does the love of God abide in me if I close my heart from him? Man's need for bread is both physical and spiritual.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."9Your Grace Finds Me
“If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers... you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks..."7
Surely a principle of judging is that the way we measure others it will be measured back to us, the burden of those we afflict will be returned to us, put upon our shoulders. Surely those who afflict the poor of God's people will not have peace. Maybe we try to justify such by lowering our own standards, well, everyone gets treated this way, we might say... then as Paul said who are wise among you to judge, all are cheating and swindling each other.
"If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest. “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious."8
We see that one way rich men justify their mistreatment of those in debt is through encouraging principles that support their own greedy ways. The poor are considered "scum bag," lazy, uneducated, they run from their commitments, they go back on their word... But usually we see these wealthy men take excessive profits and use principles to justify their exploitation of people. They justify their acts based upon some debt owed, and by how they encourage society to view the poor as evil.
We see in the Bible people mistreated the poor, so God commanded against such. These commands were because the greedy would take the clothing off the backs of people, even the orphans and widows. The Pharisees Jesus said would devour widows homes. Today they can call it a "standard," the way they treat everyone, but they do not live to the same standard. The poor are ladened down with excessive fees... They say this is a "penalty" or punishment for breaking their commitment, but it is just adding heavy burdens without lifting a finger to help them.
We can say the poor are not credit worthy, they should manage their money better... but if we lift not a finger to teach them we care not for them. It seems it is just another way to mistreat the poor and to make a profit also. Church leaders who turn away the poor while living off the tithing and giving of others, is not such a double standard? Truly, such love of the poor is reflective of the love of God abiding in our hearts.
"You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. if you afflict them at all, and if they cry out to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My anger will be kindled... and your wives will become widows and your children fatherless"9
We hear much about end time judgment today, but we do wise to look at the history of Israel, what was the crime of God's people before they were taken away into captivity? God says to Israel they were worse than Sodom, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy."10
“You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. “But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing."11
What would be the crime of America be if Jesus returns? would it be because we have not been so faithful in much? to have been blessed with such wealth and have misused it? surely we have mistreated the poor of our country. "Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts."12 And what about within the Land?
"moreover, whoever might have the worlds goods and might see the brother of him in need and he might close up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?14
If God has blessed me with such wealth and I turn my heart from my brother, I have sinned. This is a new covenant principle as it was an old covenant one. John, the beloved, writes of such, that it is a sin to have earthly riches and to see your brother in need and to not help him. Maybe we have been a church who has been mislead in our thinking about the poor, but now we see the truth, the words of Christ speak to us. A Church transformed to the mind of Christ is what we seek, not one that seeks the glory of men, but the glory of the One, Jesus Christ.
"You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today."15
The greatest way we can minister or serve the poor of the world is to give them food that does not perish, such is the greatest blessing that anyone can give another man, "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now, we must not ignore another truth, You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land. Can I supply a man spiritual food and then turn my heart from his need of physical food? How does the love of God abide in me if I close my heart from him? Man's need for bread is both physical and spiritual.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."9Your Grace Finds Me