Perpetual Money Machine--Churchianity

by Van Robison

money machine Jesus Christ never taught that the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, salvation through Christ, or eternal life are purchased with money--ever. This is very easy for anyone to verify by reading the teachings of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels. We are expected to multiply our talents and not to bury what God has given us, but Christ never took up tithes and offerings during His earthly ministry. The church world is very wealthy in material goods. Some massive church organizations are worth billions upon billions of dollars in land, temples, church buildings and endless investments. Some churches are not wealthy, but nevertheless money is an endless object.

The world is overrun with churches and "ministries" that revolve around "generous giving". Generous giving of money is the obsession with churchianity, and the impression that the world sees is that to be a "Christian" is a very expensive proposition. I don't recall ever hearing a sermon in all my years of church attendance, where the preacher went through the entire Bible and quoted every single scripture dealing with money, giving to the poor, the rich overlords, that money is the root of all evil, and all such related scriptures. On the other hand, I have often heard specific scriptures quoted out of context to support "tithing", and the endless greed of money-hungry preachers.

If pastors and preachers think Jesus Christ called anyone to ministry to live a life of comfort, ease, and prosperity, then they have never read the New Testament. Jesus never called Peter or the other "uneducated" fishermen to be millionaires and multimillionaire preachers. And yet today, there are many megachurch preachers who are living the life of royalty because they are liars and deceivers of the truth about Jesus Christ.

For those who really want to follow Jesus Christ, here is what Jesus Christ said about those who follow Him:

John 15:20 "...If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you."
John 15:19 "...I have chosen you out of the world, therefore THE WORLD HATES YOU."
Matthew 6:24 "...You cannot serve God and mammon (Amplified Bible says mammon is deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in)."
Luke 16:15 "...for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."
Luke 14:33 "...whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple." (Wow! Prosperity Gospel?)
Luke 9:23 "...If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Uhh Ohh!)
Luke 9:58 "And Jesus said unto him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has no where to lay His head.'" (Wow! Wealthy preachers?)
Matthew 19:24 "And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Umm! Celebrity/Rich preachers?)

Is it not noteworthy that as church goers, we esteem highly men and women with positions, flattering titles, people with false power and false authority over the flock, even though Peter said not to lord it over God's heritage (1 Peter 5:3)? And Jesus said to call no man Master, for one is your Master--Christ (Matthew 23:8). Why do innumerable Christians give to the rich, money-begging preachers instead of to the poor? The reason is, most people let preachers do their thinking, and they neglect to study the Bible for themselves and to dig deep for the real truth which is readily available to them. Some preachers gladly quote certain Proverbs or scriptures about wealth, while totally neglecting many other scriptures dealing with money matters, and issues of the rich and poor. They also prefer to quote Old Testament scriptures while not quoting certain scriptures in the New Testament that deal with money matters. There is a great deal of hypocrisy coming from the pulpits of some preachers.

The world of churchianity has become a world obsessed with money, and is a perpetual money machine. It is a great shame to the Christian world that money is god, instead of Jesus Christ. Can the Gospel be taken to the unconverted without the never ending money machine? Ask the apostle Paul, because he did it. Paul worked with his own hands, never took up tithes and offerings, supported himself, never coveted anyone's gold or silver, and he made tents for a living (Acts 20:29-34).

From the Amplified Bible in Acts 20:29, "I know that after I am gone, FEROCIOUS WOLVES will get in among you, not sparing the flock; (30) Even from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them (to their own party). (31) Therefore be always alert and on your guard." And then in verse 33 Paul says, "I coveted no man's silver or gold or (costly) garments. (34) You yourselves know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs and those (of the persons) who were with me." Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3), and he conveyed the Gospel to others at his own expense and gladly. Few preachers ever follow Paul's example.

Churchianity is a perpetual money industry conveying to the world that salvation is purchased with money.