Obligations not Rights
The apostle John wrote,
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:17,18.
This is telling me that we as believers in Christ Jesus have an obligation to those around us. If we see someone in need and can help, we should.
Luke’s gospel tells us of a story Jesus told. It’s about Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had everything he needed in this world. Poor Lazarus would have been happy with the scraps from the mans table. Yet the man had no compassion on him. Finally when they both past into the next world the rich man was suffering for his lack of action in this world, while Lazarus was no longer suffering.
Jesus made things clear when he said,
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.
We have an obligation to those around us. It is something many who would call themselves Christians forget about. Too many people calling themselves Christians say they have rights. Christians don’t have rights. The only rights Christians have are the rights granted to them by the government of the country in which they live. Governments who can change their minds at any time.
As Christians have obligations to our God, our family and to those around us. We have an obligation to proclaim the gospel message AND to help those in need anyway we can.
Please think about it.
