Jeremiah 32:27 - Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
~ ORDAINED BY GOD ~
MODERN DAY SCRIBES AND PHARISEE'S
The modern day Church does not resemble the Church Jesus started 2000 years ago and his disciples continued. It more resembles the Church that existed prior to his coming. (pre-Christ) The same Church Jesus condemned and reprimanded over and over again. If you don't believe you've been a part of it, you may be in for a shock.
By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the Church was so full of rules, laws and regulations, that one needed a lawyer in order to interpret the law and be able to worship God. Does this sound a little crazy to you? Trust me, it's not! The lawyers I am referring to were called "Scribes". The word scribe means "Transcriber of the law". Other than copying the scriptures, some of their other functions were too interpret and translate the meaning of the scriptures.
If you find yourself in court today, it is unwise to find yourself there without an attorney. Why? Because the laws have become too complicated and there are way too many of them, so you need someone who can interpret the law for you. It was not that much different 2000 years ago with the Church.
God knew that we are just children and he made things very simple for us. However, when man gets involved, things get complicated and difficult. God gave us ten commandments to obey. Pretty simple, strait forward and too the point. But then came Moses! I guess Moses thought he could do better, and gave us 613 more laws too obey! For whatever reason, God seemed to have given his blessing for a limited time.
I'm not sure God wanted it that way, but he did. Similarly, God did not want a king to rule over Israel, but allowed the people to choose one (Saul) because the people kept whining about it and insisted on one. (1 Samuel 8:6 - 19) (That, by the way, didn't work out so well - Be careful what you ask for, God may give it to you!) By the time Jesus was teaching, the laws were so misinterpreted that the Pharisee's were waiting one day, to see if Jesus would heal someone on the Sabbath, so they could find him guilty of breaking the law. (keep the Sabbath day holy, not to work on the Sabbath . . . etc...) Jesus then humiliated them by saying:
Luke 6:9 - Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"
Luke 6:10 - He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
Luke 6:11- But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Even though Jesus did away with all of those laws of Moses and set us free from the law, Satan gradually infiltrated and restored the Church to the same type of entity that Jesus condemned. Complete with "leaders", "hierarchy", "priests in flowing robes", "laws" and "hypocrisy".
The religious people didn't like having the laws removed and refused to accept it. Why? Because with the law removed, it took away the ceremony and prestige that the religious people so enjoyed that set them above those dirty sinners. By removing the law, Christ leveled the playing field and put everyone on the same level. Now the priest was equal to even the simple shepherd. Just a sinner!
Actually, this put the priest on an even lower level than the shepherd because the priest is now considered a humble servant of all the rest. With the law removed, the prestige and rich lifestyle of the religious leaders would be removed also. It was a threat to their lively hood and instead of accepting it, they kept the law and looked for ways to get rid of Jesus. (Luke 6:11)
The Church of today is no different. They keep and preach the law, because without the law there is nothing to set them above the members of their congregations.
The modern day Church of almost every denomination is so filled with laws and rules that one must obey to be saved, that the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been made void. So called ministers of God, stand behind pulpits, twisting the word of God while spewing contradiction after contradiction. They will rightly claim that you are saved by grace and faith, but then, in the same sentence, tell you that you must tithe, speak in tongues and follow a multitude of other laws, other wise you are condemned to hell and not saved. (It can't be both)
~ RELIGIOUS LAWYERS ~
A great deal of the modern day Churches are motivated by two things. Money and Fame! Starting out, preachers may have the best of intentions and a true desire to serve God, but once they have had a small taste of money and/or fame, it is like heroin and their hooked. Similar to heroin, a little money and fame is never enough and you want more! Then the hole gets deeper. If they want to keep the money coming in, they have to make people believe that "they" are the way, and if you obey them, you will follow them to heaven through your own actions. (laws)
They know that they can "not" get rich telling you the truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Trust me, "I" can testify to that!) You can not acquire fame or riches by telling people:
"I" am "not" your spiritual leader, only Christ is your leader ~ (Matthew 23:10)
Support me fine! But do not tithe, give to the poor instead ~ (2 Corinthians 9:7, - Matthew 19:21, - Luke 11:39)
"I" can not save you! My job is simply to try to lead you to the one who can! (Acts 2:21)
God doesn't want your money, "I DO"
You don't need to go through me to get a miracle or healing, God listens to "your" prayers directly. (and answers them)
~ MONEY & FAME vs TRUTH ~
The point to this article (which is probably already too long), is that things have actually gotten worse since Jesus argued with the Scribes and Pharisee's over 2,000 years ago. Not only do we have interpreters of the law (or bible - word of God), we have an over abundance of them. Almost every preacher has become one, and they feel it is within their job description to keep you in line, point out your sins and then fix you. We have countless denominations, each with their own brand of religion. Sadly, you can not find any two preachers even within the same denomination who actually agree on everything.
I had a fellow email me recently, telling me that I am not saved because I do not speak in tongues. It didn't matter that I pointed out scriptures disproving that theory, he did not want to accept it and lose the prestige that he believes, comes with being favored over others because he does and they don't.
~ THE POINT ~
In this modern day and age, preachers are ordained out of so called religious universities like cars roll off an assembly line in Detroit. If you can sit in a classroom and learn the religious academic information and then regurgitate it for the tests and exams, you are somehow ordained by God to be a minister? This has become the norm these days, if you want to become an ordained minister. However, only God thru the Holy Spirit can ordain someone to be a minister.
You don't get this title because you aced a test, and the title isn't as glorified as the world has made it out to be. Jesus did not own any possessions. Think about that! Aside from the clothes on his back (that were taken from him at the end), can you name even one possession that he owned? Jesus gave, he did not take! He taught, advised, healed people, and gave his life for others. He even washed his disciples feet. (I'm sure this describes your pastor perfectly) Jesus "is" our example.
The scribes and Pharisee's of 2,000 years ago have been replaced with the modern day pastor. However, where there is no law, no lawyer is needed.
Dan Douglass
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