A Worse Problem!
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We are ready to discuss the bigger problem referenced above. The splinter leader claiming to offer “vision” to the world finally wrote one book. After over eight years of waiting for him to produce a single book or booklet about God’s truth, he has authored one at last—and SELLS it for $65.
First, how absolutely incredible that such an outrageous price is charged—and for a relatively small book besides! One wonders who is benefiting from what must be a gigantic profit margin. I am well acquainted with business and publishing, having written and published 80 books and booklets (plus over 30 by others of our writers), and the profit garnered on each book sold, in his case, must be very great!
Second, this point introduces what is most different about this man’s approach from what Mr. Armstrong did: No one can obtain this material for free. A simple call to this headquarters reveals this. The caller is told that “the publisher is selling it; you must contact them.” When asked why church members and others could not receive it for free, the same words were repeated.
This describes “God’s” work done for profit—pure and simple!
Third, and this is beyond incredible, is that in the book the author presents his own SOLUTION to the Mid-East problem. What? This region of the world involves a millennia-old controversy literally impossible for any but the returning Jesus Christ and the saints to resolve. Of all world problems, this one perhaps most defies any human solution. Dozens of prophecies trumpet this.
Ask: How could this man have permitted himself to fall so far in understanding? How could he have come to believe that God wants His servants offering what are at best mere stop-gap human solutions to issues long recognized as insoluble apart from God’s intervention? The answer parallels why many of the splinters now contribute to relief organizations.
Finally—and this is the most astonishing point of all—how could this “leader’s” over one thousand followers let themselves approve of what he did? The smooth cunning used to sell this to his organization must have been a wonder to behold. I cannot decide which is worse—the act itself, or the membership’s collective willingness to buy the seduction and support the act!
Here is another example of the same thing. Gerald Flurry’s son also sells a book. In this case, charging a somewhat more reasonable $14.95, the book is about his organization’s pretension of rebuilding from the “ruins” of the Worldwide Church of God.
Recognize that neither of the books these men are selling were written to present God’s truth to the world. Onesells an opinion, the other sells a story. Each of these was conceived with an entirely different purpose in mind than that of teaching great Bible truths in the way Mr. Armstrong’s “bookstore” book editions did.
One hopes these “leaders” simply forgot Christ’s plain instruction to “freely give,” and forgot Mr. Armstrong’s example and explanation of to whom certain books could be sold, and why.
Copying the Apostates, Again!
Looking back, none should have been surprised when the apostates began to charge for a subscription to The Plain Truth and to their youth magazine, along with other items they chose to market for profit. After destroying the Church’s revenue base—remember, they threw out tithing—they found themselves forced to charge subscribers for the shallow junk they offered, which no longer of course presented solutions to the world’s problems. Of course, they had lost sight of “give” vs. “get.” But many of God’s people—as well as certain “leaders”—have also lost sight of the vital need to give the knowledge of the kingdom of God to the world as the Church once did.
The apostates sold the literature because they had put themselves in a position in which they had to. (Of course, they also wanted the money.) These other leaders did it to make money—to make “merchandise” of the brethren (II Pet. 2:3). What other motive fits their actions?
Let’s move away from specific examples and understand the apostle Peter’s choice of words. First, here is what he wrote, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of YOU: whose judgment…lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not.”
Everyone understands that merchandise is sold to make money. In retail, consumer products are a source ofrevenue. Of course, such transactions are “what makes the world go ‘round.” Peter is explaining that when the brethren are reduced to merchandise—and this is the term God uses to describe His people when misused—they have been reduced to a source of money for someone, and nothing more. In fact, these have become “stolen merchandise” that must be “fenced” (pawned) at below market value. This is what leaders have made of God’s people when they, through deceit, unlawfully take brethren away from the true Work of God—and ultimately from God Himself!—so they can use skills learned in Christ’s ministry to garner financial profit—TITHES!
On the other hand, and this is where you have a personal responsibility, those who willingly empower such leaders have chosen to be “merchandise”—mere “tithe-payers” bought and sold by false ministers!—allowing, in fact providing, deceived leaders with a position of authority to enrich themselves or their organizations.
Surely you have not previously seen the problem explained in this way!
“The Thief Comes Not…”
Think of all the terms that Jesus Christ uses to describe false ministers entering among His sheep—enemies, strangers, false apostles, false christs, false teachers, hirelings, wolves, slow bellies, Cretians, dogs, foxes, serpents, etc. The 10th chapter of John describes unauthorized men entering Christ’s sheepfold as “thieves and robbers.” It is interesting that John 14:10 of this chapter summarizes any false leader as simply a “thief.” While Christ’s words in the second half of this passage—“I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly”—are quoted most often, the first half is perhaps more instructive for this age: “The THIEF comes not, but for to STEAL, and to kill, and to destroy.”
You are left to ponder the motives OF SPIRITUAL THIEVES at work throughout the splinters, using God’s people as cheap merchandise! Men willing to divert for themselves millions of dollars in tithes that belong to God for the sole purpose of doing His true Work will have no problem selling personal opinions and stories in books for profit.
When I think of how such leaders will react upon being confronted with what is written here, I cannot help but recall the story of Christ’s account in Mark 11:15-18 of when He entered the temple and “overthrew the tables of the moneychangers,” calling it “a den of thieves.” The result? When “the scribes and chief priests heard it,” they “sought how they might destroy Him.” The account contains no record of contrition or repentance. Expect the same today!
Summarizing, many have forgotten Christ’s Matthew 10:8 instruction to freely give what has always been priceless, anyway.
We have now come to the other infinitely greater mass amnesia, mentioned earlier…
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