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Benevolence

Benevolence. It Is More Blessed to Give Than Receive. Are You Benevolent?. Cold and uncaring Lazy or too busy Selfish or materialistic “I gave at the office”. God Wants Benevolence. Lev. 25:35 Prov. 3:27-28 Acts 10:38 Gal. 2:10. Benevolence: The Individual.

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Benevolence

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  1. Benevolence It Is More Blessed to Give Than Receive

  2. Are You Benevolent? • Cold and uncaring • Lazy or too busy • Selfish or materialistic • “I gave at the office”

  3. God Wants Benevolence • Lev. 25:35 • Prov. 3:27-28 • Acts 10:38 • Gal. 2:10

  4. Benevolence: The Individual • I have a responsibility to my family (1 Thess. 4:11-12; 1 Tim. 5:4-8, 16) • My family is not the responsibility of government, society, or the local church

  5. Benevolence: The Individual • I have a responsibility to my fellow-man (Lk. 10:29-37; Eph. 4:28) • Be careful not to encourage laziness, the wrong use of money, or put yourself in harm’s way

  6. Benevolence: The Individual • I have a responsibility to my brethren (Mt. 25:25ff; Gal. 6:6,10; Jas. 1:27)

  7. Benevolence: The Individual • I am benevolent because it is commanded and because it is compassionate (1 Jn. 3:17-18) • I do not do it for compensation (Lk. 14:12-14) or for applause (Mt. 6:1ff)

  8. Benevolence: The Local Church 1. Acts 2:44-45 (all that believed) 2. Acts 4:32-35 (them that believed) 3. Acts 6:1-3 (the disciples) 4. Acts 11:27-30 (the brethren) 5. Romans 15:25-31 (the saints)

  9. Benevolence: The Local Church 6. 1 Cor. 16:1-3 (for the saints) 7. 2 Corinthians 8:1-24 (the saints) 8. 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 (the saints) 9. 1 Timothy 5:5-16 (hope set on God)

  10. Benevolence: The Local Church • These are all the passages concerning benevolence and the local church (just like all the passages on singing • The pattern is: local churches helping needy saints and needy saints only; not “general” benevolence as practiced by some churches today

  11. Benevolence: The Local Church • The pattern is: local churches doing their own work and sending directly to needy saints; not working through a “sponsoring church” or “agency” as practiced by some churches today (The Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund)

  12. Benevolence: The Local Church • It brings the local church together (Acts 2:44; 4:32) • It gives the local church as opportunity to minister to others (2 Cor. 8:4) • It demonstrates real brotherly love (2 Cor. 8:8, 24)

  13. Benevolence: The Local Church • It comes from ability (2 Cor. 8:12) • It allows local churches to “cooperate” together with other local churches (2 Cor. 9:1-2) • It makes the local church happier (2 Cor. 9:7)

  14. It Is More Blessed to GiveThan Receive • Let us open our eyes and hearts to the benevolent needs around us. • Let us open our pockets and our wallets to share what we have. Let us open the Lord’s treasury to care for needy saints.

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