When Godliness Becomes a Business, Scripture Says Withdraw
The Gospel Is Not a Product, the Pulpit Is Not a Marketplace, and God’s People Are Not Customers
If this makes you uncomfortable, let the chips fall where they may.
Paul did not whisper this warning. He did not soften it to protect reputations, platforms, ministries, titles, or bank accounts.
Now Let’s Eat Some Meat!
1 Timothy 6:5 (AMPC) “And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw.”
Read those final three words again, “FROM SUCH WITHDRAW.”
That is Scripture.
There is a difference between supporting ministry and turning ministry into merchandise.
There is a difference between a minister receiving legitimate support and someone learning how to monetize people’s hunger for God.
There is a difference between receiving an offering and constructing a religious enterprise where access, attention, prophecy, prayer, teaching, influence, or supposed spiritual favor always seems to come with a price attached.
Scripture does not condemn supporting those who labor in ministry.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 (AMPC) “Let the elders who perform the duties of their office well be considered doubly worthy of honor [and of adequate financial support], especially those who labor faithfully in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain, and again, The laborer is worthy of his hire.”
So this is not an attack on ministers being financially supported.
This is an attack on the corruption of turning godliness itself into a moneymaking business.
And beloved, Scripture gives us no permission to excuse what God condemns simply because the person doing it is popular, gifted, charismatic, influential, has a large congregation, carries a title, has millions of followers, or happens to be someone we love.
Jesus Himself confronted commercialization in the house of God.
Matthew 21:12-13 (AMPC) “And Jesus went into the temple (whole temple enclosure) and drove out all who bought and sold in the sacred place, and He turned over the four-footed tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who sold doves. He said to them, The Scripture says, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.”
Notice something here? Jesus did not accommodate corruption because confronting it might offend somebody.
He confronted it, and righteousness requires you to do the same!
If 1 Timothy 6:5 sounds like someone you know, stop immediately defending the person and start examining the fruit.
If it sounds like your favorite preacher, examine the fruit.
If it sounds like your church, examine the fruit.
If it sounds like your ministry, examine the fruit.
And if it sounds like you, examine yourself.
Because loyalty to a person must NEVER become greater than loyalty to God’s Word.
We have become far too comfortable calling something “ministry” simply because somebody put Jesus’ Name on it.
A cross in the logo does not sanctify greed.
A Bible in somebody’s hand does not sanctify exploitation.
A title before somebody’s name does not sanctify manipulation.
A packed sanctuary does not sanctify corruption.
Millions of followers do not overrule one verse of Scripture.
And when Scripture says, “FROM SUCH WITHDRAW,” the righteous response is not another excuse.
It is indeed time to take a stand for righteousness.
Not because you hate the person.
Not because you are jealous of their success.
Not because you believe ministers should live in poverty, scripture actually says, they shouldn’t.
Because you love God enough to refuse to call something righteous that His Word tells you to withdraw from.
Question For Today
If Scripture clearly tells you to withdraw from those who turn godliness into a moneymaking business, why are you still defending, financing, following, and promoting what God already told you to walk away from?
If You Have Ears To Hear, Then Hear It!
I pray for you each and every day.
All God's Best!
Karl McKinnie If you enjoy and learn from us, we have over 700 Bible-based narratives available at www.buymeacoffee.com/drministries/posts. As always, every narrative is completely FREE. The voluntary support option simply helps us continue sharing God's Word around the world.
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