HOW TO COMMITT SUICIDE IN THE CHURCH

A warning against preachers who stir up the sin of covetousness

Would you attend a church that:
     Makes it more difficult to get into heaven
     Kindles suicidal desires in the congregation
    Would you attend a church that:
Directs the focus and attention away from Jesus
     Teaches that the accumulation of wealth is a sign of godliness
     Promotes LESS faith in the promises of God
    Would you attend a church that:
Instructs you on “how to strangle yourself to death”
     Removes the salt and the light of the world
     Plunge attendees into ruin and destruction

Want to wreck your spiritual life? How would you like to increase your possibility of being lost. Are you looking forward to drinking poisoned kool-aid? Would you like to exponentially increase the difficulty of living spiritually healthy lives.

Unfortunately many preachers, particularly prosperity teachers have denied the truth of scripture and adopted viewpoints that are heretical and damming to their congregation. Listen to  Lu 9:23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. The first condition is to “deny yourself”, which directly contradicts the prosperity gospel. Both cannot be right, therefore I choose to follow what Jesus says. YWould you expect the same person (Jesus) who tells you to deny yourself to also make you rich? Jesus never conflicts himself.

Remember that passage where Jesus told Peter to “get behind him”?  Is Jesus saying that to you today? Look at this passage again  Mt 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's".  Why was Peter a stumbling block? Are you a stumbling block? You are if you are setting your mind on man’s interest and not God’s. Setting your mind on prosperity is setting your mind on man’s interest and not God’s. You, like Peter, have become a stumbling block.

After reviewing the list I am sure most of you mentally said “I would never attend a church like that”.  Sadly though most of you attend a church like that and love to have it so. Let me see if the word of God can expose the heresy of so many local churches which attempt to emulate the apparent success of today’s misguided mega churches. To attend a church which preaches the false prosperity gospel in any fashion, is to prepare for spiritual suicide. You will eventually sway toward a walk in the flesh and not the spirit, that's spiritual suicide. The prosperity gospel is ungodly because it turns you against contentment and turns you toward materialism and gain, that's spiritual suicide. It turns you from preparing for the eternal rewards toward reaping temporary pleasures which abound no heavenly reward, that's spiritual suicide. This is God’s instruction in Lu 14:33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #1
1. Beware of a pastor that instructs you to strangle yourself with riches and pleasures.

Proof Text:  Lu 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Many never come to total commitment to Christ because of their increasing devotion to materialism. How sad it is when the teaching of materialism comes from the pulpit, teaches which exhorts stuff over Christ. Is there not enough materialism from our market driven society? TV, radio, billboards and the internet all announcing that stuff will bring happiness & pleasure.  Now you can add the “pulpit” to the list of TV, Radio billboards and the internet. How heretical to teach that which God’s word forbids. How sinful to teach that which chokes the spiritual life out of the congregation. Are you unknowingly committing suicide by choking yourself with an ungodly desire for riches and pleasures?

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #2
2. Beware of pastoral preaching that promotes less faith in the promises of God.

Since the Word instructs us to be content with what we have and bring honor to God. Being content also honors the following scripture.
Proof Text:  Heb 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
 Heb 13:6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"

Paul commands us to be content and live without covetousness. Why listen to a pastor that brags about his car, boasts about his house and blow his own horn about his money(which he most likely got from the pew, that’s you)?
What sacrilege it is to abuse God's money. Since God promises to never forsake you, why do you strive to accumulate riches which require time and attention that should be given to God?
Why would you listen to teaching that promises to make you rich or grant you the accumulation of houses, cars, etc when God warns you constantly about the sin of greed? Ro 1:29; 1Co 5:11; 6:10; Eph 5:3,5  Col 3:5

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #3
3. Beware of Pastors that preach doctrine that  makes it harder to get into heaven.

 Proof Text.  Mr 10:23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"
 Mr 10:24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
 Mr 10:25 "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
 Mr 10:26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?"
 Mr 10:27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."      Mt 19:23-26; Lu 18:24; 1Co 1:26; Jas 4:4

If your pastor teaches about how to acquire riches, he is actually making it more difficult for some to enter heaven and impossible for others enter heaven.  Look at the above text, riches make it impossible for the unbeliever to enter. Why listen to someone that is making it harder to enter heaven. Greed and the love of money will hinder the growth of the believer. It follows that the acquisition of riches ends in the trust of riches which tend to supplant the need of God. (Just think about it, rich folks apparently have less need for Christ because of their material wealth. They are the most difficult group to evangelize. You can’t tell them “God has a wonderful plan for your life” they already think they have a wonderful life. What they don’t know is that they have a hellfire eternity.)

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #4
4. Beware of a pastor that teaches a doctrine that plunges you into ruin and destruction.

Proof Text:  1Ti 6:6 ¶ But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
 1Ti 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
 1Ti 6:8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
 1Ti 6:9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
 1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs..
Mt 13:22; 19:22; 26:15; Jas 5:1-4; 2Pe 2:15,16; Jude 1:11

Why are you continuing to listen to sermons which encourage you to pierce yourself, that entrap you in snares and drown you in destruction and ruin? It is deceitful to constantly draw people to Christ to acquire riches. If your pastor teaches prosperity, he is prepping you for destruction, ruin, piercing and sorrows. He is teaching contrary to scripture because he is teaching you to desire riches in direct contradiction to scripture.

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #5
5. Beware of pastoral ministries that remove the willingness to suffer and be persecuted for Christ.

Jesus says we are blessed when we are persecuted while the prosperity gospel says we are blessed when we get stuff.(which eventually fades away).
Proof text: Mt 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
 Mt 5:12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
 Mt 5:13 ¶ "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
 Mt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
 Mt 5:15 "nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

The prosperity gospel contradicts the mandate of persecution and suffering for Christ sake. ( 2Ti 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 1Pe 3:14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,)
Wealth does not make you salt nor light. Actually the prosperity gospel offers exactly what the world believes in. A person does not have to be saved to embrace it(the world's desire for wealth, they just have to be greedy and we are born greedy. The world sees itself in the prosperity driven church and flocks to it. They buy in because it offers another route to acquire what the world constantly offers. Two ways to get a Benz, sell drugs or use faith in Jesus and claim it.

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #6
6. Beware of preachers that encourage allegiance to the temporary residence (the world) and not the eternal (heaven).

Proof text: 2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Peter remind us that to abstain from fleshly lusts in  1Pe 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. But prosperity teachers have you behaving contrary to scripture inspiring you to lust.
Jesus cautions against the desire and determination to store up material treasures on earth, our temporary residence. Listen to Mt 6:19 ¶ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Mt 6:20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  Mt 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The prosperity gospel convinces you to contradict the Word by storing up treasures on earth VS storing up in heaven. The temporary VS the eternal.

Why would we seek out and listen to preachers who instruct us by opposing the commands of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ. Are you listening to a pastor that brags about his stuff. That brags about his breaking the 10th commandment. Removing our center of attention from Jesus to materialism which is suicidal in terms of eternity.

SPIRITUAL SUICIDE AWARENESS TIP #7
7. Beware of teaching that will bring howling and misery and a life of remorse.

Proof Text: Jas 5:1 ¶ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
 Jas 5:2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.
 Jas 5:3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

Why go with a prosperity teaching that promises despair and lamentation. It’s like committing spiritual suicide. Whatever you acquire will rot unless it's eternally based. Quit being decieved, let go the perceived investment and move on to a healthy authentic church. Why stay in a training ground that is preparing you for weeping, howling and miseries?

CONTENTMENT
Decisions in life made from a position of contentment are not sinful by nature. However decisions made from a position of greed leads to shambles and devastation. Why go to a church that is supposed to give life and in reality it leads to spiritual suicide. We are to walk in the spirit not the flesh. Why attend a church that stirs up the flesh. Sin awakened in an area of life soon spreads. Sin never stays in a box. If your focus is removed from Jesus and given to the doctrine of materialism, it will not be long before that sin of greed spreads to relationships. That mate you were happy with now looks out of date and lacks flash. Why?, Because you have become fleshly.(worldy minded).  Beware of awakening your lower nature (the old man), that sinful flesh.

Jesus instructed the soldiers to be content with their wages (and so should we)
   Lu 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Paul instructs us to be content with our calling
1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

The word instructs us to be content without envy (envy drives you to greed)
Ga 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Ga 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

We are instructed to be content with our state
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Be content with food and clothing and godliness
1Ti 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

ARE YOU COMMITING SUICIDE IN YOUR PRESENT CHURCH???????

Thanks to John Piper for the insight and inspiration for this post. Thanks to Pastor Jimmie King for the corrections.