Today, countless believers alike have, over long years, been unknowingly trained in the habit of learning and believing with worship as their center. Thus, most have become accustomed to regarding as faith nothing more than the consolation, relief, and hope they derive from hearing and seeing, without any true example or model of the love of the cross. Moreover, because they take the awareness, resolve, zeal, confidence, and pride that arise from what is seen and heard as though it were the faith of Christ united with the love of Christ, they remain trapped in a vicious cycle—spending their entire lives continually regretting and reflecting, yet always turning back to commit sin again according to their personal gain and interests. Instead of fully being reborn, their faith is nothing but vain resolutions and awakenings repeated hundreds or thousands of times, never leading to true rebirth, nor even capable of it. This is a faith aimed at fulfilling their own worldly ideals, desires, and cravings, the teaching and learning of those who attempt to serve God together with the world and with material things. Therefore, it is not the true faith of Christ that follows the love of the cross, in which one esteems, cherishes, and serves others more highly than oneself. As a result, even if they regret and reflect continually, theirs is only a vain faith that cannot escape the vicious cycle of turning back to sin according to their personal gain and interests. It is a faith that prays only vain prayers, seeking nothing but to fulfill and gratify their own desires, satisfactions, and cravings.
Because they believe in their own awareness, zeal, confidence, and pride—regarding these as though they were the faith of Christ, the faith in God and in Christ—they have, instead, fallen into a vicious cycle: though they regret and reflect, they turn back and commit sin again. Their faith is thus corrupted into one ruled by excuses that justify sin, or else it hardens into a state where they no longer even feel the pangs of conscience toward sin. By making their own zeal and pride into faith, into the Word, into God, into Christ, they destroy their consciences, and so the majority of believers and their faith become increasingly desolate.
If the confidence of today’s Christians—born of hearing sermons and teachings from pastors, being awakened, proud, and resolute—were truly the genuine faith of Christ, then they would not be chasing after worldly and fleshly lusts and happiness. Rather, they would have been reborn as those who carry the hope of Christ, willing to lay down even their lives to practice and pursue the love of the cross. They would already have escaped the vicious cycle of sin—committing sin, regretting, and returning to sin again according to their gain and interests. And they would not have produced a vain faith and foolish religion that ruminates endlessly upon the vicious cycle of sin and repentance, trapped within the fleshly limitation that compels them, like those who do not believe at all, to go on sinning.
The awareness, awakening, and pride of man that arise through human sermons and teachings may perhaps offer some slight benefit in correcting their evil deeds and habits, but the truth is this: by human awareness and pride alone, one can never be reborn, nor truly transformed. This is testified by the envy, jealousy, hatred, strife, lies, pride, and lust that continually spring forth from the evil habits of those who, throughout their lives, regret and reflect yet always turn back to sin again according to their gain and interests. In other words, within church-centered, altar-centered, and worship-centered religion, believers can never be truly reborn; the very believers who endlessly ruminate on sin and greed, repeating them without end, bear undeniable witness to this.
The worship of atonement that arose from the old Mosaic law—where forgiveness of sins was granted through the blood of animals—was an imperfect worship of the law. It could never form the temple of the heart containing the divine nature of God, namely the love of the cross, which alone is fitting to lead unto salvation. For this reason, God, the source of love, sent into this world the perfect and complete worship: the blood of Christ and the love of the cross.
Therefore, the sacrifice and blood of Christ are the holy will of God, the source of love; they are the sign of salvation through the love of the cross, the token of perfect forgiveness, and the covenant of resurrection. Thus, through the perfect blood of Christ, a way has been opened for us—who could never be reconciled by the imperfect blood of animals—to draw near to God through a perfect path.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.(Hebrews 9 : 17~22)
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.(Levitus 17 : 11)
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.(Hebrews 10 : 16~18)
The blood of Christ, flowing from the love of the cross, is given so that man—who, bound by the weakness of the flesh, cannot escape the endless repetition of sin and is therefore but a creature unworthy to become a child of God—might be made worthy to become a child of the perfect God. By the blood of Christ our shameful sins are forgiven, that we may walk the path of true salvation and resurrection. This is the love of the cross, the sacrifice for our forgiveness, and the holy blood of Christ that proceeds from this divine love. Therefore, the eternal price of blood paid for our sins was not accomplished by chance, but was love proceeding from the holy will of God. The love of the cross is therefore the way, the truth, the sign, the covenant, the testimony, and the life that we must walk in. Thus, the eternal covenant between us and Christ is the eternal testimony of resurrection and salvation through the love of the cross.
In other words, through the love of the cross He has shown us the perfect covenant we must walk in forever. And for the sake of our eternal promise, the love of the cross, by which He laid down His very life, is also the example that we too should lay down our lives for our brothers and neighbors, walking in the love of the cross toward eternal glory, salvation, and resurrection. Therefore, it is most fitting that we carry our cross and, with all our lives, walk the path of serving our brothers and neighbors as ourselves.
This is the blood, the sacrifice, and the love that fulfills the highest law and the greatest commandment: to serve our brothers and neighbors as our own selves.
God, who is the very source of love, gave His only begotten Son, Christ, for our sins. Therefore, it is altogether fitting that we too should joyfully lay down our lives for our brothers and neighbors in love. And this very duty, He has granted to us as the covenant of salvation and resurrection unto eternal glory, as our reward. This is the everlasting testimony, covenant, and truth of His perfection and completeness, forever to be remembered. Thus, if we are to become the perfect children of God, who is the source of love, we must indeed possess the love of the cross.
Yet through the sacrifices of animal blood—that is, the worship of offerings—the love of the cross could never be fulfilled. Rather, such worship only dulled even the sense of guilt toward the perishing lives condemned by their sins. Therefore, God abolished these sacrifices of blood, those ritualistic worships of offerings, by the perfect blood of Christ, who brought true forgiveness of sins.
By the love of the cross, in which Christ gave His very life as the price for our sins, He caused us to forever be mindful of our guilt toward sin and not to take lightly our shame. Moreover, the teaching of the cross is this: if we follow Christ’s example and practice the sacrificial love of the cross, even unto laying down our lives, we too shall share in the glory of salvation as He did.
In other words, the imperfect sacrifices of blood, the worship of offerings, have been abolished, and in their place has been established the worship of love that accomplishes perfect forgiveness of sins—for love covers all sins.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.(1 Peter 4 : 8)
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.(Proverbs 10 : 12)
The sacrifices of animal blood and offerings are incomplete sacrifices without instruction and admonition. Therefore, many, standing before them, failed to attain true repentance and the awakening that delivers from the shame and sin in which they could not be perfected. For this reason, God, the very source of love, sent His divine love (the divine nature) into this world, that through love the sacrifice and the blood might be made known throughout all the earth, and that through love the teaching of forgiveness of sins might be proclaimed. This teaching is the doctrine of the cross.
Therefore, the Sabbath, the holy days, the tithes and offerings, faith, hope, love, pastors, gifts, prophecies, grace, creation, the Word, and the apostles—all exist with the value and purpose of making us children of God, who is the very source of love. Thus, the blood and sacrifice were given in order to establish within us the love of the cross—the very divine nature of God, which we must bear to become His children.
Accordingly, the blood and love of Christ are the testimony, the covenant, the truth, and the salvation that declare God’s profound love to all the earth. The way of the cross, of suffering and sacrifice, is therefore the way, the truth, and the life by which we bear the character of God and become children worthy of Him.
By the perfect blood and love of Christ, the imperfect worship of the law—the sacrifices for forgiveness of sins—has been abolished. This was done so that, by following the love of God, who is the very source of love, we might be made into children of love who possess His perfect love. Thus, through the blood of the cross, the imperfect worship of the law for sin’s forgiveness has already been brought to an end.
Through the blood of Christ, the imperfect sacrifices of the law were abolished, and in their place He established and set forth by example the perfect sacrifice that fulfills love, worthy of resurrection and salvation—namely, the worship of love. Yet those who, through tithes and offerings, seek only to satisfy their worldly power and selfish desires have cast aside this perfect worship of love, which Christ instituted as the model of sacrifice. Instead, they revived the abolished worship of the law—the sacrifices of offerings and the service of the altar—so as to rationalize and deify their theft, carrying it forward and developing it even to this day.
In other words, they have denied and forsaken the perfect worship of love, established so that by taking up their own cross, feeding, giving, caring for, and serving the poor and needy brothers and neighbors as themselves, they might attain full salvation and resurrection. Instead, they have set up once again the abolished sacrifices of offerings, the worship of the law, in order to steal tithes and offerings and satisfy their selfish desires. This has become the worship-centered system of today’s Christianity.
The true worship of Christ—by which the saints were to be taught the example and model of the love of the cross, expressed in feeding, giving, and caring for the poor and needy through tithes and offerings—has been replaced by a detestable pretext: the worship-centered system that Christ’s blood already abolished, created only as a justification for stealing the tithes and offerings meant for the lambs.
The so-called worship of Christianity today, under the pretense of being worship centered on God, is in fact nothing more than a tradition carried over from Rome, which itself had imitated the worship, traditions, and practices of Judaism, all for the purpose of stealing the tithes and offerings that should have been used to feed, give, and share with the flock, instead to satisfy their own greed and selfish desires. The claim that worship exists to honor God is only a pretext; in reality, worship has long been exploited as a means of theft, to fill their bellies and gratify their own ambitions.
Thus, beneath the outward appearance of holiness, compassion, and piety, both Roman Catholicism and Christianity from the past until now have been steeped in corruption, lawlessness, lies, evil deeds, and bloody power struggles. Tithes, offerings, Sabbaths, feast days, faith, hope, love, and spiritual gifts—intended to establish the love of the cross that feeds, gives, cares, serves, and even lays down life for others—have been twisted into falsehood upon falsehood, distortion upon distortion, corruption upon corruption. They have been altered or perverted so that instead of being Christ-centered, they are interpreted, reshaped, and redefined according to the tastes, interpretations, and needs of the teachers themselves.
The result is that today’s churches are filled with these wretched standards and distorted centers—pretending to be faith, pretending to be the Word, pretending to be truth—when in fact they are nothing but fraudulent foundations born of arbitrary measures and forced interpretations.
Because they have completely departed from the Word, and have no example or model of the love of the cross, the endless unlawfulness, falsehoods, and evil deeds arising in their religions and churches are covered over by demanding unconditional obedience and absolute authority. By this, they deify themselves, deceiving the eyes and ears of the saints in order to exploit them as tools and slaves for their own selfish gain. This is what has produced today’s worship-centered, church-centered, and altar-centered system.
All the worship, ceremonies, traditions, and practices performed in the churches of Catholicism and Christianity today have nothing to do with salvation. They are used merely as pretexts and tools to corrupt and distort the content of the Word. Yet when examined closely, they are without exception stumbling blocks to the Word, contradictions to the Word, oppositions to the Word, adversaries to the Word, even enemies of the Word. They are not Word-centered at all, but rather rationalizations of their own doctrines and ideologies, exalted above the Word through religious traditions, practices, and ordinances that stand against it.
The most prominent of these ideologies and doctrines is the worship-centered system itself—worship that has already been abolished through the blood of Christ. It is the church of architecture established under the pretext of Christ’s gospel and evangelism, but in truth set up to steal more tithes and offerings. It is the altar-centered system created to rob the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy lambs.
1. The representative ideology and doctrine is the worship-centered system, which exalts worship that has already been abolished through the blood of Christ.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:(Hebrews 10 : 1~11)
For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.(Hebrews 7 : 18~28)
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.(Hebrews 9 : 22~28)
Why? Why do they perform worship that cannot bring forgiveness of sins, worship that has already been abolished through the blood of Christ?
Is it not because they do not truly believe in the blood of forgiveness that they carry on such worship for the forgiveness of sins?
Whom, then, is this worship-centered system— which in fact brings reproach upon the love and blood of the cross—truly for?
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.(Hebrews 9 : 7~10)
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.(1 Corinthians 13 : 9~10)
Because the covenant of salvation—born of the perfect and complete love of the cross, through the blood of the cross that fully forgives our sins and leads us to salvation—has come to all the earth, the partial worship of the law has already been abolished.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.(Galatians 3 : 23~29)
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.(Hebrews 8 : 1~13)
God, who is the very source of love, has given us the love of the cross so that we might be made children of love, conformed to His likeness. Therefore, the love of the cross, along with faith, hope, the Word, grace, gifts, worship, and prayer, all exist for this very purpose. Thus, the true worship of Christ that pleases God is not the worship of theft, which exalts only words and sermons, but the beautiful worship that builds within us the temple of the heart shaped by the love of the cross—feeding, giving, and caring for the poor and needy lambs—and thereby makes us children of salvation.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.(Hebrews 13 : 15~16)
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.(Matthew 12 : 7)
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.(Matthew 9 : 13)
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.(Hosea 6 : 6)
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.(Psalms 51 : 16~17)
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.(Amos 5 : 21~22)
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.(Psalms 40 : 6~8)
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.(Isaiah 1 : 13~17)
And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.(Acts 2 : 44~47)
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.(Acts 4 : 32~35)
God, who is the very source of love, has given us the love of the cross so that we might be made children of love, conformed to His likeness. Therefore, the love of the cross, along with faith, hope, the Word, grace, gifts, worship, and prayer, all exist for this very purpose. Thus, the true worship of Christ that pleases God is not the worship of theft, which exalts only words and sermons, but the beautiful worship that builds within us the temple of the heart shaped by the love of the cross—feeding, giving, and caring for the poor and needy lambs—and thereby makes us children of salvation.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.(Hebrews 13 : 15~16)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.(2 Corinthians 8~9)
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.(Psalms 112 : 9)
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.(Proverbs 14 : 31)
He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.(Jeremiah 22 : 16)
He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.(Proverbs 19 : 16~17)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.(John 15 : 9~14)
2. A church-centered system of architecture, established under the pretext of Christ’s gospel and evangelism, for the purpose of stealing more tithes and offerings.
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.(Jeremiah 7 : 4~11)
…Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein….(Matthew 23 : 1~28)(Mark 12 : 38~40)
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.(Micah 3 : 10~12)
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.(Jude 1 : 17~19)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.(Galatians 5 : 19~21)
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,(Romans 2 : 8)
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.(1 Corinthians 10 : 32~33)
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.(Amos 5 : 11)
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.(Matthew 21 : 13)
I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.(Zechariah 5 : 4)
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.(Luke 21 : 5~6)
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.(Job 12 : 6)
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.(Revelation 2 : 9)
3. An altar-centered system established to steal the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy lambs.
…Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein….(Matthew 23 : 1~28)(Mark 12 : 38~40)
For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.(Hebrews 7 : 18~28)
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.(Hebrews 10 : 1~14)
Why? Why do the churches and pastors who claim to have received forgiveness through the blood of Christ still perform worship that, through the blood of Christ, has already been abolished for the forgiveness of sins? If they have received forgiveness through the blood of Christ and claim even to have attained salvation, what then is the true reason that they do not believe in the power of the blood of forgiveness, but continue to offer worship for the forgiveness of sins? Can sermons that exalt only words and theories, without any example or model of the love of the cross, be called the true worship of God?
All the churches and pastors of today who offer the imperfect, abolished sacrificial worship of the past—worship that cannot form within them the beautiful heart of divine love, the divine nature of the cross that conforms them to God—have already denied the blood of Christ. They are legalists, hypocrites (imitators), those who exalt outward works and thereby bring reproach upon the blood of Christ and oppose the love of the cross. By pursuing the abolished sacrificial worship of the past, they themselves testify that they belong to the law, not to grace; not slaves of grace under forgiveness, but foolish slaves under the law of sin.
If the worship they perform today were truly the worship of Christ, then surely they would have built the temple of the heart, bearing the love of the cross worthy of salvation. They would be true children of light in Christ, possessing His fruit and testimony, serving as witnesses to reveal His example and model to all the earth.
But today’s worship, which produces nothing more than foolish faiths that remain in the evil path of sin—forever regretting and reflecting, yet always turning back to sin, endlessly repeating sin and regret—has produced only those who appear outwardly as Christians but are in reality nothing more than shells. Their actions differ inside and outside the church, their intentions differ outwardly and inwardly, their words differ from their deeds. They walk only in circles, never advancing. How then can such worship be the worship in spirit and in truth? Where is the evidence that such worship, which bears no glory, power, testimony, or fruit of Christ, is true? Is not the fruit and testimony of such worship instead the birth of unlawfulness, lies, distortions, corruption, depravity, evil, and heresy? This, countless churches testify by the absence of true fruit, testimony, and power of Christ in their worship.
Because such churches are led and taught by those who, according to their own gain and interests, forever rationalize their sins—regretting, reflecting, and yet always returning to sin—their voices and claims to excuse themselves only grow louder. As a result, disputes, quarrels, envy, jealousy, hatred, lies, slander, and divisions only increase all the more. Thus pastors and believers alike, instead of being examples, bring reproach even upon the holy name of God and the precious love and blood of the cross.
And what of the pastors who teach? They too are slaves of sin, committing sins as easily as eating bread, according to their own gain and interests. Who then can deliver anyone from the path of sin? The Word says: the blind lead the blind, and both shall fall. Yet even a blind man who knows he is blind may one day grope his way and find the path of salvation. But how can a fool who does not know he is blind—trusting only in his own arrogant judgments and standards—ever find the way of salvation? Such groping leads only to stumbling in paths twisted and crooked, straying far from the Word. They are like chaff before the wind, tossed this way and that, falling here and breaking there, eyes and ears that cannot perceive even in the midst of trials and suffering.
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.(Jeremiah 23 : 21~22)
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.(James 5 : 19~20)
They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.(Jeremiah 23 : 17~22)
If the worship of theft practiced today were truly, as they claim, the genuine worship of God offered in spirit and in truth, then at the very least the believers who attend such worship would have been delivered from the evil habit of always repenting and regretting, only to turn back and sin again according to their gain and interests. They would have been reborn and transformed into the hope of Christ, pursuing the love of the cross.
If the worship that Christianity today proclaims were truly the authentic worship of Christ, then surely it would have led believers away from the sinner’s path, where they can do nothing but repeatedly commit sins—even those equal to murder. Yet in reality, countless believers, even now, follow the vain teachings and doctrines of pastors who stir only momentary emotion and instruction. They turn their awakenings, zeal, convictions, and pride into their so-called faith, boasting as though this were the true faith of Christ. But in truth, their faith bears no fruit, shows no evidence, and rests only upon the reliance of their own pride. Such is the state of the majority of faith and religion today.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.(Proverbs 21 : 2~8)
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.(Psalms 50 : 23)
The worship practiced by the disciples of Christ in the past was not like today’s worship, which exalts only words, sermons, appearances, and outward forms—a hollow holiness and piety of mere shells. Its basis cannot be found anywhere except in the abolished worship of Moses. Rather, through tithes and offerings, they taught the love of the cross—feeding, giving, and caring for one another in good works and service, cherishing and serving one another. They did not, as is done today, practice a worship of theft that exalts impressive ceremonies, outward forms, theories, and words, while stealing the tithes and offerings that were meant to feed, give, and care for the truly poor and needy lambs.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.(Hebrews 13 : 16)
And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.(Acts 2 : 44~47)
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.(Acts 4 : 32~35)
Because traditions, practices, and worship were established and carried on as means to exploit tithes and offerings for the satisfaction of their own selfish desires and lusts, their traditions, practices, doctrines, and ideologies inevitably created distorted interpretations and forced explanations. These were nothing more than doctrines, commandments, and ideologies contrived as pretexts and excuses to corrupt the content of the Word. Thus, the worship-centered system arose, exalting words alone, to abolish the true example and model of the love of the cross—that through tithes and offerings, the poor and needy lambs might be fed, given to, and cared for, and that in good works and service men might cherish, honor, and serve one another, building the beautiful temple of the heart, after the love of God, and thereby be made worthy of salvation.
The worship practiced today in Catholicism and Christianity is plainly a denial and reproach of the atoning blood of Christ. It is of no use for salvation, being nothing more than a show of outward holiness, a pretense of kindness, and hypocrisy. It is the worship of the law, belonging to those outside the grace of forgiveness, those who cannot receive forgiveness of sins under the law. They exalt outward forms of solemnity and holiness, deceiving with appearances; therefore they are hypocrites, meaning those who deceive with outward show and imitation. Any church, pastor, worship, spirit, gift, teaching, or faith that does not set the example of teaching believers to feed, give, care for, and serve one another through tithes and offerings in deeds of love and service is nothing but dead, an adversary, an enemy, and antichrist.
For this is a world where shameless men, who do not follow the love of the cross but attempt by words and theories alone to attain salvation, teach and learn. They are like those who seek to reap fruit without sowing seed. Pursuing worldly desires, ambitions, and lusts, they remain trapped in the evil habit of sinning, regretting, and returning to sin again, never escaping. Because they seek to serve God together with the world and with material wealth, their faith is ruled by pride—pride that corrupts into lie upon lie, excuse upon excuse, distortion upon distortion, rationalization upon rationalization—making their own self-centeredness and self-made standards into ‘the Word’ and into ‘God.’ Thus most faiths today are merely human interpretations at their own whim, skewed to rationalize their sins and claims, filled with excuses.
This is the result of churches and pastors who exalt only words and theories without practice. Therefore, as one elder confessed: there are many church members, but no true Christians; many pastors, but no true shepherds; many churches, but no true church of Christ.
He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.(Proverbs 19 : 16~17)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.(John 15 : 9~14)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.(Ephesians 4 : 32 ~ 5 : 2)
The shepherds who were meant to proclaim throughout the earth the true love of Christ and His example—shown in good works and service that feed, give, and care for the poor and needy lambs, cherishing, honoring, and serving one another—have instead taught false traditions, practices, worship, and doctrines, invented for the worship of theft, which has nothing to do with salvation and stands in opposition to the Word. Thus today’s churches and worships have produced nothing but hollow shells of faith that oppose the Word and stand as its enemies.
Rather than the hope of Christ, born of the love of Christ that is fulfilled only in the sacrifice of the cross—where all worldly desires, ambitions, and cravings are forsaken, leading to salvation—their teachings are based on false interpretations and forced explanations, designed to push men toward worldly desires, ambitions, and cravings, encouraging them to serve God together with the world and with material wealth. These traditions, practices, worships, and doctrines, exalted above all, have resulted in nothing more than faiths no different from the world, producing outcomes that bring reproach even upon the love of the cross and the holy name of God.
Today’s worships, built on sermons and theories that exalt words only, denying the sacrificial practice of the love of the cross, and on vain prayers and hopes that forget the holy will of God, are faiths that pile up nothing but sin and greed. They are centered on self, pride, and arrogance that, through such false interpretations and explanations, have been elevated and turned into ‘faith,’ ‘Word,’ and ‘truth.’ This is the world and these are the churches. Therefore, Christianity and Catholicism have produced nothing but a constant increase of sects, created by distortions, lies, and forced doctrines without end.
The duties of service, meant only to make the worship of thieves appear solemn and holy, are in reality nothing but hypocrisy and self-display, rather than the love of the cross that conforms us to God and leads to salvation. Thus, even in small acts of service and charity, most churches inevitably fall into disputes, slander, and divisions for their own gain. This is the fruit and the testimony of those who practice today’s worship of theft. Yet most believers ignore the warning to leave churches where strife and jealousy reign and where the love of the cross is absent.
God’s holy and eternal temple is the temple of eternal glory built by the Holy One Himself. Therefore, upon this earth, which is but His footstool stained with sin, the holy temple of God can never exist, nor ever be established. How could the eternal God of glory—greater, higher, and deeper than the heavens—ever dwell within the perishable, worthless church of architecture, built by the hands of men?
If the service itself is established for the worship of theft, can such service ever bear the fruit of a beautiful heart containing the love of the cross, conforming us to God and leading to salvation? Their offices and ministries, rather than being holy, are in truth joined with thieves, aiding theft; and thus, under a guise of solemnity and holiness, they participate in deceiving the saints. They are guilty of being accomplices—sharing in the theft of the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy lambs—and their faith only multiplies sin all the more.
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.(Malachi 3 : 7~8)
I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.(Zechariah 5 : 4)
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.(Luke 21 : 5~6)
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.(Job 12 : 6)
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.(Matthew 21 : 13)
The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the LORD GOD of hosts.(Isaiah 3 : 14~15)(Matthew 23 : 16~24)
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.(Jeremiah 7 : 4~11)
What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.(Jeremiah 11 : 15~17)
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.(Jeremiah 12 : 10~13)
Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.(Isaiah 1 : 23)
There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.(Ezekiel 22 : 25~26)
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.(Isaiah 10 : 1~4)
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.(Romans 2 : 17~24)
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD. Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.(Amos 5 : 11~22)
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.(Hosea 8 : 13~9 : 4)
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.(1 Samuel 15 : 22~23)
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.(Proverbs 1 : 10~19)
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.(Amos 4 : 1~3)
Rome, having long endured war and come to recognize the limits of its rule under a military regime, adopted the traditions and practices of Judaism, which had stolen the tithes and offerings of the believers through its former worship (sacrificial rites). Thus, Rome established the Catholic Church—a powerful religious regime that exploited the peculiar nature of religion, which demands absolute power and absolute obedience.
From this arose the Roman Catholic Church, in which every kind of lawlessness and wickedness prevailed, shedding rivers of blood through endless struggles for power, and marked by corruption, deceit, and depravity. Out of protest against such lawlessness, falsehood, corruption, and degeneration, Christianity was formed through division. Yet Christianity, too, inherited from Rome the same traditions, practices, doctrines, and ideologies, again transforming tithes and offerings into instruments of power to feed their own selfish desires, thereby creating yet another worship of theft.
This is why Catholicism and Christianity today have become fertile ground for the endless birth of heresies upon heresies.