Disciplining the Disorderly
2 Thessalonians 3:6–18 A church is like a family. All members need love, and sometimes someone needs discipline. This fact was especially true when the church was young, so God provided guidelines on how to handle disorderly conduct. Discipline is never easy, and many churches failed to correct disorderly people. The apostle Paul knew that if church leaders neglected correction, problems wouGet More Articles—Subscribe Today!
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Quote: “Thus, they did not charge for their services or profit from sharing the gospel.”
I’m so glad that you wrote that sentence. For in so many churches today, there is a charge for ministry. As I read my bible, I do not see where Jesus charged for ministry. Therefore, I do not understand why people are charged to attend Christian seminars and conferences. Moreover, there is a lot of buying and selling in the church today – bookstores, rent of parking spaces, etc. I understand helping out a traveling minister with airfare, hotel fee, food, and so forth. That is biblical and scriptural. But where in scripture is a church to pay for a pastor’s house, car, health insurance, vacation, children’s education, and give the pastor a six figure salary.
Just studying the life of Nicodemus this week, I discovered that he being a member of the Sanhedrin, had a trade, as every member of the Sanhedrin did. Nicodemus dug wells. The apostle Paul made tents. So I am a little confused as to modern day practices with the pastorate.
Most important is the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ chided the money changers in the Temple, saying, “…Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise …”
Let us hope that the church stop these questionable practices, especially before unbelievers who are indeed watching. Our Father God in heaven is aware.