Luke 18 question

[Richard King]

Today a homeless man I know was talking to me about his mission ideas and when I asked why not go home and support your abandoned wife and five children as a mission for God and he (or an entity inside him) said:

I refer you to Luke 18:29
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

How would you respond to that?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I would respond by telling him that he's worse than an infidel:

1 Timothy 5:8King James Version (KJV)

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

That is truly an interesting interpretation. I think perhaps Jesus was referring to people who themselves had been disowned or abandoned by their families for the sake of the gospel, and not the other way around.

 

[SeanPatrickCornell]

That is truly an interesting interpretation. I think perhaps Jesus was referring to people who themselves had been disowned or abandoned by their families for the sake of the gospel, and not the other way around.

I'm virtually certain of that myself.

 

[Rev. Todd Ruddell]

Even if he has been cast out by his family for his being ordained to preach (which I doubt) he has an obligation to support his family.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

Even if he has been cast out by his family for his being ordained to preach (which I doubt) he has an obligation to support his family.

Excellent point. If our family forces us to choose between them and Christ, then we must choose Christ. However this does not mitigate a man's responsibility to provide for his family.

 

[whirlingmerc]

Someone who claims to be a Christian and doesn't support is family is certainly more inconsistent than an unbeliever
2 Cor 12:14 ".... children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children...."

 

[whirlingmerc]

The Duties of Parents To Their Children
by Cotton Mather
The Duty of Parents To Their Children

Parents, Instruct your Children, in the Articles of Religion; and acquaint them with God, and Christ, and the Mysteries of the Gospel, and the Doctrines and Methods of the Great Salvation.
It was Required, in Psalm 78:5 He commanded our Fathers, to make known to their Children, that the Generation to come might know, who should arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their Hope in God, and keep His commandments.
It was required in Eph. 6:4 Fathers, bring up your children in the Nurture and Admonitions of the Lord. Would you have your Children to be Wise and Good? I know not why you should expect it, unless you take abundance of pains, by your Instruction to make them so.
There was a Wise and Good son, who gave that account how he became what he was; in Prov 4:3,4. I was my Fathers son, and he taught me. O Begin betimes, to Tell your Children who is their Maker, and who is their Saviour, and what they are Themselves, and what is like to become of them; and by no means let them want [lack] that Advantage in 2 Tim 3:15 From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation.

 

[Scott Bushey]

This passage in Luke has to do with being officially sent into the mission field. Nowhere does it imply that one should abandon our responsibilities.