Money – again

Oh dear, this seems to be the issue that will not go away – at least from my mind.
As I write this, I’m supposed to be translating a chapter of Luke. However, I’m struggling a little as Luke uses quite a lot of Greek vocab not found in Matthew or Mark, and my eyes are just dancing over the words, but not taking them in… So naturally, I got distracted, and  started reading articles online.

Look at this article that I found online, regarding the lifestyles of many “great” pastors and “Christian leaders”

http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html

When discussing with some people about tithing or other church finance issues, sometimes their argument is that “all these great men of God cannot be wrong. ”  Oh can’t they?  I challenge you to read this article and tell me what of this could possibly be right, or could in any way correspond to the nature of a God who says “The love of money is the root of all evil” 1 Tim 6v10, “You cannot serve both God and money” Matthew 6v24 and “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth”Matthew 6v19

Is this not so manifestly true, so obviously, ridiculously true – that if someone is personally benefitting from your tithes, or living a lavish lifestyle that enables them to “share the Gospel” wearing the finest Italian suits or staying in the most exclusive hotels or living in palatial splendour – that they will have a big incentive to tell you that, for instance, tithing is a Biblical commandment? Of all the heads of demoninations – sorry, I of course meant denominations – who preach that you will go to hell if you do not tithe, I challenge you to find one who is not at least living a very comfortable life that is (at least in part) funded by your faithful tithing – and then also by book sales etc which they strongly encourage their congregation to buy – like for instance, Sunday School manuals….devotional journals, house fellowship manuals…all sold for the sake of “The Kingdom of God” – naturally…with nothing being given away free, or house-fellowship manuals being published online, for instance…. (why?!!!!!!!!!!)

When you hear some of these “great men” talk about Jesus being a “product” or about how the Christian “market” is growing, then is it not clear that there is a huge spirit of the love of money that is entrenched in the “church”, especially when these “leaders” are held up in such high esteem, and are emulated by others who seek to be like them, and copy not only their totally erroneous and unscriptural messages, but also everything else, right down to their mannerisms in walking and talking…?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGmLFSPkyhs  Jesus is the product…

This people, is why Tosin’s Bible blog is free, completely free, has always been free (OK, “always” only really extends back to March of this year 2011!) I want to make it clear that I completely denounce and reject this false, sinful, demonic and man-centred “prosperity Gospel” that is a bunch of lies propagated by a bunch of liars. It is completely opposite the true Gospel of Christ as described in His Bible. However, it remains popular because it appeals to our inner self-centred desires, to be rich and successful, so that we will continue to choose the obvious lie over the clear teaching of Scripture. Let me now make it clear that I am working very very hard not just on this blog but also on my business plans. I want my businesses to excel and to be very very successful. However, even though I am never going to make a penny now or at any other time from Tosin’s Bible blog or the Open Bible, or any other thing connected with the Gospel of Christ, I have also made up my mind that even if, or by the grace of God when, my businesses “take-off” and become successful, I am NEVER going to live an extravagant life filled with flashy toys and expensive luxuries, even for the sake of “sharing the Gospel”. How could I live this way when there are so many people alive today who still live without enough food, clean water, sanitation, health care, basic shelter (and the list goes right on).  Is this not basic human consideration?  Goodness people, what would Jesus’ attitude to all this be?  Except that even that concept was also taken and crassly turned into a  commercial product…