Health Care Controversy

Dear Victorious,

With all the controversy around health care legislation in the U.S., shouldn't we really just be looking to the Biblical mandate to care for the poor and sick? God told us to do this stuff. Why then is it so controversial for even the Christians? (Some of them are pretty vocal about calling Obama a socialist.)

JuJu - San Mateo, CA

Dear Juju

God was very clear in telling us that the poor and needy, the sick and oppressed are all to be cared for. But He never said the government was to do the caring. In fact, it was God's plan that the caring all be done through the church (i.e., body of believers ... God's people).

The sick, the poor, the hungry, the oppressed are to become God's people (by their own choice). Then the community of God's people is to care for them. We empower the church through our tithes and offerings, through all the blessings that God has given each of us, and the church organizes our resources and efforts to care for them.

Where has this system failed? People who consider themselves God's people are still selfish with their resources (including their time). The church has not been empowered (because we aren't obedient with our finances). People aren't loving. Not all people have voluntarily becomes God's people.

So when church and God's people fail in our God-given mission to care for the needy, government steps in. And the situation continues to deteriorate. Instead of throwing rocks at the government, more Christians might consider getting more serious about our mandate from God to care for the needy --- so the government won't have to.