"If we among you, sow spiritual things, is it a great thing if we from you reap material things?"1
Jesus said that we are to labor for food that doesn't perish, spiritual things, not earthly things that might fill the belly and not our soul. These spiritual things as Paul writes should have the purpose of the edification or building up of the church into faith for the work of ministry. Of course, we see in the early church two ways to serve; there were leaders who served (ministered) the people in earthly things and who served the church in spiritual things. To not care for the needs of God's people is to turn your heart from them, it is not serving them. Those called to be ministers serve the people and in return may receive of the earthly blessings of the people.
We see the primary purpose of a minister is to serve spiritual food. In fact this very concept guides us in how we should give, if we are served by a minister spiritual food we may give of our earthly material things. Now, some ministers seem to have turned this around, saying you are to sow first, "if you sow a financial seed you will blessed... 30, 60, 100 fold" but doesn't this contradict this concept? and the need for the minister to give spiritual things first? I believe this is an amazing concept, freeing from teachings that are counterproductive to those who truly want to give.
One should not be pressed into giving, emotions, guilt, fear, shame... all these things add to the confusion of not being able to discern who to give to, thus many do not give at all. I believe if we taught and operated to such a Biblical concept the church would give more. If you are giving me spiritual things, building my faith, I will bless you back with earthly blessings. In the Bible it states that in the end time many swindlers, thieves, and greedy people would enter the church. Even with Jesus we see Judas stealing from the money given. I know when I receive a spiritual blessing, it is food for the soul, any hint of anything else should warn me otherwise.
"Vanity and lies remove far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me bread my portion."5
I know what spiritual food is, it nourishes my soul, it is food that does not perish, if my giving is based upon anything else I could be deceived. If I know what spiritual blessings are, and I am receiving such then I am obligated to give back to the "server" of such food, I guess you could call it a tip. Such is a spiritual thing in itself. I seek not food that perishes, give me food to everlasting life, not for earthly gain, nor riches, gold and silver, not the blessings of this earth, I seek heavenly things, food for my soul. Sow spiritual things and from me reap material things.
Jesus said that we are to labor for food that doesn't perish, spiritual things, not earthly things that might fill the belly and not our soul. These spiritual things as Paul writes should have the purpose of the edification or building up of the church into faith for the work of ministry. Of course, we see in the early church two ways to serve; there were leaders who served (ministered) the people in earthly things and who served the church in spiritual things. To not care for the needs of God's people is to turn your heart from them, it is not serving them. Those called to be ministers serve the people and in return may receive of the earthly blessings of the people.
We see the primary purpose of a minister is to serve spiritual food. In fact this very concept guides us in how we should give, if we are served by a minister spiritual food we may give of our earthly material things. Now, some ministers seem to have turned this around, saying you are to sow first, "if you sow a financial seed you will blessed... 30, 60, 100 fold" but doesn't this contradict this concept? and the need for the minister to give spiritual things first? I believe this is an amazing concept, freeing from teachings that are counterproductive to those who truly want to give.
One should not be pressed into giving, emotions, guilt, fear, shame... all these things add to the confusion of not being able to discern who to give to, thus many do not give at all. I believe if we taught and operated to such a Biblical concept the church would give more. If you are giving me spiritual things, building my faith, I will bless you back with earthly blessings. In the Bible it states that in the end time many swindlers, thieves, and greedy people would enter the church. Even with Jesus we see Judas stealing from the money given. I know when I receive a spiritual blessing, it is food for the soul, any hint of anything else should warn me otherwise.
"Vanity and lies remove far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me bread my portion."5
I know what spiritual food is, it nourishes my soul, it is food that does not perish, if my giving is based upon anything else I could be deceived. If I know what spiritual blessings are, and I am receiving such then I am obligated to give back to the "server" of such food, I guess you could call it a tip. Such is a spiritual thing in itself. I seek not food that perishes, give me food to everlasting life, not for earthly gain, nor riches, gold and silver, not the blessings of this earth, I seek heavenly things, food for my soul. Sow spiritual things and from me reap material things.