The 7 Experiment: Theology of Clothing: Vestimentology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church.  The second part of this particular study is all about clothing.  Again, let me reiterate, my concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.  The study focuses on various areas where Americans normally struggle with excess and challenges them to focus on God in those areas.  One area they tackle is clothing.

THEOLOGY OF CLOTHING: (VESTIMENTOLOGY)

Vestimentology (as far as I know I made that up) is the study of the theology of clothing.  Clothing, like food (see the last blog) is one of those essentials in life that every person is concerned with… except nudists, I suppose.  Food and clothing are tied together many times in Scripture and have a similar feel as to our attitudes towards it… with one exception. 

Food + Clothing in the Bible: Genesis 28:19-22, Judges 17:10, 2 Samuel 12:20, Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:23, James 2:15.  In these passages and in many more, clothing is tied with food as an essential part of life.  Since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, clothes have been a part of the life of human beings (Genesis 3:7, Genesis 3:21).  Clothing is an essential covering for the human bodies.

There is one exception when it comes to clothing that is not always associated with food.  Clothing can be seen and often is seen as a status symbol.  I suppose food could be as well which is why only certain people eat at Ruth Chris Steakhouse or splurge and hit up the Olive Garden.  Yet, clothing more than any other can symbolize status.  This is why street gangs have for years opted for certain clothing or colors to symbolize their unity.  This is why school uniforms are so popular in many school districts.  This is why many companies opt for uniforms or a particular dress code.  Status.  The “ooh look at me” factor.

Key words in Scripture when looking at clothing: clothes (169x), clothing (52x), Armani (0x), jewelry (13x), rings (42x), sandals (28x), robe(s)(ed) (107x), cloak (51x), tunic(s) (22x), hat (0x), adorned (9x), wear (45x). 

So what does the Bible say?

Jeremiah 4:27-31 “This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.  ²⁸ Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back."  ²⁹ At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them.  ³⁰ What are you doing, O devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.  ³¹ I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child-- the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, "Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.”

Notice in these verses above that in the midst of a disaster, the people of God were concerned with clothing, makeup, and jewelry rather than their own lives.  The importance of clothing and accessories can be exaggerated in our lives.  For some reason, Gilligan’s Island popped in my head as I think about the ridiculousness of Mr and Mrs Howell in need of the finest things on a deserted island.  I think about people who refuse to leave their homes and possessions in the middle of great storms because they prize those things almost over their own lives.  I think of all the men who have to pack two extra suitcases for an overnight trip. 

Ezekiel 16:10-19  “I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.  ¹¹ I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,  ¹² and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.  ¹³ So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.  ¹⁴ And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.  ¹⁵ "'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.  ¹⁶ You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur.  ¹⁷ You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.  ¹⁸ And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them.  ¹⁹ Also the food I provided for you-- the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat-- you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD.” 

Here is where the theology of clothing comes to the forefront in this passage and in many others (for example Matthew 6:19-21).  Notice that God is speaking and it was HIM who blessed the people of God with fine clothes, jewels, and other costly items.  Those things were seen by God as a blessing from Him to them.  Yet, they used these items for status.  They ended up using these items for sin and “trusted” in those things rather than in God.  They used the fine jewelry they were blessed with for themselves and for idols.   Verse 18 says clearly that the embroidered clothes they owned became an idol themselves.  I love that at the end of verse 19, God says to them… that IS what happened. 

1 Peter 3:1-5 (echoed in James 2:1-5)  “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,  ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  ⁴ Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.  ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands…”

The New Testament also weighs in on the clothing issue.  In the Apostle Peter’s day (and the Apostle Paul’s day) certain clothes meant certain things.  Wearing your hair in a certain way meant you were a prostitute.  Ladies inviting men would wear certain sandals which imprinted messages on the ground.  Colors of cloth indicated royalty or social status (Mark 15:17-20, Luke 16:19, Acts 16:14).  Even a certain type of ring indicated you were a slave or a free person.  Peter states matter-of-factly that as a Christian person, our worth and status come from the inside and from our relationship with God.  The importance of an individual rests not on their clothing, but on their worth as an individual in God’s sight.

So what is a proper theology about clothing (vestimentology)?  I think vestimentology and culinology go hand in hand in many respects.  They are both essentials in life.  They are both needed blessings from God for each one of us.  Both are seen as worthy endeavors when sharing with the poor.  Yet, vestimentology adds the additional thought that clothing can lead to a great sense of self importance (pride) which can lead to sin.  This self importance can lead to…

… judging others as less than you because they don’t measure up fashionistically

… spending money you don’t have to look the part that is fake or shallow or deceptive

… the attitude that clothes and accessories are more important than other “actually important” things

… dressing in a way to lure/seduce the opposite gender

… clothing and shopping being an idol

A proper vestimentology would keep clothes in their place, enjoying them as a direct blessing from God, sharing them when you are able, but not allowing clothes to become an idol.

Some Suggested Action Steps for a Proper Vestimentology (theology about clothing):

*  Look in your closet/drawers and see if there are still clothes with tags on them.  If so, you probably have an issue with excess.

*  Ask yourself (be honest): Do you buy things because other people have them?

*  Watch your attitude as you seek to share clothing with others, not making them feel like they are poor, less than you, or in desperate need of your fashions because they don’t measure up.

*  Do you refuse to shop at Walmart because it is beneath you?

*  Go through your closet/drawers and give away clothes that you do not need.

*  Look for ways to hand down clothes within your family and extended family instead of always buying new.

*  Pray that you would keep your “stuff” in a proper perspective in your life.

Troy

Associate Minister

Up Next…

THEOLOGY OF POSSESSIONS

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

Through My Eyes: Student Life Camp with Bayshore

Hello everyone! This past week I was in Toccoa, Georgia for an amazing week with Bayshore and their youth group at Student Life Camp. Not only did we have fun on the way up, we also served the Lord, had a fantastic speaker and an amazing worship leader. 

We set out on our adventure at 7 o’ clock Sunday morning. Too early!!! We arrived in Atlanta that evening and visited World of Coke. I made sure to try Speitze (Mezzo Mix, which is the most popular drink in Germany and my dad's favorite.) Then we ate at The Varsity. It wasn’t anything to write home about, except I’m writing home about it. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriot hotel over night (nice!). On Monday, we drove on to Toccoa to begin camp.

So there we were, all 40 of us ready for Student Life’s Mission Camp. Tom, Bayshore’s youth minister, separated us into three groups for 3 different missions’ sites: 10 of us at the local YMCA cleaning and volunteering for the summer camps, 10 of us painting a fence at a low income housing place, and 20 of us working on mulching a trail at Henderson Falls. I was one of the lucky 20 that was working on the mulching. Five hours a day for the next 3 days, I mulched, I sprayed too much bug spray, and filled wheel barrels with dirt. After we finished the work for the day, we were lucky enough to have the best water fall to play in. It was right across the trail and we would all go down and have a blast playing in the water (well, I only went in once, on the last day). On the last work day, everybody from the 2 other mission sites from our group came and played in the water fall with us. Good times…

Jeremy Kingsley was our camp pastor (think Jon Acuff’s older brother - they look like they are related too…). Jeremy has a story for pretty much everything. What he does best is tell stories to illustrate what he is teaching. Whether it is he threw an oatmeal cream pie at his teacher, or he was telling us about secret guy school, Jeremy always had an amazing way to say the point through a story. He made it funny at times, and even once, he cried on stage. He taught me about God’s kingdom and ROTC. R is rely; O is obey; T is trust; C is cling. We can always rely, obey, trust and cling to God. Look this guy up! He is awesome.

Tom said “our group couldn’t help but be enamored with the worship leader” in his sermon Sunday (I was at Bayshore, cause I was sharing about the experience with their church.)  He couldn’t have said it better...

Our worship leader was Aaron Keyes. When I looked this guy up, I couldn’t help but think “He isn’t going to be as good as Chris Tomlin, or David Crowder Band…and I have worshipped with both of them!” On the second day, when I was still kinda iffy about Aaron, Tom said to me “Aaron radiates peace.” The very next time we had worship, I looked for what Tom was talking about. Five minutes into my search, I saw what Tom meant. Every single session, I would see different things. Peace. Love. Passion. Aaron just brought God into the room everywhere he went. That same week, his trailer got broken into and 20,000 dollars worth of stuff was stolen. And he still radiated Jesus.

He is also a walking Bible. Tom was telling a story about how in the Youth Group Leader Meeting one day, Aaron gets up and starts by saying “You know what this reminds me of? Exodus 17 when the Israelites are under attack….” And all the youth ministers are just like “Yeeaaahh….” as they flipped through their Bibles searching for the story. If you start a conversation with Aaron, I’m pretty sure he could just pull a verse out, no matter what you’re talking about. It’s insane how much he memorized. He would just say these long verses during worship, know it by heart, and we all would just be in awe. Well, I would be anyways.

One thing that I LOVED that this camp did was focus on the Compassion program (which I will tell you more about in my next blog)….what is really amazing, though, is that on the trip, our group started sponsoring 12 children from all over the world. ISN’T THAT AMAZING?!?!

Through my eyes….Student Life camp isn’t just a camp…it’s a way to change your life.
Abby 

The 7 Experiment: Theology of Food: Culinology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church and also 7 other churches that have joined in this particular study.  I thought that was pretty cool myself… as a Restoration Movement minister whose Christian heritage claims it wants unity among all believers.  Anyway, as usual, she and I talk over the study at times, she asks me questions, I offer my opinion, we debate, we laugh, and we generally enjoy the studies together even though I am very much on the outside.

This particular study is not one that centers on one particular Bible passage, but rather centers on the idea (this is my take on it) that American Christians are consumed with consuming and it can and often does get in the way with our relationship with God.  The study has allowed us to talk about some things about the Christian faith that most of the time are left unsaid… some with good reason… others need to be talked about.  Whether the ladies of her study realize it or not, I get asked a lot of questions about their study through her and some by them directly.  I thought I would put together a few thoughts to help answer some questions I have heard about the different areas of the social experiment in the study.

My concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.

THEOLOGY OF FOOD: CULINOLOGY

I remember a few years ago that McDonalds was on the hot seat for their massive supersized meals.  It was a sign of the early 2000s.  Everyone had survived Y2K and we all wanted was to celebrate with massive amounts of sodas and French fries.  It’s not every year that the apocalypse happens without a hiccup… unless you count the 2012 one, too.  Anyway, food seems to be at the forefront of our lives.  Drive down any street in America and you will most likely hit some kind of establishment that serves food.  I remember taking a road trip in college through Texas where every single town had a Dairy Queen.  Not all the towns had stop lights or running water, but they all had at least one Dairy Queen!  TV markets food through commercials.  Movie theaters market their snack bar with whimsical finesse.  Even sports venues have a ring around the field full of vendors with food.  Food is everywhere!

So, what does the Bible say about food?  What am I supposed to think about food? To be honest, there are key words to look for and think about when looking at food in the Bible.  Some key words: food (317x), harvest (96x), glutton(s)(y) (7x), starve(ation)(ing) (9x), drought (8x), supplies (18x), meat (91x), vegan (0x), cook(ed) (22x), eat (514x).

Numbers 11:4-6 (talked about in Psalm 78:12-35): “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!  ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-- also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.  ⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"

Psalm 111:3-5: “Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.  ⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.  ⁵ He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.”

Proverbs 22:9 (echoed in other passages like Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Proverbs 25:21, Luke 3:11, Acts 6, James 2:15-17): “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”

Ecclesiastes 9:7: “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.”

Romans 14:13-23 (also in Genesis 9:3-4, Acts 10:11-16): “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.  ¹⁴ As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.  ¹⁵ If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.  ¹⁶ Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.  ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,  ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.  ¹⁹ Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.  All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.  ²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.  ²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.  ²³ But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (spoken about in Matthew 6:25-27): “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

Honestly, I tried to narrow down the passages for you to read so you won’t get bored with my blog.  As you can see from the list of key words about food, the references about food and food-type thoughts could go on for days!  Yes!  The Bible does talk about food… so what do we see when it comes to food in the Bible?

I think we can notice several principles about food that can be helpful for us in our walk with God.

First, notice in Numbers 11 and Romans 14 that food can be a source of sin or temptation in our lives.  The word “gluttony” is framed as a sin in the Old and New Testaments and is something looked down upon along with over drinking.  Food, in Romans 14, can even be a stumbling block for someone’s faith.  Now I realize the Apostle Paul is speaking specifically about purchasing meat sacrificed to pagan idols, but I think the principle of watching what you eat and how it effects those around you remains (Romans 14:20). 

Second, notice food can be a source of blessing from God and something that we can enjoy from Psalm 111 and Ecclesiastes 9.  It is a proper thought to have that anything you eat, serve in your home, purchase at the store, or order from a restaurant menu is provided to you by God Almighty.  To paraphrase a President, “You didn’t make that.”  God gives food the ability to grow.  God provides you a job with which to purchase food from your earnings.  God is the source of your ability to go out to eat.  These things are a blessing from God and can be enjoyed.  For example, my mother-in-law’s cheesecake is a blessing straight from Heaven’s kitchen.  Now, looking at Numbers 11 and Romans 14, it is possible to enjoy food far too much, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a good meal while praising God as the source from whence it came.  I also would add to this thought, that 1 Timothy 6 encourages us to be content with what is given to us.  It should not be a stressor that you can’t afford to go out to eat, but rather celebrate that you can make a meal and enjoy it at home. 

Third, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Luke, Acts, James, and so many other passages in the Scriptures commands us to share food and provisions with others.  This is not a suggestion or an inkling or a maybe-ifn-you-want-to statement.  Sharing with the poor is a command from God and is something that pleases Him.  I believe the key here is out of the blessing and enjoyment God has given you, you then should share with others.  In John 12:8, Jesus Christ says “you will always have the poor among you…” and James 2 echoes the thought that when we see someone in need, we should help if at all possible for this pleases God (who gave it to you in the first place).

So what is a proper theology about food?  We’ll call it “Culinology” (I looked and didn’t find a fancy name).  A proper Culinology rests on the three principles above and has at its core a profound sense of thanksgiving to God for all that He provides and the necessity to share with others who are poor.

Some Suggested Action Steps for a Proper Culinology (Theology about Food):

* Pray before your meals (meaningful prayers, not rote ones) and teach your children/grandchildren to do the same.

*  Skip some meals going out to eat and give the extra money to a local food pantry.

*  Do a personal inventory to see if you are overeating or undereating or if you have an eating disorder.

*  Investigate what fasting is and how this can be a beneficial spiritual discipline in the Christian life.

Troy Borst

Associate Minister

Up next…

THEOLOGY OF CLOTHING

THEOLOGY OF POSSESSIONS

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

Through my eyes: Bigstuf & Lake Aurora

Hey guys! I have had a FULL couple of weeks! This week is probably the first full week I have been home since my summer began. Today’s blog is going to be all about Bigstuf and camp at Lake Aurora!

So my first summer adventure I went on was Bigstuf! Bigstuf (if you don’t know and haven’t read any of my blogs before..) is a Christian  conference that is held in Daytona and Panama City for High School and Middle School students. Youth Groups from all over the country come to worship with the best of the best and listen to some of the most sought out speakers in America. This year was the 25^th Anniversary of Bigstuf!

This year’s theme for Bigstuf was Reality. We learned many things from various speakers. Jon Marc Comer was a preacher from Portland who talked about being followers of God and how to face reality with our faith. Jon Acuff, who is the blogger (like me!) of Stuff Christians Like, talked about our voice of fear. Bob Goff, the author of the book Love Does, talked about how your dreams can become a reality. He told a story about how he asked his kids a question. “What would you do if you had one minute with a world leader.” One of his kids says “Invite him to a slumber party!” I don’t know about you, but a slumber party sounds ridiculous. Bob goes on and he talks about how they mailed every single world leader on this earth and they end up getting 29 yeses to go to the slumber party. Bob and his kids travel around the world meeting all these world leaders and how his kids interviewed every single world leader. At the end of each interview, his kids would give the world leader the key to their house. The whole time I was thinking “This dude is nuts! He is craaaaaazy!” But Bob Goff had some pretty cool stories.                                      

Now the worship was pretty amazing. Phil Wickham was the worship leader again this year. We got to have Rend Collective lead worship, David Crowder was there (And I didn’t know he was as southern as he actually is…he is pretty southern.) and he was awesome!!

Ok, the Skit Guys were hilarious. Let me tell you, I haven’t laughed so hard in my life…they do half improv, half script. I would look them up if I were you. On YouTube. Right now. The two skits I recommend you watching is Little Billy: Zaccheaus and Hurting Help Line. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. I promise you will not be wasting your time.

One person is planning on giving their life to Christ, and I know I have said it a million times, but my good friend and fellow writer Bryce Buckland is doing that in a few months. So yay! Thank you Phil Wickham…your singing did the trick.  

Ok! So the Sunday after Bigstuf (So like 2 days..) I went to go Transform my self at Lake Aurora. I have gone for 7 years and every year, I always make new friends and learn new things. This year, we learned about sin, mercy, service, and sacrifice. It was a good week and even though I am not really a minimalist, I can survive. It’s a good camp, so if you don’t go, your missing out! That’s all for now!

And I am serious about the Skit Guys thing. You will be hooked.

Through My Eyes….Bigstuf and Lake Aurora are the places to be this summer and all the summers for the rest of my life (well….until I age out any ways..) 

Abby

Early Christian Quotes on Abortion

Letter to Diognetus, A.D. 80 - 160

[Christians] marry, as do all. They beget children, but they do not destroy their offspring. (ch. 5)

Letter of Barnabas, A.D. 80 - 130

You shall not slay a child by procuring an abortion, nor shall you destroy it after it is born. (ch. 19)

[In the way of darkness] are people ... who are murderers of children and destroyers of the workmanship of God. (ch. 21)

Justin Martyr, c. A.D. 155

We have been taught that to expose newborn children [i.e., to leave them out to die or be found] is what wicked men do. We have been taught this so that we will not do harm to anyone and so that we will not sin against God. First because we see that almost all so exposed are raised as prostitutes [both boys and girls, according to Ante-Nicene Fathers note].
Second, [we fear] that same may not be picked up, but die, and we will be murderers. (First Apology 27, 29)

Athenagoras, A.D. 177

When we say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder and will have to give an account to God for the abortion, on what principle should we commit murder? For the same person would not regard the very fetus in the womb as a created being, and therefore an object of God’s care, and then, when it has passed into life, kill it. Nor would the same person avoid exposing an infant, because those who expose them are chargeable with child-murder, then, on the other hand, when it has been reared, destroy it.(A Plea for the Christians 35)

Tertullian, c. A.D. 210

For us, since we have forbidden murder once and for all, we may not even destroy the fetus in the womb, even though at that point the human being still dervies its blood from other parts of the body for sustenance.
To hinder a birth is merely a speedier killing of a man. Nor does it matter whether you take a way a life that is born or destroy one that is preparing to be born. It is a human if it is going to be a human. You already have the fruit in its seed. (Apology 9)

- See more at: http://www.christian-history.org/abortion-quotes.html#sthash.5X7B2Ir7.dpuf

Early Christian Quotes about Community

Ignatius, c. A.D. 110

Labor together with one another. Strive in company together. Run together; suffer together; sleep together; awake together, as the stewards, assessors, and servants of God. (Letter to Polycarp 6)

Letter to Diognetus, A.D. 80 - 200

[Christians] have a common table, but not a common bed. (ch. 5)

Justin Martyr, c. A.D. 150

We who formerly delighted in fornication now embrace chastity alone. ... We who valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possessions now bring what we have into a common stock and share with every one in need. We who hated and destroyed one another and would not live with men of a different tribe because of their different customs now, since the coming of Christ, share the same fire with them. (First Apology 14)

Tertullian, c. A.D. 210

It is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to label us. "See," they say, "How they love one another!" For themselves are animated by mutual hatred. "How they are ready even to die for one another!" For they themselves will sooner put to death. ... the family possessions, which generally destroy brotherhood among you, create fraternal bonds among us. One in mind and soul, we do not hesitate to share our earthly goods with one another. All things are common among us but our wives. (Apology, ch. 39)

- See more at: http://www.christian-history.org/community-quotes.html#sthash.JKEN66EE.dpuf