OLAADEGBU:
There is a passage in Acts 2 which some have used to support ‪Communism. Is it a valid reading? Which leads to the question of the OP: "Does the Bible support Communism"? Was the early church, as recorded in the Acts of Apostles communist?

Image123:


No, that's not Communism. Communism involves ELIMINATION of private property. Many believers had private property after Acts2. Also, this wasn't a mandated practice, neither was it done everywhere.

Sarassin:


Well, what about the community at Qumran who wrote the dead sea scrolls (the Essenes), all property was shared in common, they had all meals together, and worshipped together all on the same commune and shunned the outside world. It sounds to me they were probably the forerunner of what we now know as "Communists" Jesus undoubtedly knew of them many of his practises were straight from the Essene group.

Image123:


John 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

Jesus didn't shun the world.

OLAADEGBU:
There is a passage in Acts 2 which some have used to support ‪Communism. Is it a valid reading? Which leads to the question of the OP: "Does the Bible support Communism"? Was the early church, as recorded in the Acts of Apostles communist?

orisa37:


God told the Israelites that He, God, was enough to rule directly over them using His angels and prophets as and when necessary. But the people said no, that they wanted a King. God gave Saul and the Rules and Demands of Governments, all Governments, including, Kingship for Kingdoms Democracy, Communism, Autocracy, Feudalism, Aristocracy etc. It's all there in the Bible.‪

Image123:


No, that's not Communism. Communism involves ELIMINATION of private property. Many believers had private property after Acts2. Also, this wasn't a mandated practice, neither was it done everywhere.

esere826:


The first church under Peter showed many signs of what we today call communism

The bible neither supports nor castigates communism
neither does the bible support or castigate capitalism

just as the bible does not support or castigate cutting one's hair

However, some early 'american' protestant Christians felt that communism was of the devil as it deprived them of property ownership
and they correctly (in my opinion) suspected that it played down hardwork and its attendant reward. This they also felt was anti-christian

This tradition has generally lingered on in present day American Protestantism
they tend to now see and weave tales of communism as the tool the anti-Christ will use in bringing all people under his control, neither being able to buy nor sell without his government's approval
They are also very watchful of Europe which has remnants of communism in the form of socialism, and point out that the anti-Christ will flourish from there and ride on the back of a powerful EU which will also gradually become fascist and turn its guns against Israel


.....because of such future permutations, communism tends to be frowned upon by American protestant Christian leaders. And yes, the big shot capitalist are happy to sing along

OLAADEGBU:


Shall we then say that all Governments fall into the the category of God's permissive will?

OLAADEGBU:


But some churches use this as an excuse to support communism. What could be their reason?

OLAADEGBU:


There is a passage in Acts 2 which some have used to support ‪Communism. Is it a valid reading? Which leads to the question of the OP: "Does the Bible support Communism"? Was the early church, as recorded in the Acts of Apostles communist?

Communism, a branch of socialism, is an experimental social system based on a set of ideals that, at first glance, seem to agree with some biblical principles. On closer examination, however, little evidence can be found that the Bible truly supports or endorses communism. There is a difference between communism in theory and communism in practice, and the Bible verses that seem to comply with communist ideals are in fact contradicted by the practices of a communist government.

There is a surprising sentence in a description of the church in Acts 2 that has led many people to wonder whether the Bible supports communism, and has led some people to defend strongly the idea that communism is actually biblical. The passage reads, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need" (Acts 2:44-45). This statement seems to imply that communism (which has, at its heart, a desire to eliminate poverty by "spreading the wealth around”) is found here in the earliest of Christian churches. However, there is a crucial difference between the church in Acts 2 and a communist society that must be understood.

In the Acts 2 church, the people were giving to each other out of their own good will to those who had a need, and they were giving freely, without regulation of how much they were to give. In other words, they shared what they had out of a shared love for one another and a common goal—living for Christ and glorifying God. In a communist society, people give because a system of government forces them to give. They don't have a choice in the matter as to how much they give or to whom they give. This, therefore, does not reflect on who they are; it says nothing about their identity or character. Under communism, the cheerful, generous giver and the stingy man are both required to give exactly the same amount – namely, everything they earn.

The issue is one of cheerful giving (which the Bible supports) versus forced giving. Second Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." After all, the Bible contains a great number of references to helping the poor, being generous with what we have, and looking out for those who are less fortunate. When we obey in this area with cheerful hearts with the proper motivation, our giving is pleasing to God. What is not pleasing to God is giving out of compulsion, because forced giving is not giving out of love and therefore profits nothing in the spiritual sense. Paul tells the Corinthians, "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:3). Loveless giving is the inevitable result of communism.

Capitalism is actually a better system, when it comes to giving, because it has proven to increase individual wealth, which allows its citizens to give out of their increase. Communism has proven to simply make all its citizens poor, except the very few in power who decide where the wealth goes. But even capitalism won't work, by itself, as a system for aiding the poor. It depends on its citizens to be diligent (Proverbs 10:4) and generous with the fruits of their labour (1 Timothy 6:18) and to give out of love for God and neighbour. Thus, we see that God has designed for the physical and financial needs of the poor to be met by Christian individuals, rather than by any system of government.

http://www.gotquestions.org/communism-Bible.html