Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveC519
The context of 1Cor 9 is the "we [who] have sown unto you spiritual things" (vs. 11), and Paul lists himself, Barnabas, Peter, the Lord's brethren (presumably James and Jude), and other Apostles. IOW- those of the five-fold ministry ( Eph 4:11). If the context was intended to be the corporate ministry of one believer to the other, it is strange how this is conspicuously absent from this passage.
And yet Paul specifically classifies those who are ordained within the Body "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ ( Eph 4:12)"- the five-fold ministry.
I don't disagree with your statement, but this does not obviate Paul's assertion that a right existed to "reap carnal things" from those among whom "spiritual things had been sown". And who possessed that right, a right which was to be patterned (IN LIKE MANNER) after the Levitical tithing system (vs. 13)? "they which preach the gospel" (vs. 14). |
The five-fold ministry are the things where
one edifies the other. Roman 14:19
The bible does not say that he gave gifts to
some men. It says he gave gifts to men, come from the greek anthropos, which means mankind.
Eph 4:8.
And in
Eph 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
What does the Bible say about the Body of Christ? It says in
I Corinthians 12.
I Corinthians
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh
all in all.
7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14
For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body;
but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
But this is not inferring that all the ministry is to receive a tithe. Not at all. You are adding to scripture something that isn't there.
We are all the ministry with diverse gifts from the Spirit. So how can one man be elevated above the rest of the people to obtain the fruits of their labor? This is in direct violation of
Romans 12:16.
I will say this, I have not been in any church where the five-fold ministry is whole and operating. Somehow a "pastor" has been elevated to the top and many of them will preach that they are entitled to 10% tithe of the people's earnings. And they will use the Levitical priesthood as their example. Or in your case (in like manner). I sat under a pastor that would not have an assistant pastor because, in his words...no church can have two heads. He was so full of himself that he forgot that Christ is the Head of the church.
There was a well-known ministry who brought all the people in his local body to this church to worship because they did not have a church building of their own. This very church split because of a fierce disagreement between the pastor and the superintendent of the other organization about who reserved the right to take the tithes.
Yes, they fought over money. It hurt the body of Christ when two pastors were fighting over the carnal things they each thought they were entitled to reap from the people.
IMO, neither should have had the right because they were acting like two fools fighting over the money.
If there was an actual five-fold ministry operating in our churches today, the four walls could not contain the people and the banks would be bursting from the free will giving. The Holy Spirit would convict the people into giving as the Lord hath prospered them. If the church system was truly seeking the Kingdom of God...all the other things would be added unto them just like Christ said. They would not be whining about 'stingy' people.
I was a tither every penny and more until I saw how preachers manipulate and misconstrue the Scriptures to obtain the fruits of another's labor. I saw how they fought one another. I saw how they wrangled and manipulated scripture to obtain even a dollar out of someone receiving welfare. And this is not all of the nonsense I've heard coming from the mouths of teachers who lived well above the average "saint".
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