Why Do We Sell Our Materials?
It is not a frequent question, but sometimes people ask, "Why do you charge for some of your materials?" The answer is simple enough. We charge for them so we can make them available. But before I elaborate on that, I really should address two scriptures that are sometimes advanced to suggest that one should not sell biblical materials.
The first comes from the book of Proverbs: "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Proverbs 23:23). This passage is telling us to get hold of the truth and keep it. It means that we shouldn't sell it in the sense of disposing of it. Taken too literally, this passage would even prohibit the selling of a book that discusses the truth or conveys truth. It would even prohibit the selling of a Bible. You would not even be able to buy a Bible because no one would be selling them! There is nothing in this passage to say that it is wrong to sell a CD with a sermon on it. In fact, it plainly tells you to buy it if it is the truth.
The other scripture is from the words of Jesus:"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8 KJV). The first thing to know about this passage is that it is specific to the occasion. On this first "missionary journey," Jesus is sending out the twelve with a restrictive set of instructions so they can learn some important lessons. More ...
Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement Copyright 2012 by CEM Network - Born to Win