Strat wrote:
The bible does not teach universal poverty,it teaches righteousness and holiness and the blessings of such...

Unprofitable Servatn wrote:
I gave you links that were exactly what I said, an education from which you would benefit.

Instructions or duties in the OT were given to a nation who to some degree and at some times more than others feared God and obeyed his word, not sinlessly but faithfully, their faith a grace based upon God's veracity concerning past, present and future things was of a greater compass than hope which is a grace based on good to come in the future. Their future hope was Christ to come.

Unless one interprets Scripture looking through the the lens of the past's inspired history, they cannot rightly apply NT Scripture to the present or future; the Scripture does not contradict itself.

2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Isa. 58
13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure,** nor speaking thine own words**:

Strat wrote:
Oh boy,my favorite...a self proclaimed bible scholar for whom even the simplest explanantion is insufficient.
There is no reason for the bible to condemn sin and pronounce judgement on it then tell people to support and encourage it with financial support to assist in the avoidance of the consequences of that sin....it is exactly what the atheist say,that the bible contradicts it's self.
Support the Godless and you are Godless.
Shocking,your statment is shockingly stupid and not worth responding to.

Strat wrote:
Being poor in America is considered rich in many countries where people despite any hard work or effort have nothing because there is nothing to have,these are the poor of the bible.
there are of course exceptions,biblical exceptions and we should care for them...the rest are a joke.

Where would one expect to find these righteous poor exceptions in any nation? and why would they be unable to be part of a Welfare State? or the political franchise?

Jim Lincoln wrote:
SteveR

Christians are not ashamed to own Him. John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.