Socialism is not of God. The idea that you have a right to take from people what they earn, and give it to people who do not work, is not right and not the Bible plan. The communist plan is, as Karl Marx said, that everyone is to work as he can, under government supervision, and eat what they need whether they work for it or not. But the communist plan is wrong. When God says, "Thous shalt not steal," He is talking FOR the ownership of private property.
If you get this settled, you will settle the whole matter of Christian character is a great field. Why do children destroy property at school, break out the lights, and do many millions of dollars' worth of vandalism at schools and against other business places? Because they were not taught this basic matter that what is yours is yours, and what is somebody else's is not yours, so keep hands off. - John R. Rice
You ask, "Do you believe in welfare?" Let me say this. I believe in helping people who are sick, in helping orphan children and widows who can't help themselves. But able-bodied people ought not be supported without working. I do not believe that people who can work should be supported by us who do. Maybe you can't get $8.75 an hour. All right, then work for what you can get. I worked many a time for $1.00 a day plus board. And whether you want it that way or not, people ought to work at what they can do and earn their own way. You may not get rich, but learn to get by on what you can and make your own way. - John R. Rice
I am saying that it is a sin to demand support without earning your way. And people who are well and who have not earned it, have no right to demand that the government or other people take care of their needs. The sad truth is that democracy in America - and anywhere else - always depends on the people, and if we have Christian character among the people, then democracy will work. If Christians have enough character, they will earn their way and think it is a shame to be a pauper, to demand public support.
With good citizens in charge, then blessings can come to the nation from God. But God pity us when people get to where they want to ride and not walk. - John R. Rice
The Lord said in II Thessalonians 3 there were some people there who were busybodies, who wouldn't work at all. He said to let them go and eat their own food. Don't let them eat at the public table and be supported by the people because if one should not work, he should not eat. That is a Bible rule. That is the Bible matter of good business and good government. So when it says, "Thou shalt not steal," we are talking about the sacredness of private property. - John R. Rice
A little boy had two nickels. He was playing along. He had said, "I am going to give one of these to Jesus." The mother told him how nice that was.
But as he went along he dropped one and it rolled through the grating in the street and down under the sewer. He came in and said, "Jesus' nickel got lost." That is like us. We just take for granted that we can take what we want, with no responsibility to God. - John R. Rice
I do not believe that the tithe itself is just a legal matter. I don't think that it is enough to give. A Christian ought to count everything as belonging to God and give all he can to the Lord's work. But I am still saying that surely no one ought to claim that he loves God enough who gives less than one-tenth of his income. No one ought to say, "I am not under obligation so I don't love Jesus as much as an Old Testament Jew." When the Bible says, "Give, and it shall be give...n unto you," then you ought to take God up on that. When God says, "God loveth a cheerful giver," and, "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully," then a Christian ought to say, "I am going to sow bountifully in my giving so I will have plenty to give and help other people with, too." According to the Bible, giving is a wonderful thing. And not to give means to rob God. That is dishonesty, isn't it? I do not mean you owe money to the church. Everything you have belongs to God, doesn't it? The tithe is the Lord's, not the preacher's, not a particular church's. The Lord will show you where to put it, but the title is the Lord's, the Scripture says. - John R. Rice
Notice that Jesus is giving the Great Commission. It is not an incidental command. It is not a command to a few. It is a command to every Christian. He says to these apostles, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Let us say, "All authority is given unto Me...." Was that only true about a few fisherman converts back there in the Bible, or is that true about you? What man, what woman would look in the face of Jesus and say, "I do not owe You anything. You cannot tell me what to do. You have no power or authority over me"? You are a hypocrite, wicked and in rebellion if you do not accept it that Jesus has the right to tell you what to do. - John R. Rice
I am saying that it is a sin to demand support without earning your way. And people who are well and who have not earned it, have no right to demand that the government or other people take care of their needs. The sad truth is that democracy in America - and anywhere else - always depends on the people, and if we have Christian character among the people, then democracy will work. If Christians have enough character, they will earn their way and think it is a shame to be a pauper, to demand public support.
With good citizens in charge, then blessings can come to the nation from God. But God pity us when people get to where they want to ride and not walk. - John R. Rice
The Lord said in II Thessalonians 3 there were some people there who were busybodies, who wouldn't work at all. He said to let them go and eat their own food. Don't let them eat at the public table and be supported by the people because if one should not work, he should not eat. That is a Bible rule. That is the Bible matter of good business and good government. So when it says, "Thou shalt not steal," we are talking about the sacredness of private property. - John R. Rice
A little boy had two nickels. He was playing along. He had said, "I am going to give one of these to Jesus." The mother told him how nice that was.
But as he went along he dropped one and it rolled through the grating in the street and down under the sewer. He came in and said, "Jesus' nickel got lost." That is like us. We just take for granted that we can take what we want, with no responsibility to God. - John R. Rice
I do not believe that the tithe itself is just a legal matter. I don't think that it is enough to give. A Christian ought to count everything as belonging to God and give all he can to the Lord's work. But I am still saying that surely no one ought to claim that he loves God enough who gives less than one-tenth of his income. No one ought to say, "I am not under obligation so I don't love Jesus as much as an Old Testament Jew." When the Bible says, "Give, and it shall be give...n unto you," then you ought to take God up on that. When God says, "God loveth a cheerful giver," and, "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully," then a Christian ought to say, "I am going to sow bountifully in my giving so I will have plenty to give and help other people with, too." According to the Bible, giving is a wonderful thing. And not to give means to rob God. That is dishonesty, isn't it? I do not mean you owe money to the church. Everything you have belongs to God, doesn't it? The tithe is the Lord's, not the preacher's, not a particular church's. The Lord will show you where to put it, but the title is the Lord's, the Scripture says. - John R. Rice
Notice that Jesus is giving the Great Commission. It is not an incidental command. It is not a command to a few. It is a command to every Christian. He says to these apostles, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Let us say, "All authority is given unto Me...." Was that only true about a few fisherman converts back there in the Bible, or is that true about you? What man, what woman would look in the face of Jesus and say, "I do not owe You anything. You cannot tell me what to do. You have no power or authority over me"? You are a hypocrite, wicked and in rebellion if you do not accept it that Jesus has the right to tell you what to do. - John R. Rice
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