Unfortunately, I still see evangelicals nervous about helping the poor. My impression is that they seem to identify ministry to the poor as part of the liberal agenda. To reach out to the poor could seem as communicating that the liberals are at least partially right. Helping the poor could also be seen as a threat to capitalism. Those who work hard have the money, those who don’t lack the money. There should be no (or little) exchange between the groups. That would be too much like socialism.
As far as I am concerned, the question does not revolve around the culture war between conservatives and liberals, it revolves around the Bible. What does the Bible say about the poor? In the Old Testament, there is a strong theme of providing for the poor in both the Law and the Prophets. I was once told that we no longer have to do that because the Old Testament is obsolete. There are all sorts of theological problems with that interpretation.
What about the New Testament? The Gospels are filled with commands to care for the poor. I encourage anyone who claims that care for the poor is inappropriate for evangelicals to read the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25). It is found also in Acts and Paul’s epistles. Read the entire letter of James and try to deny that care for the poor is not important.
I realize that for some people, the culture war is of supreme importance. But the Bible should be more important. Read what the Bible says about the poor without listening to the voices of the conservatives or liberals.
In case you think I am a raving liberal, check out my When It is Wrong to Be Right.
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- When It Is Wrong to Be Right