Chapter 6 - The Sincerity of Ministry

The Dorian principle a biblical response to the commercialization of Christianity by Conley Owens Chapter 6 the sincerity of ministry pragmatism versus principle

I did not have a lasting career in the world of theater, but I did enjoy the time

I spent in it At one point I had the privilege of being cast in a community production of the fantastics

If you are unfamiliar with the musical the first act models the plot of Romeo and Juliet But ends more comically than the

Shakespearean tragedy Two young lovers pursue each other while their feuding families attempt to keep them apart

Through their perseverance they happily married by the end of the first act however

The couple struggles to keep their relationship together in the second act When they discover the family conflict was all a ruse

Their fathers only pretended to fight in order to matchmake the rebellious youth Who they were certain would do exactly what they told them not to do and fall in love with exactly whom they told them not to fall in love with The word pragmatic best describes the two fathers in the fantastics

While other parents might be driven by principles such as honesty or Liberty These fathers were dead set on accomplishing the match through whatever means they had available to them

This divide between pragmatism and principle applies to our consideration of Paul's ministry

Most people would not regard the Apostle Paul as a devious manipulator regardless many label his refusal of funds as an act of pragmatism an

Otherwise morally neutral course of action taken in order to advance the gospel with minimal impediment

Sometimes Paul refuses funds in order to promote an industrious work ethic Sometimes he refuses funds in order to satisfy the expectations of his audience

Sometimes he refuses funds in order to accommodate the impoverished sometimes he refuses funds in order to avoid conflicts of interest and so on in The course of this book

I have taken a different approach Rejecting the notion that Paul primarily acts out of various pragmatic motivations

Rather I have identified the Apostle as a principled actor following a singular moral code set by Christ Yet this code itself is not without its own underlying motivation

Paul does not promote obedience to an arbitrary rule But instead highlights the virtue that undergirds the

Dorian principle and its rejection of reciprocity While he indeed speaks of gospel reach and other motivations.

He primarily emphasizes the importance of sincerity He states the matter most directly in the second epistle to the

Corinthians For we are not like so many Peddlers of God's Word, but as men of sincerity as commissioned by God in the sight of God.

We speak in Christ 2nd Corinthians 2 17 Paul identifies the peddling of God's Word ie

Receiving in exchange for ministry as the opposite of sincerity While the

Apostle occasionally mentions other factors that motivate his policy. This goal sits at the core of his intentions in This chapter we will explore a handful of Paul stated motivations

Examining how they align with the virtue of sincerity These motivations certainly voice

Paul's concern for the spread of the gospel, but ultimately clear his name from charges of pragmatism

More importantly they reveal sincerity's discord with reciprocity as well as its harmony with co -labor

Sincere ministry in the previous chapter we saw that Paul waives his right to support in order to maintain his status as a servant and Naturally follows that he must abide by the

Dorian principle in order to serve sincerely While he primarily speaks of his service to the

Lord in 1st Corinthians 9 He also speaks of his service to others 1st

Corinthians 9 19 This continues in 2nd Corinthians 11 where the Apostle claims that he preaches free of charge in order to exalt others

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted because I preach

God's gospel to you free of charge 2nd Corinthians 11 7 While Paul's humility is physical the

Corinthians exaltation is spiritual that is The Apostle exalts the Corinthians through their salvation.

They have been raised up and seated in the heavenly places Ephesians 2 6

The preceding context redefines this exaltation in terms of betrothal to Christ 2nd

Corinthians 11 2 If his goal is the salvation of the Corinthians Then Paul rejects funds in order that he can rightly or effectively preach the gospel

On either of these counts Paul's free preaching extends from his sincerity If it is necessary to preach freely in order to preach rightly

He will do so because he ministers sincerely without ulterior motive If it is necessary to preach freely in order to preach effectively

He will do so because he sincerely desires the Corinthian exaltation Paul argues that his rejection of payment is an expression of love for the

Corinthians 2nd Corinthians 11 11 cf Galatians 4 16

Anything else would be insincere cf 2nd Corinthians 2 17 Not truly a pursuit of love

Sincere Apostleship As Paul's ministry is in his apostleship it stands to reason that sincere ministry demands sincere apostleship thus

When false apostles began leading people astray in Corinth Paul appeals to his fidelity to the dorian principle in order to demonstrate the truth of his apostleship

As his opponents have not lived up to the same standard this same principle demonstrates their false apostleship

Speaking of his rejection of funds Paul writes And what I am doing

I will continue to do In order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission

They work on the same terms as we do 2nd Corinthians 11 12 Paul chooses rejection of payment as a marker of delineation between himself and others who claim to have a similar apostolic ministry

And his choice of this particular distinctive is not arbitrary If his actions are to cut off opportunity from his opponents to claim apostolicity

What he does must actually mark his ministry as true not merely different As the greek word apostolos indicates

An apostle is sent And this commission entails a certain behavior Toward those to whom he is sent

He must share his message indiscriminately And without return from the recipients of his message

Not adopting the commercial practices of one who has ulterior motives This practice and attitude distinguish paul from his opponents in second corinthians

With this contrast in mind he pens the following words For we are not like so many peddlers of god's word second corinthians 2 17a sincere parenthood

Later in second corinthians paul speaks of his spiritual fatherhood Here for the third time.

I am ready to come to you And I will not be a burden for I seek not what is yours, but you

For children are not obligated to save up for their parents but parents for their children second corinthians 12 14 cf first thessalonians 2 5 through 7 9 through 12

This language of paternity highlights paul's role in the conversion of the corinthians thus

He says that he became a father to the corinthians in the gospel first corinthians 4 15

Similarly he birthed his galatian children through the formation of christ within them

Galatians 4 19 and he became onesimus's father upon onesimus's conversion philemon 10 through 11

This metaphor of paternity provides an illustration of why it would be particularly inappropriate

For paul to engage in ministerial reciprocity with his church plants While others might receive payment from their converts

Paul declines because this would be akin to a father burdening his child He rejects their money out of love second corinthians 11 11

He repeats this paternal ethic to the thessalonians contrasting greed and parenthood

As their spiritual father paul must act sincerely as a parent rather than with the pretext for greed

For we never came with words of flattery as you know nor with a pretext for greed god is witness

Nor did we seek glory from people whether from you or from others that we could have made demands as an apostle of christ

But we were gentle among you like a nursing mother taking care of her own children first thessalonians 2 5 through 7

Yet in a sense Paul does demand a form of repayment for his fatherly love

In return I speak as to children widen your hearts. Also second corinthians 6 13

While the apostle does not burden his children by accepting payment from his ministry He demands the repayment of love and honor in context

They are to do this by receiving his appeal to be reconciled to god second corinthians 5 20

In other words Sincere parenthood warrants sincere childlike deference if paul desires to secure the cooperation of his converts

He must reject their payment as a loving father Sincere diligence

In thessalonica paul refuses funds in order to set an example of hard work

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us Because we were not idle when we were with you nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it

But with toil and labor we worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you

It was not because we do not have that right but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate second thessalonians 3 7 through 9

Some have taken these comments to mean that though paul has no obligation to engage in manual labor

He does so in order to offer a lesson on work ethic However, if preaching and teaching are labors worthy of reward cf.

First timothy 5 17 Why are they not sufficient examples for the thessalonians? Since paul could undoubtedly work diligently as an apostle while refraining from physical labor

There must be some illegitimacy in accepting payment for his ministry Indeed there is

The preceding epistle to the thessalonians clarifies the matter Contrasting a pretext for greed first thessalonians 2 5 with paul's statement that we worked night and day first thessalonians 2 9 cf.

Second thessalonians 3 8 To receive payment from converts would be greedy and therefore lazy contrary to the diligence required of god's servants

Sincere diligence demands foregoing ministerial reciprocity Paul's ethic appears again as examples in his parting message to ephesus

I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel You yourselves know that these hands minister to my necessities and to those who are with me

And all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way We must help the weak and remember the words of the lord.

Jesus how he himself said It is more blessed to give than to receive acts 20 33 to 35

The apostle pits manual labor ministering to his own needs against covetousness in other words

Sincere diligence in the work of ministry requires the rejection of unmediated payment

He identifies anything else as greed furthermore He must help the weak by ministering freely to minister for pay would not be sufficient

By rejecting support in contexts where it would constitute direct payment Paul sets an example of hard work

However, this example is not grounded in arbitrary illustrative toil But in the sincere diligence required by the dorian principle

Sincere partnership Finally returning to first corinthians 9

Paul selectively refuses financial support so that he may be a partner in the work of the gospel

He gives priority to this motivation when he chooses to summarize his concerns with the following words

I do all things for the sake of the gospel so that I may become a fellow partaker of it first corinthians 9 23

NASB The greek word for fellow partaker here derives from koinonia the word used to refer to partnership and philippians

In this verse many translations speak of the gospel and sharing in its blessings however

This elaboration shifts the focus from the proclamation of the gospel to the rewards of the gospel and potentially misses the point of paul's argument

Having stated his sincere desire for the salvation of others He does not suddenly reveal that he is primarily concerned for his own salvation or that he hopes to benefit as his converts do

Here and in the following context he speaks of sharing in the gospel as a minister of it

Describing himself as an athlete striving for a reward in verses 24 through 27

Paul does not imagine himself Meriting the gift of salvation but winning the special prize due to faithful ministers cf first corinthians 3 14

In first corinthians 9 23 It is best to see paul as sharing in the work of the gospel

The preceding context confirms this The apostle has explained that causing another to stumble is to oppose the gospel

But here he offers the alternative To lead one to salvation is to be its partner furthermore

This use of the word gospel without an attendant verb frequently indicates the proclamation of the gospel

Romans 1 1 1st corinthians 9 14 2nd corinthians 2 12 10 14 galatians 2 7 philippians 2 22 4 15 and the words of one pair of commentators

Paul's overriding allegiance is as a partner of the gospel On many occasions

Paul rejects financial support so that he might sincerely partner in the work of ministry Other times his reception of funds does not compromise that goal

On those occasions those who support him are his partners cf philippians 4 15

Evidencing the notion of co -labor this passage reveals paul's motivation of sincerity

Rather than only putting on the appearance of a fellow worker He selectively accepts support so he might engage in sincere partnership conclusion notion

Notions of earnestness and veracity resound behind all of paul's explicit motivations for rejecting payment

The apostle operates as a sincere servant a sincere apostle a sincere father and a sincere partner

To wholeheartedly do what he has been called to do and genuinely be what he has been called to be

He must reject ministerial reciprocity Sincerity propels the dorian principle