Herman Spruyt

“And he [=Jesus] lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 6:20). Jesus declares people blessed. This is not an ordinary blessing. It’s not like congratulating someone at a birthday party. We hope that the recipient of our good wishes … Lees meer

“Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.” (James 5:4) James paints a remarkable picture of the final judgment. He does not do so through the themes … Lees meer

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8–9). What should we do when confronted with poverty? We read about that yesterday. Are there more Biblical grounds for taking action when we see injustice?Yes, Proverbs … Lees meer

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). When we help the least fortunate among us, we are helping God. This certainly refers to poor people. It is about giving away clothes, serving a meal to someone, or … Lees meer

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). What do we know about God? The Bible contains a great deal of information about Him. God is almighty. He is a Spirit. He is invisible to us. Elsewhere, we read that God is merciful … Lees meer

“But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” (1 Timothy 6:8). Paul urges his disciple Timothy to beware of false teachings on matters of faith. Heretics lead people away from the true faith. However, there are other dangers too: love of money is the root of all evil.Some people think … Lees meer

“Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.” (Amos 5:11) Things are not going well in Israel. The broad outlines of this … Lees meer

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7) Wealth and poverty form part of personal ethics. In his letter, James warns the Christian community against showing favouritism. This is often how it works in practice. The rich are welcomed, receive polite treatment and are given a … Lees meer

“A nation that you have not known shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually.” (Deuteronomy 28:33) God makes a covenant with Israel. A covenant is an agreement between two parties: God and man. This covenant sets out rights and obligations. … Lees meer