How do you know that Christians are not socialist/commies?

[Barang]

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 nkjv

6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;
8 nor did we eat anyone?s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

[ZapThyCat]

Many socialists think that when, in the early church, the church "had all things common, and distribution was made as everyone had need", that this means that the early church was socialism.

The HUGE difference is this: People willingly gave. It wasn't the government. A system where people willingly give to each other and help each other is fantastic. It's not socialism though. There's the whole "willing" part, and the fact that if someone doesn't want to sell their extra land, they don't have to, and nobody condemns them for it.

[ZapThyCat]

Not to mention that the ones that distributed it, the Apostles, were not taking it for themselves (like government does)

[Wordupmybrotha]

Yep, I agree with Barang and ZapThyCat above. Excellent points gentlemen.

[Wordupmybrotha]

William Bradford tried communism when they established the Plymouth colony. Might have been necessary in the beginning, just getting off the boat and having to build shelter for winter. There was no time and resources for every family to build their house and farm their crops. But after the life and death situation passed, the communal system didn't work because of freeloaders.

The colonial life began to flounder because freeloaders milked the system. When they gave each person or family their own property and their responsibility, the colony flourished.

The parable of the talents also supports individual responsibility. Jesus rebuked the one who buried the talent. He said he would take talents from lazy ones and give it to the productive ones.

[Barang]

Genesis 2:15 nkjv
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

it all started in Eden.

[Darto]

Of course 'holding all things in common' was an invitation to the unworthy loafers who took advantage. The Apostle Paul remarks (2 Thessalonians 3):

8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Paul says he has the power to demand bread from the Church, but as an example he will instead work for it. And those that won't work should not eat at the common table. But they should go and work for the bread, like Paul himself does.

[Garand Hunter]

CORRECT.
Psalm 1