The Church Is Called To Take Care Of The Poor, Oppressed, & Marginalized (Part 2)

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:24 - 33 reminds us that people experience anxiety about the necessities of life, like food, clean water, & clothing/shelter.    

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Reading the text as if the 3fold Use of the Law & Gospel is irrelevant results in a reductionistic perspective that conduces to a species of works righteousness, as if all we need to do is accomplish our quota of spiritual duty (rigamorole) & God will provide.   On the contrary, the text teaches that ecclesiastical institutions & secular governments have a moral responsibility to address these issues in order to alleviate anxiety about the fundamentals of life so that all living beings — and the Created Order generally — can thrive & survive.  We ought to remember that the Bible was written to people who lived in a communal manner, a manner which stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric Reformation Charlotte in general & Publisher in particular propounds.  

You’ve heard the tired refrain: “It’s not their fault. They’re victims.” Victims of what, exactly? A system that rewards hard work and responsibility? That’s the real issue for them. They don’t want to admit that they’ve failed, that they’ve squandered opportunities, and that their laziness is the reason they’re in the position they’re in. So, they’ve created a cultural bogeyman … systemic injustice.  

One wonders if Publisher has paid attention to the Old Testament.  Slavery is regulated into a species of indentured servitude.   The Jublilee Cycle was intended as a measure in which the legal boundaries of the land were to be readjusted, debts forgiven, & slaves freed as a means to combat systemic injustice against the poor not simply the results of famine & warfare.   

Marriage & divorce laws also included an economic component.   Those Benjamite war brides in Judges are also victims of tribal warfare.  The Ancient Near East was a harsh place, & people were frequently architects of their own systemic demise.  The Law’s civil code was intended to combat systemic injustices not just individual crimes.  

It’s laughable, really, when you consider how they twist the biblical concept of justice. The Bible condemns true injustice—exploiting workers, cheating the poor, or abusing the helpless. And yes, these things do happen. But what the left has done is hijack this idea to justify their own greed. They want the government to step in and forcibly take from the responsible and give to the irresponsible.

It’s not charity. It’s legalized theft. And what’s worse, they have the impudence to call this “compassion.”

Compassion?

There’s nothing compassionate about incentivizing laziness. There’s nothing compassionate about enabling a culture of entitlement. Real compassion looks like helping people break free from the cycles of bad behavior, not encouraging them to remain stuck in them.

On the one hand, Publisher’s rhetoric issues a standard issue disclaimer that these things do happen.  On the other, he castigates anybody & everybody who differs with him as an enabler of laziness & engaged in a gluttony project designed to rob him & his cobelligerents of their hard earned cash.  In both cases, he has justified none of it — not one line - from the Bible itself.   

The progressive’s entire worldview is built on this sham—this notion that the “least of these” are some kind of oppressed class that needs saving from the big, bad “straight, white, male,” conservative Christians with a work ethic. But in reality, their cries for “justice” are nothing more than veiled demands for handouts.

Thank you for identifying yourself.  This part reads like the accusations of an abusive narcissist who seeks to gaslight his target or targets into believing they, the target or targets, is/are the problem. 

They want the benefits of hard work without putting in any of the effort. And make no mistake—this is rooted in sin. Covetousness, pure and simple. They see what others have, and instead of working for it themselves, they demand that it be handed to them on a silver platter.

You know what  the Bible says about this? Proverbs 13:4: “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Sluggard—that’s the biblical term for such people. They crave what they have not earned. And instead of looking inward, instead of taking responsibility for their own lives, they point the finger at the rest of us. They cry “injustice” when the real injustice is the fact that they refuse to do what’s necessary to improve their situation.

Let’s take a look at Proverbs 13.  Does Proverbs 13 define the sluggard as a person on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale who refused to take responsibility for their own lives & depend on the rest of us to do the heavy lifting for them?

13 

A wise son hears his father's instruction,

    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

2 

From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,

    but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.

3 

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

4 

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

5 

The righteous hates falsehood,

    but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.

6 

Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,

    but sin overthrows the wicked.

7 

One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;

    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

8 

The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,

    but a poor man hears no threat.

9 

The light of the righteous rejoices,

    but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

10 

By insolence comes nothing but strife,

    but with those who take advice is wisdom.

11 

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,

    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

12 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 

Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,

    but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

14 

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

    that one may turn away from the snares of death.

15 

Good sense wins favor,

    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.

16 

Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

    but a fool flaunts his folly.

17 

A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

    but a faithful envoy brings healing.

18 

Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,

    but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

19 

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.

20 

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,

    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

21 

Disaster pursues sinners,

    but the righteous are rewarded with good.

22 

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,

    but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

23 

The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,

    but it is swept away through injustice.

24 

Whoever spares the rod hates his son,

    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

25 

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,

    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

According to Proverbs 13, describe the sluggard & the diligent (13:4). 

Sluggard (like Haman & his Worthless Men in Esther)

• Scoffer - refuses rebuke (13:1)
• The godly eats  the fruit of his own mouth (13:2) as opposed to the violent (cf. Matt. 7:12 - 13, 16 - 17) who live for violence & treachery.
• Diligent guards his mouth (13:3)
• Scoffer - Covetousness / lust never satisfied 
• Scofffer - (Loves falsehood), bringing shame & disgrace (13:5)
• Scoffer - Overthrown by sin, wicked (13:6) 
• Scoffer- Pretends to be poor, yet is rich (engages in pretense & fraud)
• Scoffer - Ransom of his life is his wealth (13:8)
• Scoffer - Joyless, lives in darkness (13:9)
• Scoffer - Insolent (13:10)
• Scoffer - Seeks short term satisfaction; gains literal & figurative wealth in haste (13:11)
• Scoffer - Hope & Trust issues (13:12)
• Scoffer - Despises the Word (13:13) 
• Scoffer - Teaching leads to death & destruction (13:14)
• Scoffer - Treacherous, leading to (betrayal) & destruction (13:15)
• Scoffer - Flaunts Folly (13:16) 
• Scoffer - Wicked messenger, falls into trouble (13:17)
• Scoffer - Ignores instruction, leads to poverty & disgrace (13:18)
• Scoffer- Refuses to repent (13:19)
• Scoffer - Companion of fools (13:20)
• Scoffer - Disaster pursues, life full of drama (13:21)
• Scoffer - Squanders any inheritance his grandchildren might otherwise have (13:22)
• Scoffer - Allows his children to lead an undisciplined life (13:23)
• Scoffer - Belly never satisfied (13:24)

Diligent (like Mordechai & Esther in Esther) 

• Wise son who listens to instruction (13:1)
• Generally eschews violence (13:2) 
• Speaks without unguardedly, leading to ruin (13:3) 
• Soul (not necessarily the purse) is richly supplied 
• Righteous, hates falsehood (13:5)
• Guarded by Righteousness (13:6)
• Is shrewd; Pretends to be rich, yet is poor (13:7) 
• Hears no threat (Is not a slave to money) (13:8) 
• Joy, lives in light (13:9)
• Teachable (13:10)
• Seeks long term satisfaction; gains literal & figurative wealth step by step (13:11)
• Hopes & Trusts (13:12)
• Fears the commandment (13:13)
• Teaching is a fountain of life, helps avoid death & destruction (13:14) 
• Honest, leading to favor (13:15)
• Circumspect/Prudent (13:16)
• Faithful messenger, brings healing (13:17)
• Heeds reproof, honored (13:18)
• Hungers & thirsts after righteousness (13:19) 
• Walks with the wise (13:20)
• Rewarded with good (13:21)
• Leaves a legacy for his grandchildren (13:22)
• Teaches his children godly self-discipline (13:23)
• Appetites under control/satisfied (13:24)

The Bible very clearly does not agree with Publisher.   “Sluggard” in Proverbs is not defined as person at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum who covets what others have & seeks to mooch off the rest of us.   Sure, there are undoubtedly some people who fall into that category, but the truth of the matter is that the terms “Poor” & “Sluggard” are, in Proverbs, more expansively defined.   

The term “Sluggard” includes people on the upper end of the socioeconomic spectrum who defraud the poor through warmongering, gluttony, witchcraft, angry religious & quasi-religious bigotry by keeping us all on the hamster wheel of works righteousness.  In the history of the churches, that has not infrequently run through the ecclesiastical class as well as the gentry & the civil magistrates.   

Publisher’s perspective is reductionistic & worldly.  It echoes the sentiments of Sodom & Gommorah (Ezekiel 16:49), Egypt, Gibeah, Ninevah, Jerusalem, Damascus, Ephesus, Rome, Pompeii, & Herculaneum.