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RIGHTS OF A CHRISTIAN MINISTER
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Paul, a true apostle, having seen the Lord, and the Corinthians being the fruit of his labor, posed these questions:
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Was he not free?
Did he not have the right to food and drink?
Did he not have the right to take a believing wife as other apostles did?
Did he not have the right to not work for a living?
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Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes?
Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
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This is mere human authority, but also the Law of Moses says,
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“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”
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Meaning, it was written for God’s ministers who have sown spiritual seed and should receive a material harvest. The Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
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WAIVING RIGHTS
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Yet, the Apostle Paul did not use this right nor cleaved to his other rights. He said he was compelled to preach, AND WOE TO HIM IF HE PREACHED NOT THE GOSPEL! He would put up with anything rather than hinder the GOSPEL OF CHRIST. He preached voluntarily to receive a reward. And if not voluntarily, the trust committed to him would be discharged.
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Paul the Apostle preached the Gospel, free of charge, not making full use of his rights as a preacher of the gospel for the purpose of winning souls.
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He was free and belonged to no one.
But he waived that right and made himself a slave to everyone,
to win as many as possible.
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To the Jews, he became like a Jew, to win the Jews.
To those under the law, he became like one under the law
(though we are not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
To those not having the law, he became like one not having the law
(though we are free from God’s law but are under Christ’s law ),
so as to win those not having the law.
To the weak, he became weak, to win the weak
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Paul became all things to all people to win some.
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He did all this for the sake of the Gospel, to share in its blessings.
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DISCIPLINED TO WIN
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In a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize, and those that run do it in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training to get a crown that will not last. But God’s ministers do it to get a crown that will last forever.
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As an example, the Apostle Paul:
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Did not run aimlessly
Did not fight like a boxer beating the air
Made his body his slave
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So that after he preached to others, he would not be disqualified for the prize.
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PRAYING FOR OUR LOST LOVED ONES
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Father God, all we hear in this chapter of the Bible is to preach the Gospel at all costs, denying self to win souls.
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A common complaint of people not wanting to go to church is, “hypocrites go there,” and “all they want is money.”
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They couldn’t say that of someone like the Apostle Paul who was not self-serving. Lord You commanded that those that preach should receive their living from the gospel. Then we see someone “who goes beyond his line of duty” like the Apostle Paul and waives this right, and many other rights, because he has his eyes on the prize, winning souls.
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LORD of the Harvest, churches and ministers have the right to be supported, as well as other rights. Our prayer is that our lost loved ones will hear the Gospel as the MAIN THEME, and that the laborers of Your field not be selfish, but willing to put the salvation of souls first before themselves and their rights, and we are praying the same for us. In Jesus name. Amen.
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(From 1 Corinthians 9)
RIGHTS OF A CHRISTIAN MINISTER
-
Paul, a true apostle, having seen the Lord, and the Corinthians being the fruit of his labor, posed these questions:
-
Was he not free?
Did he not have the right to food and drink?
Did he not have the right to take a believing wife as other apostles did?
Did he not have the right to not work for a living?
-
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes?
Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
-
This is mere human authority, but also the Law of Moses says,
-
“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”
-
Meaning, it was written for God’s ministers who have sown spiritual seed and should receive a material harvest. The Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
-
WAIVING RIGHTS
-
Yet, the Apostle Paul did not use this right nor cleaved to his other rights. He said he was compelled to preach, AND WOE TO HIM IF HE PREACHED NOT THE GOSPEL! He would put up with anything rather than hinder the GOSPEL OF CHRIST. He preached voluntarily to receive a reward. And if not voluntarily, the trust committed to him would be discharged.
-
Paul the Apostle preached the Gospel, free of charge, not making full use of his rights as a preacher of the gospel for the purpose of winning souls.
-
He was free and belonged to no one.
But he waived that right and made himself a slave to everyone,
to win as many as possible.
-
To the Jews, he became like a Jew, to win the Jews.
To those under the law, he became like one under the law
(though we are not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
To those not having the law, he became like one not having the law
(though we are free from God’s law but are under Christ’s law ),
so as to win those not having the law.
To the weak, he became weak, to win the weak
-
Paul became all things to all people to win some.
-
He did all this for the sake of the Gospel, to share in its blessings.
-
DISCIPLINED TO WIN
-
In a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize, and those that run do it in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training to get a crown that will not last. But God’s ministers do it to get a crown that will last forever.
-
As an example, the Apostle Paul:
-
Did not run aimlessly
Did not fight like a boxer beating the air
Made his body his slave
-
So that after he preached to others, he would not be disqualified for the prize.
-
PRAYING FOR OUR LOST LOVED ONES
-
Father God, all we hear in this chapter of the Bible is to preach the Gospel at all costs, denying self to win souls.
-
A common complaint of people not wanting to go to church is, “hypocrites go there,” and “all they want is money.”
-
They couldn’t say that of someone like the Apostle Paul who was not self-serving. Lord You commanded that those that preach should receive their living from the gospel. Then we see someone “who goes beyond his line of duty” like the Apostle Paul and waives this right, and many other rights, because he has his eyes on the prize, winning souls.
-
LORD of the Harvest, churches and ministers have the right to be supported, as well as other rights. Our prayer is that our lost loved ones will hear the Gospel as the MAIN THEME, and that the laborers of Your field not be selfish, but willing to put the salvation of souls first before themselves and their rights, and we are praying the same for us. In Jesus name. Amen.
-
(From 1 Corinthians 9)
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