Stop Twisting the Bible Liberals, Jesus was NOT a Socialist!

I have seen a growing number of liberal articles being printed which attempt to paint conservative Christians as hippocrites for opposing the healthcare reform bill. Let me first say that I am overjoyed that modern day liberals could take the time out of their busy day to find and crack open a bible, but am disturbed that they seem to have had an ulterior motive in doing so.

Apparently the new attack is to refer to any passage in which Jesus refers to the "poor" or "sick" and claim that Jesus calls upon our country to care for them, with any resistance to this being hypocrisy on the part of conservatives, a large number of which are Christians. First let me say that I, as a Christian, feel that attempting to support either side of a political issue by invoking Jesus' words is ill-advised. For the Christian, we know that Jesus was sent to Earth for specific reasons, namely to bear all of the sins of the world on his back, so that we might have an opportunity to accept him as our Savior and have everlasting life. So I do not support the premise behind their articles whatsoever, as it is based in political gain, not edification of Jesus, but I will look at a few verses and investigate:

The main set of verses being utilized by the libs is Matthew 25:34-40:

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Important to note here is Jesus makes no mention of the Government performing any of these functions, but is speaking to individual humans regarding their need to conduct themselves in a charitable manner. This can actually be further clarified if one were to read the earlier verses in the same chapter:

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These passages would support that we, as individuals are to utilize our talents to work, be successful, and most importantly to represent Our Lord in a positive manner and give unto him for the talents he has blessed us with, through tithing and charity, as individuals!

Let's even look at the verses in the same chapter, just a little earlier than this:

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

I ask you, do these verses support socialism in any way? I am not here to say what Jesus would or would not support politically, as I feel he would chastise any having the debate in the first place. Jesus came to this earth for a much more important mission than choosing a political party! However, if he were, in fact, a socialist, he would have chastised the five wise virgins for not giving of their oil to the foolish virgins.

See, what the liberals need to know is that it is very ill-advised (understatement) to twist the words of Jesus to gain political favor. Please do not confuse this article as any attempt on my part to say Jesus is a conservative. I most assuredly am not. I believe Jesus would not waste his time with such political discussions. Jesus called on all of us, to be charitable and take care of our fellow man, to feed the hungry, care for the sick, etc. He calls on us as individuals to conduct ourselves in this manner, and likewise, he explains that we will be judged individually on these things one day. No government entity will be judged on judgement day, it will be each, according to their own individual acts.

I am not attempting to preach a sermon today. I have not been called to be a preacher, but I felt it important to address this argument being made by socialist liberals, as I find it reprehensible that they would attempt to use the words of the bible to support their policies, yet, on a daily basis they are the ones who fight so fervently against prayer in schools, any religious display on any government property, and most importantly anything pro-life. Hypocrisy, thy name is liberal.