Doctrine of Welfare State

August 9, 2011

THE WELFARE STATE
1. Since the fall God has ordained that mankind work hard.
A. Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the
ground, for out of it…”
2. This hard work is equated with eating.
A. Genesis 3:17, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the
days of thy life.”
3. The capacity for man to hold a job and get profit for his labors is based on the GRACE of
God.
A. Proverbs 10:3, “The Lord will not permit the soul of the righteous to famish.”
4. “If a man (believer) does not provide for his household, he is worse than an infidel
(unbeliever).”
5. Not working results in idleness, which breeds the busybody and often a bad mental attitude.
i. e., “The world owes me a living.”
A. 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10, 11, 12, “Now we command you, brethren, in the Name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” “For even when we
were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he
eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at
all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord
Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”
6. Welfare is a bonafide principle among the helpless and hopeless.
A. Among widows.
1. Acts 6:1-7, “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows
were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of
the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of
God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of
honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the
Word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man
full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and
Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before
the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the
Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem
greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
2. James 1:27.
B. Among the fatherless: Orphans, a parent deserts.
1. James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit
the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
world.”
C. Among the physically handicapped.
1. Luke 5:17-26, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there
were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town
of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal
them. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and
they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before Him. And when they
could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they
went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into
the midst before Jesus. And when He saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy
sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,
Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answering said unto them, What
reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to
say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon
Earth to forgive sins, (He said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and
take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before
them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying
God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear,
saying, We have seen strange things to day.”
D. Among the aged.
1. 1 Timothy 5:9, 16, “Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore
years old, having been the wife of one man.” “If any man or woman that believeth
have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may
relieve them that are widows indeed.”
E. Among those in an emergency: Good Samaritan.
1. Luke 10:30-42, “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came
down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other
side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him,
and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came
where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him,
and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast,
and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he
departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him,
Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that
fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said
Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. “Now it came to pass, as they went, that
he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him
into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and
heard His Word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him,
and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her
therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha,
thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
2. Luke 11:5-10, “And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall
go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a
friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and
my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though
he will not rise and give him, because of his importunity he will rise and give him as
many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.”
7. The abuse of welfare can destroy a nation.
A. 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10-12.
B. Proverbs 24:30ff, “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man
void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had
covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and
considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little
slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that
travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.”
1. Welfare is abused when it promotes a mental attitude of laziness.
2. Welfare is abused when it promotes a lack of initiative.
3. When it promotes a “Society owes me a living” mentality.
8. Welfare can cause excessive taxation: Study the word “tribute.”
A. Proverbs 12:24, “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under
tribute.”
B. Romans 13:6, 7, “For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to
whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom
honor.”
9. Illegitimate welfare is the child of socialism, where the state cares for every need of the
citizen. However, it is always a suicidal path.
A. Lamentations 1:1, “How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is see
become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the
provinces, how is she become tributary!”
B. Also, like Issachar, he became the servant to tribute.
10. What is the biblical solution to excessive welfare and taxation, …
lack of motivation … in a nation? In other words, where is our nation headed? Will it retreat
in excessive taxation? No. But God does have His solution for national cancer.
A. Judgment.
1. Economical collapse.
a. Leviticus 26:26, “And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women
shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again
by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
2. Slavery. Slaves do not pay taxes. This is occupation by a foreign power.
a. Leviticus 26:25, “And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the
quarrel of My covenant: and when ye are gathered together within you cities, I
will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered unto the hand of
the enemy.”
b. War which results in slavery.
B. The Bible: If enough believers will study the Word of God, and move on toward
maturity, they will preserve a nation because of the salt and light principles. However,
up to the fourth cycle, the tide can be turned. But when a nation gets into the fifth
cycle of discipline, it is too late.
1. Leviticus 26:27, “And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary
unto Me …”
2. As is the sin unto death to the believer, so the fifth cycle of discipline is to a nation.
11. What about the poor?
A. Christ said, “The poor you shall have with you always.”
B. Exodus 23:3, “Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.”
C. Exodus 23:6, “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.”