IYAR 12
Getting Paid
“…her priests teach for pay …” (Mic 3:11)
Everyone has an
opinion on just about any subject,
and many are very vocal about voicing their own point of view, and their own
conclusions. Opinions concerning Bible
translation and interpretation are myriad, and books concerning said opinions
number by the thousands. However, when
it comes right down to where ‘the rubber meets the road’, they are all just
that: someone’s viewpoint and opinion.
And every religion
and denomination has them: from Orthodox
Judaism, through the halls of Catholicism, to the tenets of the westernized
church system, every person will have their favorite commentator/s. Please don’t misunderstand me; I am NOT saying that all these commentators
are wrong. I AM saying that the material they are presenting is predominantly
opinions, interpretations, assumptions and comments made concerning what each
person believes is the accurate translation of the Word of Elohim.
Be that as it may,
when an individual is paid monetary compensation to teach something that is
Biblically wrong as something that is now right, or something that is
Scripturally correct as being now wrong (or done away with), this is when that individual stands in
danger of Elohim’s judgement. Let me
give you an example …
There is a popular
(world-wide) denomination consisting of many singular, local churches, where
each separate assembly is governed by a local, church council of elders, made
up of members of long standing. Policies
are voted on within this church council, and pastors are also hired through
this council, using the same format as any
employer would use to interview and hire a new employee. I understand that there are many of these
individual churches that have an exact, written ‘job description’ for
prospective new pastors. The pastors of
this denomination – and I am not belittling their faith and/or relationship
with our Creator – are essentially ruled and governed by the local church
council, and they are expected to preach and teach along the guidelines laid
out by that specific denomination. Should any pastor choose to deviate and detour
from the stated guidelines, wages are either terminated or withheld. Therefore, these pastors ‘teach’ for their
pay, with the majority of what they are teaching being erroneous and incorrect.
Teachers have the
greater accountability to our Elohim for what they do (Jam 3:1), for it is by what and how they teach that they can bring many to the truth of Torah, or
on the reverse side, lead many into a false doctrine. Nonetheless, a bona-fide teacher is one that
is anointed and appointed by Yahweh our Elohim and does not need a resume to be
‘hired’ (see Eph 4:11; 1Cor 12:28). Let
me also remind all of us of how we are instructed, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The
laborer is worthy of his wages.” (1Tim 5:18; see also Deu 25:4; Mat 10:10; Luk
10:7) An anointed and appointed teacher is worth financial compensation, and we
are expected to participate in that.
The ultimate
responsibility is upon our shoulders, those of us who hear (or read) the words
of a teacher. Is what we are being taught
lining up with the entire Word of our
Elohim? Or is the teaching being
presented one that is being taken out of context, with the intent of deceiving,
if possible, the chosen ones (see Mat 24:24)?
I urge you, brethren, to study out what you are being taught. Be a Berean (see Acts 17:11). Investigate, as much as is possible, the life
and lifestyle of the one that is doing the teaching. Does this person’s life reflect the teachings
that they are giving? And remember: not every loud-mouth should have a soap box.
‘Nuf said.
©2021
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