Explain what Christians believe about their responsibility for other people.

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WORLD POVERTY

(AO1)  Explain what Christians believe about their responsibility for other people.

        In the Bible Gospels there are many references that demonstrate what Christians believe about their responsibility for other people. In this coursework essay I am going to express the many beliefs Christians have on others and world poverty and the many things Christians can learn from the bible references in the modern world.

        Christians are called to be closely involved with efforts to alleviate suffering in the world and to make efforts to work for a more equal world. The motivation for this is to be found in the gospel teachings, in Luke 12:13-21 the rich man wanted everything and more, he said ‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all of my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself ‘you have plenty of good things for many years. Take life easy; eat drink and be merry,’ ’ but Jesus spoke to this man with anger, ‘you fool!’ for the man had everything in worldly terms with enough to keeping him going forever. But when death comes it is equal for everyone for you cannot take your riches or anything with you. Jesus doesn’t say it is wrong to have wealth, he did say however that is important to use your wealth wisely. You cannot predict what the future will bring, this an important part of Christians responsibility for others.

        Jesus is unequivocal in describing peoples duties to the poor, The consequences of a Christians failure to take responsibility towards others is presented to us in this next teaching in Lukes gospel 16:19-31 here we are told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, for the whole of his life Lazarus had been homeless and laid at the gate of the rich mans kingdom, but the rich man did not attend to his needs he simply ignored him. The time came when both Lazarus and the rich man died. The rich man was sent to hell and Lazarus to heaven this something the rich man could not understand, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this fire.’ Abraham explained to the rich man that his agony was a consequence of his actions on earth, ‘Son, Abraham said, remember that in you lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is in comfort and you in agony.’ In this teaching the rich man ignored the problem; the need of a fellow Christian, Jesus condemns the rich man for ignoring the beggar at his door.

He couldn’t say he didn’t know, hadn’t heard or hadn’t been told for it was his responsibility. In the modern worlds we too cannot say we don’t know what is happening in the world. We all have access to a various sources of information or forms of media; it is up to us to decide if we are going to ignore the plight of others at our peril.

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Another important teaching written about by both Mark and Luke is the story of the poor widow. ‘Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the large crowd putting their money into the temple treasury,’ (Mark 12:41-44)

‘As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins, ‘I tell the truth’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave gifts out of their wealth; but she out ...

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