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How Should A Christian Handle Freeloaders?

Hi I____,

It is always such a blessing to hear from a brother in Egypt. I am constantly awed by what God has given us to share His word with others all around the globe.

Thank you for your questions. I will insert my comments within your e-mail below.

Comment: This is a perfect example of how important it is to understand the principle of properly and rightly dividing God's Word. If you look only at the verses you have quoted above, those verses, taken in isolation, seem to be admonishing us to given away the farm if someone asks us for it. But we have been told that no prophecy of scripture is of its own interpretation, and that Truth resides only in the sum of God's Word.
2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [Greek, its own] interpretation.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
Does God instruct me to give away my home without any regard for my family, if someone comes to me and asks me to give Him my home? I actually had a seventy- five year old minister, ask me for all the money I had on me, right in front of his whole congregation. His reason for doing so was to demonstrate to me and to his congregation that Christ's words were not meant for us. We had traveled 700 miles to Melbourne, Florida, to be at a Bible conference with this minister, and I had to get back home, so I refused his request for "all of the money you have on you at this moment." The whole congregation was laughing at me before I could explain that the scriptures also teach us that any one who does not provide for his own, especially for his own house, has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

1Ti 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
God's people carry their own weight and help others when they are able. They do not give their substance to dogs or to swine, with no concern for their own house. Here are Christ's own words on that subject:

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
 
It is a holy thing to provide for your house and it is unholy to fail to do so. "The sum of God's Word" then is teaching us to help those who are in need "according to our ability to do so."

Act 11:29  Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwell in Judea.
You have no obligation to let a user use you. Yes, Christ did say:
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
So if a known drunken bum asks you for the money to buy a hamburger, you ought never to use the fact that you know this man is an addict as an excuse to avoid giving him a hamburger if you are able to afford it. Though it would be better to buy him the hamburger instead of the money for it so he won't be tempted to spend the money on alcohol. But Matthew 5:42 is not the sum of God's Word on this subject. There are those who think it is, but it is not.

The story of Mary's alabaster box of ointment teaches us that we must also be selective with our charity. Here is the message of that story:

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Contrary to what Christ's own apostles thought, Mary was commended for putting the body of Christ ahead of the poor:

Mat 26:6  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Mat 26:7  There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat [at meat].
Mat 26:8  But when his disciples saw [it], they had indignation, saying, To what purpose [is] this waste?
Mat 26:9  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10  When Jesus understood [it], he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Mat 26:12  For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Mat 26:13  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Christ's whole life was dedicated to serving His 'body.' This story is in God's Word for this very reason. The "memorial to Mary" is remembered when we help those who are a part of the body of Christ.

Am I denying that we ought to help those outside the body of Christ? Absolutely not. Am I saying that the body of Christ should come first? Yes I am, simply because that is what Christ taught us.

I hope that helps you to decide what to do about your situation.
.

I became like the rich man:
 

12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
 
I think this is the little book it's not easy to keep. We can't keep it or understand it; only Christ in us can.

May God give us sight to see Him and strength to do His will.

Comment: It is indeed impossible for us, of ourselves, to obey God's directives for our lives. Who among us can truly love his avowed enemy, in and of himself? Yet we "can do all things through Christ."

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I will be praying with you, that God will direct you to make good and sound business and Christlike decisions which will be generous toward the needy as well as obedient to Christ as regards providing for your own house.

By the way my dad is over my head for me to marry. He knows that I'm out of the Egyptian church and no woman will accept to marry outside the church and it's kind of making him sad. What will I do?

Comment: This is one you will have to pray again for wisdom and patience in order to do what the Lord wills for your life. Again I will certainly keep you in my prayers as regards this situation. Put God and His Words first, and everything else will fall into place in your life. Do anything else and you may do well physically, but your spiritual life will wither up and be gone. 

Well, I wish I could make it this Sunday. Till we meet, I love you all.

Your brother in the Lord Jesus Christ,

I____

I too, wish you could be with us  Sunday. We all rejoice to see your name in the chat box. You are in our prayers. God will see you through all these trials.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike