The poor will always be with us
Is there a Biblical answer to poverty?
No. Why must there be?
The answer is to be found in Austrian Economics—i.e., in the use of human reason as exercised by intellectually honest people.
I found much of the answer in a post from earlier today. Anyone that reads this and understands it will agree that it’s the answer for most of poverty today.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3155433/posts
See Jefferson On Welfare.
William Flax
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 10:41
Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
Matthew 25:43
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
Matthew 25:45
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Matthew 25:35-37
…35For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?…
Isaiah 58:7
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Hebrews 13:3
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
2 Timothy 1:16
May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 2:15
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
James 2:16
If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
Translation: Poor people have poor ways, and there will always be people with poor ways.
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.…2 Thessalonians 3:10
Essayist Walter Kaiser, Jr. points out that the Bible offered help the poor and needy, but with limited government intervention: “The emphasis was more on the local level and on the need for individuals to respond, rather than leaving the work for the government to pick up.”
This is a very good article. And in conflict with and contrast to the points herein, we have the Pope suggesting we should redistribute our benefits.
Death?
Before you can have any meaningful dialog on “The Poor”; we must have a common definition of “Poor”.
Those who are considered “Poor” in the United States would be considered “Upper Middle Class” in most nations. It is absurd to classify these people in the same group as the slum dogs of India living in the trash heaps, or in the slums of Mexico living in cardboard houses or in Africa living in grass huts, or China living in caves, etc...
Until you draw a hard line this is a pointless discussion. The money this government provides for the “Poor” that is used on “The Poor’s” cable bills could feed a small nation. Throw in car insurance, cell phone bills, restaurant dinners, and Air Jordan shoes; and you could probably cloth them as well.
In the real world there are no fat Poor!
Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor for they shall inherit the kingdom of God’.
No, but the Pope has a Roman Catholic one up his sleeve.
Feed a man a fish versus teach a man to fish.
There is NO INSTRUCTION for how Caesar was to govern his kingdom. The main references there would be "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's", and for us to submit to the authorities on the principle that if God was punishing His people He would give them a poor leader. The whole Bible is for the governance of God's children's lives, not how to govern a nation. If we elect Godly leaders, they will be led by God. This is why the Founders said we should prefer Christian leaders. Churches and individual believers should take care of the needy and you would find there would be less "needy".
If a politician decides to steal my money to dole out to a special interest group, that is not a Biblical principle. What we have done is allow the substitution of the state for God and God has been pushed to the side. Paying taxes and giving food stamps doesn't buy you any Treasure in Heaven.
I dislike that the word “rich” is never defined and I especially dislike the inference that only the “rich” need to do something.
Biblical: Matthew 25:35-36 - For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.
Liberal: For I saw someone who was hungry, and I took from someone else to feed him, but I did not talk to him; I saw someone who was thirsty, and I took from someone else to give him something to drink, but I did not hug him; I saw a stranger, and invited him in to live, but not in my neighborhood; I someone naked, and I took from someone else to cloth him; I saw someone who was sick, and I took from someone else to give him medical attention, but I did not visit him; I saw someone who was in prison, and I took from someone else to give him cable TV, cell phones, college degrees, and medical care, but I did not get involved with them.
We should and most christian conservatives I know do help the truly needy. Christ called us to help those in need, but.... When someone can afford a nice cell phone, newer car, name brand clothes, a regular pedicures and sculptured nails, yet can’t afford food and takes government assistance for housing and is on Medicaid, there is a problem. Today poverty to the left means you have less than the rich guy.
If someone is getting anything paid for by other taxpayers, we should be allowed to see where their money is going.
Mark 14-7
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
Poverty will never be completely eradicated.
Proverbs 3 comes to mind.