Word of God
Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God
Matthew 4:4
The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 3:9-11
9 Now also is the axe laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10 Then the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 And he answered, and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none: and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
Brethren:
We are going to preface the next few days of study with a thought that would be wise to consider. Remember in the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus is asked which are the two greatest commandments. Consider those words, while reading the study.
He answereth and saith unto them
By telling them what they should do; and he does not put them upon ceremonial observances, nor severe exercises of religion, nor even the duties of the first table of the law, and others of the second, though necessary to be done; but upon acts of beneficence and kindness, to fellow creatures in distress; and are what may be called love of our neighbour, and which involves the love of God, and so the whole law; for the one cannot be rightly exercised without the other.
He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat, let him do likewise
Note, he doest not say both of them, but one of them: a man is not obliged to go naked himself, in order to clothe another; and so the Persic and Ethiopic versions read, "let him give one to him that has not"; that has not a garment to wear. This is not to be understood strictly and literally, that a man is obliged to give one of his coats, if he has more than one, to a person in want of clothing; it will be sufficient to answer the intent of this exhortation, if he supplies his want another way, by furnishing him with money to buy one: the meaning is, that persons according to their abilities, and of what they can spare, should communicate to those that are in distress: much less is it to be concluded from hence, that it is not lawful for a man to have more coats than one. Secondly, he says that he that has a sufficiency of food, and more than enough for himself and family, let him give it freely and cheerfully to the poor and needy, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased: and when such acts of kindness are done in faith, from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God, they are the fruits of grace, and such as are meet for repentance, and show it to be genuine. John instances in these two articles, food and raiment, as containing the necessaries of human life, and including every thing, by which one may be serviceable to another.
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