All Things in Common

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
– Acts 4:32 –

In the early church there was a pattern of voluntary generosity among the disciples of Jesus Christ brought about by the Holy Spirit out of love for one another. God saved them from wrath and gave them one heart for Christ and one mission to make Him known in the world. It united them in every way. No longer did they cling to the things of this fading world. They offered their possessions for the benefit of the whole church.

May the Lord grant us such a spirit today! The present world will soon melt away under intense heat (2 Peter 3:10–12). Why cling to it any longer? The Lord has purchased us with His blood, along with everything in our possession. Why act with selfish greed? Though our possessions remain for now, let us hold them loosely. Let us make them available for the spread of the gospel and the unity of the church. A generous church is a united church.