The Bible is replete with commands regarding the intersection of money and ministry: “Freely give” (Matt 10:8), don’t be “peddlers of God’s Word” (2 Cor 2:17), “you cannot serve God and money” (Matt 6:24), etc. Clearly, ministry is a task fraught with danger; it is no wonder James warns that not many should become teachers (James 3:1).
Given these concerns, how are those who advance the Word of God to Christians to honor the Lord financially? They must guard against greed in their own hearts, but they also must demonstrate their good intentions before man (2 Cor 8:21). The work of ministry requires resources, but to charge the hearers a fee may solicit accusations of using godliness as a means of gain (1 Tim 6:5).
One supposed remedy is to donate the profits. If someone receives none—or only a small amount—of the revenue, then they have at least demonstrated some level of generosity. In theory, this evidences a sincere heart that only desires to honor God.
There are a number of examples of this approach across the evangelical landscape. Just to take two, consider these well-known authors who receive royalties from their popular books:
- Rick Warren famously reverse tithes, giving 90% to various charities.
- John Piper forwards all his royalties to various ministries.[1]
Yet, does this actually accomplish the intended goal of aligning oneself with biblical principles?
The Problem with Donating Proceeds of Ministry Sales
The problem with this approach is quite simple: The Lord has forbidden all sale of Christian teaching. The command to “freely give” (Matt 10:8) and the denouncement of “peddlers of God’s Word” (2 Cor 2:17) are not abstract warnings against greed; they are concrete prohibitions against the commercialization of biblical instruction. No subsequent activity justifies these transactions. Saul thought his plundering of the Amalekites was justified so long as he offered all of it to the Lord, but as the prophet Samuel explains, obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22).
Moreover, Scripture speaks of such gifts as being detestable. That is, he does not accept money wrongly acquired.
You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God. (Deut 23:18)
In our own culture, a similar notion is communicated by the terms “blood money” or “dirty money.” It is generally understood that one is complicit if he knowingly receives ill-gotten gain. Such money, as it stands, is only fit for destruction.
All her carved images will be smashed to pieces;
all her wages will be burned in the fire,
and I will destroy all her idols.
Since she collected the wages of a prostitute,
they will be used again on a prostitute. (Mic 1:7)
The Lord’s Warning against the Word-Peddler
If these gifts are illegitimate before God then those teachers who broadcast their donations are guilty of a false boast. Consider the following proverb:
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. (Proverbs 25:14)
Notably, Jude picks up on the imagery of this proverb and incorporates it into his brief epistle:
For certain people have crept in unnoticed…These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; (Jude 4,12; cf. 2 Peter 2:17)
Putting this together, we see a startling image. Those who publicly announce that they donate the proceeds from sales of ministry often do so as proof of their legitimacy. Yet if we acknowledge it as a false gift, Jude identifies this very behavior as marking false teachers.
I don’t wish to overstate the case. It’s worth observing that the church is currently inundated with commercial practices and those who forward their profits are often doing so out of an attempt to fight against an established commercial norm in the church rather than perpetuate it. As such, I commend the effort.
All the same, we should not fail to notice the biblical warnings and rightly assess what is taking place. Regardless of whether the proceeds of sales are donated, the teaching itself is not given generously. Rather, it is offered with partiality to those willing to pay (James 2:1). And once that payment is rendered, the teacher is obligated by the terms of sale—he therefore teaches under compulsion as Peter forbids (1 Pet 5:2).
Just as the prostitute’s donation of her wages does not vindicate her actions or character, the same is true for the seller of biblical instruction and his donation. To reference a popular trope, the notion of a generous Word-peddler ultimately rings as artificial as the notion of a hooker with a heart of gold.
The Lord’s Purpose for the Word-Peddler
While such activity is against the Lord’s commands, we may rejoice with Paul when Christ is proclaimed, even by those who have an ulterior motive (Phil 1:17-18; cf. 2 Cor 2:17).
While the wages of a prostitute are not an acceptable sacrifice, that does not mean they will not be redeemed. Consider this stunning picture:
And at the end of seventy years, the LORD will restore Tyre. Then she will return to hire as a prostitute and sell herself to all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Yet her profits and wages will be set apart to the LORD; they will not be stored or saved, for her profit will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothing. (Isa 23:17-18)
The surprising detail here is that the Lord will accept the prostitute’s wages. While Isaiah speaks in metaphor regarding the nation of Tyre, he indicates that the Lord will ultimately use such ill-gotten funds. This is a theme repeated several times in Scripture (Prov 13:22; Ecc 2:26; cf. Rom. 8:28). Those who grieve the sale of biblical teaching may rejoice in God’s ultimate purposes for it.
The Lord’s Forgiveness of the Word-Peddler
What ought one to do who has engaged in this sin of selling biblical instruction? Should such proceeds really be destroyed? Apart from repentance, yes. But he accepts that which is offered in true repentance. Consider the example of Zacchaeus. Given his status as tax-collector (Matt 18:17), we are to understand his wealth as ill-gotten.
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” (Luke 19:8)
Though he gives half his goods, there is no reason to think that only half were sinfully acquired. He acknowledges that he has defrauded others. Regardless, the Lord accepts his repentance, declaring him a saved man (Luke 19:9). This gives hope for those who would never be able to return what they have gained through wrongfully commercializing the Word.
One more narrative in the gospels is worth considering. Mary was identified as a notorious “sinner” (Luke 7:37), a word often interchanged with the explicit label of “prostitute” (Luke 15:1; Matt 21:31). Is it possible that her expensive offering to Jesus came from such sinful wages (John 12:3,5)? The Lord received this as well and declared her forgiven (Luke 7:47).
Conclusion
Scripture forbids the sale of biblical instruction and no amount of sacrifice can justify it. In fact, the artifice of such gifts only serve to mark oneself as a waterless cloud, a false teacher.
Please do not misunderstand; permit me to say it as charitably as I can: I believe there are many today with a true gospel and a true God who mistakenly peddle the Word. However, rather than marking themselves as true teachers by announcing the donation of the proceeds of their sales, they engage in a false generosity by which we are to identify false teachers.
This is a serious error, yet the Lord forgives all who turn to him. If you are involved in any ministry that sells biblical teaching, offer ill-gotten gain in repentance and begin working toward reformation today.
While Piper’s newer works are available without charge in PDF format, his older works are not. ↩︎