Trying To Understand If And When It's Ever Okay To Buy/Sell In Church

[unfinishedclay]

Every time there's opportunity to browse the Christian bookstore at my parents' church or buy a ticket to a conference at mine, I face a cross road with this question hanging over my head.

I don't want to misinterpret or deceive myself as I think about Jesus turning over the tables of the moneychangers. But I don't know how else to see it except that God must be against selling in the church.

Or are there details that I'm missing?

 

[Victor E.]

Every time there's opportunity to browse the Christian bookstore at my parents' church or buy a ticket to a conference at mine, I face a cross road with this question hanging over my head.

I don't want to misinterpret or deceive myself as I think about Jesus turning over the tables of the moneychangers. But I don't know how else to see it except that God must be against selling in the church.

Or are there details that I'm missing?

I feel the reason Jesus was angry in that instance was because they were using His Father's house for their own selfish love of money and NOTHING more. It was the intentions behind their actions that He saw right through in an instant. That would make us angry too! You could compare it to having a car auction in our church today and nothing more than the auction to make a quick buck. That is not the appropriate place for such an action. That belongs in a business location and not in the House of God! (hypothetically speaking) Hope this helps!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I think it helps to have a venue of meeting that does not cost so much money to maintain, then it becomes less about commerce and more about what is important.

 

[Freedom Now]

I feel the reason Jesus was angry in that instance was because they were using His Father's house for their own selfish love of money and NOTHING more. It was the intentions behind their actions that He saw right through in an instant.

If we today have become the temple of the Holy Spirit of God (that is if indeed we have His Spirit

in us), would it be alright for Christ to be angry at us and whip us,

if we did anything in this temple for our own selfish love of money (maybe wanting

good paying jobs, buying luxuries in life that we want, etc....?

 

[Linet Kihonge]

The temple is a two-fold ministry, the Body and the assembly. Both are to be considered as set aside for the works of the LORD. So if the Church started a commercial project that would run into thousands of dollars it would be murky to draw a thin line between motive and inspiration. Can selling stuff, provoke ulterior motives or not? Can it be possible to go to a business plaza for a business transaction only? If so, if the intention was $$$ what would stop such a motive in such a case mentioned by the Thread? :/

 

[Victor E.]

If we today have become the temple of the Holy Spirit of God (that is if indeed we have His Spirit

in us), would it be alright for Christ to be angry at us and whip us,

if we did anything in this temple for our own selfish love of money (maybe wanting

good paying jobs, buying luxuries in life that we want, etc....?

I think Christ freed us from the Law after this happened by dying on the cross for the world's sins.

Romans 7:1-6 Hebrews 6:1-12 Galatians 5:1 However Gods Word and Spirit will guide our path. 1 Timothy 6:10

 

[Freedom Now]

I think Christ freed us from the Law after this happened by dying on the cross for the world's sins.

Romans 7:1-6 Hebrews 6:1-12 Galatians 5:1 However Gods Word and Spirit will guide our path. 1 Timothy 6:10

Just cutious, which laws do you believe Christ freed us from?

 

[Victor E.]

Just cutious, which laws do you believe Christ freed us from?

From my limited understanding of His Word? All of them. The question remains, will we continue to listen to His Word and Spirit to guide us?

John 8:36

If not we might find ourselves in such a position of the prodigal son Luke 15:11-32 What some may not realize is that the jealous brother did the same as the one who wandered to do his own thing. He didn't do anything with what he had been given. He buried it for himself and lived in contentment as he was. He was no different from the son who ran from home to squander his gift.

They both were recklessly spending (or not spending) what they had been given. They are comparable to the wicked servant who buried his Talent in the ground and did not even collect usury and was chastised severely. Matthew 25:14-30 Hebrews 12:6

It didn't matter. The Father loved them both dearly just as they were. He only wanted what was best for both of them. That is why He is the Good Shepherd, and NOT the hired hand (who is unconcerned for the sheep and runs at danger). John 10:11-18

The hired hand can signify the world. God and "the world" are complete opposites. John 15:18-27

Moral of these Scriptures is that the Father only wants what's best for the beloved children He bought with His sacrifice in Jesus. Everything is to protect them and build them up. Not to tear them down. If they would listen to Him.

 

[Freedom Now]

From my limited understanding of His Word? All of them. The question remains, will we continue to listen to His Word and Spirit to guide us?

It is written somewhere that He will put His laws in our hearts.

What would be your opinion what these laws are that He puts (or writes) on our hearts?

 

[Victor E.]

It is written somewhere that He will put His laws in our hearts.

What would be your opinion what these laws are that He puts (or writes) on our hearts?

His Spirit that speaks to us through His Word of Law that lives in our hearts. Ephesians 3:17 John 1:1 John 17:21

 

[Freedom Now]

His Spirit that speaks to us through His Word of Law that lives in our hearts. Ephesians 3:17 John 1:1 John 17:21

When God said,....

I will put My law within them, and I will write it upon there hearts, and I will be their God
and they shall be My people.


Would you say then that it is not really any law that He puts within us, but is only His Spirit
speaking to us.....

What do you base this on?

 

[jiminpa]

Some translations specify that Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple, I've heard it taught that required money's such as tithes were only accepted in coinage specific to the temple, and had to be exchanged from the money of commerce at a high rate of exchange.

To offer resources at fair value is probably not nearly the same thing. The bible also says that the worker is worthy of his hire. Some ministers don't make enough on appearance fees alone and use merchandise sales to put food on the table. Christian musicians have been doing it that way for decades.

 

[Victor E.]

Some translations specify that Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple, I've heard it taught that required money's such as tithes were only accepted in coinage specific to the temple, and had to be exchanged from the money of commerce at a high rate of exchange.

To offer resources at fair value is probably not nearly the same thing. The bible also says that the worker is worthy of his hire. Some ministers don't make enough on appearance fees alone and use merchandise sales to put food on the table. Christian musicians have been doing it that way for decades.

In a sudden thought during offering time at my church I couldn't help but remember this Scripture concerning The Widows Offering: Luke 21:1-4

 

[Strong in Him]

Every time there's opportunity to browse the Christian bookstore at my parents' church or buy a ticket to a conference at mine, I face a cross road with this question hanging over my head.

I don't want to misinterpret or deceive myself as I think about Jesus turning over the tables of the moneychangers. But I don't know how else to see it except that God must be against selling in the church.

Or are there details that I'm missing?

I may be wrong, but I don't think that was the point of that incident.

Jews needed to present perfect animals for sacrifice for their sins. The animals that they took were inspected to make sure they were perfect, and if not, they had to buy animals that had already passed inspection. The money that people took to buy things had to be changed before they could do so - Roman money had Caesar's image on it, and this was regarded as taking an idol into the Holy Temple. So they had to change it for temple coinage - acceptable money.
It seems that some were taking advantage of these two laws; charging what they wanted to change people's money into acceptable coinage, and telling people their sacrifices were unacceptable and charging high prices so they could buy acceptable ones and receive forgiveness for their sins.
This is what Jesus was against. A place which was set aside as a place of prayer and somewhere to worship and come near to God was being tainted by people who exploited the poor; made money from their desire to obey the law and worship God. Personally I hate bookshops inside cathedrals, which don't sell only Christian books but mugs, postcards, placemats, keyrings, sweets and other trinkets as souvenirs that you've visited that building. Even these aren't the same, though, because it's not compulsory to buy them.

 

[Razare]

Or are there details that I'm missing?

When Jesus overturned tables in the gospels... that was the temple.

Christian "churches" which are not churches at all as the Bible uses this word... because these things are buildings not temples, not churches.

In scripture, "the church" is a gathering of believers operating in Christian ministry and fellowship. You can have church in a home, on the street, 1 on 1, at work, at a hospital. Wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in the name of Jesus Christ, there is church because church is the fellowship of believers.

Each believer is a temple of God! 1 Corinthians 3:16

So when Jesus kicks money-changers out of the temple... it's really talking about for a Christian, it's talking about kicking demons out of your body and deceit out of your soul. Greed would be money changers in the temple of God entrusted to you! So don't be greedy.

So that building they have a bookstore in is not a church. It is not a temple. It's just an ordinary building. Christians get all mixed-up in their thinking because religious traditions changed what these words meant. Just leave the traditions in the dust.

Even our discussion here is church. You and I right now as believers are having church!