The whole meaning of community of believers has been lost,
especially in today's commercialized church system. Or another name institutionalized
religion done in Jesus name. If we survey the New Testament all giving was to
only meet the needs of fellow believers. Now, the money received in church
offering today goes for mostly pastoral staff salaries, church buildings and its
infrastructure, electronic equipment, security guards, fingerprinting, cell
phones and many other things that are NOT needs as spelled out in the New Testament. A thing unheard of in the first two centuries of church history. We
are to take up offerings to benefit the poor and needy and widows in the community of believers (see Acts
4:32-37). Plus, they never charged for the Word or try to profit off sermons or
instruction (i.e. book, music or video sales) or to council fellow believers for money.
Anyone who has ever had a relationship with the living
Christ must ask, "Since when has Jesus become dependent on worldly business
methods and technology to promote the gospel of the kingdom of God to grow His
Church?" Is this the rock He told Peter that He would build His church
on--common worldly business model practices? Where once the Lord added to the
Church daily as many as should be saved, now we see a church growing itself by
appealing to the world's senses. Where once the Spirit of God drew people, now
people are enticed with sensationalism and entertainment, an appeal to the eyes
and ears.
Jesus prophesied that before the coming judgment it would
once again be as it was in the days of Noah, when the earth was filled with the
feasting, drinking and hedonism. It would be as it was in the corrupted society
of Sodom where it was business as usual, "They ate, they drank, they
bought, they sold, they planted, they built."(see Luke 17:26-32). Can
anyone look around western culture and its churches and not see this prophecy
fulfilled?
Perhaps a more telling question might be, "Are we
willing to live on bread in order to preach the glorious gospel of the kingdom
of God in Jesus name?" Did Jesus pay the price and live in poverty so that
the apostles and believers that followed didn't have to? Did they live lives of
ease and opulence in order to leave a legacy of established kingdoms in this
world? Did they build great institutions, naming great churches, universities
and seminaries after themselves as is the practice today?
Let Paul's words suffice: “But sometimes I think God has put
us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade,
condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world--to people and
angels alike. Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so
wise! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are well thought of, but we are
laughed at. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes
to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our
own. We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless
those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We respond gently
when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's
garbage, like everybody’s trash--right up to the present moment.” (1
Corinthians 4:9-13, NLT)
These men served the kingdom of God and cared nothing for
worldly gain. They didn’t push people to give in order to meet the churches
annual budget of salaries and utilities. You wouldn’t see an overseer standing
in line to buy the finest clothing from the Roman Empire while the people he shepherds
stand in line for their next meal. I remember seeing a local pastor standing in
line for the next iPhone while people in the congregation had to stand in line
to get food stamps from the state.
The apostles supported themselves and often went without.
They had no homes of their own, much less any house worth six figures or annual
six figure salaries. They heeded Jesus' words and did not seek to find their
lives. They had tasted the heavenly gift and found it good. Their only legacy
was to live and die just as their Forerunner, the very Son of God, promoting
the eternal kingdom of God. They did not consider their service to be a
vocation or livelihood but were witnesses, appointed unto death. It was not a
living but a dying; a life laid down and never an excuse to gather wealth to
themselves.
Without doubt, the prevailing conditions on the earth today
are identical to what existed before the judgment of the flood and the judgment
of Sodom. Hedonism has infected the whole world, and the church has been tainted
by it in its evangelism of the unbeliever. It goes forth converting men to its
corrupt ways, especially in America, convincing all that this is true
Christianity. The lust for wealth has not only been found a home in the gospel
of prosperity but also in nearly every local church and denomination in America,
and gain is preached as godliness is commonplace (see1 Timothy 6:1-11).
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, my
people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive
any of her plagues; - Revelation 18:4 (NIV)
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