Thread by @jarrodmckenna

Dear politicians,

Jesus talks about hell more than anyone in the Bible *but* says nothing about sexual orientation. Yet Jesus says to hell with those religious types who ignore:

⚠️The poor
⚠️The refugee
⚠️The destitute
⚠️The sick
⚠️The prisoner

(Yep, Matthew 25)

In the lead up to the #AUSVote19 election when people are half quoting Bible verses, here’s a handy little guide when you hear Christians say, “Yeah, but who are the poor and the rich really?”

I like to defer to Jesus’ half brother James who says explicitly who the poor are.

According to the book of James the poor are:
⭕️ workers defrauded of wages (5:4)
⭕️ the suffering who cry out (5:4)
⭕️ those in humble circumstances (1:9)
⭕️ those without a welfare safety net (1:27)
⭕️ the destitute (2:2,15)
⭕️ discriminated against (2:3-4,6,9)

Yet according to the book of James, the poor are also:
❤️ those who will be raised up with dignity (1:9)
❤️ the content and concern of true religion (1:27)
❤️ those who true believers will help (2:14-17)
❤️ chosen by God to be rich in faith & heirs of the kingdom (2:5)

Again, that’s what the Bible, and more specifically, Jesus’ half brother and Apostle James says, ‘who the poor really are’. Want to hear what he says about the rich? #AUSVote2019

James says the rich are those:
💰defraud workers fair wages (5:4)
💰 who experience privilege, even in church! (2:3)
💰 live in luxury self-indulgence while others suffer (5:5)
💰 oppress the poor and drag them into court (2:6)
💰 economics that condemn & kill the poor (5:6)

James says the powerful who ignore the poor:
💀commit blasphemy (2:7)
💀should weep & wail for the miseries coming upon them (5:1)
💀their riches will rot (5:2)
💀gold & silver will corrode & corrosion will ‘eat your flesh like fire’ (5:3)
💀fatten themselves for slaughter (5:5)

Now we might be able to hear Jesus’ say,

“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.”

...and hear who he’s talking to. Us.