Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Acts

[Tomato]

Some use it to claim that verse as proof that the early Christians were socialists and I wonder on if it does support that belief.

[jimwalton]

Robert Walton writes, "This so-called 'communism' was clearly intended to meet an immediate need. Jews from all over the Empire, far from their homes and with no visible means of support, had unexpectedly joined the small community of believers. Drastic steps needed to be taken to provide for the needs of such a large number of people. Though this picture cannot be used in any sense to justify socialist or communist economic principles, it is clearly a demonstration of the love of God instilled in the hearts of His people in the face of great need.

[Regret]

There is no way that Acts 2.44-45 endorses socialism.

It is a huge leap to take "the Early Christians shared their material possessions" and conclude "our government should eliminate personal property."

[Matthew]

Socialism means "an economic/governmental system wherein the workers own the means of production".

The early church was a community that willingly helped those among them that were in need. My church still does this today, and we don't need the government to tell us to.

Also, the people who make that argument are just trying to find a way to justify their desired utopia, in which the wealthy freely give to the not-so-wealthy. And the proponents are all coincidentally not-so-wealthy. It comes from a place of envy and greed, and not genuine Christian charity.