Does the Church Serve Mammon or Messiah?

The Church has become a place of Money Changers. The door of cathedrals and houses of worship leads to a "den of thieves." (Matthew 21:13). Everything is for sale, including Emmanuel. The money changing is coming from two directions; one is the prosperity doctrine, that if you tithe and give your money to the Almighty, "He will open the storehouses of heaven for you." (Deuteronomy 28:12, Malachi 3:10). The second is a belief outright solicitation. Instead of a blessing from God for giving, preachers with their "snake oil spirituality" convince sheep (believers) that they need their product wither it be a book to refute lies, food for the End Times, and etc.

Who is the church really serving? Is the Messiah, Christ Jesus or Mammon the god of money and wealth? Honestly, there is another Jesus in the church today masquerading as the Lord and Savior in Scripture. He promises to help, but at a price. If you give, this jesus will supply all your needs. He will open the "storehouses of heaven," for you, if only you would give. This is not the character of the Christ of the Gospels and the Bible. For it is written, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), and "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?.' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33). This verse makes it clear that Jesus does not want us to worry about our needs, but rather to Seek the Kingdom, to Seek the Lord and He will provide all our needs. Its not a seek and then get, but rather He will give if we ask, for it is written, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you," (Luke 11:9), "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven," (Matthew 18:19), "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you," (John 15:7), "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name," (John 16:23), "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14). There is nothing in that asking about you having to donate, pledge, or tithe money. Jesus simply says, "Ask and you will receive." So this notion that you must pay your dues and tithes to be blessed by God is false. It is important that we test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21), for there are false christs, "For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." (2 Corinthians 11:4)

Jesus Christ, the True Messiah made it plainly clear that there are two masters. Two objects of worship. Two that every person can serve. Interestingly, Jesus does not say, "you can serve God or Satan," but rather Mammon. He said, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon (money)." (Matthew 6:24).

Jesus Christ drove out the money changers in the Temple. Here are three accounts:

"Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. It is written, he said to them, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'" (Matthew 21:12).

"Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;  and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.  And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” (Mark 11:15-17)

"So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market (business)!" (John 2:15-16).


Notice that Jesus deals with this business of trade and money in the Temple with force! Immanuel is indignant because the Temple was suppose to be a house of prayer, but we get a greater detail in Mark's Gospel that it was a place of "Prayer for all the Nations." In the Biblical Times, there was an outer court where Gentiles could hear the cantors worship Jehovah and even hear the Scriptures read. When our Savior enters the scene in 33 A.D. He finds that outer court has become a religious market and there is so much noise that now, "all the nations" cannot pray or hear the prayers to the Lord. Additionally, in John's account Jesus shows that his indignation is in regards to turning His "Father's House" into a place of business.

 

How many Churches have done the same? How many houses of Christian worship now have tables to sell books, enroll for study groups (that reguires reading materials), and other things to sell like audio CDs of the sermons? Would Jesus enter such a place and do the same as He did in the Temple? What is even more alarming is that the sanctuary, the place where people are suppose to Worship, Pray, and Listen to Teaching is not beyond the taint of money changing; for their the tithing plate is lifted up and the shrewd sorcery of making the saints feel obligated to give money happens. The Scriptures say, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corthinians 9:7). And if anyone feels they should give even if they do not have enough for food or to pay debts, they should not give! For it says, "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have." (2 Corinthians 8:12)

 

 

Tithing actually is an old system of the Levitical Law. One that actually was for survival of people. This Bible verse which is often abused, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it" (Malachi 3:10) was a rebuke to the priests, not the people of Israel and subsequently us! The Priests were withholding taking the offerings and tithes which were grain and 22%, not the quoted 10% churches used today and that grain was stored in a storehouse like in days of Joseph, "When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere." (Genesis 41:56-57) for times of famine. In fact, Jesus spoke against the Tithe, He said, "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own children or from others? From others," Peter answered. "Then the children are exempt," Jesus said to him. But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:25-27). In fact when Jesus was taken to trial, the religious leaders said of Jesus, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king." (Luke 23:3). Granted Jesus had not be subverting taxes, the Scripture says, "They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.Well, then," Jesus said, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God. His reply completely amazed them." (Mark 12:16-17). The point however, is that Jesus was subverting the taxes of the Temple; that the church of those days was taxing the children of God. He was showing that the tithe was not for the children of God, His Disciples.

 

If the Church is not buying and selling at the door, the outer court (hall or foyer) it has the money enameled, itched, and placed at the altar. Many churches turn their sanctuaries into spectacular pieces that depict the Crucifixion, Annunciation, Resurrection, Last Judgment, and so forth in gold. Many are moved when they behold these pieces of breathtaking artistry, but one must wonder, where did they get all the money for the gold? How is it that many churches though practically empty still have budgets that can afford $10,000 altar pieces and stone carvings that rival Michelangelo's David in marble? Where is the money coming from?

 

 

 

Priesthood is not as poor as it is made out to be. Many priests of the Roman Catholic Church live lavishly with Lambrequins and lamps made of pure gold. Protestant pastors are not exempt either, they too live in the lap of luxury with less articles of gold, but definitely not less comforts. This raises a concern in the church, how can the leaders be so well to do and yet the laity and common person is struggling to get by?

 

 



Why is it that the pastor or parish priest has access to golden vessels and good bank account full of funds, but the flock who is struggling must seek help elsewhere? Churches offer all these programs, entertainments, and concerts, but what about actually helping the rest of the Body of Christ? There are people in the church who are out of work, suffering fiscally because of the regulations and economic downturn, but rather than receive a helping hand or able to present their need to the leaders. They sit back and watch the concert of worship, and man walk up to the altar or stage and pontificate his musings that he made in mansion or monastery made of gold.

Then there are Used-Cross-Salesmen. Men and women who go from town to town, from meeting place to meeting place selling their prophetic words, teaching, book, and "spiritual snake oil." These men and women arrive in white robes, business suites, and other attire offering "anointings" "blessings" and "a new path or new way" to follow and serve God; but  all of these things come at a cost! The Apostles Peter and Paul have words for these kind of people. St. Peter says, "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." (2 Peter 2:1-3).

The Apostle Paul shares how he could require of people money and food, but that he doesn't because it hinders the Gospel! St. Paul says, "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!  I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:12-18).

Jesus Christ said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20). This particular passage has been overlooked throughout history. Ever since the time Constantine Augustus put the Church back in a building, gold and money and funding became a major part of the Body of Christ. To pay for the taxes on land, to furnish, and to adorn the cathedrals of old, priests and laity had to give tithes and pay taxes. This system isn't even Levitcal, because the old tithing system was for the community's welfare; storehouses of grain for famine. No this system was feudal and a form of tribute to God, who has been painted thanks to Constantine and blind priests as like the other gods who need a building and homage in form of golden offerings and symbols and images of metal and stone (see my post on the Temple for more information).

I want you to take a look at the lavishness of the church after 333 A.D. Examine the images below:

The ornaments, symbols of authority and even weapons of the emperor and kings who were Christians were made of pure gold.

 

 

Even the gloves or gauntlets of royals and priests were covered in gold and gems. Below is a Byzantine glove of the nobility. The Byzantines were a Christian people of the Eastern Roma in Asia Minor, and their capital was Constantinople, which is modern day Istanbul in Turkey. The Byzantines were known for putting gold on everything from cups to cathedral ceilings. 

The Byzantines even made their mosaic tiles out of gold. In the Hagia Sophia, which was the "Queen of all Churches," in Constantinople, there is a famous golden mosaic of Jesus Christ Pantokrator (seen below). The entire interior of the Church is laid with golden stone and other colors.

All this gold sure was regal and even converted the Russians to Orthodoxy, for they saw it and said, "It was as if we stepped into heaven." However, is gold what God wanted us to spend our time and money making houses of worship out of? These golden temples today, with all their glamor and opulence remain empty or sparse. People flock to the cinema more than cathedrals these days. So it seems evident that while these churches are beautiful they do not contain in the beautiful array of colors the Christ who draws the hearts of men and women.

A Church Dome in Florence

Jesus confronted this greed and worship of Mammon (god of money). He said to the Pharisees:

14"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte (convert); and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.
17"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?
18"And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.
19"You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?
20"Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.
21"And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.
22"And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
24You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
26"You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28"So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
30and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'…31"So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32"Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.
33"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
34"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,
35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." (Matthew 23:14-35).

Jesus's "Woe Sermon" in Matthew 23 is powerful. It confronts the Pharisees and teachers of the Law (Old Testament priests, fathers, pastors) of their greed. Jesus confronts them on how their priorities are wrong, that they say, "if you swear by temple it means nothing, but if you swear by the gold on alter it is obligatory or must be done." Is this not how many churches run today? If you swear by the Holy Name of the Lord it can be broken, pastors and priests, even the laity or church members break their word, but if money is involved there is great intensity and a strong obligation and fear to keep their word and obey civic authorities. Hypocrites! You fear the city, but not Christ?! Jesus said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28). We fear the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) but not Immanuel's Ruling of Souls!

The verses, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence," (Matthew 23: 25) and "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous," (Matthew 23: 29) remind me of the church today. In the cathedrals and chapels you see the adorned tombs of saints and how well polished the priest's robes are. In the Evangelical and Pentecostal circles it is the same with less gold and glamor, but plenty of techno lighting, comfy seats, and stage with projectors, screens, and other devices that rival Microsoft and Apple Headquarters.

The Final way that Mammon is served instead of Messiah Jesus is in giving alms. Right now there is a push to help the poor. The new pope, Pope Francis I and other leaders like Rick Warren are coming together to raise awareness and money to help orphans and widows. It is not that is is bad, for St. James said, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27). But the display, the show, the drawing of attention to clergy and celebrities who give is in violation of the verse, "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:2-4)

For those who would accuse Matthew's Gospel, I must say that Matthew was one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ (Mark 3:18). He was tax collector and so understood money. It makes perfect sense he recorded Jesus' sermons on money more than the other Gospels, because He would have be interested in it. It would be like how the Apostle John records Jesus' sermons about wrath, anger, and rage; because John was a "Son of Thunder" which was an old term for temper.

I want to be clear that I am not against Christians who have wealth or the beautiful cathedrals. I am asking a difficult question of churches, one we must all answer before the Lord Most High. It is my belief corruption, greed, avarice, and Mammonism has entered into the Church. The untangling of the webs will not be easy. We must prayerfully apply what the Lord Jesus Christ said and not let money rule us; for it is written, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:10)