What do you think of this Financial equality doctrine?

Originally Posted by Ferd

We do know that reguardless of cause, the efforts of those in Jerusalem were not financially successfull. weither or not it was the Roman invasion, famine, or poor planning. We have clear indication that they did not have success in monatary matters.... that is no reflection on thier spirituality.

Who said anything about spirituality? I was talking about that commune system they set up.

[OGIA]

Originally Posted by Chan

I don't remember any specific explanation being given for the Jerusalem church's dire straits but the situation was enough to show that having all things in common (the commune system) was unable to see them through.

If you separate the Jerusalem Church from the other's, I see your point. But, maybe Paul viewed giving between distant churches the same as the local church sharing within itself? Maybe the sharing between Joe and Jim was the same to him as the sharing between Jerusalem and Galatia? When viewed that way, I see no problem that Jerusalem needed help. It's just substituting a larger group for an individual within that group.

[QueenEsther]

Originally Posted by COOPER

That reminds me of something: {changing the subject for a sec}

I work with a Holiness Trinitarian assistant Pastor.

Family looks like UPC and hold similar standards.

That man is so rude too me, nice to others, but has been mean to me at times.

He knows I was UPC and no longer attend a church.

One day I just told him to get off my back, you are so annoying.

He wouldn't look at me or speak to me for about a month after that.

He seems creepy and in a bad mood most of the time.

He walked in one morning and I said "Waz_ZuP? "

He said, something wrong with you?

The uniform man suggested he might have left a missing shirt at home.

He got hot!!!

If you question or put his integrity in check he really gets HOT!!

Don't dare em-ply he might be wrong.

Sounds like he needs a good dose of the Holy Ghost!!!!

Originally Posted by OGIA

If you separate the Jerusalem Church from the other's, I see your point. But, maybe Paul viewed giving between distant churches the same as the local church sharing within itself? Maybe the sharing between Joe and Jim was the same to him as the sharing between Jerusalem and Galatia? When viewed that way, I see no problem that Jerusalem needed help. It's just substituting a larger group for an individual within that group.

I do separate the Jerusalem church from the others. There is no evidence in scripture that any of the other churches followed Jerusalem's commune model.

[Newman]

Originally Posted by Chan

The evidence that it wasn't working was in the Jerusalem church being in such need that Paul was taking up a collection from several Gentile churches, not just one church. Paul talks about not only the Corinthians sending an offering but at least one other church as well (the Philippian church, I think).

I was going to say that but since you beat me to it, I am going to let you defend the position. Hehehe

[OGIA]

Originally Posted by Chan

I do separate the Jerusalem church from the others. There is no evidence in scripture that any of the other churches followed Jerusalem's commune model.

True.





I think.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by Chan

Who said anything about spirituality? I was talking about that commune system they set up.

Nobody. I agree with you. I was just heading anyone off at the pass, if they wanted to suggest otherwise....

I belive in this we are very much in agreement.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Chan

I do separate the Jerusalem church from the others. There is no evidence in scripture that any of the other churches followed Jerusalem's commune model.

Just a stray thought here...

One would tend to think that something is lost in the communal model.

In the communal model all come together to one unit. When you do that then you have created something that requires a level of maintenance on it's own that was not there before when they simply met in each others homes.

When each family had their own life and came in from that life to meet in a brothers/sisters home then they brought some of that outside productivity with them. Some of what their outside life produced fed & ministered to the body as a whole whether that be financial, in object lessons gleaned from living their individual lives or experiential.

When they came together in a communal fashion their productivity outside the gatherings would seem to have been turned into simply maintaining what they had built.

After a while they had nothing left to give and needed to be supported.

In a nutshell... it is what we bring to the table out of who we are as individuals that enriches the body as a whole.

[Pragmatist]

Originally Posted by Chan

I do separate the Jerusalem church from the others. There is no evidence in scripture that any of the other churches followed Jerusalem's commune model.

I was taught (I don't remember by whom), that the reason the Jerusalem church sold all they had and gave it to the church was because the destruction of Jerusalem was coming and it would have all been lost anyway.

[SDG]

How's this??? ... IT'S ALL HIS ....

Who alone is the rightful owner of this world and everything in it?

"The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein". Psalm 24:1

What else does God claim?

"For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills".
Psalm 50:10

"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts". Haggai 2:8

Who gives us the ability to obtain wealth?

"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day". Deuteronomy 8:18

FOR ME, A CHILD OF THE KING ....

His grace is SUFFICIENT ....

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.. 2 Cor 12:9