All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:44-47
“It is incredible what pains and diligence [Christians] use by all means to succour one another. They have an extreme contempt of the things of this world. Their legislator made them believe that they are all brethren, and since they have renounced our religion, and worshipped their crucified leader, they live according to his laws, and all their riches are common.”
Lucian of Samosata, a second century satirist (c. 125-180), in “The Death of Peregrine” 13, as recounted and translated from the Greek by John Angell James in The Christian Professor Addressed: In a Series of Counsels and Cautions to the Members of Christian Churches (New York: Appleton, 1838) 167.
Christians who live out their faith generously are like rock formations in barren country. They are beautiful and the reflect the glory of God, just like this view of the red rocks in South Valley Park near our home in Colorado.
Today post is another ancient pagan source that reports the generosity of the early church Christians. Lucian of Samosata recounts the “extreme contempt” of the Christians for “the things of this world” and their care for each other. Rather than focus on how others are living, let us live, give, serve, and love generously and form communities who live this way regardless of what the world is doing. That’s God’s design for the local church.
My prayer is that modern day writers would say the same thing of us: that we live as brethren, that we have renounced the ways of the world, that we worship our crucified Lord, that we live by his laws, and that we view riches as common. In plain terms, all we possess is not mine and yours but God’s to be used to advance God’s purposes as outlined for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus!
When the early church lived this way, many were drawn to faith in Christ. It’s not the new evangelism but how Christians won people to faith in the early church. Let’s follow their example with the same “extreme contempt.”