Someone asked me about my house in light of 1 John 3:17.
So that house you have? "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?"
What is your point?
That we prefer our homes to the lives of 100 starving children just because we don't have the faith that God will feed us, or are to greedy, pathetic and evil to do such a thing.
How is it wrong to have a home? I either own or I rent. i What are the other options?
Be poor, Like those that enter the kingdom. ii
We should desire "neither poverty nor riches." iii We should "aspire to lead a quiet life" that we "may lack nothing." iv
Jesus has a big differing opinion to you: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." v Does that sound like a guy that promotes providing for their family via money. No, Jesus says he can feed us if we obey him, even our families.
Yes, it does sound like such a guy. vi
- Acts 28:
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
- citing Luke 6:
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets. - Proverbs 30:
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me; - 1 Thessalonians 4:
12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
- Luke 14:26 ^
- 1 Timothy 5:
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.