In one of my answers, someone brought up an interesting point. God wants people to take care of themselves.?

Question

Okay, God wants people to take care of themselves…I had to wrap my brain around that one. The question addresses fiscal responsibility for low-income families, they should not have public assistance. Okay, now I am confused…where is Christian charity in this answer? Jesus helped the poor, in fact God sent Jesus down here to cleanse the sins of man- that doesn’t sound like the actions of someone who wants you to take care of yourself! You pray to him for help and guidance, does he then want you to take care of yourself? Can you see where I am confused on Christian Charity?

Answer 1

God did his time taking care of you 2000 years ago when he sent Jesus down to die.... why should he help any more. Oh wait, that's just what they'll probably say.

Answer 2

Christian charity absolutely has a place. I believe God wants us to rely on Him for everything. Of course, this doesn't mean that we stop going to work because we think money is going to magically appear because the Bible says we are to be good stewards of what we have been given. God's plan is must bigger than we can see, and sometimes that plan included letting good people be poor. I believe Christian charity is one of the tools God uses, not only to help the poor, but spiritually grow the Christians doing the work. I do not believe, however, that charity (welfare, social security, etc) belongs to the government. I hope that made sense.

Answer 3

I'm not a Christian, but my understand is that God helps those who help themselves. There are some situations in which a person can mostly fix a situation by himself. In the case of certain lower income people, they could make out okay with tighter budgeting. (I've been a grad student, so I do understand pinching pennies.) Public assistance could be a hinderance in learning to budget, if it keeps people from understanding the importance of saving.

However, there are situations in which a person is just simply overwhelmed with something too big. A natural disaster. A mental illness. War. Famine. You name it. One person, no matter how hard he tries, might not be able to make it on his own. These are the situations in which charity becomes important.

Answer 4

Of course God wants us to take care of ourselves. We are supposed to do all we can do then pray for help. One of the ways He helps is through the monetary donations of others to their churches and charities. Welfare was never meant to be a way of life, but a temporary helping hand to those who desperately needed it. I remember an uncle who had a good job as an engineer. The company went through a series of layoffs and eventually he lost his job. He tried to wait it out for a few months, living off savings. Soon the savings disappeared, and despite several promising interviews he still didn't have a job. He got word that one company would probably be hiring in his field again in a year or so. Instead of going on welfare, he applied to be one of the company's janitors. For just over a year this engineer worked for MUCH less than what he was used to and went from being an engineer to a janitor. While it was hard (financially) he was able to provide a living for his family, and when the company posted a position for an engineer he got the position because they posted internally first and he qualified. He did everything he could, including taking a position he was over-qualified for, prayed and I'm sure his church helped out some. He didn't take advantage of the situation by expecting the church to pay for all his bills, sign up for every welfare aid possible and then sit back and relax. He did all he could do, prayed, learned more about being humble (we can all stand to be more humble) and soon was able to pull himself out of the financial problems he was in.
I see many low-income families who have direct tv, drive new cars, have cell phones and expensive clothes and shoes and expect Christian charities or the state to provide money for rent, utilities, food, etc. In my opinion, they are not doing all they can do to solve their financial problems. They're not taking responsibility for themselves.
In the church I'm a member of, we have a church welfare program which can help with rent, electricity, water and food. These are basic necessities. They will not help with cell phone bills, cable bill, or other luxuries many people may think of as necessities. When you ask for assistance you have to answer some questions among them, what makes this month different than last month? He also looks to see if you're paying your tithing and notices if you've been attending church regularly. Some people are denied assistance for a small amount while others are given assistance for months and months. The difference may be as small as church attendance, or attitude, or it may be something bigger.
My point is that God will not do for you what you can do for yourself. If you are doing all you can do to make ends meet, are living a good life (Not THE Good Life - extravagant living) but basically doing what you should and trying your best, God will bless you with opportunities.

Answer 5

Jesus (besides being a carpenter and a fisherman) was a teacher. He didn't go around giving money and/or personal sustenance to the poor. If a man had no food Jesus didn't give him fish for a meal, he taught him how to fish (i.e. God sent Jesus to teach man to become materially self-sufficient and Jesus was also sent to teach man how to become spiritually wealthy). Above all this yes, God gave up his only son to cleanse the sins of man. God didn't do this to take care of us, he did this because he loved man (his creation) so much that he gave his only son to atone for our sins.

RE: Christian Charity

Charity is not only giving money or items for personal sustenance. See below (especially 5 & 6):

char·i·ty (chăr'ĭ-tē)
n., pl. -ties.

1. Provision of help or relief to the poor; almsgiving.
2. Something given to help the needy; alms.
3. An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.
4. Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
5. Indulgence or forbearance in judging others. See synonyms at mercy.
6. often Charity Christianity. The theological virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love.

Answer 6

I know that my church here does more to help out people with food and utilities than Catholic Charities and Salvation Army combined. Between the three, and a few Baptist churches helping here and there, we manage to get quite a bit done in our city. I know, because I help out with the community services. I actually go to the store and purchase $150 - $200 worth of groceries at a time for people. I actually go and pay these people's utility bills for them. I go and visit with them and take them blankets and other things that they need. I even babysit for them while they go on job interviews and the like.

My whole church has something called ADRA. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International is an independent humanitarian agency established in 1984 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the specific purposes of individual and community development and disaster relief. Working in more than 120 countries, ADRA is one of the more efficient relief agencies operating in the world, keeping its administrative costs to about 10 percent while benefiting more than 24 million people annually. It is comparable to The Red Cross and to The Salvation Army.

ADRA's development and relief work covers five core activities: Food Security, Economic Development, Primary Health, Disaster Preparedness and Response, and Basic Education.

We may not be able to have a huge effect on reducing the poverty level in the world, as we are actually a small church compared to the Baptists, Catholics, etc. But we are doing above and beyond our part.

The other Christian churches are also doing their part. But God does expect people to try their best. The Bible says that the man who doesn't work, doesn't eat as well as several other references to lazy people.

If we are doing our part, God will do His part to meet our needs. He promises that and my own personal experience has proved this to be true.

P.S. Did you know that the word "charity" in the Bible means love, not money?

Answer 7

"God helps those who help themselves" is probably the most often quoted Bible verse that actually is not in the Bible. In fact the Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 declares, "For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat..." Romans 5:6 tells us, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

In terms of salvation, we are all utterly helpless. We are all infected by sin (Romans 3:23), and condemned as a result of that sin (Romans 6:23). Nothing we can do on our own can remedy this situation (Isaiah 64:6). We are helpless! Thankfully, God is the helper of the helpless. While we were still sinners (helpless), Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus paid the penalty that we were helpless to pay (2 Corinthians 5:21). God provided the "help" that we need precisely because we could not help ourselves.

Apart from salvation, there is perhaps a way that the concept "God helps those who help themselves" is correct. As an example, if you asked me to help you move a piece of furniture, but then just watched me as I moved the furniture for you...I was not actually helping you. I was would be doing the work for you. Many Christians fall into the trap of inactivity. Many Christians ask God for help, but then expect God to do everything Himself. They excuse this by pointing to the fact that God will provide according to His will and in His timing. However, this is not a reason for inactivity. As a specific example, if you are in need of a job, ask the Lord to help you find a job - but then be active in actually looking for a job. While it is in His power to do so, it is highly unlikely that God will cause employers to come looking for you!

Does God help those who help themselves? In regards to salvation - no. No one is capable of helping themselves. God has provided for our salvation through Jesus Christ. We are utterly helpless in achieving our own salvation. In regards to the Christian life - sometimes yes. God will help us to accomplish His will in and through our lives...but God expects us to be active and energetic while seeking to accomplish His will. God rarely "helps" a person who is unwilling to participate in the process.

Answer 8

"God helps those who help themselves" is not in the Bible.
It is a faithless saying and encourages people to turn their backs on responsibility to their fellow man(human... whatever), and also takes hope from those who hope in the Lord.

Rather, "The Lord hears the cry of the poor" or "the young lions do lack and suffer hunger but those who trust in the Lord shall not lack for any good thing" or " My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. ". (from various psalms). THESE are faith filled words.

Answer 9

Christians believe in charity so long as it makes them look good and they don't have to actually do anything.

I guess they missed the memo that they should be eating Ezekiel Brand Cereal. If they ate it every morning they would be 'full' of God's love and be aware of his 'delicious' promises.

Answer 10

Each and evrey life is created to test it's loyality to its only creator NO MATTER the consequences...God takes care of people and people take care of each other according to God's commandments (Based on the Three Holy Religions)..hopefully you will understand that...