The Aaron Papers www.the-aaron-papers.net
PART
TWO
ADDENDUM
“F”
THE
WORK ETHIC
Addendum from frustration 5-2-93
I would now ask this
question--what part of the body am I?
It would seem that some have a predetermined idea of what the various
parts of the body look, act, and sound like: Even determining exactly how you
become a part of the body. And if
you do not fit that predetermined mold they have established, then you are
probably not in a legitimate ministry and the things you might say would not be heeded. I
do now also speak after the manner of men because of the weakness of my flesh.
I know that these things should not trouble me, but they do.
But now after all this time
that I have spent in the study of God's Word, and the subsequent time I have
spent in organizing and writing down these truths that God has manifested to me,
some people would, because of their unwarranted skepticism, even call my
testimony into question. They might question my basic claim that God actually
brought me up here to this place. They
do not believe that God personally calls people to particular tasks or sends
people to particular places: because they believe that the Church is the only
instrument through which God calls and sends peoples.
They believe, if a person has not been called or sent by the Church (I am
not sure which Church they mean), then they really have not been called or sent.
To begin here, I would like to present this Scripture that the Lord has so
graciously given me:
"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we do not lose heart. But we have
renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the
Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves
to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2Cor.4:1 and 2
-THE
WORK ETHIC-
The apostle Paul often uses
his own experiences as an example for us:
The apostle, in these
following Scriptures, is describing a difficult situation within the Church over
the legitimacy of his apostleship and over his rights as an apostle.
It is evident by these Scriptures that the apostle Paul may well have
been considered an outsider by the other apostles and by the Church as well.
Those who examined and questioned Paul’s legitimacy and authority,
examined and questioned him to the point where he felt compelled to defend both
himself and his ministry. We can
plainly see that Paul's apostolic rights had clearly been denied: And the
apostle Paul's decision to pay his own way may not have been a voluntary
decision as many suppose, but one of necessity.
Many in today’s Church would still have a tremendous problem with the fact that some may not be working at a regular job that would at least support their own basic needs. In their opinion, if you do not work you should not eat. (Ref. 2Thes.3:10-12 "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through the Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.")
These same critics
would also define what it means to work: that is, if you are not getting paid
for what you are doing, then it is probably not work.
I have to believe that part of the reason for this problem, would be
found in their historic devotion to the work ethic. This is not to say that hard
work is not good for a person, because it is: But hard work is not Godly, nor is
hard work holy. I believe this
misguided attitude within today’s Church, is based solely on the apostle
Paul's writings--where he makes the statement that he was a tentmaker: The means
by which the proponents of this work principle believe he supported himself in
his ministry. (Ref.Acts.18:3 "So, because he (the apostle Paul) was of the
same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were
tentmakers.")
I also believe that the apostle Paul additionally sets forth this
principle of God from 1Tim.5:18: which tells us that "the Scripture
->says, `You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,'
and `the laborer is worthy of his wages.'" (Ref.Deut.25:4
"You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain."
Deut.24:15a "You shall have a perfect and just measure."
And Lev.19:13 "You shall not defraud your neighbor, nor rob him.
The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until
morning.")
This principle is confirmed in Lu.10:7 where Jesus also states: "for
the laborer is worthy of his wages."
speaking of the ministering work done by the itinerant disciples.
(Ref.Mat.10:9 and 10 "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your
money-belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs;
for the worker is worthy of his food.")
Now this same principle is defined even more clearly in 1Cor.9:1-14,
where the apostle Paul writes: Am I not free?
Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?
(Ref. Acts.9:3-6 "And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and
suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, `Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting Me?' And he
said, `Who are You Lord?' And the Lord said, `I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting. It is hard for you to
kick against the goads.' So he,
trembling and astonished, said, `Lord, what do You want me to do?' And the Lord
said to him. `Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must
do.' And 1Cor.15:8 "Then last
of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.")
If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you.
For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
What the apostle Paul seems to be suggesting here, is that some in the Church
were even questioning his apostleship. It
would seem as though they were questioning Paul's rights as an apostle to any
share in the missions support fund. Paul now goes on to be even more explicit in his argument:
My defense to those who examine me is this: Do
we have no right to eat and drink? Paul sounds more than a little
discouraged about the whole situation. He is beginning his defense at the
elementary needs of life itself-their basic right to eat and to drink. He then extends his argument to include the needs that one
has for a family:
Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other
apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?
Here Paul directs our attention to the very heart of his complaint: It
sounds as if those who were examining Paul's Apostolic legitimacy, also had a
very strong work ethic. Apparently
they thought that Paul and Barnabas should physically work at their trade so as
to earn their own ministry support. But
the apostle Paul comes to these complainers with a frontal assault: With common
sense reasoning he boldly attacks this faulted theory.
This frontal attack comes in the form of three very simple questions:
“Who, (at any time, soldiers) at his own expense? Paul's implied
answer is: No one!”
“Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Again,
Paul's implied answer is: No one!”
“Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
Once again, the apostle Paul's implied answer is: No one!”
Paul then turns to the law for his final defense argument:
“Do I say these things as a mere man?
Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not
->muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain."
Is it oxen God is concerned about?
Or does He say it altogether for our sakes?
For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should
plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his
hope.”
“If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we
reap your material things?” (Ref. Rom.15:27 "It pleased them indeed.
and they are their debtors. For if
the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also
to minister to them in material things."
And Gal.6:6 "Let him who is taught the word share in all good things
with him who teaches.")
“If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless
we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the
gospel of Christ.”
Paul states his legal rights to a share of their material things in
exchange for the spiritual things that he had shared with them.
He plainly states that his rights in this matter concerning their
material things, was not only equal to the others who had been partakers of
their material things, but even more. Paul's dedication to the spreading of the
gospel message is seen in his willingness, even to this point in time, to
quietly suffer these wrongs that were being charged against him and his
ministry.
Paul continues to confirm this legal principle by using analogies from
temple worship:
“Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the
things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the
offerings of the altar?"
Paul now rests his argument in v.14 by eluding to a direct command that
comes from God Himself:
"even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should
live from the gospel."
The apostle Paul continues to scripturally explain his position:
"For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for
necessity is
laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if
against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship."
1Cor.9:16 and 17
Though the apostle Paul neglected the tenor of this command in 1Cor.9
toward the Church of Corinth, in 2Cor.12:13 Paul asked them to forgive him this
wrong: "For what is it in which you were inferior to other
Churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this
wrong!"
-Amen-
-THE
MARTHA SYNDROME-
Some of the problems within
today’s Church, could be the result of a condition that we might define as
"The Martha Syndrome".
"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and
a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard
His word.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and
said, Lord, do you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore,
tell her to help me. And Jesus
answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about
many things. But one thing is
needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from
her." Lu.10:38-42
The area of this Scripture that must be examined, is the good part that
Mary had chosen. What did Jesus mean when He said that Mary had chosen that good
part? Could that good part which Mary had chosen involved her overall attitude
and commitment toward Jesus? She
was in an attitude of total worship: All she wanted to do, was to sit at Jesus'
feet and hear His word. Evidently,
this undivided commitment to the worshipping of our Lord was that good part that
Mary had chosen.
Now the physical labor that Martha had been burdened with, though very
necessary, holds no comparison to that good part that Mary had chosen.
Of course, the physical works that we do in and for the propagation of
the gospel and the kingdom are not unimportant: But when compared to the
worshipping of our Lord, they all pale into insignificance.
"Do not labor for food which perishes, but for the food which endures
to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father
has set His seal on Him." Then
they said unto Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the work of
God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that
you believe in Him whom He sent." Jn.6:27-29
"Jesus said unto them, `My food is to do the will of Him that sent
Me, and to finish His work.'" Jn.4:34