We Are the Body of Christ
If
Jesus had a heart for the poor, then it follows that His immediate disciples
should also. As we have already begun to see in the portion of this paper
dedicated the Jesus actions and reactions with the poor and downtrodden of
society, there is a bleed-over of the Kingdom from Jesus directly into his
immediate Apostles and disciples in Acts. We see immediately after Jesus’
ascension in Acts 2 that believers spontaneously, “selling their possessions and
belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” This
is told to us in Scripture immediately after we are told of the Spirit
descended on them at Pentecost. What we see therefore is a direct consequence
or effect of the Spirit. What we see is the “advance” of the Kingdom into the
early Church (Kistemaker, “Acts of the
Apostles” 115).
It
should also be not surprise that people indwelt by the Spirit of God would be
in unity and part of this would be manifest in sharing with others. When joined
in a community of mind in Christ believers dwelled in κοινωνία or fellowship. This
is another key idea that underlies the Church and its modus operandi. Although
the term koinonia/κοινωνία is to be understood as relational or relationships
in a physical proximity to one another, the idea also extends to sharing of
life in general and sharing of possessions or support contributed to for the benefit
of others (Grimm, Thayer 852, Wiersbe 411). The compassion to share with
another through mercy takes precedents over a personal possession of an item
(Batey 30). One of the places the word κοινωνία is used in the New Testament
that conjoins both ideas is in Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the
apostles' teaching and the fellowship [koinonia]…”
This
directly precedes a statement that they were, “distributing proceeds” to
those in need. We see immediate desire of the disciples to align with the
behavior of Christ by teaching and fellowship/κοινωνία (i.e.: effects of His
Spirit).
In
Christian’s love for one another and in a compassion for the downtrodden, a
general consensus or unity of mind appears to have formed among the followers
of Christ. A program to provide for the poor arose out of love for those in
society that had been subjugated or oppressed either deliberately or through
negligence in and outside the Church. It was the outgrowth of love by
individuals as their conscience or the Spirit gave impetus, not an end result
of governmental aid based in political expedience. By selling off their goods
(as Jesus had advocated to people like the Rich man) and giving to the needy
they appear to have come to a new understanding of their place in the world,
their relations with God and with one another. They appear to have come to a
communal understanding of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom revolution Christ
started had begun in force. What is interesting is the tense and context of the,
“selling
their possessions and belongings” in Acts 2. The word selling in Greek is ἐπίπρασκον/
epipraskon and it is in the imperfect
tense. This means that the people liquidating their possessions to help the
poor were doing so in a methodical or slow manner over time or “as needed”.
This has to have meant they had every intention of divesting themselves
completely over time if necessary. In essence they sold their goods in a
premeditated manner, not all at once in a rash decision to later regret their
actions. These are actions of individuals that have found comfort and
conviction in the actions they were taking.
Community or Communal Goods in the
Emerging Church
Another
interesting note that should be mentioned about koinonia /κοινωνία is the Lord’s
Supper (agape meal) in 1 Corinthians 11. The rich believers had been eating the
meal before the less affluent and the poor Christians. By the time the poor
arrived there was little left over for those that arrived later. This was
therefore causing division and disunity within the Body itself. Again, this
disorder and disunity cannot be of the Spirit. Paul rebukes and makes certain
qualifications for all to avoid this disunity and division and to establish a
sense of equality among the believers. The rich had perverted the purpose of
the koinonia/κοινωνία or sharing of the meal (Batey 32). What Paul is clearly
trying to avoid (just as Jesus did) by rebukes and correcting of believer’s
behaviors was bringing dishonor to God through believer’s partial actions.
Sadly, it is the injustice to the poor or those less fortunate that are the
victims in all this. If you are Christian and are humiliating those that have
little of nothing, you are thereby bringing dishonor to God by showing no
compassion or concern for those created in His image.
1 Corinthians
11:20-22“So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,
21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.
As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you
have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by
humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise
you? Certainly not in this matter!
Paul
then goes on to say:
1 Corinthians 11:33-34 “So then, my
brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should
eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in
judgment.”
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