[aron]

Continuing post #261, Paul devotes 2 whole chapters, 2 Corinthians 7 and 8, to the collection for the poor in Jerusalem. Here are the first 4 verses from chapter 7.

"And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people [the Jews]."

It's an interesting meditation on "grace", a word Paul uses frequently in this section. And let's not forget the 2 books written by Paul's traveling companion, Luke. Both his gospel and his acts begin with a preface dedicated to the presumably generous gentile benefactor, the "most excellent Theophilus". All of this gives us a window into God's economy as it was understood by Paul.

More in 2 Cor 7 (vv 13-15): "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: 'The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little' "

And this view was shared by the other apostles, to read Paul's word in Gal 2, and the word-picture painted by John in Revelation 21. Maybe, then, the stories that sprinkle the first few chapters of Acts are not disparate and puzzling anecdotes, unrelated and easily passed over and forgotten, but rather a coherent narrative whole, which lies behind Paul's missionary thrusts. The grumbling of the Hellenist widows in the daily dispensing, the desire of Ananias and his wife to with-hold some of their resources while feigning absoluteness. Luke has a story here.

Now, Witness Lee's ideas may be better than mine, as to what Paul meant in 1 Tim 1:4. But WL's ideas can be challenged and critiqued, same as anyone else's. I read an interesting anecdote on the FB discussion recently. RK was expounding on something, and when someone told him that WL taught different, he said, "Well I'm not the minister of the age". Just like that he renounced his God-given right to think, and to possess his own thoughts. I'd rather not passively receive one man's thought as a replacement for mine.

We're ultimately responsible for not only our behaviours but the thoughts that lie behind them. Trying to understand Paul's thoughts helps us to grapple with our own, and to take full ownership thereof.