Dear FB Friends

Is this an exaggeration? I think not. Most likely it’s an understatement – perhaps I should have said billions of people instead of millions.

Four. Monetization of God’s truths and blessings.

The words of Jesus, “Freely you have received, freely give”, are rarely, almost never, quoted. The Amplified says it this way, “Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.” All translations from BibleGateway give similar translations. Freely means freely. But your religion (evangelicalism) sanctions the selling of everything – music, testimonies, literature, concerts, conventions and christian service.

When trying to determine what’s right and what isn’t I sometimes ask myself, “What would Paul do?” (Paul: “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.”) That’s a great question. Can you imagine this apostle selling his writings? Passing a collection plate after healing the sick? Sending out appeals for financial support? Accepting a salary? Soliciting funds to build a building? If Paul wouldn’t, neither will I. Paul lived by contributions (and his own labour). I can’t think of one example in the entire Bible of someone selling Bible-truths or christian service. Can you?

So that’s it – one, two, three, four. I could go on…. five, six, fifteen, twenty. You must understand that evangelicalism only makes sense to the one who realizes that evangelicalism and the Bible have nothing in common. Search the Bible for such words as  ‘denominations’, or ‘membership’ or ‘reverend’ or ‘board of elders’ or ‘evangelicalism’ or ‘church family’ or ‘home church’ or ‘senior pastor’ or ‘salary’ or ‘church service’ (and many etceteras) and you will not find them.

Jesus said to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Tell me, what “word” was Jesus referring to? What word (today) sanctifies? What word (today) is the Father’s word? Has the Father’s word changed? Is the Father’s word less sanctifying than it was two millennia ago?

Jesus said, “Whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man.” Christ’s words were the Father’s words. The wise build their christianity on those words. The foolish build their christianity on substitute words, “tradition[s] of men”. Who gave the Adders and Subtracters permission to add to or take away from God’s word? How can stretched and twisted words sanctify (purify, consecrate) God’s people?