WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE “FULL-GOSPEL”

 

As any lawyer can tell us, interpretation has to consider all of the laws and precedents. It’s like solving a mathematical an equation. Every detail has to be considered, as in the equation: (100 + 100) x 0 = ? If we leave the “0” out of the equation, the answer will be 200. However, with it, the answer is “0.” Very different!

This principle also pertains to the interpretation of the Scriptures, where nothing can be left out. For this reason, Jesus (quoting Deuteronomy 8:2-3) stated, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Therefore, if we regard one verse by itself, we might derive a mistaken interpretation. For instance, “Thou shall not kill.” If taken alone, we might wrongly conclude that there should be no killing whatsoever. However, when we read further, we find that capital punishment was prescribed for a number of different crimes. Warfare had also been divinely instructed in some cases. Even self-defense!

Here’s another example: Jesus had been wrongly accused of breaking the Fourth Commandment (not working on the Sabbath day) by healing on the Sabbath. However, Jesus responded that they were interpreting the Sabbath command in a narrow and hypocritical manner:

·       “If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:23-24 ESV)

His opponents were failing to take into account all of the teachings about the Sabbath. They had ignored the fact that circumcision trumped the ordinary Sabbath requirements. They also gladly ignored the fact that they watered their animals on the Sabbath. Therefore, they were misapplying the Fourth Commandment.

Jesus correctly concluded that our judgments had to embrace all of the Biblical teachings and even the facts of the situation. Now I’d like to apply this principle to the subject of giving alms. Here too, in order to make sound interpretations we have to consider all of the teachings of the Bible. Jesus had taught:

·       Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42)

By itself, this teaching is confusing. What if the beggar wants money to perpetuate a destruction lifestyle? What if he will use the money to by street drugs? Wouldn’t we then be giviong alms to promote evil? Of course! To resolve this confusion, we have to examine other verses on the subject of giving. Paul had taught that giving had to be guided by Scriptural wisdom:

·       Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us…For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10-12)

Giving must not promote laziness, but how can we know? Often, we can’t know. Therefore, our giving should be to Christian agencies that require accountability and responsibility. 

Giving requires discernment. Therefore, Paul also taught that the Church shouldn’t just give to anyone. Instead, they had to be good stewards of God’s resources:

·       Let a widow be enrolled [for Church support] if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan. If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be [financially] burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows. (1 Timothy 5:9-16)

Giving had to be discriminate. The Church was to support only those deserving support, but how can this be reconciled with Jesus’ teachings to “give to those who beg” (Matthew 5:42), also found in Luke:

·       “And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:34-36)

Notice that in either set of verses, Jesus was teaching about lending. This was giving with some accountability. This also parallels the OT teaching, about which the people were knowledgeable:

·       “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8)

The Israelites loaned with the expectation that the borrower would use the loan profitably. If they didn’t, they were to be held to account for the loan and perhaps have to sell themselves into servitude to pay it off.

Notice also that Luke 6:36 reads, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” How are we to be merciful as the Father? Does He give to all who ask? Certainly not:

·       You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:3)

Our Lord would not have us give to someone who would merely spend what they had received on their passions. This would enable laziness and other evils. In contrast, in The Compassionate Conservative, Marvin Olasky had reported on the successes of Christian agencies devoted to relieving poverty:

·       A century ago, before the federal government ever became involved, thousands of local, faith-based charitable agencies and churches around the country waged a war on poverty much more successful than our own…Faith-based groups a century ago helped millions out of poverty and into homes. Local organizations had the detailed knowledge and flexibility necessary to administer the combination of loving compassion and rigorous discipline that was needed.

When we fail to consider every verse, we usually derive a distorted interpretation of the Scriptures at cost to ourselves. When we fail to understand Jesus’ counsel in light of the rest of the Bible, we might not give money to the addict, but we will probably walk away feeling guilty thinking that we had not been faithful to the Scriptures.