About charity and giving:

Jesus spoke said this:

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me:

I was sick, and ye visited me:

I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

In this modern age where people save for that rainy day, save for that vacation, and cling to money, and want to win Lotto and have prosperity these words must be hard to understand because society teaches us to hold onto money and to go for material gain. People are judged by their material worth. And we are treated by the Class-System. The Upper-Class get very well treated. The Middle-Class not so well treated, but still treated far better than the poor and lowly Lower-Class.

So in order to feel respected an accumulation of material goods, title, and status can make life a whole lot easier in a weakened selfish world.

Jesus is not talking about giving to the church (A building or religious foundation conceived by humankind). He is talking about giving to the poor, the needy and those who have tumbled and need help (The Good Samaritan is a good example).

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat:” = I needed food and you knew that I needed food and you gave it to me, you relieved my aching stomach and gave my body much needed fuel to survive.

“I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:” = I needed drink so you gave me something to drink.

“I was a stranger, and ye took me in” = Even though I was a stranger you showed unconditional love, and spared no expense (The God Samaritan) and gave me a place in your home to keep me out of the cold.

“Naked, and ye clothed me” = You gave me clothing because you cared and were worried about my being exposed to the elements.

“I was sick, and ye visited me” = You comforted me when I was in need.

“I was in prison, and ye came unto me” = When I was in prison you came to me, forgave me, helped me, comforted me.

Jesus also said:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat:

I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

It sure appears to me that Jesus is saying that this is the doctrine to follow. The Doctrine of Love, Charity, Peace, Goodwill to others, and that will bring peace on earth should we abide by it. Those who don’t follow this doctrine that is preached here by Jesus will go into everlasting punishment.

Sometimes when I look around me at the poor, the hungry and suffering and I wonder what doctrines do the modern churches follow. The big fancy buildings, the tithes pouring in, and the rich preachers (Servants?).

If the preachers know the doctrines (The doctrines of Christ Jesus, not the man made church doctrines) then they will understand the warning in the above verses. So are they living for themselves for today? Because if they don’t follow what Jesus said then they are heading (along with all the un-giving Christians) “into everlasting punishment”. The blind leading the blind.

There are no conditions to giving. You and I are not supposed to make up rules about how much we should keep and give. We need to face facts that the governments are not capable of doing a loving religious job of helping people.

The job of reaching the people of the world was given to the follower of Christ. And according to the verses above the job of caring, clothing, sharing, and being charitable to all was given (by the command of Jesus) to the people that follow God.

Some may feel that they have given to the church so they don’t need to give to the world. That is an excuse.

Please consider what I have written here. If you have excess then please consider sharing it by going out into the world personally and giving, helping people put their lives back together. Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, etc. And if your church does not do such things then do them yourself.

Please make the difference that the world needs to see. Be a light in the world of selfishness.

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.

29th of December, 2014.