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Things that God Forbids us from Doing (2nd Part) |
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 E ARE GOING to continue with the studies that we are making on the prohibitions of God. This subject matter is not really being touched by many religious denominations because that will prevent people from joining their groups.
There are people who prefer doing things that they are prohibited from doing. That is why, if preachers would teach the “don’ts” of God, people will surely be prevented from joining their group. And because their main concern is to increase their membership, they do not impose their members to observe these “don’ts”. Their members are free to do as they please. In II Peter 2:19, it says—
“While they promise them liberty, thy themselves are servants of corruption . . .”
They promise them liberty. There are no prohibitions. There are no restrictions. There are no disciplinary measures because they are servants of corruption. They are free to drink if they want to drink. If they want to womanize, they can womanize, without being excommunicated. If they want to gamble, they may gamble. If they want to use prohibited drugs, they are free to do that because their pastors will not excommunicate them. Why will they excommunicate their members when they, too, are doing the same things! Let us read Romans 1:32—
“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such doings are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
No wonder, they tolerate them. Despite their knowledge that what they do is worthy of death, they do not only do those things but they also find pleasure in doing what other people do. Generally, among the religions built by man, there are no prohibitions; there are no disciplinary measures. They do not excommunicate a member even if he womanizes for 70 years. Actually, they would even give him benediction when he dies, despite his being a womanizer. They say that you would still be saved so long as you were able to say “Jesus, Maria, Jose” before you die. They believe that even if you had been an infidel for 70 years, you would still be saved if you tried to be good when you were about to die. But that doctrine is not biblical!
Therefore, for us to see the difference between the things that were written in the Bible from the things which are being taught by some religious denominations around us, let us find out for ourselves what these “don’ts” are, which they do not teach. They do not bother to teach these prohibitions because their members are free to get engaged in all forms of worldly pleasure. They are free to do whatever they want to do. Will your pastor prevent you from doing those things? No! Especially so if you will increase your donation. There was a man who had been found out to be a womanizer by his pastor. But, did he excommunicate him? No, because the donations that his entire family give amount to a million. So, how do you expect this pastor to excommunicate his member? That is how most churches are today.
As we continue, let us compare the churches around us with the Church in the Bible by studying the “don’ts” of God. Let me reiterate that, whenever the word “don’t” is used, it always implies a prohibition. It is an order not to do something. For a start, read Matthew 6:19—
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rusts doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.”
Is it a prohibition or not? That is very clear. Our Lord Jesus Christ is telling His Apostles that they must not lay for themselves up treasures upon earth. I just want you to take note, my fellowmen, that when God says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” He meant that we are forbidden from committing adultery. The laws are given due to man’s transgressions. Why did the Bible say, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”? Because there are people who commit adultery. It is not because God is angry with the adulterer, but He wants to stop the adulterer to further commit adultery because He wants them to be saved. It is a preventive measure. For example, if we want to prevent an illness, we are injected with a vaccine, or we undergo medication. Actually, there are two ways of dealing with an illness: preventive and curative. The word of God can be a remedy to a person that is already sick, as well as to a person who is prone to getting to sick.
The commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery” applies even to a person who is still not committing adultery. He is already being prevented from doing it. And when a person is already committing it, he is being commanded to stop it. That is the very intent of God.
Let us cite another example. But let us first read Ephesians 4:28—
“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give him that needeth.”
Let him that stole steal no more. Therefore, God is preventing you from stealing further. That is how much God loves man. It doesn’t follow that if a person has become a thief, God is already condemning him. No! The primary reason why He set prohibitions is because of His love for you, so that you won’t totally succumb to stealing. “Thou shalt not steal” … “Thou shalt not commit adultery” … because God knows that there are thieves and there are adulterers.
When God says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rusts doth corrupt, ands where thieves do not break through and steal,” is He not forbidding us from enriching ourselves, or not? To whom did He say this? He said this to the Apostles, to the preachers. Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth.”
This is the reason why a preacher must not make himself rich. Now, let me ask you. Have you heard any pastor telling his members that Christ forbids pastors or preachers from making themselves rich? No, because riches is what they want. In fact, many of them have become very rich. Let us read Jeremiah 5:26-27—
“For among my people are found wicked even they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men as a cage is full of birds, So are their houses full of deceits: Therefore they are become great and waxen rich.”
Don’t they become rich, or not? Who becomes rich? “Among my people are found wicked men.” When a person capitalized on religion in making himself rich, that person is considered wicked by God. Why is he considered wicked? Because he defied what Christ had commanded him –
“Lay not up for yourself treasures upon the earth.”
Instead, he did the opposite. He laid treasures up for himself. And that makes him an anti-Christ.
That is why, brothers and sisters, we can easily distinguish a preacher who is of Christ from a preacher who is an anti-Christ. He is of Christ if he is not making himself rich, because Christ says—
“Lay not up for yourself treasures upon the earth...”
Instead, spend it to something worthwhile and beneficial.
In our group, all donations to the Church are spent to where they should be spent. We spent it in propagating the word of God. We use it in paying radio and television stations which we employ in spreading the word of God. We do not keep treasures or riches for ourselves. We spend it rightfully. In the first place, how can we keep treasures when there is nothing to keep? And should there be something to keep, still, we will not keep it because Jesus prohibited us from doing so. Here, in our group, we are confident that no one among our members could point an accusing fingers on us that we take advantage of their donations, or that we use their donations for our personal needs. All of us have our means of livelihood. We earn a little amount but, still, we do not have riches to keep because Christ forbids us from keeping riches. Actually, most of the time, we are short of finances, but still we are able to manage with the help of God. We only bank on the help of God. As Philippians 4:13 says—
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
All of us here (in our organization) believe that a minister of God should not enrich himself. A preacher should not store material riches. That is against the commandment of Christ.
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Bible
The
Way to Salvation
