I Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb

by Van Robison

Most of us have heard the song I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb sung by Ray Boltz, which is a very soul touching song about allegiance to Jesus Christ. It can be heard on the Internet by keying into YouTube. It seems somewhat astonishing that the entire "Christian" church world emphasizes going to church, pastors, partners, money and all things having to do with institutional churchianity, as allegiance to Christ. I have to take a few steps backward when I see church leaders idolize themselves and expect Christians to partner with them in their self-idolatry. In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul chastises folks for saying "I am of Paul" or "I am of Apollos" or I am of Cephas", and again at 1 Corinthians 3:4 "For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; ARE YOU NOT CARNAL?" Is there any difference today when pastors expect church goers to call them "my pastor" when the real Pastor is Jesus Christ? Paul effectively is saying that he is not your pastor and so don't say "my pastor is Paul", and yet millions of Christians do exactly that to their local pastor today. The term "apostle" simply means "one sent" and is not an office of authority over others, as is commonly assumed. The King James translation that translates Paul as saying "I magnify mine office" (Romans 11:13) is a corruption of the truth. For a more in depth research on how the KJV is corrupted in many ways, I highly recommend The Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy by George Davis and Michael Clark.

Dominance over common human beings is as old as mankind. We all know that human governments dominate our lives in countless ways, in the belief that they have "a right" to do so, which they do not, but they assume that role anyway--by force, not by love. In the world of religions, it is always, always religious leaders who dominate the thinking and lives of ordinary people, in the belief that the "spiritual leaders" are somehow elected by God to do so. The great irony about churches and "pastors" today is the mistaken belief that relationship with Jesus Christ is something lived only through pastors, going to church, and all things of the institutional churches. This makes no sense whatsoever. The whole purpose of the Holy Spirit indwelling individuals is that Jesus Christ LIVES IN YOU 24/7, and self-appointed pastors are obsolete as overlords. Preachers are necessary to proclaim Christ to the unconverted, but dominating the lives of born-again believers is a false paradigm. (And if anyone should quote Ephesians 4:11 that He gave some "pastors", you should study this word "pastors", how many times it appears in the New Testament, and exactly what it means, because it is not what "pastors" teach, think or believe.) The great mistaken belief in the world of churches is that "pastors" are overlords over the lives of Christians. The real Shepherd of any born-again Christian is Jesus Christ living within the individual.

The nature and character of Jesus Christ is one of humility and meekness. He came as a servant. He washed feet. He was physically harmless. He was astonishingly wise, knowledgeable and giving. He willingly allowed Himself to be crucified. It is not the nature of Christ to force Himself upon people, in the way pastors force their false authority upon gullible and falsely indoctrinated church goers. All scriptures in the New Testament that appear to give "authority" to human governments or religious or spiritual rulers and overlords, should be researched in depth because they contradict the direct teachings of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels. Jesus is the only Good Shepherd, the only Master, the only Savior, the only Resurrection, the only Way, Truth and Life, the only Living Waters, the only Bread of life, the only Manna from heaven, the only Vine, the only Door and the only Rock of our salvation, and many other innumerable attributes. How does anyone serve two masters? How does anyone give allegiance to churches and pastors, and at the same time hear the voice of Jesus Christ and follow Him? Pastors are prone to lead people astray into many false teachings, having to do with the supposed fulfillment of end-time prophecies in our day and age, ever burning torment in "hell fire" (Not!), the rapture, false authority, false tithes, false institutional churchianity, and false allegiance to human beings instead of allegiance to Jesus Christ. There is a difference in the term "pastor" and the term "preacher." The term "pastor" has the connotation of one who is in authority, and indeed the real Pastor, Jesus Christ is the one who is the only real authority. The church world is one that thrives on an endless supply of free money, extracted from the gullible, by which means "pastors" become business managers and controllers.

The reason many church goers suffer spiritual abuse is for this very reason. Their allegiance is to men, instead of to Jesus Christ. Those who love authority over others and endless free money will always make their followers live in fear. Fear is torment. Perfect love has no fear (1 John 4:18). Many pastors have an air about them of superiority and authority, and they expect obedience to their false status. They are self-deluded, and so are their followers. Making disciples of Christ is not the same as making disciples of pastors, and the latter is the common practice of the world of churches. What is the real reason that celebrity pastors, megachurch pastors, highly visible pastors, and even local pastors, demand allegiance? The answer is simple--without free money, they would all have to work for a living, as Paul did, who was a tent-maker. Pastors today don't want to make tents, and instead want you to do the tent making, and give them 10% and more of your earnings. Few pastors are willing to work so that they can preach without cost to others, even though Jesus Christ said to Peter and the disciples "freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). Instead, pastors will quote other scriptures that contradict the direct teachings of Jesus Christ, as validation to preach for money. Even Peter stated that the elders were not to be money hungry overlords (1 Peter 5:2-3).

Christ is the only source where the sheep of Jesus should pledge their allegiance. The sheep of Christ hear His voice (John 10:27), not the voice of imposter's. The church world is overrun with imposters who demand false allegiance. There is a simple test anyone can take, that answers the issues raised by pastors, and that is this: "Is what the 'pastor' saying a factor in salvation, and is it in accord with the direct teachings of Christ?" For example, does tithing determine salvation? Does tithing have anything to do with the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, or the gift of eternal life? Are you really blessed or cursed upon the basis of tithing, sowing seed money or financially partnering with pastors? If you believe this, then you have never come to understand that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, and that salvation is not based upon your works. When you hear the voice of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, giving becomes a personal and private matter between you and Christ, and is the business of no pastor or other human being. In fact, Jesus said when you do your alms (giving or charity) do so IN SECRET (Matthew 6:1-4). Jesus Christ does not think in terms of percentages, but rather in terms of love. Carnal pastors think in terms of percentages such as 10%. If you in fact so much as give even a cup of cold water to another, you do so to Christ, and He is pleased (Mark 9:41, Matthew 10:42).

No pastor or teacher should be believed, simply because they are in control of a church, a group of people, are on television, have their name in neon lights, are celebrity preachers, have a megachurch or are national church leaders. Everything anyone teaches in the name of Jesus Christ should always be weighed against the direct teachings of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels. I personally regard no one as infallible and inerrant, with the exception of Jesus Christ--even including "the Bible", which is filtered through the pens of countless "scholars" and "theologians." I base my personal faith upon the Person and Being of Jesus Christ as revealed to me through the Holy Spirit.

Pastors love to quote the supposed writings of Paul, and yet in their quoting, they never seem to quote some of the passages attributed to Paul such as the fact that Paul was a tent-maker, and earned his own private income (Acts 18:1-3, Acts 20:29-34). Paul also says this in 1 Corinthians 4:11-13:


So all you pastors who love to quote Paul, do you follow Paul, or do you NOT WORK WITH YOUR OWN HANDS, and instead live in fine homes, and sometimes have multiple homes, at the expense of the sheep? All of course in the name of Jesus Christ! All "partners" of celebrity and megachurch "pastors" should compare the lives of Jesus Christ and Paul and Peter with the lives of the wealthy preachers of today--they are worlds apart.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB!