Is The Church Authorized To Help Non-Christians?
By Ron Boatwright

     Can money be taken from "the church treasury" to help provide food, clothing, and shelter for a needy non-Christian or orphan.  The Lord’s church was split asunder over this question in the 1940’s.  But what does the Bible say concerning this question?  Anything that is different than what the Bible says is false doctrine.

     The letter to the Galatians was addressed, "Unto the churches of Galatia" (Galatians 1:2).  What did Paul say to the churches of Galatia?  "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).  The churches of Galatia were commanded, as they had opportunity, to "do good to all men".  All men include Christians and non-Christians.  Doing good to all men includes providing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter for the needy.

     Let’s turn our attention now to the collection the churches in Galatia, Macedonia, and Corinth were commanded to make.  "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be not gatherings when I come" (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).  This collection was being made both in Corinth and Macedonia.  It apparently was a large amount because it required seven men besides Paul and Luke, to safely and securely transport it to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4-5).

     After Paul and the men with him delivered the collection to Jerusalem, Paul was taken captive.  He appeared before Felix, the Roman governor.  Paul in reference to the collection that had been made by the churches in Macedonia and Corinth said, "Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings" (Acts 24:17).  Did Paul say the collection was only for Christians?  No, it was to help "my nation", which included both Christians and non-Christians.

     Earlier when this collection was being made in the churches of Macedonia and Corinth, Paul was encouraging the church at Corinth to make sure they would have the collection ready when he got there.  Paul used two chapters, 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 (a total of 39 verses), to exhort them to give liberally and to have the collection ready.  In 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 he told of "the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality".  Paul then said in 2 Corinthians 9:2, "I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago".  But Paul was still concerned that the church at Corinth might not have their collection ready when he said in 2 Corinthians 9:4, "Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting".

     Paul in instructing the church at Corinth how to give says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, "Every man according as he has purposed in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

     Now let’s notice how Paul said this collection was going to be used.  In 2 Corinthians 9:12-13 we read, "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings to God; whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men".  Paul stated that their "liberal distribution" was not only made "unto them", that is the needy saints of Jerusalem, but "and unto all men", which includes Christian and non-Christian.  One is going to have to deny what Paul says here if he says the church cannot help supply the basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter "unto all men", which would includes a needy non-Christian or orphan.