Hi Brother Hamilton,<\/p>\n
I have a question that concerns the aiding of a brother or sister in Christ.\u00a0 If there is a member of the congregation who has fallen on hard times (financial chaos, or removal due to an abusive relationship), and a female member of the church has informed the church and its elders that she is set up to provide because God has blessed her to have a loving home and is able to support (food, water, and shelter) a brother in Christ while he gets back on his feet – is there any Scripture that goes against this action?<\/p>\n\t
If you are talking about a single female, with no one else in the house, inviting a single male to live with her, then it would not be appropriate — especially if they are close in age. Sexual temptation is strong and we must avoid situations that can cause temptation. “A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it<\/em>” (Proverbs 22:3). It is fine that she wants to help, but she needs to do so where she isn’t putting herself in harm’s way while doing so.<\/p>\n If this is a situation where sexual temptation would not be present, then there is no problem with her choice of aiding a fellow Christian. “Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life<\/em>” (I Timothy 6:17-19).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Hi Brother Hamilton, I have a question that concerns the aiding of a brother or sister in Christ.\u00a0 If there is a member of the congregation who has fallen on hard times (financial chaos, or removal due to an abusive relationship), and a female member of the church has informed the church and its…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[194,1711,655],"class_list":["post-42641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-benevolence","tag-cohabitation","tag-living-together"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54614,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-my-friend-leave-her-husband-so-she-can-worship-the-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":0},"title":"Should my friend leave her husband so she can worship the Christ?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Brother, Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. This question is regarding my colleague. She was born in a Hindu family but accepted Jesus in her youth. Her parents did not allow her to marry a Christian, so she married a Hindu, concealing the fact that she was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53644,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-a-christian-who-teaches-error-still-a-brother-in-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":1},"title":"Is a Christian who teaches error still a brother in Christ?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A big fire started after our morning services this morning! One of our members here adamantly disagreed with me when I mentioned that when a brother sins by teaching doctrinal error, he must repent, and if he refuses to repent he is \"a brother in error.\" Until he does\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8097,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-woman-teach-a-man-in-private\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":2},"title":"Can a woman teach a man in private?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: One of our lady members has a sister and brother-in-law who are not members of the church. She asked her brother-in-law if he would study with me. He told her, \"No!\" Only with herself and his wife. So, this sister asked me if she would be wrong teaching them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53899,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-someone-attends-but-hasnt-become-a-member-and-then-stops-coming-should-you-withdraw-from-him\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":3},"title":"If someone attends, but hasn’t become a member, and then stops coming, should you withdraw from him?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Someone begins attending a congregation but does not ask to be a member there. He starts forsaking the assembly. Can you withdraw from him? He was baptized. Answer: Before I answer the question, I want to note that some congregations add people to their membership simply because they keep\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60363,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-handle-a-daughter-who-decided-to-become-a-lesbian\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":4},"title":"How do I handle a daughter who decided to become a lesbian?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Brother, I have been a member of the Lord's church since I was a teenager. I have always attended. I raised all of my children in Lord's church. My youngest daughter has rebelled ever since her Dad divorced me. She even married another girl! She has pressed me to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16039,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-someone-refuses-to-repent-are-they-still-considered-brethren\/","url_meta":{"origin":42641,"position":5},"title":"If someone refuses to repent, are they still considered brethren?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 12, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We had\u00a0a couple who were members until we learned that their marriage was\u00a0unscriptural.\u00a0 They refused to repent.\u00a0 Are they considered \"brethren?\" Answer: \"And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 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