The title of my sermon today is Christian Liberty,
Part 2, Rights and Responsibilities. We're going
to be looking today at 1 Corinthians chapter
9, verses 1 through 18. We've been steadily going
through this book, sometimes covering a few verses,
sometimes more. And today we're going to attempt
to cover these first 18 verses of this chapter
and then look at the following or the remaining
verses the next time. Let's hear the word of
the Lord as it is given by inspiration of the
Holy Spirit through the pen of the Apostle Paul.
Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not
seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work
in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others,
yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal
of my apostleship in the Lord. My defense to
those who examine me is this. Do we have no right
to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take
along a believing wife, as do also the other
apostles? the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right
to refrain from working? Whoever goes to war
at his own expense, who plants a vineyard and
does not eat of its fruit, or who tends a flock
and does not drink of the milk of the flock,
do I say these things as a mere man? Or does
not the law say the same also? For it is written
in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an
ox while it treads out the grain. Is it oxen
God is concerned about, or does he say it all
together for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt,
this is written. That he who plows should plow
in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be
partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual
things for you, is it a great thing if we reap
your material things? If others are partakers
of this right over you, are we not even more?
Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but
endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of
Christ. Do you not know that those who minister
the holy things eat of the things of the temple?
And those who serve at the altar partake of the
offerings of the altar? Even so, the Lord has
commanded that those who preach the gospel should
live from the gospel. I have used none of these
things, nor have I written these things that
it should be done so to me. For it would be better
for me to die than that anyone should make my
boasting void. For if I preach the gospel, I
have nothing to boast of. For necessity is laid
upon me. Yes, woe is me if I do not preach the
gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a
reward. But if against my will, I have been entrusted
with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That
when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel
of Christ without charge. That I may not abuse
my authority in the gospel. Let's bow before
the Lord and ask for his blessing and illumination
on this word. Our Father, we come to you, Lord,
with this word. Lord, this pouring out of the
heart of the pen of Paul as he wrote to the Corinthians,
Lord, and we seek to understand this today. Lord,
so we pray that you would open our eyes, open
the ears of our understanding, Lord. Illuminate
us by the Spirit that we might understand this
word, that we might hear it. and apply it properly
and appropriately. As for your blessing, Lord,
that everything that I say may be pleasing to
you and according to your word. I pray in Jesus'
name. Amen. When God grants liberty to his children,
he also gives them certain rights. These rights...
come from god for they are endowed by our creator
these rights are unalienable meaning that they
cannot be taken away by man among these are life
liberty and property and god's law surrounds
them with the direction of his divine commands
thou shalt have no other gods before me Protects
our liberty from all who would be gods over us
or would seek to replace God. Thou shalt do no
murder is the right to life. And thou shalt not
steal and thou shalt not covet are the rights
of property. The fundamental rights that we've
all come to see because God has granted them
to us within the fences of his law. Now you may
notice that some of the statements I've just
made sound much like the beginning of the Declaration
of Independence, which is as it should, for the
principles of liberty found in the Declaration
of Independence did not come from the Romans,
it did not come from the Greeks or Greek philosophy,
but it came from Jerusalem, from the word of
God given to Israel as a model to the nations.
Our founders looked very much to the instructions
given by God to Moses in the Exodus and the founding
of the Israelite nation. Now Christian liberty
as I've defined it last week consists of the
following aspects of freedom. Christian liberty
is freedom from the bondage of sin and the death
that accompanies it. Secondly, it is freedom
from the doctrine and the commandments of men.
Thirdly, it is freedom from the law of ceremonies
in the Old Testament that found their fulfillment
in the perfection and the sacrifice of Christ.
This would include the sacrificial laws, the
need to be circumcised, the laws of purity and
cleanness or uncleanness, and the dietary laws.
Fourthly then, Christian liberty is the freedom
from matters indifferent. And by the things indifferent,
I mean that those are things that God has not
specifically commanded or forbidden. We are free
to choose within the fences of God's law. In
this, we do not sin if we do something or if
we do not do something. Now this liberty, though,
is to be appropriate. It is to be expedient.
And it includes love for our neighbor. Where
there is liberty, we have the right to be able
to do what we want. But there are three biblical
criteria in the use of this liberty. One is this.
Is it expedient or advantageous? 1 Corinthians
10, 23, all things are lawful for me, but not
all things are helpful or expedient. Secondly,
does it edify or is it a stumbling block? Again,
1 Corinthians 10, verse 23, all things are lawful
for me, but not all things edify. And then thirdly,
am I under the power and control of this liberty?
In other words, is it controlling me instead
of me being guided by the Holy Spirit and controlling
it? Again, 1 Corinthians 6 verse 12. All things
are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.
All things are lawful for me, but I will not
be brought under the power of any. largely free
from the control and the compulsion of the state
against God, but also in which Christians can
freely serve as civil magistrates at the federal,
the state, and the local levels without compromising
the word of God. And in this way, we are able
in various degrees to implement and to draw from
God's word in the practice of Christian liberty
in the civil government. Now, this was not so
for the first few centuries of church history
after Christ, in large part because being a civil
servant in the Roman Empire meant it required
offering to idols. It was a requirement. Whenever
they would meet together, they would always give
an offering to an idol first. It might have been
a small thing, a little kind of an icon or something
at the door before you go into the room, but
it was simply required. And if you didn't, you
were punished by Caesar. It was very important.
They viewed the emperor as God. And it was not
until Constantine ended this requirement around
the year 310 that Christians could then serve
and rule, except for a few anomalies such as
Erastus, the treasurer of the city of Corinth,
which is mentioned in the New Testament. The
passage before us today continues with the subject
of Christian liberty and it focuses on rights
and responsibilities because they go hand in
hand. Paul asserts his liberty and his rights
as an apostle vigorously, but then he shows us
the framework that he operates in. His passion
is to proclaim the gospel, and to that end, he
is willing to lay down some of his rights to
remove hindrances to gospel preaching and to
ministry. He demonstrates that liberty does not
simply mean that we get to do whatever we want
to at all times, but rather liberty and the blessings
of liberty mean that we are able to do what God
has called us to and to live then as free men
and women. This chapter is written in this framework
of the discussion of liberty. Paul uses the occasion,
as he often does, because he's going to do this
again in 1 Corinthians 10 in a different way.
He illustrates the principles that he teaches
by giving a clear and full exposition on other
things that fit within that. And that's the case
here. In this, he gives the fullest and the clearest
explanation and exposition in all of the New
Testament. about the subject of remuneration,
or that is the material support of Christian
ministers, and how he was willing to give that
up for the sake of the gospel. So today, there's
two major subjects that we're considering. One
is liberty and rights, and the second is the
responsibility of a congregation to support those
who minister to them. In this, he gives a very
personal... and powerful illustration of how
he operated with the rights that he had and the
liberty to lay it down for the sake of faithful
gospel ministry now in this i am not giving this
in any way with any kind of self -interest or
self or or desiring for myself in what we have
done here I am completely blessed and happy and
satisfied with. I am simply giving an exposition
of this scripture in what it teaches about it.
So I want that to be clear. Firstly, Paul asserts
his apostleship and his freedom in verse 1 and
2. He says, am I not an apostle? Am I not free?
Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not
you my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle
to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you
are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. And
so he begins with asking questions to those who
were examining him. Evidently there were some
who were questioning his apostleship and his
authority. Some may have not been happy. with
his writings or his teachings. And so they were
kind of like asking, are you really an apostle?
Or they're questioning his apostleship. And to
those, Paul establishes and defends his apostolic
credentials. He does so by asking powerful and
passionate rhetorical questions. All of these
expect a yes answer. He begins, am I not an apostle?
Yes, you are. Am I not free? Yes, you are free.
Have I not seen the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord?
Yes, you have. Are you not my work in the Lord?
Yes. And with these questions, Paul declares
that he has the right and authority of an apostle.
This apostolic charge, indeed, came from Jesus
himself on the Damascus road by revelation, as
well as through Ananias. when Paul went to him
when he was blind. Now, Jesus also may have appeared
to Paul during his three years in Arabia shortly
after his conversion. Note that one of the marks
in the proofs of an apostle is that he physically
saw Jesus. This was also the criteria in Acts
1 when the church replaced Judas after he died,
after betraying Christ, and then the replacement
was to be one. who, as it is written in Acts
1, was a witness with us of the resurrection.
In other words, he had to have been one who saw
the resurrected Christ in person. This is an
important note. There are no more apostles today
in this same way. The ones that were are now
the foundation of the church together with the
prophets. And if someone claims to have apostolic
authority and to add to the word of God, Run
from them or else confront them for they do not
carry this authoritative office. Paul then also
defends his apostolic rights by the success of
his own ministry to them. He says that the Corinthian
believers themselves are the seal of his apostleship
in the Lord. This is the proof of it. They're
proof that he was an apostle. Paul began this
work from ground zero in Corinth with the help
of Silas and Timothy. He was completed by the
Spirit and he was ordained by the Spirit to preach
the gospel and to shepherd those who believed
there in Corinth for a year and six months. This
is in Acts 18 verses 1 to 17. There's a few notable
things about this defense. He notes, first of
all, That despite the problems that the church
in Corinth had, Paul still views them as a success.
He views them as a true church of God with great
potential and gifts. We saw this confidence back
in chapter 1, verses 7 through 9, that, as he
said, they should come short in no gift, eagerly
waiting for the revelation of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who will also confirm you to the end
that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ. God is faithful by whom you were
called into the fellowship of his Son, Christ
Jesus our Lord. Paul was not discouraged by their
problems. He loved them. As his children in the
faith. And these two long letters. The first
and second Corinthians. Which are actually second
and third. Because the first one we do not have.
These long letters that he wrote to them. Are
proof of the love that he had for them. Even
to the church in Laodicea. In Revelation chapter
3. Jesus tells them. As many as I love. I rebuke
and chasten. Paul's correctives that are given
in this book to them are because he loved them
and because they were a true church of God, but
they needed some rebuke and some correction.
This should encourage us that even when there
are difficulties and problems or even when there
are sins, we should not immediately then run
and say, oh. I see this sin. I've got to run.
I've got to find something else. No, we work
through it. We pray. We work toward the betterment
of it. And, of course, there is such a time,
as Jesus speaks of again in Revelation 2, where
he removes the candlestick from a church because
they are no longer a true church of God at all.
But that is not the case here, even with all
their problems. It should be no surprise to us
that Paul considers them the seal of his apostleship
in the Lord. For God himself revealed to Paul
that he should speak, that he should not keep
silent, for the Lord was with him, and that he,
that is God, had many people in this city. Acts
chapter 18, verse 11. So in defending his apostleship
by the success of his ministry to them, Paul
shows that this can be done well. In other words,
long -term success in a church is a testimony
to the excellence of her leaders. Are the people
joyful? Are they obedient to the Lord? Are they
loving one another? Are they growing in the knowledge
and the truth of God's word and being fruitful?
Are they being a light to the world, a city that
is set on a hill that gives glory to God? If
these things are happening, that is a testimony
to the blessedness of their leaders. But we must
be very careful with this. It does have the apostolic
stamp of approval, but we must be careful to
see how we define success. Success should not
be measured by the size of the congregation.
by the amount of people that make a profession
of faith at an emotional altar call, or the dynamic
preaching of the preacher, or the feeling of
worshipfulness that you get in the worship service,
or all of the programs that a church may have.
Rather, success must be measured by the testimony
of Christ, by the faithfulness in using the gifts
that God has given, by the acknowledgement and
confession of sin. by fervent love of the brethren
and praying for one another, by soundness in
doctrine and all of the other marks of faithfulness
in a church. Those are the measurement of success
and not all of the hype, all of the glitz, and
all of the other things. Too often success is
measured by other measures than what I have just
outlined. Paul then moves on. In verses 3 to
14, and he gives a vigorous defense of his apostolic
rights to be maintained and supported by the
churches. He begins by stating the obvious. My
defense to those who examine me is this. To those
questioning his authority and apostleship who
were standing in judgment of him and centering
him, he will offer a defense. Now Jesus did not
defend himself against his accusers, but this
was because it was a clear plan ordained of God
that wicked men would crucify him and put him
to death. And while there can be times where
it may be wisdom for Christians not to make a
defense and simply to suffer, Most times, Christians
should make a good and strong defense against
those who would defame them, not by responding
as kind as Brother Ty spoke about this morning,
but in responding with truth and clarity accompanied
by a Christian witness. And that is what Paul
is doing here. His emphasis and directive in
this section from verses 3 to 14 is that since
the laborer is worthy of his hire or of his wages,
as Jesus says in Luke 10 verse 7 and Matthew
10 verse 10, those who preach the word of God
and minister to the flock of God should live
from the gospel. That is, they should be blessed
by support and remuneration. from those to whom
they minister this is their right and god gave
that right paul is going to go at great lengths
to describe all of the reasons for this both
biblical and from everyday life first of all
he enumerates certain rights of an apostle in
verses four to six do we have no right to eat
and drink do we have no right to take along a
believing wife Or is it Barnabas and I who have
no right to refrain from working? So that is,
they had the right to eat and drink. to be maintained
with the necessities of life at the expense of
the churches. Now this was particularly needful
for those who were traveling, like Paul and Barnabas
and Silas and all of the young men traveling
with them to minister the gospel throughout the
whole areas of Asia and Europe in which they
were traveling. They endured such great privations,
hardship in the travel, perils in the sea and
on the land, and persecution being driven out
or even stoned and beaten. They had the right
to take a believing wife, as other apostles did.
They had the right to have a wife with them,
where she also would be supported and maintained
of the necessities of life. Though Paul and likely
Barnabas were single, the other apostles, as
he says here, were married, as were the brothers
of Jesus and even Peter himself. There is the
right that he also shared with Barnabas to refrain
from secular work or from regular work, from
day -to -day work, and be supported. So this
goes further than food and drink, and it speaks
of support to the extent of not having to earn
a living by working at another occupation. So
Paul asks them these questions. Do I not have
all of these rights as all of the other apostles
do? Then he goes and illustrates this from everyday
life and he asks more questions. Who goes to
war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard
and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a
flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
He draws from the common life in which they live,
things which they easily understood. Now interestingly,
he draws from three examples that are also found
in the word of God as being metaphors. for christian
believers but christian believers are to be soldiers
for the lord they are god's field in their vineyard
and they are called a flock one of the principles
of faithful teaching is to use everyday illustrations
that bring home god's truth to everyday life
and paul does this very skillfully Who goes to
war at his own expense? A soldier does not serve
at his own expense. Just as we here in this country
support our military, so also should a congregation
to their ministers. This imagery is used in various
places, such as Paul's exhortation to Timothy
in 2 Timothy 2, 3 -4. You must therefore endure
hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You
are a soldier. And so he uses, he blends this
here just as we support our soldiers, so also
we should support the ministers. He then asks
who plants a vineyard and does not eat. A vineyard
planter is able to eat the fruit of their labor.
In 1 Corinthians 3, he says, I planted, Apollos
watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither
he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,
but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants
and he who waters are one, and each one will
receive his own reward according to his own labor.
For we are God's fellow workers, you are God's
field, you are God's building. And then he uses
the illustration of one who tends a flock, and
do they not drink of the milk of the flock? A
shepherd does drink of the milk. and God's people
are the flock. Jesus is the good shepherd. His
people are the flock, or the sheep, as Jesus
talks about in John 10 and in Luke chapter 12.
Elders are commanded to shepherd the flock of
God in 1 Peter 5, verse 2 and 3. And in Acts
20, 28, in his parting words to the ministers
and elders of Ephesus, he said, take heed to
yourselves and to all the flock among which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd
the church of God, which he purchased with his
own blood. Then he moves on. To support his argument
from the law of Moses. You see how here he's
just building a case. In one after the other.
Verses 8 through 10. Do I say these things as
a mere man? Or does not the law say the same
also? For it is written in the law of Moses.
You shall not muzzle an ox. While it treads out
the grain. Is it oxen God is concerned about?
Or does he say it all together? For our sakes.
For our sakes no doubt this is written. That
he who plows should plow in hope and he who threshes
in hope should be partaker of his hope. So this
is the verse from Deuteronomy chapter 25 verse
4. It's a very interesting illustration because
Paul argues from the lesser to the greater in
this law. Now this scripture is set in a passage
that provides for the humane treatment of people.
And God also cares for the animals that serve
the people. This is Deuteronomy 25. But Paul
takes this command and he applies it in a much
greater way. If God so cares for the animals,
how much more those who labor for him. Jesus
does this. He does the same thing in the Sermon
on the Mount in Matthew 6, verse 30. If God so
clothes the grass of the field, which today is
and tomorrow is surrendered to the oven, will
he not much more clothe you, O you of little
faith? Paul says this is written together, all
together for our sakes, so that those who plow
and who thrust should do so in hope of sharing
in the harvest. From the first setting of the
plow and the ground to threshing the grain when
it is ripe and harvested, so also those who labor
in the word and doctrine can expect to receive
earthly blessings, but also the hope of eternal
life. and rewards for being faithful servants
of the Lord. This passage, and a number of others
in the New Testament, give apostolic authority
for how to interpret the Old Testament commands
and precepts. They are not to be understood only
in the direct sense to the people to whom they
were given, but they are also illustrations of
greater truths some of which we see the apostles
teaching. They argue from the lesser to the greater.
Now to do this requires great carefulness and
skill, and of course the apostles also had the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit in how they did
that. Fourth then, Paul makes an application
to the gospel ministry, verses 11 to 12, beginning
of verse 12. If we have sown spiritual things
for you, Is it a great thing if we reap your
material things? If others are partaker of this
right over you, are we not even more? Paul does
not leave them in any doubt about this subject,
showing how those who sow spiritual things have
a right to reap material things. If others share
this right over the Corinthians, Paul and his
companions have an even greater claim because
he and those with him Founded the church. They
labored hard and long. To build up this congregation.
From the very beginning. Number five. He gives
further arguments from the practice in the temple.
At the Lord's command. Verses 12. The second
part of verse 12. To verse 14. Nevertheless.
We have not used this right. But endure all things.
Lest we hinder. the gospel of Christ. Do you
not know that those who minister the holy things
eat of the things of the temple, and those who
serve at the altar partake of the offerings of
the altar? Even so, the Lord has commanded that
those who preach the gospel should live of or
from the gospel. Now Paul alludes to where he
is going with this in the subject of rights and
of liberty. He says, He's just given this whole
list and he's going to give a few more. He gives
this whole list showing them, this is incumbent
on you. This is your responsibility. But, and
it's my right, but we have not used that right.
We have not used this right, both me and my companions.
Though it was their right, they chose to endure
all things. Why? So that they would not hinder
the gospel of Christ. And he's going to speak
more of this in verse 5. But here he just slips
it in. Before then he goes on with additional
illustrations. He then continues with these.
This time he goes back to the temple worship.
To the priests and to the Levites. Those who
minister the holy things of the temple. also
eat of the temple. They share in the offerings.
This is instructive, and it's all laid out very
clearly in Numbers chapter 18, verses 8 through
14, as well as others. I'm not going to read
them. It's simply there is a fact that they lived
off of the offerings that came to the temple.
And then he says, the Lord has commanded that
those who preach the gospel should live from
the gospel. Jesus himself speaks of this. Paul
is probably referring to Matthew chapter 10,
verse 10, and to Luke 10, verse 17, I'm sorry,
verse 7. Speaking to the apostles as they were
sent out two by two to minister, Luke 10, 7 says,
and remain in the same house, eating and drinking
such things as they give, for the laborer is
worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to
house. Now, Paul also teaches this in other places
in the epistles. Galatians 6, verse 6. Let him
who is taught the word share in all good things
with him who teaches. And then in 1 Timothy 5,
verse 17 to 18, let the elders who rule well
be counted worthy of double honor, especially
those who labor in the word and doctrine. For
the scripture says, you shall not muzzle a nox
while it treads out the grain. The laborer is
worthy of his wages. Now, Tertullian, the historian,
one of the early church fathers, describes how
this happened, how they did this in the late
2nd and early 3rd century, somewhere between
197 and 220. He writes, the stipends of the clergy
were at first from voluntary offerings at the
Lord's Supper. At the love feast preceding it,
Every believer, according to his ability, offered
a gift. And when the expense of the table had
been defrayed, the bishop laid aside a portion
for himself, the presbyters, and deacons, and
with the rest relieved widows, orphans, confessors,
and the poor generally. That's how they applied
this in their day. Paul has gone to great lengths
to impress upon the Corinthians. and upon all
the church of God this principle. This is the
God -given right of those who minister. But in
so doing, while this is in the context of liberty
and rights, he is putting it in their mind that
they ought to be doing this. He wants them to
know the principle, and he instructs them in
it, even while stating that he has not used this
right. Nor will he. It is not just that he hasn't
been using it. He is not going to. This leads
us to the final point. Paul's voluntary refusal
of these rights. And this is 15 to 18. He says,
but I have used none of these things. Nor have
I written these things that it should be done
so to me. For it would be better for me to die.
Then that anyone should make my boasting void.
For if I preach the gospel. I have nothing to
boast of. For necessity is laid upon me. Yes
woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel. For
if I do this willingly. I have a reward. But
if against my will. I have been entrusted with
the stewardship. What is my reward then? That
when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel
of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse
my authority in the gospel. In verse 15, he states
how he has laid down this right that he has.
He says, I've used none of these. I have not
written these things so that it should be done
so to me now. He is not writing to claim support
now. So there's no self -interest in this passage.
In fact, he would rather die than have anyone
make his boasting or glorying void. He willingly
laid down his rights on this matter and gave
up his liberty. Why? Well, he goes on to explain.
In the last, in the next few verses, he said,
preaching the gospel is a necessity and it has
been laid upon me. He says, woe is me if I do
not preach the gospel. Now, in order to understand
this, we need to go back and remember how he
was called by God. Paul was then known as Saul,
was a persecutor. He hated Christians. He hated
Christ. He was on his way to Damascus to capture
more believers and to put them in prison. And
God arrested him. God knocked him to the ground,
blinded him, and said, I have appeared to you
for this purpose. to make you a minister and
a witness both of the things which you have seen
and of the things which I will yet reveal to
you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people
as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send
you to open their eyes in order to turn them
from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan to God that they may receive the forgiveness
of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in me. This is recounted
by Paul himself in Acts chapter 26, verse 16
to 18. If he preached of his own free will, he
would have a reward and be blessed in it. But
this was a stewardship entrusted to him by God,
and he is under an obligation to God, and so
he will not accept. All of this that he has just
said is an example of how it should be. What
then is his reward? It is that in preaching the
gospel, he can present it free of charge. Free
of charge. So as not to make full use of his
right in the gospel and that he would not abuse
his authority in the gospel of Christ. He wanted
to present it free of charge. Now in Corinth,
it is said that they had a huge system of patronage.
And so when there was patronage, that when you
would pay money as patrons, you expected something
in return. And there was a real tie in there
with expectations. And so it could be that that
was also in Paul's mind, but he does not say
specifically that. That's just one of the historical
facts. From the abuser of men. Paul is now so
constrained by the love and the command of God
that he takes great care not to live in the old
ways. While he possesses full apostolic rights,
including the right to financial support, he
deliberately sets them aside so that nothing
would hinder the free advance of the gospel.
Thus he is a living illustration of the principle
of limiting one's liberty for the sake of others.
and of loving his neighbor as himself in this
he is truly a powerful example we're going to
see more of that as we look further in this chapter
of the pressing that he had from god in his ministry
as he went throughout the roman world how do
we apply this for us today well first of all
we must understand that what Paul lays out here
is to be an expected norm. This may not necessarily
mean full -time support, but at least there is
to be a giving and a responsibility to care for
those who minister to us. Now, in order for support
to happen, God's people must first be of a willing
mind to give. This was emphasized in the Law
of Tithes. And of the free offerings that were
given in the Old Testament. And it is reinforced
by the command. To cheerfully and to freely give.
2 Corinthians 9 verse 7. So let each one give.
As he purposes in his heart. Not grudgingly or
of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver.
So when you give. Give cheerfully. Secondly,
this principle does not give the right for ministers
to live opulent lifestyles on the backs of the
poor. As some practice in our day into their
shame. Their people are poor, destitute, and
yet... They constantly emphasize giving sacrificially,
even inventing a doctrine that if you give all
of your money or almost all of it, even to your
own detriment, God's going to pour hundreds and
hundreds of percentages on you. It's true that
God does give grace and God gives to the giver,
but they apply it in a very ungodly way. They
constantly emphasize this, and yet they live
in luxury. with very expensive clothing and houses
and vehicles and a way of life. This principle
does not give that right. Thirdly, sometimes
the minister does not need the financial support.
He might have inherited wealth or have other
investments or be bivocational or have a particular
thing like the Apostle Paul did here in... saying,
no, I will not accept this. No, you should not
give this. Even when this is the case, this mind,
however, should still be in the congregation
that they are willing to give, willing to support
in this way. And if they're not able to give
monetarily, then turn that into support of prayer
and encouragement and of thankfulness for the
ministry. This should have been the mind. of
the Corinthians. Even though Paul would not take
it in the actual giving, then they should have
just simply been all that much more in their
support and prayer and love and encouragement
to him. Fourthly, the overarching principle is
that in the use of liberty and of rights and
responsibilities that come with that liberty,
there are times to give up those rights for various
reasons. Thus, rights must always be coupled
with the responsibility to love.