Re: The Early Christians: In Their Own Words

The believers put heart and soul into all their acts of love. The freedom 
of self-determination in their work gave an entirely voluntary character
to 
all social work done by the early Christians. Hermas described the Spirit 
ruling in the church. He said that the wealthy could be fitted into the 
building of the church only after they had stripped themselves of their 
wealth for the sake of their poorer brothers and sisters.31 Wealth was 
regarded as dangerous to the owner’s well-being and had to be made 
serviceable to the public or given away. In general, material goods were 
seen as common property, just like light, air, water, soil and other 
natural necessities.