The easiest way to answer this question is to examine the practice of the early church. When early churches used their money for benevolence, did they also include needy unbelievers?
First, it is important to clarify the question. There is no doubt that individual Christians, according to their ability, were commanded to do benevolent deeds for unbelievers. In James 1:27, James admonished the brethren to “visit the fatherless and widows in the affliction…” Also, in Galatians 6:10, Paul told the brethren to “do good to all men, especially the household of faith.” In context, neither of these passages were commands for church action since all the related commands in the surrounding text can only be fulfilled by individual action.
Now let us consider collective action by a local church. In Acts 2:44-45 and 4:32-35 we note that during a time of great need it was believers who had all things common and were “distributing to each as anyone had need.” Could this possibly have included unbelievers? In Acts 3:6, we have a lame man begging alms from Peter and John. Though we know that Peter and John with the other apostles had control of the money that was being collected by the church for those in need (4:35,37), Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have, I give you…rise up and walk.” Peter is claiming not to have any personal money that he could offer this unbeliever. What about the collected money of the church? That money was only to be used for the believers. Later, in I Corinthians 16:1-2, when Paul commanded the church in Corinth to take up collections on the first day of the week, he said, “Now concerning the collection for the saints…” Every time a church gave money for the purpose of benevolence in the New Testament, the passage specifies saints. Consider these additional passages: Acts 11:29; Romans 15:25-27; II Corinthians 8:1-4; I Timothy 5:3-16. In this last passage, Paul even warns that a needy believer is not even to be cared for by the church if he has family who can first provide for him.
Possibly related:
- Are there any circumstances in which it is scriptural for one church to send money to another church?
- Is it scriptural for various local churches to send their money to one central church who in turn uses that money to preach the gospel on television or send to another preacher?
- Is it necessary to be a member of a local church in order to be saved?