What does God's Word say about communal living and is it commanded for all believers?
This question came up when a young man in Saskatchewan text me and we discussed various doctrines.
(You can see the Hutterite faith exposed as unbiblical for many reasons at the link at the bottom if this article.)
Let's define the communal living we are discussing here:
"It is the selling of all your goods, giving the money to a religious group then living with them and they dole things out to you as you need them. The holding of money by a man/household is deemed sinful and controlled by group leaders".
Note: Please know I am not saying communal living is sinful if all parties agree to freely do it together. What I am contending about is that these man made groups force people into it and teach it as a main doctrine when it is not so in God's Word, when we see the full picture.
Fact: they are divisive in an unbiblical way as they would NOT let you join them until you do this communal one purse way and they have NO authority to do so.
Lets examine the truth shall we in the Lords Word?
The example of communal living they use is best seen in Acts 2 and they use it to prop up their belief it is a requirement.
verses 44-45
And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
There can be NO disputing that they did sell SOME things and goods were parted out as there were needs in Acts 2. We must always look at the full details, context and other later scriptures to see if this is a command or just an example of what happened then; but it was NOT the standard. I contend anabaptist groups like the Hutterites use this to control/lording over people vs allowing the Word / Holy spirit to guide men today. Men do not test it out and they just follow along blindly to great deception! These groups are known for lording over to control and per Jesus in Matt 20.... it is sinful!
For the following reasons you will see that living communally with one purse is NOT God's command at all and it is easily refuted:
1) There is a study discipline to be aware of know as descriptive and prescriptive. Descriptive is where the bible describes something but it is not a doctrine / teaching to be kept for all times. An example is it saying "Jesus walked" in John 7:1 but you and I could drive or take a bus. It is a description but not a doctrine or command to be kept. Prescriptive is where something is done by God or taught by inspired men and then we see it modeled and kept. An example of this is Genesis 3:21 were God put mankind in tunics and it is kept and taught all through the bible. Clearly a kind of communal living is described in Acts 2 but then it is NOT the standard in other places as we will show it. It was for a time and season then, but not all times. It was also NOT total single purse lifestyle as we will show you.
2) The context of this Acts 2 scripture is in the Apostolic age when the body of Christ was just started and growing fast like never before or since. Who was it that God was doing these amazing things through but His Apostles. Look at verse 43
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
We also see in Acts 4:35 this verse:
and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
It was the Apostles who Paul said were marked by signs and wonders.
(2 Cor 12:12) that alone were trusted and allowed / given this great charge. Last time I checked, Eph 2 says the foundation is laid (Christ Prophets and Apostles) and we have no such men today so how can that same context exist? I would gladly lay my goods at Paul's/Peter's feet (Christ picked them) but not a Hutterite elder who keeps many false ways. You see my point as the Acts 2 communal ways were in context over seen only by Apostles or men those Apostles picked and that is not possible or required today.
3) We also do not see that they sold ALL goods or HAD to sell all in Acts. How do we know this? Read Acts 5 were a couple had a piece of land to sell and lied about it. Peter says this:
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Notice they sold ....A... possession not ALL. People with much, sold extra things to help the needy. Also Peter says 'was in not in your control' showing this couple had a choice. They were killed for lying NOT for holding back some things. Also read Acts 2:46 were it says they met house to house. Read Acts 8:3 where Saul was going house to house to persecute them. Peter in Act 12:12 escapes jail and goes to Mary's house (many such verses in Acts can be found.) How can this be done if they all sold EVERYTHING and lived communally with one purse? It was not possible and it is more evidence that the total sell off did not happen as anabaptist/Hutterites claim. The selling/giving we see in Acts was a special event for the start of the NT body but it is not commanded as doctrine at all.
4) We also see that later (past Acts) the idea of NT believers owning nothing / living in communal ways was NOT true or practiced. Romans 16:3-5 has a couple in a house:
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Houses indicate believers had the means / money to have their own house and it was NOT communal. The word 'house' in regard to saints having houses is used over 15 times AFTER Acts as more proof.
5) We see that believers are commanded to be hospitable in these verses: Rom 12:13, Heb 13:2, 1 Peter 4:9 1 Tim 3 and Titus 1 / If saints had no homes or goods/means to offer them freely how could this be done? Clearly they did have the homes and means to do them as scripture shows.
6) We see in scripture saints are told to give to others. In Acts 11:29 we see:
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
We also see in Corinth Paul instructing saints to lay aside something in 1 Cor 16:1-3 as he was collecting for needy starving saints in Jerusalem in a one time act. Also in 2 Cor 9:6-7, Paul instructs saints to be cheerful givers. How can this all be possible if all the money is given to leaders instantly once earned? It cannot be possible and so it is further evidence that refutes communal living for today.
7) Later in a letter to Timothy (1 Tim 5) Apostle Paul talks about caring for others/family to NOT burden the body and he says this:
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
If you give all you have and earn to leaders today how can you even do this for your house? You can't so it is more proof against communal life
8) This one is another blow to communal living and a one purse life. Did you know that some believers in the bible still owned slaves? Paul proves it by saying:
Ephesians 6:9
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
How can you have given all away and still own a slave? Also see Col 4:1, 1 Tim 6:2 and Phil 10-20 for verses on believers with slaves
9) Jesus Christ as our example had people supporting his ministry out of their own goods; proving even He did not take all items from people. See Luke 8:3
And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Also see this verse John 12:3 that shows people around Jesus like Mary (with her expensive/costly perfume) had things and money still.
10) These false Hutterite groups will try to use other verses to defend their false doctrines but they do not hold up to context or the full truth. Here is one example a young man gave me: Gal 2:12
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
**** More evidence that exposes their false doctrine of control....
Here is a link that shows my sad communication with the young Hutterite man in Canada as it exposes their false ways:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/10/hutterite-heresy-in-canada.html
These points I have laid out prove in God's Word there was NO communal one purse life and so it is NOT required to serve God. We do see some saints selling extra things to help others. No sin in that at all! It is a great deception in these false man made places as the Anabaptist/Hutterite leaders try to use communal one purse life / fear to rule over men. That young Hutterite man in Canada just recently told me that we would see more Apostle like miracles if we all gave up owning things and this is just NOT true. God is NOT moving in that way via men any longer as Hebrews 1 proves. They also have tied salvation to this free of money and stuff life which is nothing more then heresy and a false gospel. We gain eternal life via the biblical gospel: Faith in Christs finished work, repenting of all sin, being made new, then obeying Him as fruit we know Him and enduing till the end.
While communal life may look holy and sound biblical from the outside, the fruit of it is usually the anabaptist man made systems that are void of all truth. Sadly most of the people there lack new life all together and as more fruit this young man told me being born again is water baptism, another lie/heresy.
Here is a audio that exposes Forsaking All as in goods and money:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2021/03/forsaking-all-explained.html
Go to this link to see many of the heresy/sins of the anabaptist faith that I document to warn you in love:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/search/label/Anabaptist%27s%20Exposed
See facts about their false doctrines:
Do not follow these false man made systems. Follow Christ and His word alone in spirit and truth worship!
God be praised
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