"No Interest in the Kingdom of God," Mosiah 4:16-23

Mosiah 4:16-23

On the topic of charitable giving, these verses address erroneous attitudes towards the poor.

It is commonplace, at least in my own experience, to rationalize away every petition for charitable assistance. There are some interesting diagnosis of this type of attitude. What strikes me as even more profoundly important is that an attitude of neglect towards the poor is in direct defiance to the work of God:

• "Whosoever [jugdeth the poor] the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God." (vs. 18, emphasis added)
• "Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished." (Proverbs 17:5, emphasis added)

Isaiah 58 is for me one of the most inspiring chapters on charitable giving that is found in holy writ, for it helps me to see the blessing or the fruits that come from engaging in such activities. One of the promises that is extended is that we shall be called "the restorer[s] of paths to dwell in." That strikes me as profoundly significant. As the natural state of things is to fall apart, to decay, to be destroyed, the purpose and objective of the kingdom of God then must be to build up, to edify, to bring to an inhabitable and productive state, that which was lost and that which is yet to be established.  This is significant on two levels, both in the outward environs that surround us, but more importantly, within us.

So it becomes our objective to build up everyone. The poor are the same as the well-to-do. All are equal in God's eyes. Hence, very conclusively, King Benjamin declares that if you look past the poor (the lowest rung of the ladder), then you have no interest in the Kingdom of God.