BIBLE ALMS*
GALATIANS 2:10 “They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do”
These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
*At the leading of the Lord, I Google searched Bible Alms. This is what I found so I simply copied and lifted it onto this page. However, I did flesh out the Bible Scriptures to make it easier reading.
BIBLE ALMS…OLD TESTAMENT
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Alms are not found in the Old Testament, but repeatedly in the New.
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The (Old Testament )Mosaic legislation (Leviticus 25:35;* Deuteronomy 15:17* ) tended to promote a spirit of charity, and to prevent the occurrence of destitution among the people.
* LEVITICUS 25:35 ‘”Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or sojourner, that he may live with you. “
* DEUTERONOMY 15:17 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns, in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother.”
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Such passages as these, (following) would also naturally foster the same benevolent spirit:
PSALM 41:1 “How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in the day of trouble.”
PSALM 112:9 “He has given freely to the poor, His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted in honor”
PROVERBS 14:31 “He who oppresses the poor taunts His Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
ISAIAH 10:2 “So as to deprive the needy of justice And rob the poor of My people of their rights, so that widows my be their spoil And that they may plunder the orphans.”
AMOS 2:7 “These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless.Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl in order to profane My holy name.”
JEREMIAH 5:28 “They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.”
EZEKIEL 22:29 “The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sjourner without justice.”
GIVING ALMS IN CHRIST’S TIMES
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In the time of our Lord begging was common.
MARK 10:46 “Then they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples, and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.
ACTS 3:2 “And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.”
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The Pharisees were very ostentatious in their almsgivings
MATTHEW 6:2“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ”
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The spirit by which the Christian ought to be actuated in this duty is set forth in I JOHN 3:17
I JOHN 3:17 “But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
- A regard to the state of the poor and needy is enjoined as a Christian duty:
LUKE 3:11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”
LUKE 6:30 “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.”
MATTHEW 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
ACTS 9:36 “Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha” …”this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. ”
ACTS 10:2 “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.”
ACTS 10:4 “And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God”
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COLLECTING BIBLE ALMS was a duty which was not neglected by the early Christians :
LUKE 14:13 ” But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.
ACTS 20:35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner, you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said , “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
GALATIANS 2:10 “They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do”
ROMANS 15:25-27 “ but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them in their material things. ”
I CORINTHIANS 16: 1-4 “Now concerning the collection of the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week, each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, i will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. And if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me. “
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(The First Faith Filled Christians) ..They cared not only for the poor among themselves, but contributed also to the necessities of those at a distance”
ACTS 11:29 “And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the bretheren living in Judea”
ACTS 24:17 “Now after several years, I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings”
2 CORINTHIANS 9:12 “ For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through the any thanksgivings to God”
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. Our Lord and his attendants showed an example also ….
JOHN 13:29 ” For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him “Buy the things we have need of for the feast;” or else he should give something to the poor.”
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In modern times the “poor-laws” have introduced an element which modifies considerably the form in which we may discharge this Christian duty.
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
