Should Ministers Be Paid in the Church?

1 Corinthians 9:3-14 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyardand does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Obviously this is a purposely provocative question I have posed.  As someone who has earned a living as an ordained pastor in the Lutheran church for the last 25 years you might ask why am I even asking this question?  My purpose is to expound on Paul's teaching with regard to the issue of should those who preach the gospel, and by application those who serve full time in ministry for the sake of the gospel, get paid.  

First, as always, it is important to understand the context of this passage.  The Corinthians were judging Paul for not taking money for his work like some of the other apostles.  Paul is arguing "tongue in cheek" his right to get paid through preaching the gospel, though he chose not to exercise this right.  But the major point Paul is trying to get across is that those who preach the gospel should have a right to receive their living from the gospel.  In fact that is EXACTLY what Paul teaches in verse 14.  In fact he says, "the Lord has commanded" which gives it even more force.  When Paul says, "thus saith the Lord" it always holds more weight in his letters.   

But Paul is not black and white on this matter.  He rarely is, because in his mind the freedom of the gospel gives options and alternatives on many issues.  Paul gives another option for this issue which he in fact employs.  Paul chooses not to be paid for his work as an apostle. Why?  Because Paul would rather be able to preach the gospel without anyone accusing him of doing it for profit.  

This is the same rationale he uses for the other apostles taking a believing wife.  Though it is good and acceptable for a worker in the church to have a spouse, each person needs to discern whether this is God's call on their life to be married.  Others wishing to be free of the commitment and responsibility in marriage, can choose not to marry. They also do the right thing.

Do you see Paul's point here?  In Christ we are set free.  Unless something is immoral, there are different options available on a variety of issues for those who heart is committed to the Lord.  The pastor who gets paid does the right thing.  The pastor who doesn't get paid does the right thing.  

Just like it was okay in the last chapter for some to eat meat, and others to not eat meet for different reasons and different consciences. Importantly, it is not for anyone else to judge another's motive for doing something.  We can judge immoral behavior but not someone's motive. Why? Because it is God alone who judges matters of the heart.