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ORIGINAL: BerianAardvark

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You know, when you read about how the early church had all things common... that would seem pretty "socialistic" by today's political standards. Not something a lot of American cultural Christians would adhere to (I mean no offense).

The operative difference between socialism and the early church holding things in common is that they voluntarily shared what they had.

Socialism decides for you how much you are required "share" and then hands it out as if it was something of their their own that they were sharing.

"While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:4)

It wasn't that Ananias, and his wife Sapphira had held back some of the money from the sale, the land was theirs, as was the money they got for it. It was for lying, making like they were giving all they had gotten when they weren't that Peter confronted them.


Tim