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DEVOTIONS (2 Corinthians 4:13,14)It
is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same
spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know
that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.
My Morning Bread
(John 6:35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
BIBLE PEDDLERS
2Cor 2:17Unlike
so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary,
in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
There
are so many people who peddle the word of God for profit. And so few
take a genuine interest in those to whom they allegedly minister. Paul
spoke of Timothy in:
Php 2:20:21 saying,
"I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your
welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of
Jesus Christ." Has the statistic among Christian leadership really changed since then? Paul advised the Ephesian elders,
"I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves
know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs
of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of
hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus
himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"Acts 20:33-35
But
so few take Paul's advice. And again Paul says in 1Corinthians chapter 9
that while he and Barnabus have a right to get paid, they " have not
used any of these rights." 1Cor 9:15
so to offer the gospel free of charge. That's the way it should be. But
few who preach the gospel have the generosity to offer their services
free of charge. For it's an act of generosity for preachers to work for a
living and offer their services free of charge, as Paul said,
"What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,that I abuse not my power in the gospel." 1Cor 9:18
And isn't the gospel about generosity. Furthermore peddling the word of
God for profit calls into question one's motives as even Paul here
calls into question such people's motives. And there are in fact
"useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." 1Tim 6:5
Peter commands shepherds of God's flock to be "not greedy for money, but eager to serve" 1Peter 5:2 And why does he say that if that weren't an issue. To the Thessalonians he again pointed out his example.
"You yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not
idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying
for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling
so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because
we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a
model for you to follow." 2Thess 3:7-9
Rare
to find Christian leadership today which has not chosen to be a
financial burden to those to whom they are ministering. What kind of
example is that? Peddlers are also in the habit of adulterating their
commodities for the sake of gain. There are those who distort the Word
of God or their presentation of Christ in order to simply make more
money. There are even ministers who may not even realize the hold that
money has on them, who unconsciously distort the Word so as to make more
of it. They distort it so as to make it more "Popular" or to simply
make people feel good about themselves.
"They will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2Tim 4:3
Popular Christianity seldom represents Biblical Christianity. If
something is popular, there's usually something wrong with it. And true
believers are probably not the majority, but the remnant of Christendom.
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