Hi robtjr30,
Here is a excerpt from Ray's paper, where he addressed this very issue.
This is part 8, 'What Happened to the Church Jesus Built?
http://bible-truths.com/lake8.html -----------------------------------------
"For we are not, as THE MANY, driving a PETTY TRADE with the word of God…" (A New Translation, By J. B. Rotherham).
"For we are not as the MAJORITY, who are PEDDLING the word of God…" (Concordant Literal New Testament).
ADULTERATING HUCKSTERS OF GOD’S WORD
Does anyone have any doubts now, as to what this verse is saying? I hope not. But there is still more in this verse that does not meet the eye of understanding unless we check the Greek. The word from which "corrupt," "profit," "peddling," and "trafficking" was taken, is the Greek word kapeleou, and it means much more than simply selling for a profit: Strong’s Greek Dictionary of The New Testament: #2585. kpeleuo (a huckster); to retail, i.e. (by impl.) to adulterate. This word means to be a retailer, to peddle, to hucksterize; hence, intentionally to get base gain by dealing in anything, to do anything for sordid personal advantage." (P. 128). WOW! But wait … here’s one more definition:
From Greek-English Keyword Concordance, "peddle [kapeleu’o], sell at retail, with the insinuation of improper profit, either by overcharging or adulterating"(P. 220).
Can you even begin to understand and believe what you are reading? Paul said that it was the MAJORITY that were retailing, selling, peddling, huckstering, an adulterated version of God’s word by overcharging improper profits far beyond rational living expenses for their own base gain and sordid personal advantage! Not only was this practice CORRUPT, but, it was being done by "THE MANY," "THE MAJORITY!" Tell me that you can’t see this being done in the church today?
MODERN TV RELIGIOUS SIDESHOW AUCTIONEERS
Turn on your TV. The majority are selling, peddling, hucksterizing an adulterated version of God’s word for improper profit and personal gain! Your will hear sermons on such subjects as, "Planting Seed", or "Seedtime and Harvest," or "Making a Financial Covenant with God," or "Becoming a Faith Partner," or "Tithing on the Gross," or "Your Welfare Check Belongs to God," or "At What Age Should One Tithe?" or "Tithing Your Way to Financial Freedom," or best of all, "Will a Man ROB God?" etc., etc., etc.
At various times during the show, you will be offered: BOOKS, TAPES, PAMPHLETS, VIDEOS, STATUES, PINS, TRINKETS, MEMBERSHIP CARDS, PLAQUES, CANDLES, CERTIFICATES (always suitable for framing), COMMEMORATIVE COINS, BAGS OF SALT, VIALS OF OIL, DIRT FROM THE HOLY LAND, WATER FROM THE SEA OF GALILEE, AND EVERY CONCEIVABLE PIECE OF RELIGIOUS JUNK AND PARAPHERNALIA IMAGINABLE, all for big bucks, (plus shipping and handling)!!
Or maybe you could catch one of Pastor Shambach’s "God Told Me…" sermons. Pastor Shambach has been coercing people on international television for the past several years to send two thousand dollars to TBN. He said that GOD TOLD HIM THAT EVERYONE WHO IS IN DEBT AND WANTS TO GET OUT OF DEBT NEEDS TO SEND to TBN TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS (and if you don’t have two thousand dollars, then you are to send it in by smaller installments)! And if you have money left over, you can go to a thousand web sites where these same religious hucksters have whole stores of religious accouterments for which you can spend your money. I opened one site this week just out of curiosity. They boasted over ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND items for sale.
Sorry, I got carried away.
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mercy, peace, and love
Kat
Author
Topic: The 700 Club Should They Be Supported? (Read 18129 times)