He must freely give what God has given and not for filthy
lucres sake. If he takes money, he has not waited on his
own instructions and does not understand the scriptures.
"
If he takes money, he has not waited on his own instructions and does not understand the scriptures."
You need to study the New Testament passages regarding the legitimacy of compensation for shepherds, teachers,
etc.
In 1st Timothy 5:17 (
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.), the words
double honor, in the culture of the time, meant
twice the normal compensation (not just the appreciative affection of those who've been blessed by their teaching), and the word
doctrine has always meant, literally,
teaching.
1st Corinthians 9:9 (
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn) and 1st Timothy 5:18 (
For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward) certainly indicate beyond question that God doesn't expect His legitimate Body leaders to lead merely for the sake of good feelings all around.
I've labored hard in that vineyard, and I'm here to tell you that it leaves you with mixed feelings to hear � not just once but often � "you've brought the best teaching that I've ever heard! You so blessed my understanding that I sent five hundred dollars to Oral Roberts University" (when I was hurting with the need for as little as
five dollars).
Once, I got a frantic call to go minister to a man in distress about 250 miles away. I went. Spent all afternoon and all night at it. Drove home. Carol Anne came to the door as I got out of the van. "They need you back." I got back in the van and drove back. Spent another afternoon and night at it. Never got a dime; never asked for any. Par for the course.
"Not for filthy lucre" in many Christians' thinking means you aren't supposed to need anything and that you're supposed to minister as if you have a money tree in your back yard, to provide hand-outs to them as you go. Been there. Done that. Never got a tee shirt. Only blisters, calluses, back aches, and hunger � from subsisting on hot thank-you soup made with shadows boiled in dehydrated water.
Anybody whose ego drives him to follow that course with any expectation of personal gain is a fool. The lucre ain't there, either filthy or sterile. "Not for filthy lucre" doesn't mean that those who are blessed by good teaching are entitled to get it for nothing.
Teachers deserve abundant compensation, including material compensation (the Bible says so), but that shouldn't be their sole motivation or even their primary motivation.
Not demanding it is one thing �
not being given it and
not accepting it are entirely different matters. Giving it and accepting it are both legitimate and proper. The Bible says so. Emphatically. Go look. You'll see that I'm giving you "the straight of the goods."
Study the word on this subject and lean not unto your own judgement.
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