“Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.”

While Paul had just made it clear that he had a right to be financially remunerated by the Corinthians for bringing the gospel to them, he adamantly reminds them that he absolutely did not take any financial support from them. Acts 18 reveals that when he first arrived in Corinth on his second mission tour, he worked in his tent-making trade (Acts 18:1–3, see also his practice among the Ephesians as recorded in Acts 20:34–35). The Corinthians had no grounds to criticize Paul for building a case for his own benefit.

Paul was not setting himself up as an example that all people in full-time Christian service (whether elders, pastors, or missionaries) should resist monetary responses to their ministry, or that such a practice is somehow more “spiritual” than those who receive a stipend. We find it interesting that terminology plays into the confusion, with some Christians referring to financial support as salary, remuneration, stipends, fellowship, etc. To be sure, we do well to heed Jesus’ comments about a “hired hand” who does not care for the sheep but just holds down a job. Service for the Lord is never to be done as a means to make money, a career choice!

Yet at the same time, we recognize what Scripture here says: “The Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.” We might make a helpful distinction that one serves the Lord because of desire, not money. The money is the result, not the reason for doing it. One can enjoy the right, but nowhere in Scripture do we see the teaching that a man should demand the right to be paid for his services. Paul speaks creditably on this subject precisely because he does not benefit from this teaching, at least in relation to the Corinthians.

So where does that leave the person who serves the Lord and receives little financial support? Paul’s example may be helpful here. Rather than ask, expect, or demand support from the Corinthians, he rather worked a “secular” job to support himself (and others, as we see in Acts 20:34–35). He did not want finances to hinder the work of the gospel. A servant of the Lord ought to be willing to take on secular employment to make ends meet, but the church should clearly understand that the Lord’s servants are worthy of financial support!

Lord, I commit to sacrificing more to financially support Your servants.