Another reason to respect the apostle Paul.
He was not a slick-suited
orator on a glitzy stage, nor a robed and pointy-hatted "cleric". Paul was a man's man who
worked and ministered.
Look at WHY Paul worked in
Corinth, Ephesus, and Thessalonia.
It is written in God's Word
for us.
....................
Acts 18: 2 (Corinth Greece.
And Paul found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come
from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, ..and he came to them 3 and because he
(PAUL) was **of the same trade**, he stayed with them, **and they worked**,
for **by their trade**
they were tent-makers.
..................
Acts 20: 29 Paul to the
Ephesian pastors:
I know that after my
departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and
from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw
away the disciples after them.
31 Therefore be on the alert,
remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to
admonish each one with tears.
32 And now I commend you to
God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you
the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no one’s
silver or gold or clothes.
34 You yourselves know
that these hands (PAUL'S HANDS) ministered to my own needs and to
the men who were with me.
35 In everything I showed you
that **by working**like this you (bishops) must help the weak and
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘
It is more blessed to
give than to receive.’”
<note: he is commanding
the bishops to work so they can give to the needy)
..............
2Corinthians 6:5 in stripes,
in imprisonments, in tumults,
** in labors**, in watchings, in fastings;
2Corinthians 11:27 in
labor and travail...
1Thess. 2: 9 For ye remember,
brethren, our labor and travail:
working night and day,
that we might not burden any of you,
we preached unto you the gospel of
God.
...................
2Thess 3: 7 For yourselves
know how you ought to **imitate us**: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly
among you;
8 neither did we eat bread
for free at any man's hand
but in labor and travail,
working night and day,
(in order that) that we
might not burden any of you:
9 not because we have not the
right,
but TO MAKE OURSELVES
AN EXAMPLE TO YOU,
that ye (ALL the men) should
imitate us.
10 For even when we were with
you, this we commanded you,
If any will not work, neither
let him eat.
...............
There you have it. Paul worked
and instructed the bishops and men to work and be diligent. He said to
"imitate us" in this....
