25 The Book Of Galatians – Chapter 6:6 - Message 25 – Should Any Or All Pastors Be Paid? A Look At Payment Of People In Christian Ministry And Sharing Good Things Series

25 THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 6:6 - Message 25 – SHOULD ANY OR ALL PASTORS BE PAID? A LOOK AT PAYMENT OF PEOPLE IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AND SHARING GOOD THINGS

[A]. INTRODUCTION:

The last chapter of Galatians is very practical as we have seen already. Before we move to verse 6, I want to share something that ended the previous two studies in this chapter. This is from a former missionary to China, Willis -

{{Galatians 6:5 “for each one shall bear his own load.”}}

[[One of the best Christian soldiers that I ever knew used to say, “My life’s motto is ‘travel light’”. Do not put anything in that pack except what the Captain of our salvation has put in it and then we may be sure our load will be, as he promised, light.

That soldier of Jesus Christ of whom I have just spoken, had learned to travel with a very light pack and perhaps that was the reason that she “for she was a lady soldier”, was able to bear more of the burdens of her sisters and brothers than any other person I knew. If we have filled up our own private load that we have to bear for ourselves with all sorts of things of our own, then we cannot expect to bear one another's burdens.]]

Another has written in clarification of the passage – {{Verse 5. - FOR EVERY MAN SHALL BEAR HIS OWN BURDEN for each man shall carry his own pack.”}} A man's business is with his own pack; and all depends upon his carrying that, not putting it down. This "pack" is the whole of the duties for the discharge of which each man is responsible. It is thus that the image is employed by our Lord in Matthew 11:30 - "My yoke is easy, and my pack is light." The phrase literally means "the pack which is individually his own," and implies that men's responsibilities vary, each one having what is peculiar to himself. This "pack" is to be carefully distinguished from the "heavy loads" of verse 2. Christ makes our Christian obligations LIGHT to them who serve him well, but our burdens of remorse, shame, grief, loss, which are of our own wilful procuring, these are the HEAVY ones. One part of our "pack" of obligation is to help each other in bearing these "heavy loads" and we shall find our joy and crown of glorying in doing so.”]]

[B]. A MODERN DAY MINEFIELD

{{Galatians 6:6 “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.”}}

Before we advance any further here, I want to say something about why I used the term “minefield”. The money that is paid in support of Christian workers, or church ministers, church positions, and the hanging on, support staff, quite frequently causes friction. My purpose here is not to open up that can of worms but to look into it the way Paul established the function of ministry in the Apostolic Church.

Paul refers here to the support of those who genuinely labour in word and teaching, and I have opinions on that with a lot of qualifications here I could make. However we must go back to Paul’s own time to see how it would all be applied. There were those who laboured among the believers and Timothy and Titus come to mind. They needed supporting. There was no church hierarchal structure then; nor “clergy”, nor paid staff on a regular basis. Support was from gifts. There was no government social security.

The big question was, who were entitled to this form of gift-sharing”?

The Christian church over the past 1900 years has moved right away from the support by gifts and utilise a huge financial support for church staff. In some churches, there are the clergy, and bishops, archbishops, cardinals and right to the top. It is like in a lot of places, the people feeding on the giving in churches, is way out of hand. I think that is not what is meant; in fact, I am sure of it.

[C]. THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE OF SUPPORT

(a). Right back in the days of the Exodus God established the support of those ministering in God’s work. The Levitical priests were supported by tithes and offerings and by some of the sacrificed animals. {{Hebrews 7:5 “Those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law TO COLLECT A TENTH FROM THE PEOPLE, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham,”}} The priests served in the Tabernacle and Temple.

(b). It was to the Corinthians Paul had things to say about this issue. There were those saying Paul had no right of support because he was not an Apostle. Here is his reply –