Good morning beloved. It is just about 10 o'clock in the morning on the 30th day of January in the year 2021. It is a Sabbath day and I'm going to bring to you the second part of a sermon title that I did probably around six years ago or so and it's on the topic of wicked tithing practices. And this is part two, based on a paper by Lou Ayotte titled, Should Pastors and Elders Receive a Salary? Now again, this is a hot topic. It's a hard one for pastors certainly to listen to, and probably even those in the congregations. And it's important that the truth get out. because you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. I'm going to quote Lou here in this first paragraph. The message will be in PDF on Sermon Audio. And let's go. I came to believe that there was no valid support or defense for paying the salary of a pastor or elder while I was at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now again this is Lew speaking. This was while I was training to become a vocational slash paid pastor. It was through my experiences at the seminary and studying the scriptures that made me realize that just about everything we do in quote traditional church close quote cannot be defended or supported with the scriptures. Try as we might. And so I have been inspired by a conversation with my brother-in-law, and no I'm not the brother-in-law, to write about the misguided idea that pastors and elders should receive a salary. But before I start let me say that I am NOT saying it is wrong or sinful to pay a man to teach you every Sunday morning. All I'm saying is that this practice cannot be justified using the Christian Bible. I would also say that in most cases paying the salary of a pastor or elder is often quite detrimental to the ministry and the growth of the church." And again that was Louis Ott and he wrote that the 10th of January in the year 2013. And I too had come to a similar conclusion around four years prior while being a part of the ministry of Steve Lunlin. And that's called apostasy watch. I don't believe he's engaged in it anymore, but back then in the year 2009 it was running pretty strong. And I also became further convinced of the lie of tithing in February of 2012 while getting ready to become a member of the congregation of BS. Now I use the word BS, that's Brian Schwartley. I was gonna not name him, but I figured naming him is better than covering for him. And again, no pun intended by the words BS. And it was his church or denomination was an offshoot denomination of the Presbyterian Church. I think it was the RPCUS or the RPCNA if I remember correctly. Now prior to officially joining the church, after being examined by telephone to see if I merited entry into their congregation, I had to sign a contract pledging that I would obey the elders of the church and also pay 10% of my gross income as a prerequisite to join it. In other words, it was, you know, and I'd asked about that and shortly had said, well, it's just the formality that is signing the contract. And I know for a fact that many churches still do the same thing. when you become a member of the church, maybe some of you listening remember, when you had to be examined by elders and deacons in the churches you have attended, those of you who are listening, that you had to sign a contract saying that you're going to pay your tithes. Well, with that behind us now, let's get to the points of discussion. I would like to lay out before not only the visible church, you pastors and elders who are drawing salaries, but also those of you who are listening in the congregations. The first verse we're going to get to is the most popular verse that's used by them to support paying a pastor or an elder. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 18. And now I am going to go back to, I didn't quote this in the notes, but I'm going to quote it here in the sermon. Lew, this is Lew's portion of writing. Quote, let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of a double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. The scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain and the laborer deserves his wages, close quote. That was the Bible quote, but Lou wrote it, so that is on paper. Now, I am again quoting Lou. Now the ultimate question with this verse is what does honor mean? Or in this case, double honor. Many people equate honor with wage. The laborer deserves his wage and the elder deserves his wage as well, which really doesn't make the case. In essence, what Paul is saying here in 1st Timothy is that, quote, elders are worthy of double honor, just like oxen are worthy of their grain and laborers are worthy of their wage, close quote. We cannot rightly say that elders are worthy of their wage because laborers are. Not unless you're prepared to say also that the elders are worthy of their grain too. You see elders are not oxen and they are not laborers. They are elders. And technically an elder could be a laborer if they got real jobs to support themselves and their families. And again, I am quoting along with what Lou wrote in his paper. You may be inclined to say that elders work at least 40 hours a week and are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Well, surely that's a job and quite labor-intensive, and yes, I would agree with you, but that is not an elder's job. There's nowhere in scripture can you defend the practice of making eldership as a paid vocation or employment. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find any description of an elder that meets job requirements of the modern-day pastor. An elder is someone who has simply been recognized as being mature in Christ, not someone who gets paid to perform certain duties. Okay? Now again, I'm still continuing with what Lou wrote. There is another fundamental problem with associating the term double honor with wage in this text. Because if we read a few verses from before, 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 3, it is written honor widows who are widows indeed. Now you see, just a few lines before where Paul speaks about double honor, he says that widows are worthy of a single honor. And if we're confident that a double honor is the same as laborers wage, then all true widows in your congregations should get half the salary that your senior pastor makes and half the grain. Which makes sense. I'm continuing with what Lou had written. I've not heard anyone ever suggest that we need to pay a widow an annual salary. I got to agree with it. I haven't heard it either. Okay, so what does honor mean here? Well, the Greek words for honor and forgive me, but I don't read Greek, he did, is used in both verses to literally mean respect. And that's usually what honor means, to respect, to pay attention to. In other words, the godly people in the church deserve respect. And especially if they preach and teach. And widows should be respected also. We should also consider a few verses that come after 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 and 18. Namely 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 1. those who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against." That's pretty good, isn't it? Okay, now continuing with what Lou wrote, If double honor means that we should pay our elders a salary, well then logically speaking, slaves should also pay their masters a salary, right? I mean, this is what they're saying. And yes, it's the same Greek word used in 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 18. As a matter of fact, I'm going to pause for a moment because since I am doing this from the computer, I'm going to go to that and we'll find out what this Greek word is. Timothy chapter 5. Hey, just give me a moment, please. Teme. That's the Greek word, teme. It's value, money paid, or concretely and collectively valuables. By analogy, esteem. especially of the highest degree or the dignity itself. Honor, precious, price, sum. Okay, the Greek word here is teme. That's 1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 17. Now we'll go to 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 1. And the word honor here is also, well what do you know, Strong's Greek definition 5092, teme. Okay, so he's got the Greek word right, teme. Now, if double honor means...okay, I already read that part. Double honor means that we should pay our elders a salary, then logically speaking, slaves should pay their masters a salary, right? And yes, it's the same Greek word, teme, used in 1st Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 18. It truly does not make any sense at all to say that Paul meant honor as one meaning between two other uses of the same word. Not to mention, how could a slave pay their masters a salary at all? Unless, of course, these slaves were paid, which may be historically accurate. Well, why then would they be required to give all that money back to the person who paid them? And again, Ayot makes a good point. I would say the same thing. 1st Corinthians, and actually I did say something similar in my first sermon, if I remember correctly, Wicked Tithing Practices. Okay, now let's move on to the next verse. 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 14. Okay? Some of you would probably remember these verses being used to, spoken to you as a means to manipulate you into handing over 10% of your gross income before taxes every week. So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. Well, this is pretty damning evidence, is it not? Not really. Now let us consider some of the context surrounding the verse. That is 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verses 9 through 18. Not just verse 14, but the whole context. For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing. God is not concerned about oxen, is he? Or is he speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, things from you. If others share the right over you, do we not more? Well, nevertheless, we did not use this right. They didn't do it. But we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple? those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar. Well, so also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. Okay, but I have used none of these things. This is what Paul is telling you. He might be worthy of a double honor, but he didn't take it. I have used none of these things, and I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case. For it would be better for me to die than to have any man make my boast an empty one. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of. I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me, what then is my reward? Well, that I, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. Okay? And it's right there. I'm guaranteeing Because I've never heard it in the time that I attended the false church before God regenerated me and I'm pretty sure that none of you have heard your pastors read the whole thing either. Pretty sure of it. Because then it would make them look pretty stupid wouldn't it? To say well Paul, who obviously is better than us, okay, didn't take the money so why are you? And I'm going to get into more of that after I finish with what Lou had written. Okay? Now he says right here. You have to realize Paul, that is the author of the letter, repeatedly says that although they have the right to receive money for their work, they did not pursue this right. They did this so they would not hinder the gospel. Oh, and there is also an often ignored smoking gun in the verse. Well, do you see it? Do you see it? That this verse here, these verses that I have just read to you, have absolutely nothing to do with pastors or elders. This is about missionaries. missionaries. Paul was not an elder or a pastor. He was a missionary and an apostle. He was traveling from town to town as a missionary and apostle spreading the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I would be the last person to argue that we should not support missionary work, but Paul here says it is ideal for a missionary to find their own work and to support themselves. Yeah, right. And the stars burn out before our eyes. That's not gonna happen. I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen. Okay, I'm not saying it absolutely doesn't happen, but I don't know of any missionaries that find their own work and support themselves. Do you? But, continuing with Lew's paper, we cannot deny the fact that in this context those who proclaim the gospel get their living from the gospel. They're actually talking about people who are leaving their hometown and traveling far away to share about the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, these are people who would, in any normal situation, have a hard time finding employment and supporting their own physical needs. And believe me, Lou's not wrong. I'm sure those of you who are familiar with the Scriptures especially understanding and having discernment of those scriptures can see it right now. That there's nothing so far that merits pastors receiving a salary. There just isn't. And certainly not elders and certainly not deacons. Okay? But I have used none of these things. Amazing. none of them, and he didn't. So let me ask you pastors and elders and deacons, why are you doing it? If Paul didn't do it, why are you? Okay, and again I'll get more into all of this toward the end of the sermon. The next verse we're going to have a look at is a pretty weak verse, but yet they try to use it anyway. Galatians chapter 6 verse 6. The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Okay? I'm not even sure how this verse can be used to support paying someone a salary, especially considering how the verse continues in verses 7 through 9. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will, from the flesh, reap corruption. But the one who sows to the Spirit will, from the Spirit, reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." In other words, if you teach the Word, that is to sow a seed, not to pay money on Juanita Bynum's threshing floor, or sow a financial seed, like all you Word of Faith preachers do, you can expect to reap spiritual blessing from that work. It has nothing to do with money. And I think many people out there who share the gospel can speak to the blessings that they've received from the people to whom they have shared with or continue to disciple. And I'm pretty sure that in the modern church, nobody's getting discipled. Because if they were getting discipled, they would grow. And when they grow, they would become even more knowledgeable of the gospel. And they'd see right away in their studies that they're being ripped off. Again, those are my words, not Lou's. Continuing, there's another set of verses that are used. Philippians chapter 4, verses 14 through 19. I think this is the last verse that he uses here. The last verse that is commonly used to support paying a pastor or elder is Philippians chapter 4 verses 14 through 19. Nevertheless you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone. for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance. I am amply supplied having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma sacrifice. Well, pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Okay? And we still have to deal with the same smoking gun as above. Paul is a missionary and an apostle, not an elder or pastor. But yes, apparently the Philippians supported Paul when he was going through a rough patch and he considered it a blessing. Though he did not seek the gift, he is glad that their graciousness will profit the Philippians. Okay, I'd also like to point out that this is not a salary. It is a gift of support they sent Paul while he was away. In other words, these verses do not support paying a pastor or elder a salary. Now we get to the meat of it. Well, not really a lot of meat. Lou obviously didn't stay in seminary very long because he left after all this. The Old Testament priests. Now many people look to the Old Testament priesthood as an example or model of how we should support our pastors and elders. But there's a huge fundamental problem with the concept. We're all priests. Those who are of God's elect are all priests. We're all called to go in disciple nations. We're not subject to Roman Catholic infrastructure. We have a direct communication with God. We do not need to go to a human to have our sins overlooked again. We're looking at Rome here and I'm going to get into that after I finish with Lou's portion. The priestly system was set up in a certain way for a certain time. And that whole system was ultimately fulfilled through Jesus, thankfully. And I'm here to tell you to add on to that. Tithing was given to the Levitical priesthood because they had no portion of the land in Canaan. God was their portion. And it was up to the other eleven tribes to support them. with what they needed. Homes, plot of land, whatever. Okay? Levites didn't have that. Their business was with God. But this was Levites. Not one of you today are of the Levitical priesthood. And even if you were, it doesn't matter. The Levitical priesthood has been supplanted by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the high priest after the order of Melchizedek. And Melchizedek didn't get tithes either from Abraham directly. He was paid 10% of the spoil from the wars that were fought in order to free Lot. It's right there in Genesis. It's also in the first sermon that I did on wicked tithing practices. Melchizedek did not get a weekly check from Abraham. It just didn't happen. It was a one-time thing. And I've even heard pastors say see Abraham tithe before the law. They do it. They say that. They have the gall to say it. I'm sure some of you have heard it too. Now I'm here to lose final thoughts. Of the four verses I've talked about today, the only one that has any direct bearing on elders is 1 Timothy 5 17-18. Now if there were a verse to support paying a pastor a salary, it would be that one. Unfortunately, it does not, and it cannot. The fact is, the church system is not meant to function the way that it does. the way that requires one or a few men to teach every Sunday to be on call 24-7 and to be the only people who visit the sick in the hospital or the men who set the vision for the church as if God did not already do that 2,000 years ago, etc. In other words, Lou is what he didn't get, but I will tell you, is that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the body of the elect Have the Bible, have the Bible as their support and foundation. Not the Church of Rome. Not the infrastructure of the Church of Rome. Not having to go to seminary, which was begun in the Church of Rome. And I could go on and on and on about this. teaching on Sundays. Again, Rome. Not biblical. I've preached on that already and I'm not going to digress to ruin this one. Okay? The church should function in a way that we all share in the responsibility of discipling one another. And again, like I said before, that is what we're called to do. That is the Great Commission. Go and disciple all nations. Not make them show up once or twice a week Okay? To listen to one guy who stays in the pulpit for 20 years or more. Okay? It's not there. We should love one another. Now I'm here to tell you, you're not loving your neighbor, you're not loving your brother in Christ or your sister in Christ if you're ripping them off of 10% of their gross income once a week. That's not love. That's exploitation. Okay? We should visit one another and help one another. Do we do that? Do we even do that online? No, we don't. Okay? The responsibility should not, must not, he capitalizes must not, fall on one man or even a few men. Now earlier I said that paying pastors a salary was detrimental to the maturity and growth of the church. Okay? Now for those of you who are listening, you already know how that's detrimental to the maturity and growth of the church because you're not learning anything. You're waiting for this guy in the box to nickel and dime you and you're not even listening to the nickel and dimes in there. You're more concerned about getting to the buffet table afterward or something else. Okay? What he meant was this, that we pay a man to do the stuff that we should be doing When we pay a man to do the stuff that we should be doing we fail to grow. Make sense here? Is there an echo in the building? Yes there is. Now sure we might learn something every now and then as we mindlessly sit in the pew but this is not growing or maturing and that's a fact. Okay your worship is not growing at all. Singing CCM or even singing acapella psalms out of the 1560 Psalter, you're not growing spiritually. We grow spiritually when we learn how to give up our own wants and needs for those around us. That's truly loving your brother as Christ loved us. I'm actually mixing in with what he's saying here so you get a better grasp of it. Okay, this is extremely hard to do when we think that paying a man's salary to do these things for us is what God wants from us. And again, listen to this. He says it's extremely hard to do when we think that paying a man's salary to, and here's what I want you to focus on, to do these things for us for our own entertainment. You know, since we can't be bothered to do it ourselves, we depend on this guy to do it for us. as if he's a hireling and we hired him. Okay? That's basically what happens. We hire the pastor. Not the other way around. Okay? With all that said, let me leave you with a few quotes from the scripture that do support the ideal of being unpaid. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us. Because we were not idle when we were with you. Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it. But with toil and labor we worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you and ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command. If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. That's 2 Thessalonians 3 7-10. Here's another one. What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. I'm going to read that again in case you missed it the first two times I read it. What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge. Without charge. So as not to make full use of my ride in the gospel. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 18. I read it three times. If you still don't understand it, You might want to check to see if you're even saved because it's spelled out pretty plain here. Here's another one. I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands minister to my own needs and to the men who were with me. He's saying that he supported them and himself. everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts chapter 20 verses 33 through 35. Now let me ask you something here before I continue on to the next verse. Paul tells us here that his own hands ministered to his own needs and to the men who were with him. Okay? and everything that he showed that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak. Now what is going to make a person more weak than to put a burden upon a member of the congregation to cough over 10% of their gross income before taxes when they can barely meet their own needs? And then you want them to hand 10% over to you to teach them nothing? That's ruining the church. That's making merchandise of the church. Okay? There's another one. Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion of tithes, but voluntarily, according to the will of God, and not for sordid gain. In other words, to supply your family with what they need. Your six to ten kids that you had and expected the congregation to pay for it. Okay? No, but with eagerness. not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 through 3. Now you see that I'm mixing in some modern-day scenarios with the gospel. So you can see, and hopefully if you're paying attention and not going, no, no, no, no, I see no evil, I hear no evil, I speak no evil, like the deaf monkey, okay, the dumb monkey in the picture. Okay. Now... Now comes mine. I'm gonna...the rest of this is mine to finish here. Okay. I think that this should be sufficient enough to warrant a full-scale investigation into the practices of these pastors and elders that are receiving the salary for something that is supposed to be freely given. The Lord Jesus did not tell people, men, God forbid women, and you know women are doing it, okay? And they're not supposed to. 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verses 34 and 35 and 1 Timothy chapter 2 verses 11 through 14. Okay? Women aren't supposed to be preaching, but they're doing it and getting paid for it. Okay? investigation needs to be done. The only way that's going to happen is if members of these congregations that are listening to this, and I'm really hoping that you guys actually share this because you really will be helping your brother if we stop the raping and pillaging of congregations all across this planet for people who are lied to saying they got a cough over 10% of their gross income before taxes or God won't bless them. I haven't even gotten into the 501c3 heresy yet. Okay? If we are truthful, what is being passed off as the gospel of Jesus Christ, if we're being truthful we will see that is a woeful rendition of the truth. Now I'm going to give you an example of the goings-on at Faith Bible Chapel, which I attended with my Ex-wife Olga in 2006 to late 2006 early 2007 Okay Non-denominational Church Faith Bible Chapel Arvada, Colorado Pastored by then George Morrison who claimed it it was a sister church to John Hagee's Church down in San Antonio Doors opened at 8 a.m. Service times were standard for the Sunday worship crowd. Worship services were done in the contemporary, modern, or traditional manner. Books lined the rear of the Welcome Center, that is books for sale. Just inside the front doors of the Bain Building and then there was another building across the street with a connecting walkway above the street. Two buildings. One connecting walkway. I don't remember the name of the street, but I'm sure for those of you who are really interested in finding out where it is, you can find it. Inside the main building, outside the sanctuary, there was a concession area where food and drink were served. A la cafeteria. A la cart. Okay? This is in a church. Inside the sanctuary there was rock music blaring out and a choir doing their thing. I mean right there, I'm telling you brothers and sisters, my first thought was to overthrow it. To just throw it all down like the Lord did when he entered into the temple. I didn't because I was an idiot. I should have done it, but I didn't. Inside the sanctuary the pastor came out and The benediction was shortly given thereafter, followed by a bit of worship, again with the rock band and the choir getting in their turn to do their thing. Then the organ music started. The solemn music came about and the ushers started the solemn business of collecting the tithes, passing the plate. First thing! First thing! Pass the plate. After this the pastor, and even on a couple of occasions his wife started it as well, with an announcement or two. Then came the quote sermon. Lasted about 20 or 25 minutes. Actually the first sermon that I heard from this guy was, oh gosh, what was it? October the 15th, 2006. First thing that comes out of the guy's mouth is about how he was going to have to tap bank accounts again to pay for the electric bill in addition to their regular weekly tithes and offerings. That was the first thing that came out of the guy's mouth. Okay? Then he would talk for about 20 or 25 minutes as the ushers were handing out slips of paper that were given to each attendee to, quote, fill in the blank. on the topic that was being preached that morning. Then the closing of the service started again. The fake worship. Contemporary Christian music for about another 15-20 minutes. Then the service was over. And this happened two or three times on Sunday in both buildings. There was a Wednesday service as well. Now I ask you the question, does this warrant or merit paid salaries for the pastor and elders? And I got to tell you another thing too. This guy Morrison was a real piece of work. You could see this guy jumping around and delightful, rubbing his hands together like the miser who knows payday is coming. Of course he's happy. Dude was going to get paid. Okay. Not that he did anything to deserve it, but you know, he's the pastor, the senior pastor. Of course you don't have just that the senior wolf anymore. You got the senior wolf and a couple of junior wolves as well on top of the elders and on top of the deacons who videotaped themselves showing their good works by handing out money to pagans at grocery stores and saying see we're doing our part by supporting our community. Not the people that are actually attending the church who handed over 10% of their gross income that week because they had to. They were getting it back. Of course, they could get it back at the end of the year with the 501c3, which is what I'm going to get into now. For a few hours of work a week, if you want to call that work, 40k and above for the pastor per year, plus the kickbacks from the unbiblical 501c3. Beloved, this is highway robbery of the worst sort, the robbing of widows and orphans. Can you wonder why the nation is in such chaos? Why the visible church is a mockery among the heathen? Why they blaspheme God day and night because of the way you behave and your practices? And why there's a perpetual revolving door in every single building that calls itself a church in this country? Now, I've talked a lot about some things here. I haven't really...I've gotten into the 501c3 before, okay, but since it's in the context of this particular sermon, I ask you something. What concord has Christ with Belial? Okay? Really. Think about it. An anti-Christian government who hands out a subsidy to pastors. Okay? Think about this. If what has been described here in this sermon so far and is going on in your church, let me ask you, why are you still going? If you are awakened and of the elect of God you should know all too well that you must, you must come out from among them and be ye, that word ye means you all, be ye separate. 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verses 14 through 18. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Unbelievers! For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols, especially the idol of Mammon? For you all are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them. And I will be their God and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them and be you all separate says the Lord and touch not the unclean thing. I believe in this case he's talking about the communion wafer coming from a wicked man. Those of you who take communion in those churches. And I will receive you. Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. we'll be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters said the Lord Almighty." Okay. And here we see yet another example laid before us by the Apostle Paul with regard to that congregation at Corinth. We know that the Corinthians have had a lot of problems going on in their congregation. Okay. In 1st Corinthians, okay, Now we're told here in the second letter that there are those in that body that are unbelievers. They're unbelievers. They look like Christians, yet they are in chaos. We saw in the first chapter of the Corinthians that the congregation allowed the incest to go on between a man and his mother-in-law to go on without rebuke or corrective measures that were established in Matthew 18. And they took the same attitude toward it as most professors today take when witnessing blatant sin in their midst. They cry out, don't judge, don't judge. And you know it's true. You know it's true. You've seen it. And you may even do the same. You see willful sin going on and you just don't judge, don't judge. You don't want them to have to look upon you. Okay? Now Paul calls these professors of religion, this church at Corinth, unbelievers. We also know that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Brothers, sisters, we're told this three times. Three times. Once each in a synoptic gospel. Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Three times. Okay? I'm not going to read it for you. It's there on a PDF. Okay? Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Okay? What do you think is the fruit of the unlawful Levitical tithe in the Christian Church? I've already covered some of that already. Okay? Pastors get rich. Period. They get rich and material prosperity handed to them by fleecing the flock of 10% of their gross income before taxes every single week. Every week. Congregations, pain through the nose, year in and year out. Well what are you learning exactly? Can you disciple men I'm speaking to? Can you disciple weaker brothers or sisters? Well can you? Can you detail how you know you are saved and the steps that must happen in order to validate it or to verify it? Has the log been removed from your eye as a result of regeneration? Can you even name the 12 tribes of Israel? Look, and believe me brothers, this is what happens. You got one guy preaching for 15 or 20 years and you're sitting there being nickel and dimed week in and week out. You learn nothing. You don't know how to disciple. You're not fulfilling the commission. That pastor certainly isn't fulfilling the commission. and he sits back with a tax break from the United States government through the unlawful 501c3. Sure, it might be legal in America to do it, to have government subsidized religion where you don't have to pay your taxes. Well, we know that we're supposed to pay our taxes because we were commanded to do so. Okay? I ask you, brothers and sisters listening to this and abroad who have yet to listen to this, Why are you still among them? Why? Because you think you have to be there? Because you think that by separating from them you're going to be separate from God? I think not. I've already read to you, already read to you, 2nd Corinthians chapter 6. It tells you, get out. and I will be a father unto you and you will be my sons and daughters. He's telling you to get out. So why are you still there? Where in the scripture are Pathers authorized to join with a Belial or a Mammon government in the 501c3 tax-exempt subsidy? Where? We are commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Because the Sadducees asked him to try to trip him up. Should we pay taxes to Caesar? Which in the scriptures could also be called tribute. Okay? You know what the Lord Jesus said. Pay your taxes. Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and then give to God what is God's. How are pastors paying their taxes to Caesar if Caesar is granting them immunity from paying their taxes? Does this not go against the express commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you all asleep? How do you not see this unless you are asleep, or blinded, or worse, dead in trespasses and sins? How can these supposedly educated men do such things if their hearts are not engaged in covetous practices? Now I'm going to read to you from 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 1 through verse 15. Okay? There were false prophets also among the people. false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, false teachers among you, who shall secretly bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." That's just the first verse. Peter's already telling us that these false prophets are in the church. They are your pastors, your elders, and your deacons that are drawing a salary. Period. Full stop. privately bringing in, secretly bringing in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Maybe not in this day and age. Okay. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Okay. We've seen guys in the box 20 years. Okay. And it doesn't seem like they're being bringing upon themselves swift destruction physically. Well, believe me, it's coming. Those who have already passed on already know. Verse two, And this is speaking of you who are listening, who do these things. Verse 2, 2 Peter chapter 2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways. Many shall follow their pernicious ways. Many is a whole lot. Lots and lots and lots. Millions upon millions of professors. Many. many, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." And like I stated before, earlier in the sermon, the way of truth is evil spoken of by the heathen. They look at us and laugh. Okay, what's the difference between me and you? They say, oh, you get coerced to 10% of your weekly paycheck every month before taxes and call yourself a Christian. But that's really the only difference. You're no different from me in any other way. Okay, verse three. And through covetousness, that's speaking of the covetous practices committed by these pastors and elders. And through covetousness shall they with fainted words make merchandise of you. And that's exactly what they're doing, making merchandise of you. whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. In other words, they're not going to get away with it. Okay? Verse 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment, and spared not the old world either, but saved Noah, the eighth person from Adam, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, and condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, which in this 21st century is no I tell you the truth Sodom and Gomorrah are crying out to God for judgment to fall upon America and her allies and all of you who buy into the LGBTQ thing. Screaming to God to bring judgment upon you. Verse 7, and delivered only that who is vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Let me ask you something who are listening. Is your soul being vexed by everything you see in the 21st century, in the days leading up to the 30th of January the year 2021? Does it make you tear your clothes? Does it make you want to puke? Does it disturb you in the slightest? Or do you just tell yourself judge not, judge not, I'm no better than him and just blindly go through life the dead person that you are. Do you do that? Are you vexing your soul from day to day because of what their unlawful deeds are? Verse 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under the day of judgment to be punished. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. Not the U.S. government in particular, but they despise being governed by the Bible. They despise being governed by the law on how to conduct themselves. Presumptuous are they. Self-willed. Not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Presumptuous in saying that I made a decision for Christ. Jesus is obligated to follow 1 John 1 9. Presumptuous you're called who think such things. Self-willed. You can overcome anything by the strength of your own will. Okay? Not afraid to speak evil of dignities. That's dignities, not dignitaries. Okay? Dignities. Saying, ah, he thinks he's righteous or self-righteous or he's got a God complex, you know, because someone is doing what they can do to be perfect as we were commanded to be perfect. Like God is perfect. They speak evil of us. We're like this. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, and bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, like the doctrines of grace, speak evil of the Calvinist. Okay? Not that the Calvinist this day is any better than the Arminian. Okay? But they do. They shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, and heart they have exercised with covetous practices. cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of unrighteousness. Now by the way that was all 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 15 with some commentary thrown in. Now is the Apostle Peter talking about the non-professing Christian in these verses? No, he is not. He was directing this to the false teachers among you. And you who have learned from such people are guilty of the same. I'm not talking about the hell's angel. He's not talking about the pagans out there because they're already condemned. There was no need to talk about them. We already know. No, he's talking about you who call yourself a Christian. He's talking specifically about pastors and elders who collect salaries. Oh brothers and sisters come out from among them and be separate. Now I'm gonna let you in on one more item to consider and then call this a night or call this a day. I wrote this last part last night. Okay? Men. Elect men. the church that is the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know that you're authorized to administer the Lord's Supper and also to baptize? Did you know that? I preached a sermon a couple of weeks ago on adoption. Okay? Those who are adopted are the only ones that are authorized to preach the gospel. The only ones who are authorized to administer the sacraments. You say, how can this be? We're not ordained. Okay? Well, where in the scripture do you find a commandment to obtain seminary education in order to administer the sacraments? Okay? This practice was instituted by Rome and not the Bible. Rome. And I'm not going to go into any more depth on Rome because I've already done it again and again and again. Anything that you're practicing now, whether it's Sunday worship, whether it's you can't preach the gospel unless you're recommended, okay, then you have to go to a seminary to be taught by the very men who have already given their souls over to Rome and the Jesuits. And once you've fulfilled everything that they deem appropriate and you're taught in covetous practices and, you know, manipulating the church as a for-profit business under the guise of a non-profit organization, then you get accepted. Then they lay their hands on you and say you're good to go. That is not what the Bible teaches. At all. Not even close. Now I say to you again, Do we follow after Rome and her institutions and traditions or do we follow after the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God? Now, to add something to this, okay, so you guys, I'm not going to yell at you this time, but to try to explain it to you, okay, to where you get it that men are allowed to do these things, elect men, If men are commanded to teach their children the law and the statutes, the precepts and the commandments, are they then told that they cannot administer the sacrament? It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Okay, well here we go. Here's an example. When we go to the law to bring it to you, because the law will continue to live until all is fulfilled. We know that. Matthew chapter 5 verse 25, I believe. Okay. 24, 25, 25, 26. Okay. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 3. Okay. Now we know that the book of Deuteronomy is Moses going over again with the people in his farewell address before he goes up to Mount Nebo. Okay. To be buried by the Lord. Okay. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 3, Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with thee, and that you all may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers has promised thee, in the land that flows with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Okay, if you don't understand the English, here's the Hebrew. Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. Okay, that's the prayer version. Okay, I'm hoping you understand the English. Okay, verse 5. and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." Okay, we know that this is the first great commandment. It's a commandment that stands above all others. Okay? And these words, which I commend thee this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit down in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. and you shall write them upon the posts of your house and on your gates." Now in these verses, in Deuteronomy chapter 6, is this directed to one man? Or a group of men? One pastor, a couple of elders, and a few deacons. No, it is not. Here, O Israel, the whole nation, all the men in the nation, Not just one. Okay? Now, I'll read them again, only this time it's going to come from Deuteronomy chapter 11. Okay? Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 11. Again, this is all in the PDF for you. Okay? In case you're challenged on it. Study up on it. Don't just put it away and go, yeah, okay, whatever, dude. Okay? You're no pastor. I know you're saying it. I know a lot of people are saying it because the proof has been shown over six years. Y'all don't believe me and that's fine. Don't believe me. Okay? But your blood is off my hands. Okay? I've done what was commanded. I've warned you. Now it's up to you to either believe what I tell you or not to believe. Not my problem. Okay? Now, Deuteronomy chapter 11 verses 18 through 28. In case you didn't get it the first time, here it is again. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them your children, not to send them off to Sunday school for 45 minutes, not to delegate the responsibility that you fathers have, that you parents have. You shall teach them, your children. Speaking of them, when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up, okay? That means all the time, not just 45 minutes a week on the wrong day. and you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates." By the way, us Jews we actually put a mesuzah on our doorposts. Okay? Because we follow the commandment. This isn't ceremonial, this is moral. Okay? Verse 21 that your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the Lord swear unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if, now here's the word if, if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to cleave unto him. Now again, this is not saying you have to keep the ceremonial law. We know the ceremonial law was fulfilled in Christ. The shadows were no longer shadows. We know that this is not talking about the ceremonial law, okay? But the moral law and the judicial law still remain. But for us, it's a moral law. For God, it's a judicial law, okay? to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to what? Cleave unto Him. Join unto Him. Okay? Cleave unto Him. Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours, from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall be no man be able to stand before you, for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. A blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, and a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day to go after other gods which ye have not known." There you have it. There you have it. Blessings, curses, men who should be teaching their children Not sending him off to Sunday school, which is unbiblical. The day is unbiblical and the act is unbiblical. Okay? Parents, you're supposed to teach your children. Women, you're supposed to submit to your husbands. Husbands, you're supposed to love your wives. Husbands, men, you are to teach your children. You are. No excuses. Don't try to lie to yourself and say, well, God understands my problem. No, that Bible doesn't say that God understands your problem. He says you teach your children. You do it. Okay. Those things that are not told you by the scripture. Okay. This business of pastors and elders getting a salary. No. They're only told by those who follow after Rome and her teachings. And now, as I've said before, Moses tells us twice. Already? All right. Okay. And thus ends today's message. The sermon is available in PDF format as well. Again, for you to go over and I recommend you go over it. I recommend strongly. that you come out of these churches. They're not doing you any good. And all you're doing is making them richer. And believe me, you're not going to go to the throne of God on the Day of Judgment and say, but I didn't know. Nobody told me. Brothers and sisters, you are being told. And if you're being told and you refuse to tell them, guess who that falls on? Doesn't fall on me. It falls on you. Because you knew. You were warned and you didn't do your part in loving your brother or sister in Christ by warning them. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless and preserve you all who listen and may He bless and preserve you all the more for those of you who share. Let us pray. Oh Father, how much longer will this continue? How much longer will you forbear unleashing your fiery wrath on such a monstrosity as the wicked pastor in the pulpit who fleeces his flock and makes merchandise of them, who enters into an unholy covenant with the United States government and other governments of other nations to get out of doing what they were commanded to do and paying their taxes. How much longer O Lord? This is not what you commanded as a method of corporate worship. You never declared that the Gentile Church should usurp the methods of support that you gave to the Levites in your holy law. That is to collect tithes, to pay pastors and elders a salary. No, you didn't command that for them. You gave it to the Levites. He didn't commend them, Father. Again, like I've prayed and said to enter into covenant with an unholy government. That the government teaches them and tells them what they can say and can't say in order to get the tax break. To tell their congregations to stand down. And we have a constitution that you have allowed us to have to be able to defend ourselves and our land. Oh Father it's my prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you would reform this wicked body of fake Christians and wipe them out. Let their cups overflow with liquid from the winepress of your wrath and consume them. For those who take not heed to what has been taught today and what has been taught all though much longer in thy word. For the sake of your word and your kingdom In Jesus' name, Amen.