Preaching for a Fixed Salary

Preaching for a Fixed Salary

We find the evangelical, basic law for servants of the gospel concerning earthly things (money, food, and clothing) in the Sermon on the Mount—unmistakably clear, unambiguous, blessed, and exalted: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matt. 6:33.

Likewise: “The just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:17. Preaching for a fixed salary is in open conflict with the exalted truths of the gospel. It turns the holy calling into an average livelihood, which causes the person to fall asleep. It excludes the opportunity for a highly exalted, instructive, interesting, developing, tested, and exemplary life of faith.

Devout and thankful brothers and sisters are also thereby cut off from many opportunities to be a joy and blessing by sincerely following words such as: “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” 1 Cor. 9:11, 14. “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.” Gal. 6:6. “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.” Rom. 15:27. “For they refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore acknowledge such men.” 1 Cor. 16:18.

The exalted and high and holy nature of this matter is that it must be done voluntarily, of a person’s own volition, according to the Spirit’s workings in his inner being as it is (for example) stated in 2 Corinthians 8:3 and 4: “According to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us for permission to . . . .”

Why does one want a fixed salary? To make sure one has enough to live off. One doubts that one would receive it otherwise. A few people have also tried to live by faith, without a fixed salary, and have experienced that they received little. In that case God wanted to nurture godly fear with contentment. However, this contentment (which is truly a great gain) did not please the servant of the Word. Therefore he wanted to have a fixed salary so he could live “better” because he loved luxurious living. The Scriptures speak a little about it. 2 Pet. 2:13; 1 John 2:16; Phil. 3:18-19; Hos. 7:14; Amos 6:4-6.

Preaching for a fixed salary also has another bad consequence, which is very wide-spread. It produces a lot of priests and evangelists, etc., who have absolutely not been called by God: those who are good orators and who are also preferably musical and have a handsome appearance, and who therefore choose such work as a means of making a living.

It is very clear and obvious that if such people were given the opportunity of living by faith, without a fixed salary, most of them would not feel that they were called to this work; and as such, God would not support those who attempt it, seeing that He had not appointed them to that work. In other words, they would not receive what they needed in order to make a living and would therefore have to quit, which would, of course, be the very best, also for the person concerned.

God’s true prophet, Micah, who was full of power, and justice, and might by the Spirit of the Lord, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin, rebuked them because her priests taught for pay and her prophets divined for money, and that even then they said that they leaned on the Lord. Micah 3:8, 11.

There are so-called priests who have been called to be servants of the Lord in spirit and in truth, leaving their livelihood as “priest” and living by faith, but they do not dare for the sake of their livelihood. There are preachers who will not travel to a nearby town to speak at a meeting without being paid in before they ascend the platform or stand behind the lectern. There are traveling preachers who think they can no longer travel around to speak God’s Word without being paid a fixed salary because the family has grown so large. Now they must have an appointment as a leader with a fixed salary. In other words, God can no longer take care of them in a Christian manner according to His own Word, or He does not want to, or the paycheck is not “fat” enough. One of the three.

Let us then, precious, high and holy, believing and beloved brothers, continue as we have begun by living this exalted life of faith in godliness with contentment, in humility, in the lowly places, in purity, goodness, and thankfulness until the end without making flesh our strength!

And may many in the days to come receive grace from God, and faith and love, to follow our noble example!