Answer: There were no needy persons among them.
For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them,
brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles'
feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need, (verses 34
and 35).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
From The Acts of the Apostles From Jerusalem to Rome
by Wayne Jackson:
Note the spirit of selflessness that characterized the
believers. They counted not their possessions as being their
own, but as belonging to God, and to those in need (the spirit of
true stewardship). The distribution was voluntary, not
forced; this was not communism. No one lacked the daily
necessities of life, because generous brethren sold lands and
houses to provide for the needy. The funds were deposited
with the apostles who took the oversight in seeing that the
monetary distribution was effected in a judicious fashion.
This seems to imply a treasury (cf. 1 Corinthians
16:2). This narrative provides a precedent for
God's children to care for their needy, and to make whatever
sacrifices might be required. The practice, however, was
voluntary, not coerced. If all people who profess to follow
Jesus Christ would adhere to His principles of benevolence, and if
lazy indigents were not subsidized (2 Thessalonians
3:10), there would be little need for taxed welfare
systems.
Acts 2:44-45: "All the believers
were together and had everything in common. Selling their
possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had
need."
2 Corinthians 9:6-7: "Remember
this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever
sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should
give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
James 2:14-17: "What good is it, my
brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such
faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without
clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go,
I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way,
faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead."
1 John 3:16-20: "This is how we
know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has
material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity
on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let
us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in
Truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the Truth,
and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our
hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows
everything."
