M____ wrote:
Hi Mike,
Another quick thought because you had mentioned in your article about the apostasy of the church that the mark of someone who is apostate is they retail God’s Word to profit.  2 Cor11, where Paul mentions this “other Jesus” and “another gospel”, the whole chapter is about him robbing one church to meet another’s need and not Paul not being a burden to them.  Paul later in the chapter says straight out that it these that are the false ministers appearing as apostles of Christ. 
This is just another witness to that point you brought out, which in fact is Paul’s point in this chapter if we can “see” it.
 M____

Thank you, M____,
Yes indeed, Paul is making the point that he did not mention money to the Corinthians. The other so- called ‘apostles’  were overtly requiring money from the Corinthian church and they “loved to have it that way.”

Jer 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

It was this fact, plus the fact that  those other so- called apostles had “another Jesus”, another spirit and another gospel, that separated Paul from those “false apostles.”
Paul admits that he “took wages” from “cheerful givers” who willingly came to his assistance without his urging. That is how God conducts His work. And that is one reason why His work with such people is, was and always will be “few” and “small.” There were no campaigns to feed the hungry of the uncalled world. The only campaign to feed the physically hungry mentioned in scripture was the mission of Paul and Barnabas, to collect food and clothing to assist the “poor saints in the churches of Judea.”

Rom 15:25  But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
Rom 15:26  For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
Rom 15:27  It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
Rom 15:28  When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

There is a letter on iswasandwillbe. com about the alabaster box of ointment that deals with the subject of how God’s elect ought to be doing their giving. The essence of scripture on this subject is that the body of Christ comes before the world:

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

But while Babylon is doing a lot of good works in and for this world, God’s elect are working in and for the body of Christ. Now, just as then, the carnal minded consider this selfish and self- centered. This in spite of the fact that there is not one example of any of the apostles urging the people in their charge to even attempt to feed the physically poor of this world:

Mat 26:11  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Mar 14:7  For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

Christ fed those who followed after Him twice in a miraculous way. But then He said ‘No more physical food. That is all you want is physical food.’ Here is how Christ ‘fed the poor:’

Luk 7:22  Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

This is “the true bread from heaven” on which God’s elect concentrate to this very day.
Anyone who is serving the gospel for money is not serving the gospel at all. Any such person is serving himself. God knows our hearts and we are fooling no one but ourselves.
Mike