There are a number of scriptures that address the responsibility of Christians to minister to other people.  We will focus on the two following matters in this regard:

  • Biblical teachings regarding sharing with people who have basic financial needs
  • Biblical teachings regarding sharing with people who have needs that are not  financial

[Note:  When we quote Scripture in this article, we use the wording in the New King James Version of the Bible, except when we are quoting a source that uses a different translation.]

Biblical Teachings Regarding Sharing with People Who Have Basic Financial Needs

In Matthew 5:42, Jesus Christ declares, “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.”  Likewise, in Luke 6:30, Jesus states, “Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.”  Should these scriptures be understood literally?

Geisler and Howe, on page 332 of their book entitled When Critics Ask, Norman Geisler, Ph.D., and Thomas Howe, M.A., provide the following perspective regarding the two aforementioned scriptures:

Jesus is explicitly addressing the legalistic misinterpretation of the OT that says take revenge on your enemy with “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Matt. 5:38).  By contrast Jesus says, don’t retaliate against your enemy.  Love him, and give to help him. . . . But Jesus no more expected His listeners to take, without qualification, the command to “give to him who asks you” than He intended them to literally cut off their hands and pluck out their eyes if they offended them (Matt. 5:29-30)!

Romans 12:20a, which paraphrases Proverbs 25:21, makes it clear that Christians should provide at least food and water to anyone with such needs, even if they regard that person as their enemy.  This scripture says, “[I]f your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink. . . .”

Although the Bible teaches that people who are Christians should help people who are unable to meet their basic financial needs, the Bible does not indicate that it is necessary for Christians to give up all their financial resources (or possessions) to help people who have financial needs.  In other words, Christians do not need to deprive themselves and their family of what they need by trying to help meet the needs of other people.

But, what about Matthew 19:21, in which Jesus Christ says to a rich young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Jesus did not tell the rich young man to give to the poor all the proceeds from selling everything he owned.  Jesus just told him to “give to the poor.”  This scripture indicates that committed followers of Jesus Christ (i.e., Christians) should share what they own, but not necessarily everything they own, with people who are poor financially.

On page 499 of their previously-referenced book, Geisler and Howe declare,

The Bible does not command us to give away all our money to God and others.

Jesus in no way intended that we should give away all that we possess.  His advice to the rich young ruler to do so was a special case, since money had become an idol to this man. . . .

Also, with regard to the rich young ruler, John W. Haley, M.A., says on page 254 of his book entitled Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible, “The young ruler’s was an exceptional case.  His ‘great possessions’ were his idol; love of money was his great sin.”  Therefore, for most people is seeking eternal salvation, there is no need to sell everything that they own and give the proceeds to people who have financial needs.

And, apparently, in reference to people who have more than ample financial resources, 1 John 3:17 asks, “[W]hosoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”  The word brother in this scripture may refer specifically to a person with a common interest or common calling, such as another Christian, or it could refer to any human being who has a need.  In any case, the inference is that people do not possess God’s love if they have more than ample resources but fail to use their resources to help people who are unable to obtain basic necessities.  Furthermore, it can be inferred that people who have an abundance of wealth have a greater responsibility to help meet the needs of people who would otherwise not be able to obtain all the necessities that they need.

David Platt declares on page 110 of his book entitled Radical,

[W]hile caring for the poor is not the basis of our salvation, this does not mean that our use of wealth is totally disconnected from our salvation.  Indeed, caring for the poor (among other things) is evidence of our salvation.  The faith in Christ that saves us from our sins involves an internal transformation that has external implications.  According to Jesus, you can tell someone is a follower of Christ by the fruit of his or her life, and the writers of the New Testament show us that the fruit of faith in Christ involves material concern for the poor.  Caring for the poor is one natural overflow and a necessary evidence of the presence of Christ in our hearts.  If there is no sign of caring for the poor in our lives, then there is reason to at least question whether Christ is in our hearts.

It is reasonable to assume that genuine Christians will have a desire to assist people who have financial needs.  However, the type of assistance that is necessary should be determined by the circumstances.  For example, many people with financial needs may have such needs because they have not managed their financial affairs wisely.  These people probably need financial counseling, as well as monetary assistance.  Therefore, it generally would be wise to provide people who have financial needs with the name of an eleemosynary organization that regularly deals with such matters and knows how to handle such situations.

Biblical Teachings Regarding Sharing with People Who Have Needs that Are Not  Financial

The sharing of financial wealth (or possessions) is not the only type of sharing in which Christians should engage.  James 1:27 states, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

With regard to this scripture, Matthew Henry’s Commentary asserts,

Compassion and charity to the poor and distressed form a very great and necessary part of true religion. . . . Visiting is here put for all manner of relief which we are capable of giving to others; and fatherless and widows are here particularly mentioned, because they are generally most apt to be neglected or oppressed: but by them we are to understand all who are proper objects of charity, all who are in affliction.

Henry is making two primary points with regard to James 1:27: (1) the meaning of the word visiting is much broader than its usual meaning, and (2) expressions of caring should be shown not only to orphans and widows, but also to other people who have needs.

An example of a type of sharing that is not just financial is the so-called “Parable of the Good Samaritan,” which is found in Luke 10:30-37.  In this parable, Jesus Christ taught that His true followers should show mercy to anyone who has needs, even though that person may not be the type of person with whom they normally would associate.  Not only did the Samaritan show mercy to the man who had been injured by robbers, but also he helped the man to get a place to stay where he could recover from his injuries. Furthermore, the Samaritan paid for the care of the injured man during the time that the man was recovering.

Conclusions

The Bible makes it sufficiently clear that God wants every Christian to be actively pursuing some type(s) of ministry to other people.  In addition to helping people with their financial needs, Christians should also be aware of opportunities to minister to people in other ways, as God, through His Holy Spirit, leads them to do so.

Ephesians 2:10a declares, “For we [i.e., Christians] are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. . . .”  This necessitates seeking God’s guidance in determining appropriate ways to minister to other people, and then acting accordingly.

Although some types of ministry may seem to be relatively insignificant, any ministry to other people to which God guides us is surely regarded by Him as an important ministry, as indicated by Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:31-40, in which He says,

When the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the lift.  Then the King [Jesus Christ] will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in.  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?”  And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”