CHAPTER 13 DO NOT MUZZLE THE OX
At the outset of this study, I would like to point out that this is not a disguised request for money. Concerning this ministry's financial resources I continue to believe that it is God's desire for us to trust Him to supply all of our needs without begging for funds. Acts 5:38-39 tells us that "... if their purposes or activity is human in origin, it will fail, but if it is from God, you will only find yourself fighting against God." Therefore, I do not need to concern myself with either building this ministry or resorting to natural methods in order to finance it. That is God's responsibility. My part is merely to be obedient to do that which I believe He is leading me to do. In this instance it is to prepare a study dealing with God's peoples' responsibility to provide for the support and material needs of His workers. With that said, allow me to proceed with the topic at hand.
While it is true that under the New Covenant each believer is considered to be a priest (I Pe.2:9 & Rev.20:6), not every believer is considered to be a full-time evangelist, pastor or teacher. While it is true that every believer should seek continually to be in God's presence, whether he is home, at work, or play; not every believer is called into full-time service in the fivefold ministry (Eph.4:11-13). In II Thes.3:10 Paul clearly tells us that "if a man will not work he shall not eat." And just prior to that he informed us that he worked hard to earn his keep in order to serve as a good example for that local body of believers (II Thes.3:8-9). The question now before us is: "Does the full time worker have the right to receive a good living wage from the people he ministers to, or should he, like Paul in Thessalonica, work for a living and preach on the side?"
That part of II Thes.3:8-9 which is not quoted by advocates of the "preach on the side" theory tells us that Paul worked "... not because we do not have a right to such help..." but because he felt it was necessary to serve as a good example to the lazy members of that particular congregation. From I Tim.5:17 we are shown that Paul clearly recognized the preachers right to receive from his flock. In fact, he says that those who do their job well are worthy to receive "double honor." The Greek word translated as 'honor' in that verse is time, which means "money paid." By stating that the "worker is worth his wage" Paul is specifically telling us that full time pastors, teachers, and evangelists are doing "work", thereby satisfying the prerequisite to eating we saw in II Thes.3:10.
While Paul was not a burden to the church in Corinth, we are shown that he received support from other churches while there, and not from his own independent labor. This was the case so that he could devote himself full time to the Lord's work in Corinth (II Cor.11:7-9 & Acts 18:1-5). If Paul worked full time as a tentmaker everywhere he went, why does he tell us that many times he went hungry and was in rags (I Cor.4:11)? For that matter, if he worked full time as a tentmaker in Thessalonica, and was totally dependent upon his secular income, why does he thank the Philippians for providing for him when he was in need in THESSALONICA (Phil.4:15-16)? You see, even in Thessalonica Paul did not work full time as a tent maker, although there is no doubt that he did receive some of his income from this form of secular employment.
It is clear that in the vast majority of instances Paul did not rely upon his tentmaking to supplement that which was given to him by various believers. He had learned to be content in all circumstances, be they those of abundance or want (Phil.4:11-12 & I Thes.5:18), so that he could concentrate upon the work which God had called him to do. This does not mean that he was resigned to a life of poverty, for such an attitude would mean that he had succumbed to a lie of satan. We know this was not the case, for Paul clearly tells us in Phil.4:19 that he knew God would meet all his needs. His contentment was actually evidence of the fact that he did not concern himself with something which God had promised to do for him; namely, provide his needs.
Of equal importance is the fact that he did not want to give new believers any reason to think that he brought the Gospel to them in order to make money. He did not ask them for support (II Cor.11:7). Instead, he relied upon the Holy Spirit to provide for him by touching the heats of the more mature believers. When those believers heeded the Lord's directions, Paul had abundance. When they did not, Paul endured times of hardships. In either case though he knew that the Lord was his source and would provide. He simply accepted the fact that his needs were being met, and then went on about the task for which the Lord had called him.
This is not to say that Paul never mentioned the topic of giving. Numerous times we see that he encouraged the more mature believers to supply the needs of God's full time workers. He informed them that such sacrificial giving was pleasing to God and, as we shall see shortly, beneficial to them as well. He also did not hesitate to thank those who were obedient to the Lord's leading in giving unto him (Phil.4:14-18).
When Jesus sent out the 12 as recorded in Matt.10:8-10), He did so with these directions, "Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; FOR THE WORKER IS WORTH HIS KEEP." (emphasis added - see also the sending out of the 72 in Lk.10:4-7). Notice that Jesus did not rely upon His carpentry skills in order to live after He began His full time ministry. According to Lk.8:3 and Matt.27:55 His needs were provided for by those to whom He ministered. Now this was not some new concept which was being introduced in the New Testament. Rather, it was a continuation of that which God had previously ordained.
The Levitical priests were the Old Covenant equivalent to today's full time pastors, teachers, and evangelists. When Israel entered the promised land the tribe of Levi was not given a large tract of land as were the other tribes. Instead, they were to live on the tithes which the rest of the Israelites were to regularly bring to the Lord (Nu.18:24,21,19 and vs 11 with 13; see also Deut.14:27-28 and Lev.7:34 & 36). The job of the Levities was to spend full time learning, teaching the people, and ministering unto the Lord (II Chron.31:4). They were not to divide their time between serving the Lord in this manner and trying to put bread on the table. However, like their New Testament counterparts the Israelites themselves did not always fulfill God's direction to bring the tithes into the storehouse. When this occurred God raised up prophets, such as Nehemiah, to point out their failure. "I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levities had not been given to them, and that all the Levities and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their fields. So I rebuked the officials..." (emphasis added, Neh.13:10-11).
If satan is able to convince God's people that they should not, or need not give to those who spend full time spreading God's Word, whether they know it or not, they are actually robbing themselves of some of God's blessings. The first part of Ez.44:30 may go against the grain of those believers who have not truly surrendered all their possessions to the Lord, because it says, "the best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts belong to the priests..." However, when they ignore what God has clearly said in that verse, look at the blessing they miss for themselves. The last part of that verse reads, "... you are to give them the first portion of your ground meal SO THAT A BLESSING MAY REST ON YOUR HOUSEHOLD" (emphasis added)
Not only does God desire to bless the household of the giver, but according to Deut.14:29, God promised to bless the tither in "ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS." (emphasis added). Note also that the opening of the floodgates of heaven, as recorded in Mal.3:10-11, and the rebuking of the devourer on our behalf is conditional upon our first bringing "food" into God's house. The tithes which the Israelites were robbing God of in Mal.3:9 consisted of more than merely the animal sacrifices required by the Law. Those tithes included the food and provisions which were to be used by the priests as their daily bread.
More importantly though, when we fail to properly support God's full time workers we are actually hindering, to some extent, the time when Jesus will return. I realize that this may appear to be an exaggerated statement; however, I believe that Scripture clearly supports such a view. From Matt.16:18 we know that Jesus is the one who will do the building of His Church. He is the architect and the contractor. We may very well be the laborers He uses, but the plan and the task are still His.
In Eph.5:27 we are shown that the Church He is returning for is not some incomplete, half finished building, but a spotless and radiant structure. Now, if we are the laborers and He is the architect/contractor, what or who is He going to use to train and prepare us for this work? In part, the answer is found in Eph. 4:11-12 wherein we are told that among other ways God has provided the church with apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists "... to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ (Church) MAY BE BUILT UP..." (parenthesis and emphasis added). If you hold to the view that we can do nothing to hinder the Lord's work, I believe that you would still agree with me that at the very least it could be said that if we fail to support those whom the Lord has sent to help prepare us for the very works of service which He will use to build His Church, we are part of the problem and not part of the solution.
Like the Old Testament Levities, those who are called to spend full time in His service as pastors, teachers, or evangelists (as well as singers, ministry staff members, etc) are to do exactly that, SPEND FULL TIME. While they are to be God's instruments, relying solely upon Him for their support, the rest of the body has been given this admonition:
"...do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely He says this for us doesn't He? Yes, this is written for us... if we have sowen spiritual seed among you, is it to much if we reap a MATERIAL harvest from you? ...Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple... THE LORD HAS COMMANDED THAT THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL SHOULD RECEIVE THEIR LIVING FROM THE GOSPEL..." emphasis added, I Cor.9:7-15).
Do not feel that this is in any way critical of any pastor who also must hold down a secular job. The fellowship over which the Lord has placed you may be extremely small or very young in the Lord, such as was true in the case of Paul in Thessalonica. To the congregation who has such a pastor I would ask this question. Is he being forced to seek secular employment simply because his flock has not yet heard of or lived up to their obligation to provide for his needs?
Paul said that some of the troubles he endured came about in order that he might learn to rely totally upon the Lord (II Cor.1:9). Two things were in effect happening at the same time. On one hand, the church's failure to regularly provide for Paul caused him to be in a position of having to rely totally upon God. On the other, the churches were learning to recognize the voice of the Lord in their lives as He directed them to give unto His full time workers. What Paul learned was important for him, because once He learned that God would in fact provide for him, he was not dependent upon any one giver or group of givers. As such, there were no purse strings which could control him. What the congregations learned as they yielded to God's direction to give unto His chosen workers is that they were blessed beyond that which they gave.
This study was written to point out several things. The full time worker has the right to expect that his material needs will be met by those to whom he ministers. This is God's will. At the same time, his love for them will keep him from causing them to stumble by insisting upon his right if they either do not, or are unable to respond to God's direction in this area. Second, we, as members of the body of Christ have the clear duty and privilege of supporting those fellow believers whom the Lord has called to minister to us and help prepare us for works of service.
Seek the face of the Lord and ask Him where He would have you direct your offerings. Follow His directions, accept the blessings which He promises will flow back to you, and then praise the Lord because such obedience on your part will hasten the day of His return.