Quote:
Originally Posted by tkwhite
I'd like to read a verse that God has spoken to me about and it comes from 2 Thessalonians 3:10
2 Thessalonians 3:10 King James Version (KJV)
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
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This, of course, brings up some potential conflicts with Jesus's' idea of giving money to those who do not have it. We can only assume that there are several classes of poor:
- Those who work but cannot live on the minimum wage because of their excesses and lack of control - we can disregard these.
- Those who are disfigured or gimps who, let's be frank, scare customers and thus are unemployable - we can disregard these.
- The willfully poor who would rather starve than sell some family heirloom - we can disregard these.
- Professional beggars who, being skilled, are close to being 1%ers and not poor at all - we can disregard these.
- Those suffering long term disease: these people are God's work and we should not interfere - He knows why they are like that - we can disregard these.
- Those who won't saddle a horse to find a job - we can disregard these.
These are set against
- Widows: Jesus was very keen on widows - "mites", etc. these people are worthy (1 Tim:5:2 - 14) but this is a "last-ditch" generosity when they are destitute.
Paul's Epistle to the "Thessalonians" - Thessalonica is in the armpit of Greece, and to be quite frank, the Greeks are the Mexicans of Europe - greasy and lazy. See (6) above. The general message of Second Thessalonians is "I know you're all Greeks but do some work for a change."
This is a very valid Christian message. There is no need for anyone to refuse work. Indeed, Paul is very much in line with Jesus's famous speech which addresses the need to work to earn money in order to live:
M't:6:25: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
M't:6:26: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
[...]
M't:6:30: Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
M't:6:31: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
M't:6:32: (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
M't:6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
M't:6:34: Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.