Yes, let's do. Why don't we begin by saying that, although 2 Tim. 3:16 applies to "all scripture," it is emphatically
not the case that all of Matthew-John was addressed to "the body of Christ." Huge portions of the four Gospels were addressed to Old Testament Jews, who were contemporaries of Jesus; when He preached the Sermon on the Mount, He was certainly not preaching to "the body of Christ," because it didn't exist yet. Other parts, such as Matthew 24, were addressed to people living in the Tribulation. Now, every word of these Gospels is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and instruction in righteousness; but it behooves us not to pretend that every verse is binding or normative upon the body of Christ in the Church Age.
Another little slip-up like that, teacher, and I'm gonna report you to the NEA!
No, teacher, I have not sold all my possessions, nor do I intend to do so. Here are my reasons:
a) In the verse you quoted, Jesus wasn't talking to me; He was talking to the "rich young ruler." (I am neither rich, young, nor a ruler!) Selling his possessions was God's demand of that individual, just as going to Ananias' house on Straight Street was His command to Paul (Acts 9). Now, there is a spiritual application for me in the verse, but the literal application was not aimed in my direction. So, I have no obligation to sell my possessions.
b) If I sold all my possessions, it would be impossible for me to provide for my family, and, as you yourself have quoted,
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel," 1 Timothy 5:8. Now, unlike Jesus' comments to the rich young ruler, that verse is directed at
me: a born-again Christian living in the Church Age. Although you've ruled out that verse in the extra-credit section, I cannot answer this question without it. Don't tell me I can't use a specific scripture, or I'll have the Board of Education down on you so fast it'll make your head swim!
c) If I sold all my possessions, I could not support my church, or missionaries, or other Christians in need. Selling my car and my clothes would seriously affect my ability to hold a job. If this sounds like rationalization, then I demand that you come to school tomorrow, naked and on foot, and see how the Principal likes it.
The "all things common" of Acts was not "Communism." Communism is a
perversion of a scriptural concept, and has been called a Christian heresy. I cannot, in the space allowed, compare and contrast Communism and capitalism, because I've been studying Communism since I was 13 years old, and it's a big (though shallow) subject. I will simply say that neither system is any good, from a scriptural point of view: Communism is the philosophical expression of man's lust for power over others, whereas capitalism is the economic expression of man's acquisitiveness and greed. I stipulate, however, that in His teaching, Jesus did not
denounce the ownership of private property. But that's a far different thing than saying that capitalism is "Christian." It's not.
For further details on the Marxist dogma of "from each ....to each," consult the Obama campaign.
