Merchandising The Word of God, Part #3

From the entire description in this chapter, it is clear that the persons referred to, though once professors of religion, had become eminently abandoned and corrupt. The focus of these messengers changed from fulfilling the ordinance of God to fulfilling their earthly ambition. It may not be easy to identify them with any particular denomination or class, but they existed then and they exist now. A few of the sects in the early Christian church bore a strong resemblance to this description; and there have been those in every age who have strongly resembled these persons. This chapter, therefore, possesses great value as containing important warnings against the arts of false teachers, and the danger of being seduced by them from the truth. 

One cannot help but marvel at the changes taking place in Christendom as it struggle to adapt to the changing demands of society. What once was characterizede as unholy and impure now requires a second look through tinted glasses. A religion that once flourished within the confrontational nature of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness, "Oh ye generation of vipers...". This once confrontational religion has now dumb down its approach in the name of peace and policitial correctness, it has agreed to respect the rights of all religions. The fire and brimstone has been retired and sunshine and favors have become the modern day message. 

Verse 1. But there were false prophets also among the people. In the previous chapter, (2 Peter 1:19-21,) Peter had appealed to the prophecies as containing unanswerable proofs of the truth of the Christian religion. He says, however, that he did not mean to say that all who claimed to be prophets were true messengers of God. There were many who pretended to be such, who only led the people astray. It is unnecessary to say, that such men have abounded in all ages where there have been true prophets.

Even as there shall be false teachers among you. The fact that false teachers would arise in the church is often spoken of in the New Testament. They arise privately, in a secret manner, or under plausible acts and pretenses. They would not at first make an open statement of their doctrines, but while their teachings seemed to be in accordance with truth, covertly maintain opinions or interpretations which would destroy the very foundations of religion. The Greek word here used, and which is rendered "who privily shall bring in," (pareisagw,) means properly to lead in by the side of others; to lead in along with others. Nothing could better express the usual way in which error is introduced into Christianity. It is by the side, or along with, other doctrines which are true; that is, while the mind is turned mainly to other subjects, and is off its guard, gently and silently to lay down some principle, which, being admitted, would lead to the error, or from which the error would follow as a natural consequence. 

Those who indoctrinate error rarely do it openly. If they would at once boldly" deny the Lord that bought them," it would be easy to identify them, and the mass of professed Christians would be in no danger of embracing the error. But when principles are laid down which lead to doubts on remote points are suggested which may involve the error; or when a long train of reasoning is pursued which may secretly support the error; there is much more probable that the mind will be corrupted and turn away from the truth.

In essence, there are numerous scams being played out over the internet. The gauntlet ranges from those with impressive titles and government positions, promising to send huge sums of money, to those who invoke the name of God and promise an intersession in exchange for a small sum of money. These scams will not go away because of the profitability of such. There always seems to be a group of people who will believe whatever is dangling in front of them, if it will bring peace to their inner longing. The doctrine of prosperity that teaches Christians are wealthy and sinner are poor, fails miserably in the light of the Word of God and common sense. Yet, there is no limit to the number of struggling Christians who will defend these damnable heresies.

Damnable heresies. aireseiV apwleiaV. "Heresies of destruction;" that is, heresies that will be followed by destruction. The Greek word which is rendered damnable, is the same which in the close of the verse is rendered destruction. Heresy is a departure from the truth. In the early history of Christianity, the church established the basic teachings of the faith. Those basics can be found in the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed. Over the centuries, however, theologians and religious figures have proposed doctrines that contradict established Christian beliefs. To keep those beliefs pure, the church once singled out people who taught or believed in ideas that was considered a threat to Christianity. 

Persecution became widespread as popes authorized inquisitions. Those investigations often resulted in torture and execution of innocent victims. This was not a workable solution to the problem. Jesus addressed the problem as such in Matthew 13:30, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” John encapsulated the new concept 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Paul set guidelines by admonishing Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The thing which false teachers attempt is divisions, alienations, or parties, in the church, and these would be based on the erroneous doctrines which they would promulgate through the twisting, misapplying and misinterpretation of the scripture. What would be the particular doctrine in this case is immediately specified, that they "would deny the Lord that bought them." The idea then is, that these false teachers would form sects or parties in the church, of a destructive or ruinous nature, founded on a denial of the Lord that bought them. They would draw attention to themselves by making false promises in the name of God, for the purpose of obtaining wealth and power. Such a formation of leaders would be ruinous to holiness, to good morals, and to the soul. 

The authors of these sects, holding the views which they did, and influenced by the motives which they would be, and practicing the morals which they would practice, as growing out their principles, would bring upon themselves swift and certain destruction. It is not possible now to determine to what particular class the apostle had reference here, but it is generally supposed that it was to some form of the Gnostic belief. There were many early sects of so-called heretics to whom what he here says would be applicable.

In conclusion, It is strictly and properly true that only of the Son of God has "bought" us. The Father indeed is represented as making the arrangement, as giving his Son to die, and as the great Source of all the blessings secured by redemption; but the purchase was actually made by the Son of God by his sacrifice on the cross. Whatever there was of the nature of a price it was paid by him; and whatever obligations may grow out of the fact that we are purchased or ransomed are due particularly to him, 2Co 5:15. These considerations seem to me to make it clear that Peter referred here to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he meant to say that the false teachers mentioned held doctrines which were in fact a denial of that Saviour. 

He does not specify what constituted such a denial; but it is plain that any doctrine which represented Jesus, his person, or his work, as essentially different from what was the truth, would be a denial. If he was Divine, and that fact was denied, making him wholly a different being; if he actually made an expiatory sacrifice by his death, and that fact was denied, and he was held to be a mere religious teacher, changing essentially the character of the work which he came to perform; if he, in some proper sense, "bought" them with his blood, and that fact was denied in such a way that according to their views it was not strictly proper to speak of him as having bought them at all, which would be the case if he were a mere prophet or religious teacher, then it is clear that such a representation would be in fact a denial of his true nature and work. That some of these views entered into their denial of him is clear, for it was with reference to the fact that he had "bought" them, or redeemed them, that they denied him. 

And bring upon themselves swift destruction. The destruction here referred to can be only that which will occur in the future world, for there can be no evidence that Peter meant to say that this would destroy their health, their property, or their lives. The Greek word (apwleian) is the same which is used in the former part of the verse, in the phrase "damnable heresies

The focus of Christianity in Jesus's day, in Peter's time and under the teaching of Paul was never about amassing wealth and claiming it to be the blessing of God.  Their focus was the finish work of the Cross.  When we present a Gospel that indicates that the Blood of Jesus alone is not sufficient to save us from our sins, that we must purchase our salvation through an MLM concept, we are guilty of denying the Power of God.

Merchandising The Word of God, Part #2

2 Peter 2:1  But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

I. That there would be such false teachers the apostle expressly states in 2 Peter 2:1; and incidentally in that verse, and elsewhere in the chapter, he notices some of their characteristics, or some of the doctrines which they would hold.

(a.) They would deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Peter 2:1.

There are many damnable peculiar doctrines that deny God, his rightful place.   In the most simplest form we are taught that Good is busy everyday directing the affairs of men.  It is based upon the thesis that God is in control and taken to the 'N degree', he is controlling every aspect of human endeavor.  Therefore, when the young child dies a horrific death at the hands of a drunk driver, we say it was the will of God.  It is hard for many to believe in this concept when we look at the condition of the family, community, nation and world.  In  Ephesians 2:2 Paul referred to  the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; but the sellable god we have created is so busy handing out blessings, he does not have time to think about such things as judgment. 

Denying God is more than saying, “I do not believe in God,” the Children of Isreal denied God at the base of the Holy mountain all the while they were dancing, shouting and praising their god for delivering them.  The story unfolds in Exodus 32:1-10  When we misdirect our praise and honor we are denying God his rightful place.  Many worship services are designed around the concept of heaping praise and honor upon the creation rather than the creator. 

Even denying the Lord that bought them. This must mean that they held doctrines which were in fact a denial of the Lord, or the tendency of such things which would be a denial of the Lord. We cannot suppose that, while they professed to be Christians, they would openly and avowedly deny the Lord.  To "deny the Lord" is to withhold from him, in our belief and profession, anything which is essential to a proper conception of him.

To make false promises in the name of God is to deny the power of God.  To trivialize the name of God is to deny the supremacy of God.  To reference God's power to make you look impressive is the same as denying the very existence of God.  Many public speakers once again have begun to play the "somebody card" on television and on the social media to impress and gain followers.   During any given month, somebody will be blessed with a huge sum of money, somebody will be blessed a new car.  Is this a true representation of God at work?  Even a drunk could pull of this act.  When God works nobody can claim the credit.

(b.) They would be influenced by covetousness, and their object in their attempting to seduce others from the faith, and to induce them to become followers of themselves, would be to make money, 2Peter 2:3.

Money has become the key to salvation as professed by those who seek to get rich at the expense of the people of God.  The doctrine that many teach and preach is that if you give money, God will open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that you will not have room to receive.   This is a play on Malachi 3:10.  With elaborating on an issue and a concept that has been wrongly used, I will make this assertion, "the tithes were never intended to be used to fatten the purse of the priest."  The above misquoted scripture is probably one of the most quoted scripture in the bible. Unfortunately, it is being quoted out of context and used as a weapon of mass intimidation, manipulation, extortion, oppression, cajolery and outright lies and deceit used by some church leaders to collect ten percent of the gross income of their church members who have been hoodwinked and indoctrinated into believing that they are doing God’s will.   

To understand what tithes really mean one would have to understand the social reasons and cultural / religious setting within which it was situated this concept of tithes was properly explained in the Bible as stated in the laws of the tithe which can be found in the books of Leviticus 27 : 30 – 34, Numbers 18 : 25 – 31 and Deuteronomy 14 : 22 – 29. Upon reading these passages, one would understand what tithes really mean, but unfortunately most pastors prefer to neglect these passages that tell us the true meaning of tithes and emphasize on Malachi 3 : 8 - 10 which was directed to the Levites of that time to remit the priest’s share of the tithes they collected to him.  Truth is, the status quo will always be defended by the indoctrinated few.

(c.) They would be corrupt, beastly, and licentious in their conduct; and it would be one design of their teaching to show that the indulgence of gross passions was not inconsistent with religion; 2Peter 2:10, "that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness;" 2 Peter 2:12, "as natural brute beasts;" "shall perish in their own corruption;" 2 Peter 2:14, "having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin;" 2 Peter 2:22, "the dog has returned to his own vomit again."

More and more the corrupt,  beastly, and licentious ways of those that claim to be messengers of God are coming to the light and there is a rush to silence those who have the audacity to speak out.  The Bible is being used to threaten and intimidate as the indoctrination fails and the sins of the false messengers are laid bare.

(d.) They would be proud, arrogant, and self-willed; men who would despise all proper government, and who would be thoroughly "radical" in their views; 2 Peter 2:10, and despise government; presumptuous are they and self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities;" 2 Peter 2:18, "they speak great swelling words of vanity."

(e.) They were persons who had been formerly of corrupt lives, but who had become professing Christians. This is implied in 2 Peter 2:20-22. They are spoken of as having "escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" as "having known the ways of righteousness," but as having turned again to their former corrupt practices and lusts; "it has happened to them according to the true proverb".  There were various classes of persons in primitive times, coming under the general appellation of the term Gnostic, to whom this description would apply, and it is probable that they had begun to preach their doctrines in the times of the apostles. Among those persons were the Ebionites, Corinthians, Nicolaitanes, etc.  Jesus said he hated the Nicolaitanes.  Revelation 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

II. These false teachers would obtain followers, and their teachings would be likely to allure many. This is intimated more than once in the chapter: 2 Peter 2:2, "and many shall follow their pernicious ways;" 2 Peter 2:3, "and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you;" 2 Peter 2:14, "beguiling unstable souls." 2 Peter 2:18.

The techqunics of the false prophet is described by Peter as someone who use words, to attract or tempt by something flattering or desirable, to fascinate; charm. 

When the prophet said, " God said, that thing you have been praying for has been released, you blessing is on it way, all you got to do is claim it and receive it."   The prophet just declared it, God's ATM machine is working full time to insure that you get what you need to build up your treasures here on earth..

III. They would certainly be punished. A large part of the chapter is taken up in proving this point, and especially in showing from the examples of others who had erred in a similar manner, that they could not escape destruction. In doing this, the apostle refers to the following facts and illustrations:

(1.) The case of the angels that sinned, and that were cast down to hell, 2 Peter 2:4. If God brought such dreadful punishment on those who were once before his throne, wicked men could have no hope of escape.

(2.) The case of the wicked in the time of Noah, who were cut off by the flood, 2 Peter 2:5.

(3.) The case of Sodom and Gomorrah, 2 Peter 2:6.

(4.) The character of the persons referred to was such that they could have no hope of escape.

(a.) They were corrupt, sensual, presumptuous, and self willed, and were even worse than the rebel angels had been--men that seemed to be made to be taken and destroyed, 2 Peter 2:10-12.

(b.) They were spotted and blemishes, sensual and adulterers, emulating the example of Balaam, who was rebuked by even a dumb ass for his iniquity, 2 Peter 2:13-16.

(c.) They allured others to sing under the specious promise of liberty, while they were themselves the slaves of debased appetites, and gross and sensual passions, 2 Peter 2:17-19. 

Next

Damnable heresies.

Heresies of destruction

Merchandising The Word of God, Part #1

2 Peter 2:1-6  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

Before we began an indepth multipart study of Peter's message, I shall attempt to set the stage for a modern day comparison of an ancient message.  We intend to study with great diligence the message presented by Peter and also compare it the message that Jesus sent to the church in the book of Revelation 1st thru 3rd chapter.   Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."   This does not mean the Devil will not come against the church, nor does it mean the Devil will not create counterfeit churches.  There is the true church that exists in the heart of man and there is the apostate church.  Jesus said to the apostate church in  Revelation 3:15-16  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.  

As a final act of repudiation God divorced his chosen people, as a final act of disdain or repudiation Jesus offered these words, "I will spew thee out of my mouth."

No lets read and study the last words of Jesus to the church here on earth.  Revelation 3:20-22 Behold, I stand at the door and knock,: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.  This is a message to the individual, he used words like, "if any man", or "He that overcometh."

Let us explore the possibility that Jesus and Peter were concerned about those who had come into the church and with great words they began merchandising the people of God.  2 Peter 2:3 And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.  Now let us explore the act of merchandising.

Feigned words, words that are insecure, artificial, man made words that are designed to suit a particular purpose., words that are able to cause the unstable soul to falter and follow after  the teaching of men.  False teachers often follow the pattern of their master, they come with great promises.  Feigned words; artful and hypocritical pretenses. --Make a merchandise of you. Judas made merchandise of his Master, betraying and sacrificing him to promote his own ends. So it is said these men should sacrifice the cause of Christ to their own selfish purposes.

There exists the possibility that through the use of feigned words, anything, irregardless of how worthy, vain, even unpretentious acts can be sold to the public.  All that is required is a marketing plan, a marketing team with an appealing marking concepts.   Consider this, tennis shoes and blue jeans once the garment of the poor and working class, used a marketing concept to become the preferred dress of the rich and famous.  What was it that caused  the market value of a pair of cheaply produced tennis shoes to dramatically increase in value?  Better yet, consider the enterprising man who sold rocks (pet rocks) to an adoring public.

The primary objectives of life have been reset, feeling good about what we are, what we have or what we do, has become our primary objective and the value of life is diminished.  In essence, if we pay two hundred dollars for a four dollar pair of tennis shoes the value of the shoes did not increase, we are paying for the right to feel good about yourself or your accomplishments.  The desire of feeling good is one of the most powerful and sellable aphrodisiacs known to mankind.  It is sellable in and out of the church.

'Feel good' can be defined as that which is intended to make one happy or satisfied, causing or characterized by a feeling of self-satisfaction: feel-good factor, achieving a high state of euphoria, often defined as the Spirit of God.  The operative words, here is the, “feel good factor.” The feel good factor is present in every aspect of human endeavors.  Why do we go to work?  Because going to work allows us to accomplish things that make us feel good.  Why do we go to concerts and football games, because somewhere within our line of reasoning, it is something that makes us feel good.  Now apply that to church worship services and Gospel music.

The evolution of gospel music sat the stage for the evolution of worship service.  Gospel or sacred music once existed within the shadows of the sanctuary and enjoyed a  special place that was considered to be Holy next to the Word of God.  The singers of spiritual songs was not something that was done for worldly acclimation or money, it was something that was done in the service of God. Therefore, those who sung in church as a part of their church worship services did not do it to  become rich and famous.  Sacred music as the name implies was not intended to be entertaining, it was intended to reverence God and give him proper praise.   When we injected the entertainment 'feel good' factor into worship, are we guilty of denying God his proper reverence?

In todays contemporary society gospel music has crossed over or morphed into the entertainment  venue.  The sacred solitude that gospel music once provided has been replaced by a hand clapping, foot stomping feel good sellable type of music that rewards the performer and entertain the listener. Worship services that once was designed to serve God is now designed to make you feel good.  Feeling good is an emotional attribute that can be manipulated, it can be merchandised, it can be marketed in the same fashion as a pair of tennis shoes made out of cheap plastic.  Somewhere between the opening song and the closing chords of contemporary worship services you will also be asked to pay for feeling good.

2 Peter 2:1-6, The  general subject of this chapter is clearly stated in the first verse, and it embraces these points:

(1.) That there would be many false teachers among Christians in modern times, as there were false teachers in ancient times;

False teachers have risen up and many are trying to strike fear in the Children of God thru threats of annihilation by God if they open their mouth against them.  1 John 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. When the Devil approached Eve in the garden professing to know the word of God, he made promises by twisting the scripture.   When that old Satan, the Devil approached Jesus on the mountain quoting the scripture, twisting it and professing to understand the Word of God,  offering him all of the richness of the world, Jesus condemns him as nothing but the devil.  Yet, when they come to us in the name of God promising prosperity in a sin cursed and dying world, we are quick to follow.  A world that Jesus said for you not to lay up your treasures upon earth.  Matthew 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Are we to believe that the numerous doctrines and split denominations are all apart of God's plan? What about the changing values of Christianity that are designed to make Christianity more relevant in a modern society?   Why are Christians eager to embrace every new wind and doctrine?   These are questions that should be seriously considered when engaging in un-indoctrinated Bible.study.

(2.) That they would introduce destructive errors in the scripture, leading many astray through peculiar doctrines; 

These peculiar doctrines are numerous in today's society and they are all built upon a twisted interpretation of the scripture. These destructive errors many times are nothing more than making numerous false promises in the name of God.  To do so is a direct violation of God's laws and is a form of denying the true power of God.  Many are led astray by promises that God is moving in a particular way that embrace the 'feel good' aspect of human nature.  It is easy to be blinded by the twisted promised and fail to see the direction that we are being led in. 

Ages and dispensations are no longer a factor in Bible study. We take the Old and New Testament, and figurative speaking, we dump both into the pot, then we add The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit and mix it all together.  To congeal the mix we add a bit of paganism with a touch of Voodooism.  According to the teaching of Peter, what emergences is a polluted mess that is neither sustainable thru the Word of God or common sense.   On one extreme we have people dancing with snakes and on the other extreme we have the magical sideshow.  Somewhere in between we have those who are clamoring for and claiming the blessing of Abraham, while the healing power of God is defined as going into the hospital and surviving a surgical procedure.  We have trivialized the God of our salvation and he is seen as an ineffective landlord.

(3.) That the wrath of God would certainly be poured out upon them. The design of this study is to illustrate and defend these points.

The wrath of God presently is being stored up and reserved as depicted in Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. The watered down messages of modern Christianity does not reflect the wrath of God.  Seven Golden vials full of the wrath of God are indicative of stored up wrath that is being withheld by the Blood of Jesus.  Fire and brimstone message does not project the 'feel good' atmosphere that is prevalent in many churches, therefore It is more appropriate to speak of what God is doing for you or what he is going to do for you.   These are sellable points.

If we were to rightly divide the polluted mess that we have created as Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  The works of God the Father was manifested in the Old Testiment and when he divorced his people as portrayed in Jeremiah 3:8  And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce;... Afterward, God was silent. When God spoke in the New Testament, he said in Luke 9:35... This is my beloved Son: hear him.  Jesus prepared his disciples for his death and departure.  One of the things he stressed was in John 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  This dispensation is under the authority of the Holy Spirit and when it has run its course the wrath of God that is presently being withheld, will be poured out on a sin cursed world.

To Be Continued

The Meaning of Double Honor

1 Timothy 5:17  Let the <elders> that rule well be counted worthy of double < honor>, especially they who <labor> in the word and doctrine.

I recently attended an appreciation service for a pastor and to justify the excessive splurging that members were drawn into,  the Master of Ceremony  quoted  1 Timothy 5:17.  A sense of indoctrinated relief seems to settle over the church, because of what they were asked to do was justified by the Holy Scripture.   Some were asked to forgo paying their bills or even giving up their grocery money to make this glorious occasion a huge success.  However, there were some who squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, because they were aware that nothing in that scripture referred to the pastor.

The festive occasion was filled with honor and praise for the pastor.  These services were once nothing more that a private affair where the members of a congregation came together to show their love for their pastor.  Often it was done after church services or outside of the church setting.  Today, in many churches they have morphed into a multi-church community affair, hosted and directed by the pastor or his appointee.  Letters or invitations are sent out to different churches, money is swapped causing undue suffering among the church community.  Often these appreciation services became the measuring rod that determined the effectiveness of the pastor’s ministry,  based upon the amount of money collected. 

The interpretation of this verse also adds to what I call the confusion of Christianity.  There are certain sections of Paul’s letter to Timothy that we will defend and apply word for word, while other segments can be  explained away.   The contradictory nature of our interpretations  comes full circle in that while we are shaping and twisting the scripture, often within the same chapter, to coincide with our indoctrinated doctrine or personal ideology, all the while we are quoting Matthew 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The shaping and twisting of the scripture is easily achieved in the household of faith because of the  belief that once a person  acknowledges the anointing of God, that person cannot lie. This naive concept of God's messengers has open the door for the wolves to come in among the flock.  The scripture encouraged the believers in 1 John 4:1, it said, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  Not one God fearing soul would stand up challenged Jim Jones as he led hundreds of believers to their untimely death.

These verses ranks number one  as to the high level of contention within the household of faith.  We cannot in good faith accept what Paul said, word for word, there must be a way to explain all of this away.   If we cannot explain this away “church is out”.  1 Timothy 2:9-11  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.   How many churches would cease to exist if these verses were enforced, word for word?  But, if there is a slight indication that the scripture is referring to money, then it is enforced. 

In the early sixties the bishops mills began to turn out bishops by the thousands.  The roster of Bishops could be reduced  if these rules were applied.  1 Timothy 3:2-6  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.  We have long since relegated the training of our children over to some other or higher power.  Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  We can explain this away, and the husband of one wife simply means one wife at any given time.

Is this verse telling you not to rebuke a preacher?   Once you make the claim that you are a preacher are you beyond condemnation? Maybe a firm understanding of who is an elder is needed, not our modern day interpretation, but in the language of the Bible.  1 Timothy 5:1-3  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Honor widows that are widows indeed.

Teachers of the Gospel of prosperity should read and re-read this scripture, but Rev. Ike explained this one away long ago.  1 Timothy 6:5-10  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Now lets get back to our study verse.  If we are to understand the meaning of 1 Timothy 5:17, we need to understand the meaning of three words.  Elders, honor and labor.  These words must be defined in accordance with the ancient Hebrew meaning and not some twentieth century polluted definition.

The apostle had given full instructions respecting bishops, 1Ti 3:1-7; deacons, 1Ti 3:8-13; widows, 1Ti 5:3-16; and he here proceeds to describe the duty of the church towards those who sustain the office of elder. The word used--elder or presbyter--properly refers to age, not an appointed position and is then used to denote the officers of the church, and was relevant to the church in which they served.  Probably because of their aged they were at first entrusted with the administration of the affairs of the church. The word was in familiar use among the Jews to denote the body of men that presided in the synagogue  Can we justifiable change the meaning of the word to accommodate the desire for power of a few, or the desire of one man to rule over the House of God?

That rule well. Presiding well, or well managing the spiritual interests of the church. The word rendered rule -proestwteV -- is from a verb meaning to be over; to preside over; to have the care of. The word is used with reference to bishops, Tit 1:5,7; to an apostle, 1Pe 5:1; and is such a word as would apply to any officers to whom the management and the government of the church was intrusted. It is probable that the same organization was pursued in every place where a church was established; and where there was a Jewish synagogue, the Christian church would be formed substantially after that model, and in such a church there would be a group of presiding elders. The language here seems to have been taken from such an Organization.

"Be counted worthy of double honor. With double respect; that is, of a high degree of respect; of a degree of respect becoming their age and office. From the quotation which is made in 1Ti 5:18, in relation to this subject, it would seem probable that the apostle had some reference also to their support, or to what was necessary for their maintenance. There is no improbability in supposing that all the officers of the church, of whatever grade or rank, may have had some compensation, corresponding to the amount of time which their office required them to devote to the service of the church. Nothing would be more reasonable than that, if their duties in the church interfered with their regular employments in their secular calling, their brethren should contribute to their support.   Especially they who labor in word and doctrine. In preaching and instructing the people. From this it is clear that, while there were "elders" who labored "in the word and doctrine," that is, in preaching, there were also those who did not labor "in the word and doctrine," but who were nevertheless appointed to rule in the church. Whether, however, they were regarded as a separate and distinct class of officers, does not appear from this passage. It may have been that there were elders to whom the general management of the church was confided, and that a part of them were engaged in preaching; a part may have performed the office of "teachers"  and a part may have been employed in managing other concerns of the church, and yet all were regarded as the <proestwteV presbuteroi—or>  "elders presiding over the church." It cannot, I think, be certainly concluded from this passage, that the ruling elders who did not teach or preach were regarded as a separate class or order of permanent officers in the church. There seems to have been a bench of elders selected on account of age, piety, prudence, and wisdom, to whom was intrusted the whole business of the instruction and government of the church, and they performed the various parts of the duty as they had the ability. Those among them who "labored in the word and doctrine," and who gave up all their time to the business of their office, would be worthy of special respect, and of a higher compensation."

Now, the progression of Christianity and the church as a business required that it adopt a business model that provide a clear and enforceable means of collection and distribution of wealth.   Many have struggled all of their lives and gone to their grave waiting for God to make them wealthy.   The age of the community church has gone the way of the community school.  Churches often collect and funnel money to organizations outside of the community that serves no purpose within the community or the local church.   Church buildings remain locked during the day as the pastors work their regular job and drug abuse and gang violence erupt, even on the steps of the church.  

What Is True Worship?

John 4:23-24 but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is a Spirit. These words contain one of the most simple, yet most profound, truths which ever fell upon the mortal ear. Their truth is one of the great glories of revelation, and corrects the mistaken conclusion of human reason. They show that,

1, God is absolutely free from all limitations of space and time, and is therefore not to be localized in temples (Ac 7:48);

2, that God is not material, as idolaters contend;

3, that he is not an abstract force, as scientists think, but a Being;

4, that he is lifted above all need of temples, sacrifices, etc., which are a benefit to man, but not to God (Ac 17:25). Spiritual excellence raises man above the beast, and spiritual excellence, in turn, raises God above man (Isa 31:3).

And they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. That is, men must offer a worship corresponding to the nature and attributes of God.   A eye opening study would be, “What is the nature and attributes of God.”

Within the last decade church worship service has undergone numerous changes.   Many of these changes are designed to reflect the mood or the values of the younger generation.  Prayer service has morphed into “Praise and Worship” services.  Many churches have incorporated “Praise Dancing” in their worship repertoire.   Some have added a more liberal form of dancing under the guise of Dance Ministries”.  It is not uncommon to see couples take to the floor in church service as they praise God in the dance.  The church has come of age and instituted a platform of entertainment that is equivalent to that of a concert hall.  All of this is done under the guise of drawing people not to God, but to draw people into the church.

Spiritual or gospel music has also come of age,  the line that once separated church music from that of the world has been blurred and in some instances do not exist.  Crossover music is the accepted norm.   To distinguish between spiritual music and that of other category of music you must listen carefully to the words.  This poses a serious question, is crossover gospel music still considered sacred music? Is the church guilty of consuming that which was offered up to idolatry?   It seems as if the God of the Old Testament had a problem with this.  It was reiterated in Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.   

 The phrase “Praise God!” is common in the Christian vernacular, but what does it really mean? The phrase “My God” is also common in the vernacular of the street and church, but what are we really saying?  Are we actually referencing God or are we merely uttering words?  Think of how many times we hear or read the name of God. How do we praise God is the question of this dissertation.   God’s Word is the best place to look to define our terms. We must be careful to not get too caught up in traditions and culture practices and lose the meaning that God has given to us through His Word.  The ethnic flavor that has been added to worship, is it of God or is it of man?  The book of Psalms (sacred songs) is well-known for its focus on praising God, which is where we will direct our study.  When we engage in this study, we must be careful with mixing the Old and New Testiment together, a polluted mess is what we could end up with.

Christians often speak of “praising God,” and the Bible commands all living creatures to praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6).  The question that I am phrasing is, What is praise.”  Is it shouting and screaming?   One Hebrew word for “praise” is yadah, meaning “praise, give thanks, or confess.” A second word often translated “praise” in the Old Testament is zamar, “sing praise.” A third word translated “praise” is halal (the root of hallelujah), meaning “to praise, honor, or commend.” All three terms contain the idea of giving thanks and honor to one who is worthy of praise.   The consensus of the Hebrew interpretation seems to be giving thanks and honor.

In the military, the squadron honored their superior officers by initiating a command call “Eyes Right”, as they marched pass the reviewing stand.  The child honored it parent with eye contact and a ever so slight smile as it marched pass its parents in the grand parade.  A young man, the recipient of a state of the art video game honored his mother by cooking and cleaning the house.

The book of Psalms is a collection of songs filled with praises to God. Among them is Psalm 9, which sings, “I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High” (verse 2). Psalm 18:3 says God is “worthy of praise.” (be giving thanks and honor) Psalm 21:13 praises God, both for who He is and for His great power: “Be exalted in your strength, LORD; we will sing and praise your might.” The pollution began to surface when praise and worship services become a platform of begging God for a blessing.  

Psalm 150 offers a strong focus on praise, the term thirteen times in six verses. The first verse provides the “where” of praise—everywhere! “Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  - The next verse teaches “why” to praise the Lord: “Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.”   Verses 3–6 note “how” to praise the Lord—with a variety of instruments, dance, and everything that has breath.  Does this mean we have to make sounds to praise God?

Coming of age in the church during the fifties, I became acquainted with two methods of praising God.  Both methods were tainted with an ethnic flavor.   In the Baptist church when the spirit of the Lord descended, those that were sensitive to the presence of the spirit would react in a manner that got the attention of the ushers.  The usher’s job was to calm the person down, to prevent them from hurting themselves and others.  The Holiness movement ushered in a new method of praising God, when the spirit descended, there again, those that were sensitive to the presence of the spirit would jump up and dance.  There was no holding.  If they fell down all was good, they were called “holy rollers.” 

For me this was the beginning of the evolution of praise and worship services.  Those that were musically inclined began to show up at these services and under the expressed anointing of God, they played music  and the church danced to a different beat than that of a nightclub.   The evolution continued as other denominations that once boasted of nothing more than an organ or a piano began to build churches that could accommodate a full scale orchestra, then the beat changed.

To downplay the diversity of beliefs and doctrines many churches  have opted to form a  standard form of worship.  Praise teams and dance teams fill that space reserved for worship  before the speaker is presented.  In many instances along with the musicians the congregation is entertained by a group of paid performers who spend many hours perfecting their talent.  The prefect presentation of this repertoire is enough to bring the ardent Christian listener to a heighten state of emotional bliss, which is interpreted as the “Spirit of God.”

Lets reiterate and amplify, the Hebrew word for “praise” is yadah, which means to praise, give thanks, or confess. In fact, the word translated “give thanks” later on in the passage comes from the same Hebrew word used earlier for “praise” the context always determines meaning.  Without understanding the context we are headed for a polluted mess. Furthermore, there are multiple Hebrew words that can be translated as “praise,” and it does not necessarily just have one definition. The Hebrew language has specific words for the type of praise being given, so we must examine more of these words before we can come up with a proper definition. For example, there are two different Hebrew words for “praise” in Psalm 149:3: “Let them praise [halal] His name with the dance; Let them sing praises [zamar] to Him with the timbre and harp.” Halal means to praise, glorify, boast, commend, etc., and zamar means to make music or sing praises.  The question to ponder is this, is this a group session or is it an individual thing?

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  When I read that verse, the question that first comes to mind is “what is a true worshiper?” What is it that separates a true worshiper from an “untrue” worshiper? To answer that question, we must first understand what worship really is.  A serious contender for the faith can find the changing nature of worship services confusing.

In a changing world, in today’s culture, we often think of worship as being the songs that we sing to God, perfect and on key on Sunday morning. The music must maintain the proper and perfect beat. But if we were to define it based on what the Bible teaches, would we describe it in the same way, or would be begin to look at it differently?  

Reading that same verse in The Message translation might begin to bring some clarity to that question. If we begin reading in the second half of verse 23 and on into verse 24, we begin to understand how Jesus is defining worship to the woman at the well: Just a thought God did choose Jesus over Elias and Moses in Mark 9:7 " ... This is my beloved Son: hear him."  It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is a Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.

Jesus makes it very clear that worship is about far more than music. In fact, in the context of this passage, he’s not talking about music at all when he defines true worship. He’s talking about a lifestyle. He is not talking about play acting or dance steps.  He’s talking about offering our lives to God , being eager to pursue truth and knowledge of the God we worship. In church today, we often dress up our music – our “worship” and performance as we try to create a certain atmosphere to elicit an emotional response.   That emotional response, the same as achieved at a rock concert or a football game.   We often get caught up in how we do it, rather than who we worship. But without God, worship is pointless. Without God, the words that we sing have no meaning. But with God, worship is everything. God wants us to worship Him as a natural response to his supreme greatness, because he is the One worthy of all praise. That is true worship.

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Religious Indoctrination verses Christianity Part #3

The Failure of Christianity

Christianity is a divided religion, it is made up of different denominations and the interpretation of its Holy scriptures is based upon individuals ‘personal’ beliefs with denominational doctrine at the forefront of scriptural interpretation. There is little or no consensus among  the many different groups of believers and as each day passes the standards of Christianity within many groups is changed to reflect the mood of a changing society.  The ancient indoctrinations of Christianity failed when the Roman Empire booted out the Pagans and extended their hands to the Christians filled with the richness of the world.  They readily accepted thus setting the stage for the downfall of the empire and the pollution of Christianity.  This is a problem that Jesus addressed in his overlooked letters to the churches in the Book of Revelation.  

The failure of Christianity may not be the best choice of words to use and has already drawn fire from several sources. There is a difference between those that are of the Body of Christ and many of those who lump themselves together under the umbrella of Christianity.  I will not try to separate Christianity into different groups, but I will address the concept of Christianity as a whole group of believers.  The word Christian is an English translated word that was used to describe the pious attitude of the disciples.  Acts 11:26… And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  The disciples taught and acted like Christ. 

Christianity as a religion is representative of those who are supposed to be Christ-like.  Try to visualize a group of people acting and living like Christ.   If Christianity is constantly changing and evolving do that make the value of Christianity more or less.  If the indoctrination of old is without value and a new indoctrination is necessary or forthcoming, what does that say about the status of those who believed the old way?  Imagine the turmoil, the frustration of a ninety year old lady who grew up in the church, as she stand on the sideline and watch all of her religious values being ripped apart and cast out in the name of progress.  Yet the message is preached, "Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday."

A religion that operates under the premise that in order to remain relevant and vibrant,  it must change or adapt  to a changing society is a failed religion.  Christianity has joined the ranks of failed religions.  The Christian Church maintains that this is not so because it is the church that Jesus founded and the gate of hell cannot stand against it.  Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  The making of the above statement and to quote the scripture as pertaining to the church, I have taken the scripture out of context and I have twisted it to reflect the present mood of thought.   Let's clarify, the word church as referenced in the Bible it is representative of an assembly, not a building.  The church is representative of groups of believers, all touching and agreeing upon the same thing.  Jesus did not declare nor imply that upon this rock I will establish my denominational church and the gates of Hell will not be able to stand against it.

This was what Jesus said to Peter, now compare that to what he wrote to the church, Revelation 3:14-18  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  

The use of denominations within the ranks of Christianity is the greatest indication of a divided religion.  There is no true consensus among the ranks of denominational Christendom and the divide is growing every day.  Jesus said in  Mark 3:24-26  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.  The implication of that statement is a house, family or group divided against itself cannot stand.  What happens when a nation or a group of people become divided?  Often they form new nations or groups. Based upon the words of Jesus, they are a failed religion and in todays society they must keep reinventing themselves.

Christianity has failed as a religion in that it has allowed it pulpits to be hijacked by men and women of dubious nature.  Men and women who are seeking honor and praise have sharpened their skills of twisting and misquoting the scripture and through fear many follow along.  I am not speaking of the Body of Christ, nor am I speaking of the Church that Jesus founded.  I speak in condemnation of  any organized religion that has failed to live up to the indoctrination of its founder, (Jesus Christ). 

The biggest challenge Christendom faced, especially Pentecostal Christianity is a massive  invasion of people who are not called by God.  They have used the scripture as a whip to build up fear and to maintain their own indoctrination of want and greed.  They have built churches that reflect their own ideology, they have hijacked the pulpit and they are preaching a gospel of twisted scriptures that are not representative of the Gospel of Christ. They are representing their stomach. They are representing their worldly desires of fame and money, the same as a “rock star”.  They are making promises in the name of God and blaming the failure of the promises on the failure of mankind.  

Christianity has evolved into an “ATM” religion.  Anything you want “God got it”, if you do not get it the fault is not in God, the fault is in you.  Many forms of Christianity require that you lay aside your values of common sense and blindly follow a self styled guru who promises you everything you desire.  Maybe we should be reminded of the Devil, from the beginning he made promises he could not deliver, he even went to Jesus and promised him the world.  In todays society the power of God has been reduced to cute clichés, God is always working in the background fixing things, or God got my back is not an indication of faith, it is a sound bite designed to evoke an emotional response.  It seems that the whole world is searching for an emotional response. 

How can we believe in a God as powerful as the Christian religion depicts and that he is busy everyday fixing the problems of the world?  Why doesn't he just go ahead and fix the problem of the world?  Do we really believe that prayer is the solution to everything in our homes and communities while they are spinning out of control?  Guns and drugs are the order of the day as Christians continue to pray for God to fix the problem.  Wars and rumors of wars are the fodder of daily news shows, yet we pray for peace and there is no peace.  The healing power of God is reduced to going into the hospital having a surgical procedure performed.  The promulgators of religious lore have buried their collective heads in the sand in an act of reverence, piety and prayer while the battles between good and evil continues. Political correctness continue to declare the winner based upon the natural desires of mankind. Christianity is not only guilty of trivializing its birthright, it is guilty of putting the God of the universe to open shame.

The religion of Christianity should not be about raising money or elevation of men to positions of Popes and Bishops.  It should not be about treating our pastor like rock stars.  Christianity should not be about being at large and in charge.   The religion of Christianity should be about how we treat each other.  It should be about how we serve our God through our service to humanity.   Christianity should not be about building grand edifices and amassing a huge following.  The religion of Christianity needs to return to the source of its roots, laying aside, the play acting,  the subterfuge, expelling the corruption  and recommit itself to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Matthew 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.