Jesus said when you give your alms, do not let your right hand know what your left hand does. The implication is that Christians are to give alms. Some of us don't hear that word much-- alms. But back then, there were beggars asking for money. Peter had no silver or gold with him in the temple, but pulled a crippled man up on his feet declaring him healed in the name of Jesus.
Job cursed his arm to fall off if he had denied the desire of the poor, hand not shared his bread with the fatherless, or let any of the needy perish for lack of clothing. I John3:17, “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
The Lord Jesus also spoke of giving to the poor.
But I heard and read the attitude from some American Christians-- don't give to him. He'll spend it all on liquor. He makes more money begging that you and me both. I have heard the idea that you shouldn't give money to the homeless.
There are churches that give a lot to the poor. But there are other churches, while they will give to missionaries, even missionaries doing some giving to the poor, they don't have so much as a benevolence fund for the poor among themselves. When I look in the Bible, the earlier church used money and other gifts for these causes:
- distributing to each one as he had need.
- feeding widows.
- 'Honoring' widows
- 'Honoring' elders
- supporting those who preached the gospel.
- Gentiles sending money to poor saints in Judea from whence the Gospel had come.
It seems like honoring elders and supporting preachers gets a lot of emphasis among evangelicals, but support for the poor varies widely.
There is an emphasis on giving to the poor. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) delivered money for the poor from Antioch to Jerusalem. Paul was involved with fund raising for poor saints in Judea mentioned in epistles like Romans and I Corinthians.
I do not see any evidence that the first century church used any money it collected on church buildings.
The Bible also says to do good to all men, especially them that believe. Very early believers in Jerusalem had all things in common, giving to each man as he had need. The implication is that there should be some kind of emphasis on supporting poor believers.
