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- The Dorian Principle – A Biblical Response to the Commercialization of Christianity by Conley Owens Chapter 2 –
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- The Policy of Paul – Contradiction Versus Consistency I have known many who express a fondness for the
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- TV series NCIS. Although I have never watched a full episode, I have enjoyed several clips from the show featuring hacking scenes.
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- In the most fantastic of them all, two characters attempt to stop a hacker who has gained access to their computer, an act which for some reason manifests as a series of pop -up windows appearing on the screen.
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- To work as quickly as possible, both heroes type on the keyboard at the same time, scanning through lines of source code that intermittently appear on the screen.
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- However, the hacker is finally stopped by a third hero who, in an act of common -sense genius, thinks to unplug the monitor.
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- From personal and professional experience, let me tell you that computer security does not even remotely work this way.
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- From blunders like this comes the phrase, write what you know. That is, the best kind of writing originates from some author who shares real experience in the subject matter.
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- It is unlikely the creators of NCIS had any deep background in computing. Unlike some, the apostle
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- Paul was a man who wrote about what he knew. Being personally trained by Gamaliel, a master of the
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- Jewish religion, and Jesus, the master of Christianity, Paul knew much of faith in God and the doctrines he expounded in his epistles.
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- This was no less the case when it came to ministry fundraising. In this arena,
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- Paul had experienced more than any of Jesus' early disciples. The most prolific among the apostles,
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- Paul incurred sizable financial needs. One scholar has estimated that even the production of an epistle like Romans would cost $2 ,275 in present -day dollars.
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- Naturally, Paul must have frequently contemplated the flow of money in gospel labors.
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- If you have not previously investigated the matter of ministry fundraising, the frequency with which
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- Paul addresses the topic may astound you. While Paul addresses some other topics of weighty significance rarely, for example, the
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- Lord's Supper, he frequently makes mention of fundraising practices. Beyond those texts regarding the collection for the poor in Jerusalem, major pericope include the entirety of 1
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- Corinthians 9, 2 Corinthians 11, 1 -15, 1
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- Thessalonians 2, 9 -12, 2 Thessalonians 3, 6 -12, and Philippians 4, 10 -20.
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- There is no shortage of Pauline passages that have some bearing on ministry finance.
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- At the same time, an initial look at Paul's ministry may cause us to level charges of inconsistency.
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- He commands people to give to ministers, yet rejects their attempts at payment. Sometimes he even receives money from the same people he earlier refused.
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- Does he arbitrarily create rules the way NCIS arbitrarily creates fictional security threats?
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- In this chapter, I want to take a look at the Corinthian epistles, where the apostle most directly sets forward his financial policy.
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- We will see that Paul is perfectly consistent, adopting the exact same pattern
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- Jesus set for his disciples. Rejection of Reciprocity In 1
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- Corinthians 9 and 2 Corinthians 11, Paul explains that he refuses to preach for pay.
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- He lists a variety of reasons why he does this, but these reasons may not overturn the simple what of his actions.
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- In both of these passages, the apostle provides a direct description of his policy, to preach the gospel free of charge.
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- What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
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- 1 Corinthians 9 .18 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself, so that you might be exalted, because I preached
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- God's gospel to you free of charge? 2 Corinthians 11 .7 Simply stated,
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- Paul rejects reciprocity, all that is offered in direct exchange for his work of ministry.
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- Many assume that Paul refuses Corinthian funds out of a preservation of his own independence.
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- By accepting their money, he would implicitly grant them the status of patron, obligating himself to them.
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- However, as frequently as this motivation is assumed, Paul never intimates it.
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- Further, a host of problems prohibit this understanding, not the least of which is that Paul's epistles do not indicate that the
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- Corinthians seek to have some status over Paul, but that they seek to have some status under him.
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- That is, if the patronage model should be applied, the Corinthians wish to be
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- Paul's clients, not his patrons. Instead, we must look elsewhere to elucidate the apostle's rationale.
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- Reception of Propempo Support Despite his commitments, the apostle
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- Paul does not reject financial support altogether, even in the context of his gospel preaching.
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- For example, in both Corinthian epistles, he speaks of his intentions to come to Corinth in order to be sent by them to Macedonia.
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- I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps
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- I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go.
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- 1 Corinthians 16 5 -6 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia, and have you send me on my way to Judea.
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- 2 Corinthians 1 16 The word for help and send in these verses is the
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- Greek word propempo, a term with financial overtones, meaning, to assist someone in a journey, send on one's way with food, money, by arranging for companions, means of travel, etc.
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- For example, when Paul commands Titus to propempo Zenos and Apollos, he is to do so seeing that they lack nothing.
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- Titus 3 13 In each of these verses, Paul makes it clear that he intends to have the
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- Corinthians support him in his missionary travels. In 1 Corinthians 16 6 -7, the anticipation of an extended stay focuses on the
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- Corinthians helping the apostles rather than the apostle ministering to them. Additionally, rather than referring to the blessing of Paul's ministry, the second experience of grace in 2
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- Corinthians 1 15 likely refers to the Corinthians' opportunity to support the apostle.
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- This fits with Paul's use of grace to refer to generosity and service. 1
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- Corinthians 16 3 2 Corinthians 8 4 6 -7 19
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- Yet how does this anticipation of propempo support fit with Paul's stated commitment to refuse any payment from the
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- Corinthians? Propempo as co -labor If Paul permanently refuses
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- Corinthian support, yet also plans to accept it, there is an apparent contradiction.
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- However, we can resolve this discrepancy by recognizing that while Paul resolutely opposes the reciprocity of Corinthian payment, propempo support more naturally falls under the rubric of co -labor.
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- Consider some of the biblical uses of the term. The church of Antioch sent, propempoed,
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- Paul and Barnabas to the Jerusalem council in order to deal with the threat of the
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- Judaizers. Acts 15 3 That is, the Antiocheans co -labored with Paul and Barnabas to defend the gospel.
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- Paul asks to be sent, propempoed, to Spain by the Roman church. Romans 15 24
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- Presumably for the purpose of evangelism. In other words, he asks them to co -labor with him for the propagation of the gospel.
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- Paul requests propempo support for Timothy on the grounds that he is doing the work of the
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- Lord as I am. 1 Corinthians 16 10 -11 The Corinthians are to assist, or co -labor, with Timothy in this work.
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- Paul likewise solicits propempo support for Zenos and Apollos. While Zenos is otherwise unknown,
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- Apollos undoubtedly performs some ministerial work that Titus, and presumably his congregation, is able to help with by sending them on their way.
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- Titus 3 13 They are to co -labor with Zenos and Apollos to promote the teaching of the gospel.
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- In perhaps the clearest instance of co -labor, John argues that Gaius should send out, propempo, noble missionaries, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
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- 3 John 8 So is propempo support co -labor? Plainly.
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- By sending Paul on his way, the Corinthians would assist him in proclaiming the gospel in Macedonia or any other destination.
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- In fact, in the very same context, he calls himself a co -laborer. 2
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- Corinthians 1 24 Paul does not reject all money, but only that which would constitute payment and compromise his free of charge proclamation of the gospel.
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- Thus, Paul can say that he does not write to receive any such provision, i .e.
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- reciprocity in 1 Corinthians 9 15, while also writing to receive some provision as he is sent out on his way, i .e.
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- co -labor in 1 Corinthians 16 5 -6. Labor as Suffering If the idea of treating money as co -labor seems odd, we should start by first looking at Paul's view of labor and how it relates to suffering.
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- Labor and suffering may seem like disparate concepts, but consider how frequently
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- Paul lists toil among his many persecutions. To the present hour, we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor working with our own hands.
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- 1 Corinthians 4 11 -12 But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way by great endurance in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger.
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- 1 Corinthians 6 4 -5 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one.
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- I am talking like a madman, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
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- Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times
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- I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked.
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- A night and a day I was adrift at sea, on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers, in toil and hardship.
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- Through many a sleepless night, and hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
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- 2 Corinthians 11 24 -27 Paul does not distinguish between manual labor and all the other forms of hardship he endures for the sake of the gospel.
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- In waiving the financial returns of secular toil in order to fund his own ministry, he suffers.
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- This truth extends to all people. Any who work, denying themselves the fruit of their labor, suffer.
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- If labor is suffering, then ministerial co -labor is nothing more than shared suffering for the sake of the gospel.
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- This becomes apparent in Galatians, where Paul speaks of giving to ministers in the context of carrying each other's burdens.
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- Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Let the one who is taught the words share all good things with the one who teaches.
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- Galatians 6 .2 -6 Those who sacrificially give in order to spare
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- Paul the task of secular employment, suffer hand in hand with him, carrying a portion of his burdens.
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- When one gives for the sake of the gospel, he experiences self -imposed hardship, e .g.,
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- financial loss, in order to bolster the efforts of another who voluntarily experiences hardship directly in the mission field.
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- As the book of Hebrews declares, To help one who is persecuted is to join in that experience of persecution.
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- Hebrews 10 .33 Those that give to the apostle do not simply labor with him, but in the employment of the same master.
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- Paul continues to explain that one who gives to a minister ultimately gives to God. The flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the
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- Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galatians 6 .7 -8
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- Paul considers one who gives for the sake of the gospel to sow to the Spirit. That is, in the spiritual economy, the direct and ultimate obligation is to God rather than the minister.
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- Note that the Spirit, in this context, refers to the Holy Spirit. C .F.
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- Galatians 5 .16 -25 Acts of giving and hospitality are co -labor in the fullest sense.
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- For a minister's needs to be met, either he or other believers must engage in some profit -generating enterprise to fund his ministry.
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- Regardless of who performs the work, that secular labor supports the same spiritual ministry.
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- The blessing of shared suffering The apostle Paul has no qualms with others experiencing this hardship for the sake of the gospel, because while they suffer together, they receive comfort together.
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- Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
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- 2 Corinthians 1 .7 On the other hand, reciprocity lacks any similar spiritual benefit.
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- One who gives out of a sense of duty to man does not experience suffering in service to God. This explains how
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- Paul can simultaneously refuse and receive support in differing contexts. Furthermore, it explains how he can simultaneously reject funds and command his churches to support the work of ministry.
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- C .F. 1 Corinthians 9 .14, Galatians 6 .6 By declining payment, he does not prevent anyone from fulfilling their obligation to give, but frees them to do so rightly in order that they might be truly blessed.
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- Conclusion Do you see the connection to our discoveries in the previous chapter?
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- Paul's policy follows the command of Christ. In refusing ministerial reciprocity while accepting and encouraging ministerial co -labor,
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- Paul does precisely what Jesus commanded of his disciples. In fact, both
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- Jesus and Paul use the same Greek word, Dorian, to describe their ministry as being free of charge.
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- 2 Corinthians 11 .7, Matthew 10 .8 While initially perplexing,
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- Paul's behavior is perfectly consistent. His fidelity to the Dorian principle leads him to reject direct payment for the gospel, yet otherwise accept assistance.
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- Duty to God must triumph over a sensed debt to any minister, since God mediates all obligation to His servants as ministers.
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- In the next chapter, we will consider the nature and shape of this mediated obligation as we continue to examine 1
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- Corinthians 9. End of chapter 2 1
