Questionable churches

They’re everywhere. Sumusulpot na parang kabute. And they are increasing in numbers. They are misleading many.

Question number 1: Who is the founder of the Church? Jesus or Paul?

Many known churches today base their sermons from the letters of Paul. Paul, by the way, is the minister assigned by God to the gentiles or to us who are non-Jews. He was assigned the task to spread the good news to different countries in Asia and some other places.

His letters to different churches in Asia has become part of the Bible. And most (not all) pastors that I know (famous and nearly famous) base their preachings on his letters.

There’s nothing wrong with his letters. His letters speak of salvation, blessings, and corrections. BUT to make Paul’s letters as foundation for doctrine for the church is wrong. To saturate the church with just the letters of Paul is also wrong.

The Bible is the complete word of God –from Genesis to Revelation. Each book in the Bible is important. Each book builds a bigger and more complete picture of God’s word.

So who is the founder of the church? JESUS.

Paul’s letters are like add-ons or build-ups. God’s word through Paul alone is incomplete. If these pastors preach only the letters and less of the gospel, they are preaching incomplete things to the people.

If you are truly studying the Bible, you will notice that the letters of Paul are just follow-throughs. Those letters were not used to build a new church. You cannot build a church from follow-through letters! These words are words of encouragement for the beginning churches.

Ang problema is that nasobrahan lang sa letters niya and less of what’s in the gospels.

What are the foundational doctrines? Repentance. Conversion. Surrender. Righteousness. Holiness. Discipleship. Spirituality.

Question number 2: Are we not under the Ten Commandments anymore because Paul wrote we are free from the law?

No. That’s total disregard of the Law. Do you know what we were free from? Not from the Ten Commandments but from the law of sin and death and from the Levitican law.

The Laws of God are eternally bounding. Jesus died on the cross so that we are given the grace and the desire to fulfill the Ten Commandments of God.

Many pastors do not preach the Ten Commandments anymore because they believe that the reason Jesus died is to free us from it.

Many pastors do not preach it because they know people will not want to hear rules on how to live their lives. Which leads us to question number 3.

Question number 3: Who do some pastors want to please, God or the church-goers?

It seems to me that they like to preach words that their church-goers would like to hear. Stuff like prosperity, blessings, favor, grace. The priority of God is not these things. Blessings are, what I say, side-effects of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

If some pastors would like to please men rather than God, do you think they will preach about the reality of Hell? Or the near coming of the Lord?

I often hear pastors say “Lord, don’t come yet. I still want to enjoy life.” These things I don’t expect from leaders to say. But the luxury of life has imprisoned them.

Those who truly love the Lord will shout “Come, Lord Jesus! Come!”

Question number 4: Why do many church leaders want to please men?

It’s all about the money, money, money! It’s all about the mammon, mammon, mammon! More attenders, more tithes and offerings.

It makes sense, though. They run big churches that need a huge sum of money to maintain. Churches nowadays have air-con, carpets, nice lights. At first glance, you will not see it as a church but a sectarian building because of the world-class design.

Yeah, it needs a lot of moolah to maintain that! And where do they get it from? From the tithes which was purposed by God for ministers, for the widow, for the oppressed, for the poor, for the strangers, for the orphans.

No wonder they “enjoy life.” No wonder they do not want the Lord to come yet. They have lots of money. They have visions for themselves and THEIR churches. They want THEIR churches to become mega-churches that can sit thousands and thousands of people.

Who wouldn’t want that? BUT, it is all so worldly. Churches look like big companies that have employees. It is not the Church that God designed it to be! So not!

God wants a spiritually prosperous church, not just a physically wealthy church! The Lord Jesus is so right when He said you cannot serve both God and mammon.

This kind of churches creates this kind of Christians.

Interviewer: Why do you go to this so-and-so church?

Christian: Oh, I love the sermons. I like the pastor. He’s so funny. I feel comfortable there. There’s air-con and carpet. The worship team is great. The food’s great. I love my church!

Very rare will you find a church that is spiritually rich. Very rare will you find a church that is both physically and spiritually rich. Very rare will you find someone who goes to a church because the Lord’s presence is so strong there.

But don’t worry, they exist. The true Church exists!

Question number 5: Why do most preachers over-emphasize that tithing or offering is a way to be blessed more? Anu yan, investment?

Isn’t it easy to convince people to buy something because what they will buy is a good investment? There are big returns!

Pastors often use the verse from Malachi that says ‘bring your tithes in to the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. And test Me on this, says the Lord of hosts. If I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that you cannot contain.”

Edi tayo naman, nagbibigay ng tithes because we want more blessings to come to our lives. In short, investment ang tithes natin for more blessings. Kung baga, we tithe to gain more.

We forget that tithing is an act of love to God. You acknowledge God as the one who gave you that sum of money. And because you love Him and thank Him so much, you set aside the ten percent of it.

Parang the feeling of taking your mom or dad out after receiving your first paycheck. You want to spend money for them because you acknowledge their providence over your life –that without them, you are not where you are now.

It is true. Tried and tested that tithes do bless the tither IF the tithes are not used for things but are given to people who need them. Again, the blessings are the side-effects.

And the last question should be a blow.

Question number 6: Who do you serve? The God of Israel or the “God” of Man-made churches?

I came to a forum where I saw a comment that disturbed me.

“So who was the God in the old testament? Was that His schizophrenic side?” (not the exact words)

Ask yourself a question. The bible says God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet the “God” that most churches introduce to us seemingly lost His severity. In short, He changed. Isn’t that a contradiction?

Think of it very carefully.

The God of the old testament was terrible to behold. He is to be feared. He has shown the nations the might of His power. He sends plagues, storms. He punishes people. But now, that severity is “gone.”

The truth, it ain’t gone. It was omitted. Just like how the Ten Commandments were not given due attention. God is not schizophrenic. He is the same forevermore.

The severity of God was omitted thus showing only the kind, gentle, soft God. And this “God” is not the God of Israel, the true God. This “Jesus” is not the real Jesus. The “Jesus” that some churches are preaching to people is only the Lamb. But the real Jesus is the LION AND THE LAMB.

That’s why many Christians are not open to hearing the harsh tone of the Lord. That’s why many disregard the prophets before and in the present. These prophets say harsh things. But they only speak of the truth. Some Christians today do not recognize God in these harsh tones because they never knew the severity of God.

They only want to hear blessings, blessings and more blessings. They don’t want to hear rebukes. That’s why they never truly mature. (Kahit pa gaano ka kaalam sa scriptures.)

Because for them, it’s okay to ENJOY the world because they believe that “God” wants them to. It’s okay to do the things of the world in the church because it’s cool with “God.” It’s okay to party inside the sanctuary even though God strictly told us to revere His sanctuary. The fear was gone because the severity of God was omitted.

It is similar to parents who treat their children nice always, who never discipline them strictly, who never impose rules on them. Their children grow up spoiled, lawless.

“Woe to you blind pastors who lead the blind sheep!”

God can never make us to the image of the Lord Jesus if we do not accept His rebukes in our lives.

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Is my intention to disunite the church? No. This is a rebuke that any Spirit-led Christians are aware of. The prophets see this as well because the God of Israel is a witness to all these. God wants His severity to be known to us. If we do not see His severity in our lives, we might die in the desert and never enter His rest.