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1 Thessalonians 2:9
9 For [gar] ye remember, [mnemoneuo] brethren, [adelphos] our [hemon] labour [kopos] and [kai] travail: [mochthos] for [gar] labouring [ergazomai] night [nux] and [kai] day, [hemera] because [pros] we would [epibareo] not [me] be chargeable [epibareo] unto any [tis] of you, [humon] we preached [kerusso] unto [eis] you [humas] the gospel [euaggelion] of God. [theos] KJV-Interlinear
9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. NASB
God has provided Bible doctrine to every human being, throughout history, and not as an added burden on anyones life, but as a benefit.
There are many schemers out there who will try with all their might, to squeeze every penny out of you, in order to help themselves, at your expense, while giving you empty promises. They presume that the masses will be foolish enough to believe their words and more than happy to make them (the schemers) rich in the process.
This is not limited to wandering tent promoters, but actually in more prevalent in the large organized religions. To them, God is a business, their business, and you are their revenue.
This only places a burden on those who seek spiritual support for their miseries, but gain only more burdens from unfaithful and misleading religious leaders.
Nearly everyone seeking God, does so out of need. To be taken advantage of by con artists, even con artists in fancy robes with fancy titles, and fancy words, is true cruelty by those would be authorities of the Word.
The priests of ancient times took advantage of this process, making life miserable for people, because of the burdens placed on them by the volumes of religious rules and regulations.
But Paul lets everyone know that his ministry is not intended to become a burden on anyone. There is no obligation demanded of people to support Paul or anyone teaching doctrine. Actually most folks do not have the means of support. Life is tough enough just surviving from one day to the next.
However, do not be misled in thinking that you are without responsibility. The desire to help the promotion of Bible teaching comes from within your soul. And when that desire truly manifests itself within your beliefs and desires, then that motivation, which is voluntary, will be met by God with some means presented to you, for fulfilling your desire to help.
Your obligation is first to spiritual growth, and through growth you will learn your mature responsibilities, and you will want to fulfill them not through coercion, not through guilt, but through love of the Word, and your being granted at small opportunity to participate in Gods vast plan.
Those who give because they have the means, generally have ulterior motives (guilt, tax write-off, some financial benefit) for their giving, and giving nothing would be far better for them, than giving through false pretenses.
If a Bible study is worth its salt, then God will provide the means to support it. If a Bible study is not worth its salt, or there are simply no or few hearers, then God may very well remove it.
In Noah’s day, God removed the few hearers through the Ark. At the Rapture, God will remove the few believers by means of the Rapture. In both cases, all of the others were or will be, left behind with nothing to look to for help.
In Elijah’s day, Elijah complained that there were none left but himself, however, God reminded him that there were indeed more believers. Just because Elijah did not know of them did not mean that they did not exist.
To those who are positive, God will provide truth, and without any burden being placed on anyone. Bible doctrine is free. Whether you advance enough in your spiritual life and desire to participate, for the right reasons, is left between you and your daily commitment.
