Let us not pull punches. Let us call a spade a spade. It is, and has been for about a hundred years, paid, pulpit ministers who have stirred up trouble and division among God's children. Not satisfied to preach only Christ and Him crucified, they conjure up issues. They conjure up issues not related to salvation by grace thru faith. They conjure up issues to debate and fan the fires of division to fervent heat. If this is not an example of knowledge puffing up, I don't know what it is. They twist the scriptures to prove their points. They, egos swollen with party pride, exclude sincere disciples of Christ who do not cow-tow to their opinions. They taut knowledge at the expense of love. They stir up division by emphasizing rejection and boo-hoo brotherly acceptance. Romans l5:7 reveals that we should: "Accept one another, as Christ accepted you, to the glory of God". The predominant theme of the New Testament writings is love and acceptance, but paid pulpiteers, in open defiance, harp their gospel of brotherly rejection and, like Diotrephes, cast brethren out of their assemblies. They teach for doctrine the conclusions of men.

Jesus said: "A man who has been hired is not really a shepherd. The sheep do not belong to him. When he sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. The wolf catches them and scatters them." How often this scenario is repeated. The paid pulpit minister stirs up controversy and then moves on to greener pastures. The scattered sheep are left to cope while the pulpit minister is EMPLOYED elsewhere. Jesus also said: "Therefore, you can recognize them by what they produce." The production of divisive pulpit ministers is all too obvious in the twelve or so schisms which claim to be the "sound, faithful" church of the New Testament. Every one of these churches was produced by paid pulpit ministers. Jesus said to recognize them by what they produce.

Paid pulpiteers, however, are not the sole perpetrators of this horrible hoax. Enablers are also to be blamed. The enablers dangle the financial carrot. The enablers insist on compliance with the party creed before a new party puppet is hired. Before a new pulpit minister is hired, his credentials and references are carefully researched to insure that the party positions will be preached. Parties, schisms, and sects demand allegiance to party creeds. When interviewing they never ask the applicant how he feels about Jesus. Jesus takes second place behind party issues. This is to the shame of God. Will we ever accept one another, as Christ accepted us, to the glory of God?!

Please think on these things. I believe them to be true to the Word.

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