Dear reader,
I still remember when we used to adulterate our soup with more water so that it will last longer and also go round among siblings. This is a type of corruption but one done with no dishonest intent.
Other types of corrupt practices exist and are often linked to depraved intention. We corrupt medication meant to alleviate or heal illnesses, by reducing its quality; we corrupt consumable goods to reduce production cost and make bigger profits. Corruption has been with mankind for a very long time.
After the resurrection of Christ, Paul (the apostle) warned Corinthian believers about his observation. He said: “…For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of Adonai, in the sight of Adonai speak we in Christ”-2 Corinthians 2:17. Paul recognized this unwholesome practice and cautioned the brethren to be vigilant as there existed many who corrupt the word of Adonai. Since then, the corruption of the Lord’s words has ballooned following increase and invasion of sheep wolves, encircled among the sheep.
‘Corrupt’ means having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain. Every idea about corruption points to this definition a reason some bible translations use ‘Peddle’ in the place of ‘Corrupt’. Corruption ends with undesirable effect; it brings abnormal profits to the corruptor and unleashes, sometimes incredible destruction to consumers of corrupted ideas, goods and messages. This is the reason Paul’s warning must be taken very seriously.
When the temple was the house of Adonai, people sold oxen, sheep, doves, and turned the temple to a Bureau De Change. Christ who was visibly incensed responded with whips and drove the money merchants out and scattered their goods and dismantled their cash machines. And He said unto them that sold doves, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise”-John 2:15-16.
But who is Yeshua to tell us how to preach the gospel, how much more Paul to define corruption for us? The Tribute and Automatic Giving adverts came with an email I received from Benny Hinn ministry this morning (15/03/15); I believe many others received it with no attention paid perhaps.
Special Offers
Benny Hinn invites people to participate in what he described as ‘special offers’. In these offers you will receive a certificate but you must part with various sizes of money that matches the adverts of the smiling ladies. If you wish you could set up what he described as auto-giving!!!!! There is no doubt that Benny’s pattern of selling Adonai’s word has been copied into several other places of worship.
You corrupt my words and you ask “how do we corrupt your words”: In books, in audio and video materials and in spurious charges and levies. How? We have used donations/offerings from brethren to train our mind and write many books then turn around to sell these books to the same sheep that funded our training and the books.
We have used donations/offerings from brethren to develop ourselves and preach messages, which we put into audio and video formats and turn around to sell these materials to the same sheep that funded our training and these materials; we have used donations/offerings from brethren to develop facilities, programmes, academies and colleges and turn around and impose various charges on the same sheep who funded these projects and programs regardless of their capacity to meet these charges.
Dear reader, what you read is real because it is what we do and many of us know that this game is a full-blown corruption. Selling the word of Adonai is, on its own corruption; paying for it by the same sheep that funded the same word is despicable and meets the height of this corruption.
Mankind has no right to sell the word of Adonai in whatever form. This is the price we have to pay for believing in Christ. Christianity is not a game of gain to the things of this world; it is instead a game of pain given that we will die for Christ and the gospels to save in eternity-Matthew 6:25. Believers can preach the word of Elohim to the end of the world without selling His word.
Shalom!
Eze Uduma