Help!

[Allen]

If you wish to insult me, criticize me, call me crazy, stone me, or whatever else comes to mind, stand in line

I understand that we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God - Yes?
We are to understand God's Holy Word by placing lines upon lines, and precepts upon precepts - Yes?

Let me show you one conclusion I have come to.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this 1Corinthians 9:3 KJB:PCE (PURE CAMBRIDGE EDITION)

Following 9:3, we see the verses that all of us have heard from pastors, regarding funds...

The subject of 9:4 through 9:11is the old precept of not muzzling the Ox, it (the laborour) is worthy of its hire.

Fine, the very next line, God inspired Paul to say - If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE

God told us through Paul that Paul taking wages would HINDER the Gospel of Christ!

Period, end of discussion, Paul WILL NOT FORBEAR WORKING, SO HE WOULD NOT HINDER THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!

Fine, Paul is a wonderful Christian

What does this have to do with me?

Well, here is a line and a precept that ought to be added to 1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE...

1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE + 1Corinthians 11:1

BE ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1Corinthians 11:1 KJB:PCE

Note, in that verse the following of Paul is equated with following Christ.

Also, the word followers is defined by Strong's as ...

Strong's G3402,

mimētēs
mim-ay-tace'
From G3401; an imitator: - follower.

MIMIC, IMITATE!

If Paul siad it, we say it, if Paul did it, we do it - YES?

So, if we wish to follow Christ, we do what Paul did - Yes?

What did Paul do?

He preached and he taught - Si?

What did he preach? For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1Corinthians 2:2 KJB:PCE

He preached Christ and Him crucified!

What did he teach? He taught everyone to go forth and DO 1Corinthians 11:1! Paul knew what 1Corinthians 11:1 meant, people were NOT to sit before him throwing money at him for endless years!

Everyone, including women, within their God given perameters, is to go about following Christ by imitating Paul!

There it is, lines upon lines, and precepts upon precepts.

And for this and many other conclusions I have come to, I am mercilessly clOBbered.

So, have at it, both barrels, WHY is this conclusion not so?

Thanks for your time.

Serve the Truth, the Living Word, Jesus Christ,
Allen

[Annie]

If you wish to insult me, criticize me, call me crazy, stone me, or whatever else comes to mind, stand in line

I understand that we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God - Yes?
We are to understand God's Holy Word by placing lines upon lines, and precepts upon precepts - Yes?

Let me show you one conclusion I have come to.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this 1Corinthians 9:3 KJB:PCE (PURE CAMBRIDGE EDITION)

Following 9:3, we see the verses that all of us have heard from pastors, regarding funds...

The subject of 9:4 through 9:11is the old precept of not muzzling the Ox, it (the laborour) is worthy of its hire.

Fine, the very next line, God inspired Paul to say - If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE

God told us through Paul that Paul taking wages would HINDER the Gospel of Christ!

Period, end of discussion, Paul WILL NOT FORBEAR WORKING, SO HE WOULD NOT HINDER THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!

Fine, Paul is a wonderful Christian

What does this have to do with me?

Well, here is a line and a precept that ought to be added to 1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE...

1Corinthians 9:12 KJB:PCE + 1Corinthians 11:1

BE ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1Corinthians 11:1 KJB:PCE

Note, in that verse the following of Paul is equated with following Christ.

Also, the word followers is defined by Strong's as ...

Strong's G3402,

mimētēs
mim-ay-tace'
From G3401; an imitator: - follower.

MIMIC, IMITATE!

If Paul siad it, we say it, if Paul did it, we do it - YES?

So, if we wish to follow Christ, we do what Paul did - Yes?

What did Paul do?

He preached and he taught - Si?

What did he preach? For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1Corinthians 2:2 KJB:PCE

He preached Christ and Him crucified!

What did he teach? He taught everyone to go forth and DO 1Corinthians 11:1! Paul knew what 1Corinthians 11:1 meant, people were NOT to sit before him throwing money at him for endless years!

Everyone, including women, within their God given perameters, is to go about following Christ by imitating Paul!

There it is, lines upon lines, and precepts upon precepts.

And for this and many other conclusions I have come to, I am mercilessly clOBbered.

So, have at it, both barrels, WHY is this conclusion not so?

Thanks for your time.

Serve the Truth, the Living Word, Jesus Christ,
Allen

Allen, I'm certainly not going to "mercilessly clOBber" you. I'll simply make a comment. First, if you are going to add the "precept" (which is not in that passage) where you have inserted it, what is to stop us from adding that precept wherever else we want to in Scripture? For example, Paul was a maker of tents; should we imitate him in this? We shouldn't put words in God's mouth by adding ideas that aren't in the passage.

Second, Paul himself says plainly in II Corinthians 11:8 that he "took wages" from other churches in order to "do service" for the Corinthian church. He says also (in 11:9) that all of his needs were supplied by "the brethren which came from Macedonia" (in other words, people that were not Corinthian locals). In other words, Paul relied on Christian brethren to meet his daily needs so that he could focus on ministry. The fact that in this instance he did not accept wages from the Corinthian church does not mean that he never accepted wages, or even that accepting financial assistance from churches was not his normal way of operating. Paul brings up this topic because the Corinthian church was being swayed by "false apostles, deceitful workers" (verse 3, 13), people who were more believable because of their ostentatious speech and acts. The Corinthians' "minds are being corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." In this situation, Paul is having to explain why what he's teaching them (freely, unlike these false teachers) is worth listening to, even though they aren't paying for it. He tells them of his love for them, of the things he has done to show that love to them, and of the trials he had gone through to share the gospel with them. But the fact remains that he was clearly receiving financial support from other churches.

I think Paul's life is indeed worthy of imitation, but that doesn't mean that every one of us must remain single, have an itinerant ministry, endure extreme persecution, or refuse financial support from brethren. Should we be "in ministry" for the money, enriching ourselves at the expense of others? Absolutely not. But should we deny others the joy and blessing of supporting our ministry? Again, absolutely not. Edited November 28, 2010 by Annie