PovertyA Biblical Analysis and

A Christian Response

Into the 21st Century

What are the real disasters?

•Wars•Food crisis•Poor-rich gap

•Ethnic, religious conflicts•Injustice•Climate change

•Human trafficking•Exploitation•Gender inequality

•HIV / AIDS•Abused children•Broken families

•Natural disasters

Economic Tsunami

Melamine

謀財

害命

God cares for the Poor

Luke 4:16-21

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Blessings for the Poor

Luke 6:20-26

Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

God has chosen the Poor

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Warnings to the Rich

Jeremiah 5:27-29

Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

耶利米書 5:27-29

籠 內 怎 樣 滿 了 雀 鳥 ， 他 們 的 房 中 也 照 樣 充 滿 詭 詐 。 所 以 他 們 得 成 為 大 ， 而 且 富 足 。 他 們 肥 胖 光 潤 ， 作 惡 過 甚 ， 不 為 人 伸 冤 ， 就 是 不 為 孤 兒 伸 冤 ， 不 使 他 亨 通 ， 也 不 為 窮 人 辨 屈 。 ” 耶 和 華 說 ： “ 我 豈 不 因 這 些 事 討 罪 呢 ？ 豈 不 報 復 這 樣 的 國 民 呢 ？

The Right Attitude

Isaiah 58:3-5

'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

The Right Attitude

Isaiah 58:6-8

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

God identifies with the Poor

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

哥林多後書 8:9你們知道我們主耶穌基督的恩典：他本來富足，卻為你們成了貧窮，叫你們因他的貧窮，可以成為富足。

Pamukkale

Revelation 3:17

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

啟示錄 3:17你說：我是富足，已經發了財，一樣都不缺。卻不知道你是那困苦、可憐、貧窮、瞎眼、赤身的。

• There are 40 million people living with HIV / AIDS, 95% of them from low-income countries.

• 26% of adults are illiterate, 2/3 of them are women.• 2 million children died in wars in the last 10 years.• There are 110 million land-mines in 68 countries• A 100 billion US$ per year is the minimum for poor

countries to reach the thresholds for beginning sustainable development, just 0.2% of the world total GDP.

• In 6 countries, 700 million US$ were spent in 9 days on pet’s food!

God

Self

Environment Community

identity

vocation

family problems

physical health

violence

racism

oppression

government, political system

lack of access

web of lies

other gods

superstition

overused land

poor land

no land

箴言 Proverbs 13:23

窮人耕種，多得糧食，但因不義，有消滅的。The fields of the poor may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

Root Causes of Poverty

SinLack of Accountability to God

Unrighteous and selfish attitudes

Inequity, injustice, oppression, corruption, poor governance, rich ignoring (trampling over, exploiting) the poor, destruction of the environment…etc.

Poverty

Micah 彌迦書 6:8

• He has showed you, O man, what is good.

• And what does the Lord require of you?

• To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

• 世 人 哪 ， 耶 和 華 已 指 示 你 何 為 善 ， 他 向 你 所 要 的 是 甚 麼 呢 ？ 只 要 你 行 公 義 ， 好 憐 憫 ， 存 謙 卑 的 心 ， 與 你 的 　 神 同 行 。

Great Awakening in 18th c. England, many social reforms

• William Wilberforce abolished first the slave trade and then slavery itself.

• Zachary Macaulay helped put on its feet the infant colony Sierra Leone, a nation for freed slaves

• Anthony A. Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury, led the battle for the child labor laws.

• John Howard spent a lot of money and traveled extensively to reform prison conditions.

• Sir Thomas Bernard was an advocate of better educational institutions for the poor, and the establishment of better housing and community planning for industrial workers.

3 dimensions of Care Ministry

1. Relief 救 援 Relief basic needs

2. Transformation 更 新 Developmentbuild up, develop, and restore the person to self-sufficiency

3. Reform 改 革 Justice

change social conditions and structures

1. Reliefdirect assistanceinformational and counseling

2. Transformationindividual transformationcommunity transformation

3. Reforminformation for justiceintervention for justiceadvocacy (Proverb 31:8-9)

• Child sponsorship• Education• Health• Integrated community development• Relief• Vocational training• Water• Agriculture• Micro-credit schemes• Disability support• Underprivileged groups• Advocacy• Fair trade

The Scope of Involvement

施達對貧窮問題的回應 (Christian response

to poverty) ，方法包括 through

教育(Education)

發展(Development)

倡議(Advocacy)

救援(Relief)事工 programs

施 達 基 金 會 CEDAR FUND藉

教

會　經

教

會　扶

貧

濟

困

　

www.cedarfund.org