Why is Bro. Eddie Villanueva fighting for the poor? Those who believe in God: READ!

For those who believe God, the way to everlasting life is listening and obeying the call of God for one to be among the blessed. What is the mark of the blessed? Jesus Christ says that those who keep the love of God in them, and looking for mercy, those are the blessed and enjoy eternal life. (Jude 1:21, KJV).


And how will one be always in the love of God? Christ said that if one loves God, he should keep the commandments of God in him (John 14:15, JKV). A believer must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29, KJV). And what is obedience, if not the observance of God’s ways, says in Proverbs 23:26.

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Josh 22:5 (KJV)

The commandment of God is simple---acknowledge God’s oneness and love him with all your heart, and soul and might.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deut 6:4-5 (KJV).

This is the only requirement by God for those who want to be saved and enjoy the fruits of their salvation which is eternal life.

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Deut 10:12-14 (KJV).

And what is the greatest commandment of God that a believer should follow? In Luke 10:26-28, it is written that the greatest is love God and your fellow men as you love yourself.

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. Luke 10:26-28 (KJV)

All of the law hinges on these two great commandments.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matt 22:36-40 (KJV)

Clearly, true love comes from loving God and your fellow men. And who amongst men should a believer love dearly and even lay down his life for? James 1:27 is clear---a believer must help the orphans and widows and keep himself clean before the eyes of the world.

“Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.” James 1:27

What is the call of God for those chosen to be His children? In Isaiah 42: 5-8, this is what it is written:

Thus says God, Yahweh,
He who created the heavens and spread them out,
Who gave shape to the earth and what comes from it,
Who gave breath to its people
And life to the creatures that move in it;

I, Yahweh, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenance of the people and light of the nations,
To open the eyes of the blind,
To free captives from prison,
And those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

The call therefore of God to those who believe in him is take the Cause of Right. And what is this Cause that the Holy Bible wants the believers to pursue? In Isaiah 58:6-7, it is clear that the cause of those who believe in God involves fighting wickedness in this world. This fight involves opening the eyes of the blind, freeing captives from prison and those who live in utter darkness.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isaiah 58:6-7 (KJV).

Fighting wickedness also means doing things for the sake of those hungry and oppressed in this world and doing it for the glory of God only (I Corinthians 10:31). And the glory of God comes from helping those in need.

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. Matt 25:34-36 (KJV)

This is what we call love. Love, in fact, is abhorring that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good (Romans 12:9). And loving the poor is also a purest form of love, in the eyes of God.

1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalms 41:1-2 (KJV)

Fact is, the mark of a true believer of God is when he sees evil and poverty in his midst, his spirit is stirred. The heart of a true believer grieves for the poor.

Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor? Job 30:25 (KJV)

This is the true mark of a believer---someone full of light, gracious, compassion and righteousness.

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psalms 112:4 (KJV)

Fighting the cause of the poor is every believers’ responsibility. Let Job 31:16-23 of the King James Version illuminate you:

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) 19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. Job 31:16-23 (KJV).

This is a cause equal to struggling to keep faith in God.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Tim 6:12 (KJV)

And the believer must endure all of these things and condemn iniquity that exists.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.1 Cor 13:4-7 (KJV)

For those who gives voice to injustice has their fate sealed, according to Wisdom 1:8.

“ The man who gives voice to injustice will never go unnoticed, nor shall avenging Justice pass him by”

Why? Because there is an appointed time when God will bring justice to the land.

“Faithfully he brings true justice; he will neither waiver nor be crushed until true justice is established on earth, for the islands are awaiting his law.” Isaiah 42:2

God will surely break the arms of the wicked and shall kill all of them.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. Psalms 37:17-20 (KJV).

Abhorring evil, acting against poverty, and injustice is perfection in the sight of God. And perfection brings one to eternal life.

If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Matt 19:21 (KJV)

This is the core reason why well-meaning people like Bro. Eddie Villanueva wants to fight wickedness---struggling against the principalities of this world, of fighting hunger, poverty and oppression--is part of one's service and a sign of fidelity to God.