The Amish and Early Christians

When I was a kid, I thought it would be neat to live like the Amish. Part of that desire stemmed from my love for horses. I see no sin in all modern conveniences, but I can see a huge advantage to not having a TV. There is so much filth on the screen that we did not even get a converter box and we do not have cable TV.
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I recently discovered that some of the Amish actually use tractors and have indoor plumbing. Most people know little about their religious beliefs beyond the issue of technology. Some of the groups really do put their confidence in Christ, while unfortunately others are simply trusting in their lifestyle. The diversity of their belief is as diverse as their positions on tractors.
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I have no intention of becoming Amish, but I do admire their simple lifestyle and how they pitch in to meet the needs in their communities. By working together they are able to share one another’s burdens. That is similar to what was happening in the early church in Acts chapter 4, where the early believers had all things common in order to benefit the group as a whole so that God might be glorified.
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Now before some of you accuse me of endorsing communism let me explain that there are some clear differences. The early church, like the Amish today, shared resources with those who shared their values. They did not divide it among society as a whole. Acts 4:37 tells us that they laid the money at the apostles’ feet, not at Caesar’s. Further, the next chapter makes it clear that it was voluntary, not compulsory. “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” (Acts 5:4)
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By working within a framework of common belief, they also had the ability to exclude those who did not share the same values. This is shown in I Corinthians 5:11-13, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
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Further, the early church had the ability to oversee one another and to make sure that everyone was contributing. “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (II Thessalonians 3:10)
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The widows are amongst those who have the greatest need for assistance within the church and many had all their needs met by the church. There were guidelines for helping them as well. I Tim 5 lays out the standard. First, her immediate family was expected to help her first, so she would not be dependant on the church. If she did not have children or nephews to help, then she had to show that she trusted in God through her prayers. She couldn’t just be living for pleasure, but for God. Further she had to be at least 60 years old before all her needs would be met. Finally she had to have a good reputation and no other means of support.
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The widow passage also challenges the readers to take care of widows themselves so that the church not be charged. Again, we see the scriptures teaching charity. This should be the case whether we are living in a communal setting or not. Among Christians there should be an attitude that all that we have belongs to God, therefore, we should use it to help fellow believers, thus having all our possessions in common.
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We do not need to form a commune to do that, but many groups have found economic advantage to doing so. Under times of severe persecution it may be a wise step for all Christians to take. At the same time, it is quite a different approach than letting the state function in the place of the church as the distributor of the resources of a society. It would even be a mistake to give that job to a single religious group, rather than letting each individual congregation take care of its own like minded believers and other believers in similar congregations who they may choose to help. Further, this is not a suggestion that charity should not extend to unbelievers as well. May we not just learn from the Amish, but from Scripture itself.