1 Corinthians 9:6-14

                                                             1 Corinthians 9:6-14

Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned?Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

The list of things Paul was willing to give up for the sake of the Gospel continues to grow.  He was willing to give up his liberties in food and drink.  He was willing to give up the joy of being married.  Now in this passage he demonstrates that he was willing to give up the right to receive a salary for his ministry.  The advancement of the cause of Christ was Paul’s top priority.

 

BEING PAID FOR MINISTRY IS REASONABLE: Paul and Barnabas were tent makers by trade.  They worked in this trade to support themselves financially when it became necessary.  They did receive offerings from time to time from churches that supported them, but they did not require the people to whom they ministered to support them.  However, it would have been reasonable for them to do so.  Soldiers who go to war are supported by the people they defend.  Owners of vineyards drink the wine from the grapes they grow.  Dairy farmers drink milk.  Gardeners eat the vegetables they grow.  It is only reasonable that ministers be supported by the people to who they minister.

 

BEING PAID FOR MINISTRY IS BIBLICAL: The Scriptures make it clear that it is right for ministers to receive support.  The Law forbid putting a muzzle on the ox that was threshing grain.  The same principle applies to those who work in ministry.  If God is concerned that the oxen would be treated fairly in the work, the well-being of His ministers is even more obvious.  When a minister invests in the spiritual grown of the people of God, it is biblical that these people take care of his physical needs.  The Word of God and reason make it clear that ministers should be supported.

 

BEING PAID FOR MINISTRY SHOULD NOT BE AN OBSTACLE: Paul was not a pastor in the true sense of the word.  By that, I mean Paul did not dedicate his life to the day-to-day ministry of any specific church.  He was an apostle which means that he was responsible to advance the Gospel to new and unreached places and help the believers in these places plant churches.  He may have pastored these churches for a short period of time, but he soon moved on to another city to take the Gospel there.  When you are planting a new church, it can be an obstacle to require that the people that are evangelizing provide support.  Paul did not want anything to stand in the way of the Gospel moving forward in a place, so he was willing to make tents instead of risk closing the door of the Gospel to any place or person.

 

APPLICATION: We should be faithful to financially support the people who minister to us spiritually.  As ministers we should teach the importance of giving and demonstrate how believers should be generous in their giving.  We should help support missionaries that are advancing the Gospel to other places.  We must be willing to make any necessary sacrifices so the Gospel can advance unhindered.

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