I have received few complaints about charging money for access to the web site. The percentage is very low, about 0.8%. However, I figure others may be wondering about this.

Some do not feel it is Scriptural to charge for information related to biblical studies; they view it as sinful. These people fall into two main categories; those who think it should all be free and those who think only "donations" can be accepted.

As for the first group, they really have no leg on which to stand. The majority of people can see that if there were no financial consideration for ones teaching the gospel, then all men would be forced to work secular jobs and any support for preaching the gospel would be sinful. This would make Paul a sinner for accepting support in preaching, not benevolence, from the Philippians (Phil. 4:15-17). Yet, he was not a sinner and had the authority to be supported.

The latter group, those who feel that only voluntary donations should be accepted, are wrong as well. Here's why.

The Bible teaches that those who "preach the gospel should live from the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14). Men who labor as preachers of the Word have the right, authority, from God to earn money as they labor. Jesus said, "The laborer is worthy of his wages" (Lk. 10:7). In the context He is telling His disciples to accept what is put before them when they travel through Israel. The specific context, however, does not negate the general principle that a "laborer is worthy of his wages" (cf. 1 Tim. 5:17, 18). Paul said, "I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you" (2 Cor. 11:8).

A man engaged in preaching full time has the right to earn money to support him and his family (1 Cor. 9:4, 5). Would anyone deny this? Does he also have the right to earn above the bare necessities? Is he materialistic if he desires such? Is there something to be said for earning above and beyond your needs to, in part, help others in need… "that he may have something to give him who has need" (Eph. 4:28)? Or, does this only apply to non-preachers? In other words, is a preacher exempt from helping others?

Now, as for a "religious" business like www.PlainFaith.com; does an individual Christian have the right to run such a business and charge others for the product or service produced? Yes, a thousand times over.

How did you get your Bible? Did someone give it to you? Where did they get it? Ultimately, the Bible was obtained from a company that produces them and charges a price. There may be exceptions to this, but they are rare. Broadman-Holman, Cambridge, Thomson-Nelson, and others are in the business of printing Bibles and other materials. Are these companies sinning by charging for their products? If it is wrong to charge for material on a web site, it is wrong to charge for printed material too. So, how would we get Bibles? We would each need to copy it for ourselves. We could not even hire a scribe to do it, because--according to some--the scribe ought to do it for free because it is the Word of God he is producing and--to them--it is unconscionable to charge for the Word of God.

Anyone involved in putting up a true web site, not just a hobby blog or something to tinker with, knows the cost and labor involved. For a web site like www.PlainFaith.com it takes a hefty sum to purchase the software and services to run it, as well as a significant amount of labor to put up content.

Is it Christian to expect someone to work for free? What some are saying is, "You can earn a living in any endeavor except a spiritual one." This is decidedly an unchristian attitude and reveals what the individual thinks about the gospel.

A man who teaches and labors in spiritual matters has the right to financial support. If men choose to do such work without taking any compensation, that is fine. However, there is no biblical obligation to forego support, stipulated or otherwise. If those who object to such a web site as www.PlainFaith.com want to start their own and publish materials for free, go for it. In the mean time, carefully think about your attitude toward the gospel and materials that help you better understand and live by it; are they of any monetary value and, if so, who determines what that is?

Do you have comments on this subject. Email us at webmaster at plainfaith dot com.