The 21st Century Christian Church Corporation Has Forgotten What Real Church Is Supposed To Be All About
The Apostle Paul would not recognize today's 501 (c) (3) Laodicean
church corporation Pick a denomination, any denomination. Baptist,
Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Lutheran, Methodist, pick one it
doesn't matter. Doctrine aside, what is the one thing they all have in
common? They are all registered with the government as 501 (c) (3)
corporations who get out of paying taxing because they are a "ministry".
Is dodging taxes, even unfair taxes, something the Bible would agree or
disagree with? Let's take a look and see.
by Geoffrey Grider August 6, 2017 Are you thinking of “getting into the ministry”? Keep your day job if you want to follow Paul.
“Greet
Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life
laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also
all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.” Romans 16:3-5 (KJV)
This article is going to
make a lot of people, church people, hopping mad so let’s get right
into it, shall we? The word “church” appears in the King James Bible
exactly 77 times in 76 verses.
And when I read over those passages giving us God’s perspective on what
church is, and look around me at 21st century churches, I see a
whopping disconnect taking place.
For starters,
church is not primarily a place, the church is made up of people who
have become born again. The people are the church, the church is not the
church. Get it? You may need to pause a moment to allow that thought to
fully sink in before continuing reading further. Suffice to say, the
church is the people, as seen here:
“That
he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish.” Ephesians 5:27 (KJV)
Second, the church is also a gathering,
be it large or small, of born again, saved church people. Many passages
in the Bible refer to “the church” meaning a gathering of church
people. Paul often refers to the gathered church as a corporate body.
Just don’t make the mistake of confusing something that is “corporate”
with something that is a legal corporation, they are not the same thing.
“If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?” 1 Corinthians 14:23 (KJV)
Paula White Goes ‘Easter Pimpin’ For Your Generous Gift Of A Thousand Dollars Or More:
This is what it looks like when modern-day “pastors”
prostitute themselves for money.
Lastly, no where is the New Testament do we see an official church building as a separate entity.
When the apostles started churches, they went from “house to house” and
from “town to town”, starting churches in the home of other
like-minded, born again, saved believers in Jesus Christ. Having
official buildings for churches would not happen until the hostile
takeover of the Church of Jesus Christ by Rome. When this happened, all
manner of corruption, greed, avarice and power struggles took place.
Rome, by force,
merged paganism with Christianity which resulted in the hybrid demon child known as the
Roman Catholic Church.
Schools used to teach the period of time when the Roman Catholic church
ruled as the Dark Ages, and the period of time when the Christian
church broke free from Rome’s grip as
The Enlightenment. How appropo.
And this brings us to the “meat of the message”, church corporations.
The Apostle Paul would not recognize today’s 501 (c) (3) Laodicean church corporation
Pick a denomination, any denomination. Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Lutheran, Methodist, pick one it doesn’t matter. Doctrine aside, what is the
one thing they all
have in common? They are all registered with the government as 501 (c)
(3) corporations who get out of paying taxing because they are a
“ministry”. Is dodging taxes, even unfair taxes, something the Bible
would agree or disagree with? Let’s take a look and see:
“And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came
to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes.
And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What
thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or
tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him,
Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children
free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea,
and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when
thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take,
and give unto them for me and thee.” Matthew 17:24-27 (KJV)
Jesus instructed Peter to pay the tax
to the Roman government to avoid “all appearance of evil” so as to not
offend people they would be witnessing to. What an extraordinary
concept, and something not found in
any professing New Testament church in the 21st century. Why not? Keep reading.
Kenneth Copeland And Jesse Duplantis Defending Their Private Luxury Jets:
What does Laodicea in full bloom look like? It
looks exactly like this.
What comes right along with the modern 501 (c) (3) church corporation?
Church corporation salaries that need to be payed every week. How can
you be sure you have enough money to pay those salaries? Easy! You go
back to the book of Malachi and slap the Old Testament Jewish tithe on
your decidedly non-Jewish congregation, and you preach on that thing as
often as more money is needed. I have personally witnessed this
unscriptural phenomena in everything from bible believing Baptist
churches all the way up the line to the mega-church, and everywhere in
between. Some do it overtly while others do it more subtly, but nearly
all of them do it.
Since Christians are commanded to follow
the example of the apostle Paul, (1 Cor 4:16, 1 Cor 11:1 and Phl 3:17)
let’s take a look as see how Pastor Paul provided his wages:
“And
now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all
them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or
apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto
my necessities, and to them that were with me.” Acts 20:32-34 (KJV)
“After
these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a
certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with
his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to
depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same
craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they
were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and
persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Acts 18:1-4 (KJV)
See? I told you this article was going to make you mad.
According to the Bible,
the greatest Christian that ever lived, Pastor Paul, provided the bulk
of his needs and necessities by working with his own hands, and then
preaching on the weekends. Again, pause here, and allow this to really
sink into your brain. This is how God intended for the church to be run
and operated, not as a business with salaried employees.
This is why there is no command to Church Age Christians
to give a set amount like 10% or any other percent. The Bible says that
the Lord loves a “cheerful giver”, who gives as they feel led to, not
because they have to. Paul received gifts and love offerings, but he
didn’t depend on them, he didn’t live his life waiting to receive them.
There was never supposed to be a “church corporation” being run out of a
“church building”, that is pure Laodicean hogwash.
Speaking of Laodicea,
Jesus prophesies that the last church age, the time we are in right
now, would be a wealth-infused mega-corporation whose focus was on
keeping the money flowing in while locking Jesus on the outside.
“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. As many as I
love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Revelation 3:13-19 (KJV)
Are you thinking of “getting into the ministry”? Keep your day job if you want to follow Paul.
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” Philippians 3:17 (KJV)
The 21st Century Christian Church Corporation Has Forgotten What Real Church Is Supposed To Be All About • Now The End Begins
The timing of the trip was pegged to the recent “restoration of calm and the stabilized situation in Jerusalem” after a spate of violence last month sparked by Israel’s installation of metal detectors at entry points to the Noble Sanctuary or Temple Mount compound there.
