Author : Keith Sharp
God requires that His people care for the poor and helpless (James 1:26-27). There is an order of responsibility. We must support our aged parents when they cannot support themselves, and a contribution to the church cannot meet this obligation (Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13; Ephesians 6:2-3). We as individuals have an obligation to care for widows and orphans who are kin to us which we cannot push off onto the church (1 Timothy 5:4,8,16). Whereas the local church is only authorized to give benevolent aid to needy Christians (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35; 6:1-4; Acts 11:27-30; Romans 15:25-26; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4,13-15; 9:1,12-13; 1 Timothy 5:3,10,16), if a Christian has widows or orphans kin to him and needs help to support them, the church can assist him (1 Timothy 5:8; Acts 4:34-35). Christ has given the local congregation elders to rule (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 5:17), deacons to administer (Philippians 1:1), and a treasury to supply funds (1 Corinthians 16:1-4) – everything needed to do all its own benevolent work (Acts 6:1-4). Organizations receiving donations from the church to do the benevolent work the Lord assigned to individual Christians or to the local church are both unneeded and unauthorized (2 John verses 9-11).
