Many churches today focus on teaching what we call the "prosperity gospel," a gospel where God's people ought to be rich because God is rich. While Christ did make all of us rich through His poverty, we cannot deny the fact that there will always be poor people among us.
Because of such wrong teachings, many Christians are fooled into thinking that we have to be rich to be part of the church. We want to wear the finest clothes in Church, and thus spend much on it. Some of us even feel ashamed that we're not as rich as the other members who have one, two cars.
But is this right? Should the church be composed of only rich, affluent people? Does the church accept the poor?
Yes, it should.
That said, were there poor people in the early church? Did the early church have men and women who were so poor they were unable to feed themselves?
Believe it or not, the answer is yes.
When the poor are forgotten
The Bible has several teachings regarding treating the poor, including the poor people in the church. All of them point out one crucial truth: God loves the poor, and we should too. He has His eyes set on them, and we should set our eyes on blessing and loving them, too. He is close to them and stands in their defense, and we should be, too.
What many of us forget, though, is that God is no respecter of persons:
"In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." (see Acts 10:34-35)
Many of us neglect the needs of the poor among us in church:
"Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution." (Acts 6:1)
Many of us forget that we should not treat the poor without partiality:
"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:1-5)
What many of us forget is that God has chosen the poor to be rich in love and faith:
"Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:5)
In closing
Friends, it doesn't matter if a person in the church is rich or poor. God loves all of us, whether we are financially prosperous or not. What matters is that we believe in and follow the Lord Jesus Christ and we are growing in Christ-likeness.
Are we?
