Reflections on God and Money: Giving & Funding (15)

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

Galatians 3:23-26 & 1 Corinthians 9:13-14

In Galatians 3, St Paul calls the Law ‘our guardian’. The original Greek word that Paul used refers to a family servant employed to take the children to school. Although Christians are no longer under the guardian, it is not to say that what the guardian taught should be ignored or forgotten. We can learn from what the Law says about giving and, in 1 Corinthians, Paul explains what we should learn from the Law about giving.

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul is arguing for his rights as an apostle – but, crucially, not because he wants to exercise them but to make clear that he waives them. ‘Do we not have the right to eat and drink?’ he argues before he goes on to say, ‘Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?’ Finally, he explains that a principle from the Torah still applies, ‘For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain’.

Likening himself and the other apostles to oxen was not the most flattering metaphor, although it is one that he uses again when writing to Timothy (see 1 Timothy 5:17-18). But in 1 Corinthians, he goes on to be explicit: ‘Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple…? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.’

Paul is clearly saying that, in the same way that God ordained how the tabernacle and temples were supported, so Christian ministry is to be supported.

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If you are in or near Richmond in South London on 8 May or 12 June, you are welcome to come to a short personal finance course called 'Sharper Living' at Duke Street Church: there's a map and travel directions at the Church website www.dukestreetchurch.com . Arrive from 7:45pm for an 8:00pm start; finish at 9:00pm.

The course, course notes and light refreshments (like tea and biscuits) are free; there will not be any literature or merchandise on sale. The course is an introduction to basic personal finance skills, covering essential tools and tips to help you maximise your money, like budgeting, banking and borrowing.

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Handling money and dealing with debt can be complicated and neither the author nor anyone else involved in the production of these Reflections is responsible for any action you take, or fail to take, based on what is written here. You are invited to put a link on your website to these Reflections. You are welcome to copy these Reflections for personal study or for circulation to family and friends on a non-profit basis. For any other purpose, whether or not for profit, you will require written permission in advance from the author before copying, reproducing or transmitting extracts in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or using any information storage and retrieval system.

Friday, 19 April 2013

Giving & Funding (15)