Government or God?
And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14
Regardless of party, political candidates seem to battle to see who can offer the most handouts to the people of our nation, as if we don’t already have enough debt, as if the government doesn’t already have plenty to worry about. Where is the responsibility of the church?
Usually when we hear sermons or read in Genesis about Sodom we think and hear about sexual sin. For most of us living good Christian lives with the spouses of our youth that gives us a feeling of security – “I’m not like the people of Sodom.” Genesis 13:13 says, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.” We certainly can’t deny that this is a description of many in our nation today.
Ezekiel 16:49 says, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” The NIV Bible states it more clearly: “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.”
Arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned! I don’t know about you but those words hit home. I, and my neighborhood and many in my church, want for nothing in life, not food, clothing, or warmth. Many, many people in this world, in this nation, in my own county, even my own church, cannot say that. What are we doing about it? Clearly, not enough.
We, as a church, have allowed our nation to forget that it is the Lord who is the source of our abundance. The government is happy to usurp the role of God, to play God, while we have silently stood by and allowed it. We almost seem to be happy to be rid of the responsibility of it.
But, what does God say? He judged Sodom for their sin as a whole city. He called them wicked – partly because they failed to help the poor and needy. Genesis 19:24, “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” It looks to me like God took their sin and their unwillingness to help the poor and needy pretty seriously.
In Paul’s letters he often suggested giving to the poor and his joy over the giving. He suggested it would overflow in Thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:11). This thanksgiving comes from the giver as well as the receiver. If we as a nation, we as a Church, or we as a congregation, are sitting idly by allowing the government to take over our benevolence, what joy and blessing are we forfeiting? What judgment are we bringing?
The government is only concerned with people thanking them or their party. There is no overflow of thanksgiving at God’s provision when taxpayers foot the bill. There is no joy in the offering when it is the form of taxation. We certainly have no opportunity to point to the source of the giving, the Lord Jesus himself, who gives us all we have (Acts 17:25).
We are diving deeper and deeper into times of economic hardship. Even if whoever gets elected President initiates new, or simply continues efforts our nation is now making to supply the needs of all the people, we will be one (more) broke nation in no time.
As Christians we need to consider our own role and the role of our local congregations in helping those in need.
Do you and I know someone in our own church who needs to be fed or they are out of work and could use a few dollars to pay a monthly bill? Is there a single Mom who needs help feeding her children? Perhaps you know an elderly person who seems to be doing fine but is that true or is he fighting financially to pay the bills and eat?
When you help, will you also tell them about the Source of your abundance so they will thank the One True God who has supplied their need, rather than the government who has usurped a responsibility that belongs to the church?