The Modern Pastor: A Peddler

It was said by the Lord Jesus to a man named Ananias,

Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.  And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight…Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.

And by this Saul, later known as Paul, it is later said,

This is a faithful saying and worthy of acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

And again he says in another place,

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies o the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind of earthly things.

Paul was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.  In accord with such a calling, he was given wisdom (among many other things) and the stewardship of laying the foundation of Christ in all who would believe the gospel in every place he was sent.  As it was written, he was given by the Lord as a pattern to those are going to believe on Jesus for everlasting life.  And so he writes, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” In the same epistle he also writes, “And God has appointed these in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” In accord with this statement, he writes to the Ephesians a word that applies to all the people of God assembled in every place which is, “…you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

When he writes that God has appointed these first, second, and so on, he is not establishing a hierarchy to which men ought to pay tribute as the natural mind might suppose.  Jesus says to His disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.” The lords of the gentiles are called ‘benefactors’ for no other reason than that they receive benefit from them that are under them solely because of their position.  Paul confirms to us that he himself conforms to the pattern of greatness defined by Jesus when he says to the young Corinthians, “You have reigned as kings without us – and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!  For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.  We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ!  We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!  To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.” And also when he says to them, “Now for the third time I am ready to come to you.  And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you.  For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” Therefore, it is clear that Paul does not speak of a system established by God wherein apostles are at the top of the food chain, followed by prophets and so on, reaping benefit from them that are below.  So what does he mean then?

When God establishes an assembly, He only does so with those to whom He Has given the apostolic and/or prophetic grace.  A church founded by an evangelist, pastor, or teacher is not one built by God.  Interestingly enough, when Paul explains the order of them that God has appointed in the assembly, pastor and evangelist are missing from the list entirely.  Why?  Because even though one with an evangelistic grace may be the first to share the gospel in a given place, they are not equipped by God with the wisdom or ability to establish an assembly to continue in obedience to the gospel.  Neither does one with a pastoral grace possess an understanding of God’s blueprint, a vision of the big picture to the extent that they can sufficiently establish an assembly.  Herein is seen the utmost necessity for Paul, as well as every other apostle, both then and now, to be made an example by the Lord for others to imitate as apostles are God’s first wave, teaching by example the only way to follow Christ.

To focus now on the target of this chapter, the modern pastor, first consider what is the biblical description and role of a pastor.  Three different terms describe the same role in the New Testament: pastor, elder, and overseer (often times translated ‘bishop’).  God starts an assembly by first appointing apostles and sending them to the places where He intends to establish His household.  Apostles are given wisdom and authority by God to appoint as pastors them that have received such a grace from God.  Luke, describing the activities of Paul and Barnabas, writes, “So when they had appointed elders in every assembly, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” The appointing of pastors is not done at random, but by prayer, fasting and the careful observation of behavior and character that indicate if in fact God has already been working in a person to prepare them for such a duty.  For so Paul writes to Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you – if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.  For a bishop must be…” Pastors then, according to the biblical description, are overseers appointed by apostles to continue the work began in a particular place by being an edifying pattern of godliness in the absence of the apostle(s) they themselves have patterned their behavior after.  Pastors are called elders as well because they must be the most spiritually mature in an area to continue being an example to them that are yet babes and young men in Christ.  A man is not a pastor of God if he has been appointed by any other means, be it by teachers (seminary), church elections, or whatever.  God’s pattern is established and unchanging.    If a man has been appointed by God through the hands of His apostles, and has come to imitate that apostle just as he also imitates Christ, it will be clearly seen.  If it is not so, something is terribly amiss and such a person ought not continue in such a role until they have learned obedience.

To now examine the proper pattern for every minister of God, consider Paul’s example.

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.  But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.  For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.  But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but god who tests our hearts.  For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a pretext for greed – God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.  But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.  So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.  For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread for nothing, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ…Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel to you free of charge?  I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them to minister to you.  And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied.  And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself…Now for the third time I am ready to come to you.  And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you.  For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.  And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.  But be that as it may, I did not burden you.  Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you be cunning!  Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you?  I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him.  Did Titus take advantage of you?  Did we not walk in the same spirit?  Did we not walk in the same steps?

Paul plainly states that he himself labored and toiled day and night to provide for his own needs and the needs of them that were with him so as to not be a burden upon the assemblies he worked to establish and nurture.  It is well known that he was a tent-maker by trade and that he labored in his trade in addition to preaching the gospel and teaching the saints.  He considered it humiliating and robbery to accept supplies from the Macedonians as he writes to the saints in Corinth.  Being an apostle, and by association a pastor, is not a career or even a day job.  It is a stewardship from God that requires everything a man has, not withholding that he should also work with his own hands to provide for the needs of himself and them that are with him.  Paul states time and again, “follow my example,” and even indicates that other approved workers, like Titus, did just that.  When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom and heal the afflicted, He told them, “Freely have you received, freely give.” Everything that a man receives from God for the benefit of His body is freely received and must be freely given.  And so Paul writes, “we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God…I preached the gospel free of charge…” According to the New Testament pattern, it is nothing but peddling the word of God to accept as a wage the sacrifice of the people, especially as modern pastors receive a salary from a church budget which is largely comprised of ‘tithes’.  The concept of tithing is entirely foreign to New Testament practice and anyone who would teach otherwise is a false teacher, misapplying an Old Testament practice to a New Testament reality.

Arguably, as many modern pastors teach tithing (or at the very least promote it by receiving benefit from it without complaint or resistance) as the command of God, they technically can charge for such a teaching as it has not come from God.  As they themselves are unapproved workers teaching unapproved things, they do have a unique product which was not given to them, free of charge, from God.  Regardless, the fact that they name themselves by the name of God and parade around as ministers of righteousness qualifies them to be judged by the body of Christ by His righteous standard.  Such deceitful workers need to be either stripped of their authority and dismissed from fellowship until they learn to walk according to the proper pattern, or, if they have so much sway over an assembly that none would speak up and be supported in dismissing the disorderly one, then them that do recognize the truth from within need to abandon the fellowship of darkness to be united with the children of light.  “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial?  Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For you are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”