Author : Keith Sharp
Brethren argue that Old Testament Israel was allowed to render benevolent aid to Gentiles and that, if the church cannot give benevolent aid to sinners, it has a lower standard than Old Testament Israel. Old Testament Israelites were indeed commanded to love the “stranger” who dwelt among them (Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19), and, in addition to not mistreating them (Leviticus 19:33), were to help them (Leviticus 25:35) and to allow them to glean along with poor Israelites from the harvest of their fields (Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-21). This was all individual, but Israel also shared the third year tithe with the strangers living among them (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
But these strangers among them had to observe the law just as Jews did (Leviticus 24:22; Numbers 15:16), and their sins were forgiven by the offering of animal sacrifices, just as the Israelites’ were (Numbers 15:27-29). The stranger who sinned presumptuously was to be cut off from Israel just as an Israelite was (Numbers 15:30). In fact, they entered into covenant relationship with the Lord just as the native born Jew (Deuteronomy 29:9-15) and had the same obligation to fear the Lord that the fleshly descendants of Jacob had (Deuteronomy 31:12-13). These “strangers” dwelling among them to whom Israel was to give benevolent aid were not unbelieving pagans but believing, obedient, God fearing, forgiven servants of the Lord God of Israel.
What was Israel to do with the unbelieving idolaters of the land? Utterly destroy them, showing them no mercy or pity! (Deuteronomy 7:1-2,16,24; 9:3; 10:16-18; 33:27) Brethren, I don’t think you want to use Old Testament Israel as an example of church benevolence to sinners.
