Today, countless churches and pastors emphasize a church-centered faith, teaching that salvation comes through the church, and that all the works of God are fulfilled through the church. Because of this, multitudes of believers likewise accept this teaching, serving and depending upon the church as their center. Yet behind the outward appearance of solemnity and holiness, countless churches have been handed down through generations, developing into hidden systems of evil, corruption, depravity, lawlessness, and falsehood. Therefore, there must be a clear discernment and wisdom to judge whether these churches are truly the righteous temple of God before Him. Only then can one have a steadfast faith that does not carry a doubting heart concerning whether one truly possesses genuine belief. For this reason, let us now examine the whole matter in the light of the Word.
Are the churches built by human hands, as taught today by so many churches and pastors, truly the temple of God? And, as pastors claim, is God and Christ truly dwelling inside the church building? Yet the Scriptures plainly declare that God does not dwell in churches made by men. Thus, the teaching repeated today by countless churches and pastors—that God abides within their man-made buildings—is a lie not found in the Bible. For this reason, God caused it to be recorded for all generations, shepherds, and believers to remember, by writing of Solomon’s temple that was destroyed. Nowhere in Scripture is there any verse that says God dwells in a man-made church that cannot be eternal, nor any verse that calls a man-made church the holy temple of God. On the contrary, the Word clearly proclaims, using the example of Solomon’s ruined temple, that God neither dwells in nor can dwell in buildings made by human hands (Acts 7:47–50).
How dare anyone claim that the Most High—so great, so exalted, and so holy that even heaven itself cannot contain Him—should be confined to this earth, or worse, to a perishable church building made of brick and stone? Can the eternal glory of God dwell within walls destined to decay? How can this earth, His footstool stained by sin, contain Him whom even heaven cannot contain? How can churches, filled with sin and greed, ever bear Him?
Those who dare to call perishable, man-made church buildings the temple of God are exalting themselves and their institutions, bringing God down to this earth only to elevate and deify themselves. In doing so, they profane not only the eternal, glorious heavenly temple of God, but also blaspheme against His Word by placing themselves above it. Such churches, which betray and oppose the Word, dishonor God’s eternal heavenly temple. And the Word declares: he who betrays the Word is one who betrays God Himself, for the Word is God.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;(Acts 17 : 24~25)
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?(Isaiah 66 : 1)
But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?(Acts 7 : 47~50)
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.(Psalms 11 : 4)
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)
How and why did the pretext of the “church building as the temple of God” ever arise—the claim that dares to drag God down from His eternal, glorious heavenly throne in order to exalt men and justify themselves?
It began with the theft of tithes and offerings. These were originally given so that the poor and needy sheep might be fed, provided for, and cared for, thereby showing believers an example of mutual love, service, and sacrifice—forming within them the beautiful temple of the heart that bears the love of the cross and reflects the nature of God, fitting them for salvation. But in order to steal these tithes and offerings, men created traditions and doctrines never found in the Word of God: the ideas of church-centered, altar-centered, and worship-centered religion. In other words, the pretext of “church-centered faith” was invented to justify using the tithes and offerings—meant for the poor and needy—as a means to satisfy their own selfish desires. This is not the true worship of Christ, which sets the example of feeding, giving, and sharing with the poor and needy sheep. Rather, it is a man-made justification created to rationalize sermons and worship that exalt only words and theories, devised as a pretext to steal tithes and offerings. Thus arose the doctrines of church-centered, altar-centered, and worship-centered faith, which have been developed and handed down to this very day.
There is no such teaching in the Scriptures. The concepts of church-centered, altar-centered, or worship-centered religion are nowhere to be found in the Word. Thus, the Roman Church in the past imitated and inherited the thoughts, doctrines, traditions, and practices that justified a worship of theft of Judaism, whereby the tithes and offerings—meant to feed the poor and needy lambs—were instead used as a means to satisfy their own selfish desires and fill their bellies. Christianity, in turn, once again imitated and developed this, and what has been passed down to this day is the church-centered, altar-centered, and worship-centered system. These false traditions and doctrines were later carried on by Roman Catholicism and then imitated again by Christianity, handed down and developed until this present age. To explain in full detail: it is commonly said today that when Emperor Constantine of Rome converted to Christianity, Christianity spread and has continued ever since. But this is not true. Constantine, who had been the Roman pontiff, did not genuinely accept Christ in purity of faith. At that time, Rome was nearly bankrupt from endless wars; widespread discontent and rebellion broke out because of heavy taxation upon conquered nations, and the military was on the verge of splintering. Faced with national collapse, Emperor Constantine saw that a drastic measure was required. Thus, at a time when Emperor Constantine faced the urgent need for a political solution, the course he chose was to transform Rome from a military regime into a religious regime, exploiting the power and influence of religion. This is evident even in the historical records of the time. Thus, Rome did not embrace Christianity out of the pure faith of Christ’s disciples, but rather out of political calculation, exploiting religion as a tool of power and control.
From that time onward, traditions and practices under the false pretense of “the temple of God” were developed—traditions that robbed tithes and offerings from the poor and needy, perverting them into a means of greed and self-exaltation. These man-made doctrines—church-centered, altar-centered, and worship-centered faith—were handed down as traditions, corrupted upon corruption, falsehood upon falsehood, until they reached the present day.
Therefore, those who teach and insist that perishable, man-made church buildings are the temple of God blaspheme the eternal God, profane His eternal heavenly temple, and drag down His eternal holiness and glory, exalting themselves instead. They parade their sermons and worship as righteous, yet it is nothing more than a means to steal more tithes and offerings to fill their insatiable bellies and satisfy their selfish desires. These so-called “holy” church buildings are nothing but dens of robbers; these lofty pastors’ seats are but thrones of thieves; these sweet-sounding sermons and gentle appearances are disguises used to deceive believers. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing, foxes that plunder, outwardly appearing holy and kind, yet inwardly devouring and corrupt.
Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.(Malachi 3 : 13~15)
I want to ask every pastor and believer plainly: is it truly, truly fitting that the eternal God of unfading glory should dwell in a man-made church destined to perish? How could the Lord of all creation, whom even heaven itself cannot contain, abide in this earth—which is nothing more than His footstool—and in churches stained and defiled by sin? To exalt themselves as righteous, they drag down heaven itself and even the throne of God, daring to profane His holiness and mock the eternal glory of God. Are not these man-made church buildings and their pastors, in truth, nothing more than those who exploit the church as a means to satisfy their own selfish desires? How long will you test the patience of the abundant riches of God?
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.(Ecclesiastes 8 : 11)
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;(Romans 2 : 4~5)
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.…(Hebrews 8 : 1~5)
Solomon’s fallen temple was the first and the last man-made church, given as a reminder to all generations that the holy temple of God can never be established, nor exist, nor dwell upon this earth. The Lord of all creation, the source of all things, the fountain of holiness, the glory of eternal glory—God Himself—can never belong to a perishable building of stone made by sinners. Therefore, in order to set as an example to all the earth and to every generation that a man-made church must inevitably fall, He allowed the temple of Solomon to be destroyed (Acts 7:47–50).
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)
The pretext of “church-centered faith” was created by lying that man-made buildings are the temple of God, so that believers might regard them as the holy temple of God, and thereby their wealth and possessions could be taken under the name of tithes and offerings, used as a means to satisfy the worldly greed and insatiable appetites of those who exploit them.
The churches of God and of all the apostles of Christ were never magnificent, grand, or splendid buildings like today’s churches. Rather, they were all humble tents—simple gatherings where those who desired to hear the Word assembled. That alone was the church of Christ.
▼ The Tabernacle Church of Moses
(Exodus 36:30–38:20) (Acts 7:44) (Hebrews 8:5)
▼ The Tabernacle Church of David
(2 Samuel 6:17) (2 Chronicles 1:4–6) (Isaiah 16:5)
▼ The Tabernacle Church of Isaiah
(Isaiah 54:2–3) (Isaiah 33:20–21)
▼ The Tabernacle Church of Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 10:19–20)
▼ The Wilderness Church of John
(Mark 1:1–5)
▼ The Wilderness and Mountain Church of Christ
(Hebrews 11:38) (John 2:8–21)
▼ The Tabernacle Church of Peter (Early Church)
(2 Peter 1:13) (2 Peter 1:14)
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;(2 Peter 1 : 13)
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.(2 Peter 1 : 14)
▼ The Tabernacle Church of Paul (Early Church)
(2 Corinthians 5:1) (2 Corinthians 5:4) (Acts 18:1–3)
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.(2 Corinthians 5 : 1)
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.(2 Corinthians 5 : 4)(Acts 18 : 1~3)
Thus, the churches of God and of all the apostles of Christ were tabernacle churches. The fundamental reason is this: the One who is so great and exalted that even heaven itself cannot contain Him could never dwell upon this earth, and the eternal temple fitting for God’s presence is in heaven. For this reason, they did not build man-made church buildings.
Therefore, the so-called “temples of God” built today under the pretense of being established by the apostles of Christ are in truth nothing of the sort. They are dens of thieves—constructed by those who sought only to steal the tithes and offerings meant to feed the sheep. They are church buildings that have been exploited as a means of filling their own bellies and selfish desires under the false pretense of being God’s temple. According to the testimony of the Word, man-made church buildings are the tabernacles of thieves, the churches of lawlessness, the churches of heresy, and of antichrist.
Then is every church false and antichrist? The answer is clearly this: most of them are. Why? Because there is no longer any need for worship for the forgiveness of sins, since forgiveness has already been granted through the blood of Christ. Yet they continue to practice the worship of the law that has been abolished through Christ’s blood. In other words, though they claim with their lips, “the blood of Christ is the power of forgiveness, the blood of remission,” in reality they do not believe it. If they truly believed, they would no longer hold worship for the forgiveness of sins. (For further detail, see: Worship-Centered Faith).
The man-made churches, built under the pretense of being the house of God, arose for the purpose of drawing in more believers so that the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy sheep could instead be used to pursue greater greed, wealth, and power. This began with Judaism and was carried forward by the rulers of Rome. Thus, Roman architectural culture itself was developed and passed down through these church buildings, continuing to this very day.
At the time Christianity was established, Rome was nearly bankrupt from long wars. Heavy taxation of its subject nations stirred up constant resistance and opposition, while divisions within the military regime made it clear that drastic measures were needed. At this time, Rome’s emperors and rulers, taking note of Judaism’s exploitative worship, sought to replace the failing military regime with a powerful religious empire that demanded absolute authority and absolute obedience. Contrary to what Roman Catholicism and modern Christianity now claim, this was not a genuine conversion to Christianity. In truth, such a shift was not unusual for that era, since in Asia even Buddhism and Hinduism had already been adapted into religious states that served the power of their royal houses.
Thus, Rome’s emperors and rulers simply changed their method of governance, turning to a structure of absolute authority and absolute obedience, exploiting the peculiar power of religion. By doing this, they quieted rebellion caused by oppressive taxation and, under the pretense of “holy offerings and sacred gifts to God,” established a system by which wealth could easily be plundered from all subject nations. This is the origin of religion and man-made church buildings. From the very beginning, Christianity’s seemingly holy worship was devised as a means of theft—created to steal tithes and offerings—thereby deceiving the eyes and ears of all humanity and all believers, and providing the pretext for countless acts of evil, lawlessness, and lies. This is the foundation of the doctrines of “church-centered” and “altar-centered” faith.
These doctrines were created to induce believers into blind loyalty, so that under the pretense of “tithes and offerings,” their wealth and possessions could be used to build more churches and ever larger churches, all to fill the insatiable bellies and selfish desires of men. The supposed purpose of building these churches—claimed to be “God’s temple” and “the spread of the gospel”—was nothing more than a pretext. And even today, throughout the world, all tithes and offerings of the Roman church are funneled back into the Vatican, the seat of Roman power. This tradition, passed down for thousands of years, bears witness that Roman Catholicism is a religion and a church of theft. And modern Christianity, having witnessed and split away from the corruption of Catholicism, is nothing more than its branch.
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.(Malachi 3 : 8)
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)
Under the pretense of being “the temple of God,” today’s man-made churches build ever more and ever larger buildings, collecting greater tithes and offerings in order to satisfy their insatiable appetites and selfish desires. They place the faith of their officers and members under a snare, even demanding unreasonable pledges and guarantees without hesitation. Such churches, which masquerade as the temple of God, are clearly defined by the Word as antichrist and lawlessness.
Tithes and offerings were meant to feed, provide for, and care for the poor and needy sheep—teaching believers by example the love of the cross, which leads to salvation: to honor one another, to cherish one another, and to serve one another. But instead, under the vile pretense of being God’s temple, today’s man-made churches were created only to gather more wealth and material gain, to satisfy the insatiable greed of those who seek to fill their own bellies.
Today, sites are claimed to be “the church of Peter” or “the church of Paul,” turned into shrines and monuments. Yet these are false churches of false apostles, created only to rationalize man-made church buildings. To fabricate legitimacy for their religion and their churches, they portrayed Peter and Paul as if they had been the first popes—a cunning and shallow deception. They even used the very apostles of Christ, whom they once persecuted and killed, to justify their own religion and to lay the foundation and center of their churches. In the process, every piece of evidence that stood as a stumbling block was mercilessly destroyed and erased. This is the true root of Roman Catholicism and of man-made churches today. For if Constantine had truly converted to Christ, and if the Word is God, then why were so many portions of Scripture deleted?
The greatest evidence and testimony of this merciless deletion of Scripture is found even in the life records of Augustine—whom both Catholicism and Christianity today honor as their greatest saint. Many parts of the Bible were intentionally deleted or altered, and the proof of this corruption can still be found clearly within the Scriptures themselves. It is for the purpose of declaring this to the whole earth that God has sent this writer with His Word.
These altered contents were either created to justify the theft of tithes and offerings, or to rationalize Rome’s false claim that it was the true church of Christ. Under Constantine’s rule, with Eusebius and many religious scholars carefully orchestrating the work, fifty corrupted manuscripts were produced—these became the New Testament that has been handed down to this day. Yet, according to the wisdom and plan of God, established from the foundation of the world, the author now testifies plainly to how these contents were altered, fabricated, and deleted by Constantine, and reveals the root reason why—so that the truth of God’s wisdom might once again be made known to all the earth, giving mankind another chance to find the path to salvation.
Therefore, all religions today that parade under the name of God and of Christ are in reality nothing more than false religions and false churches. They exist only to steal tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy sheep, and they use the names of Christ’s apostles as a cover. The undeniable evidence of their lawlessness, falsehood, corruption, depravity, and wickedness testifies that such religions and churches cannot escape judgment.
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. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon….(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 5 : 8~12)
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 : 11~14)
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)
You who drag down the Most High God’s glory and throne in order to exalt yourselves, and who worship only to steal the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy sheep! You who are bold in sin, delighting in lawlessness, falsehood, theft, corruption, and depravity! Do you think that because your sins and lies are not immediately exposed, and because their wages do not swiftly fall upon you, that God does not know? You who have no pangs of conscience, who present vile churches—built on lies, hypocrisy, and lawlessness for the sake of theft—as if they were the holy temple of God, established by His grace! Do you despise the great mercy of God, who has not quickly struck you down for your wickedness, but in His abundant patience has long waited, hoping that even one among you might turn and bear the fruits of repentance?
Without knowing His holy will or His deep grace, you arrogantly claim that your palaces—built through vile schemes, cunning deceptions, and the blood-price of oppression—are God’s holy temple. Therefore, as you have said, so shall it be: you will drink what you have sown and reap what you have planted. And because you say in your hearts, “There is no God,” you grow bolder in sin; because judgment for your evil deeds is not executed quickly, you pridefully consider yourselves as though already forgiven. Thus falsehood and stubbornness, driven by sin and greed, only increase. You appear to know everything, yet in truth you are blind—serving God with divided hearts, serving two masters, mixing Him with the world and material gain. For this reason, the faith taught and practiced in these man-made churches inevitably turns into lawlessness upon lawlessness, corruption upon corruption, perversion upon perversion, and depravity upon depravity.
The reason so many pastors and officers today teach that their churches are the temple of God is this: to compel believers to serve their man-made churches and altars, so that they themselves may be exalted as objects of service and rule. This is a blatant lie, created to rationalize their own deification as lords over the flock, so that under the pretense of tithes and offerings they might plunder the wealth and possessions of believers. And yet the entire world, throughout all history and across all generations, has been deceived by this brazen lie.
By dragging down even the glory of God and the throne of Christ to justify a worship of theft within man-made churches and altars—what truly works there, and who can testify to it? These are nothing but dens of thieves, where there are no true biblical examples, but only abominable testimonies and counterfeit miracles spreading everywhere—just like shamans who serve false spirits and idol worshipers who bow to graven images. Thus today’s churches have become filled with false spirits, false rebirths, false repentance, false testimonies, false gifts, and false tongues (Malachi 3:8).
The holy will of God is this: that by the love of the cross He might form us into His children, bearing within us the divine nature that all men must have—God’s own character of love, which alone makes us fit for salvation. For the love of the cross is the nature of God Himself, the proof of salvation and resurrection, the eternal covenant of perfection, the beautiful heart fit for salvation, and the vast, deep, and wide temple of the heart that resembles God. This is why God sent the love of the cross into this world.
The love of the cross, which is the very character of God, is a love that exists only in sacrifice—when one lays down all human values, ideals, plans, dreams, and hopes. It is not a faith, nor a love, nor a charity that chases after worldly desires, satisfactions, and pleasures that can only produce sin and greed. Rather, it is a heart united with love born in sacrifice—abandoning all one’s life, ideals, and hopes. It is the divine nature: a heart of love, mercy, patience, self-control, peace, goodness, gentleness, obedience, and joy.
But today’s man-made churches and altars have stolen away tithes and offerings—originally given to feed and care for the poor and needy sheep—and have instead used them to fill their own bellies and greed. They turn their word-heavy sermons and man-made worship into something they present as the true worship of Christ. In so doing, the true example of feeding, giving, and caring for one another, in which believers learn the love of the cross and form the temple of the heart, has been completely lost. This is why the doctrines of “church-centered” and “altar-centered” worship were invented: to rationalize sermons that exalt words and theories rather than the love of God.
Because these leaders are blind, unable to teach or live the love of the cross that reflects God’s nature, they substitute words and theories with hypocrisy, lies, and deception, offering worship that is in truth abominable and devised for theft. This is the reality of today’s Roman Catholicism and Christianity. They have fashioned an atmosphere of solemnity, grandeur, and false kindness to disguise their thievery, using tithes and offerings as tools for their own power, wealth, and influence. They deify themselves and lead believers into blind submission and slavish obedience. Their traditions and customs, carried forward as though honorable, are nothing more than proud continuations of deception, which in the end produce faith and believers who cannot form the true temple of the heart being gained with the love of the cross.
The very purpose for which God commanded good and righteousness was this: that man might put on the divine nature, becoming like God. This is the way to be called the children of God—by casting off the seven wicked hearts of the flesh: envy, jealousy, strife, hatred, lust, falsehood, and pride. Therefore, the love of the cross is the divine nature that makes us fit for salvation, the temple of the heart that makes us worthy to be called children of God and citizens of Christ. For this reason God gave us the love of the cross, so that we may bear the title of His children and His people. This is why Christ declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
God sent His only begotten Son into the world because the love of the cross is the true and only way into the eternal kingdom of salvation. By giving us the divine nature through the love of the cross, He draws us into His perfect glory. Thus all truth, all value, and all meaning exist for this one purpose: that we might bear the divine nature of God. The love of the cross and its sacrifice were given for this (1 John 4:7–21).
By perfecting us as children of God—the very source of love—He makes us fit to be heirs of His eternal kingdom. All creation, all ideals, and all values exist only for this. God is not One who reveals Himself as an object to be worshiped in buildings, nor one who lords over man through human hands or human inventions (Acts 7:47–50; Acts 17:24–25).
Those who regard God as an object of worship and domination are blind. Their sermons and teachings are false, created to gratify their hidden greed and to deify themselves as lords over the people. Such men, blind to the love of the cross—so blind that they cannot even fathom the love of God who gave even His only Son—are miserably stingy toward true love, yet they presume to teach about the God who is love (John 3:16–18).
God is love. For this reason, He sent the love of the cross into the world, commanding us to follow it, so that we may be perfected with the character of salvation and be made His children. Thus the love of the cross is the proof of salvation and resurrection, the covenant of perfection, our way, our truth, and our life. God is not the God of Christianity, nor the God of Rome; He is the Lord of all creation and the God of all origins. But men, seeking to justify their religions and their churches, have made Him into “the God of Christianity” or “the God of Rome.” Yet God is not the God of religion. He is the God of all—of Christians and Romans, of believers and unbelievers, of Gentiles and sinners—for He has created all and rules over all, and He loves even the wicked and the ungodly. Therefore, God works only according to His will in those who practice and live the love of the cross—feeding, giving, caring, and serving one another in love. Whether Christian or Roman, believer or unbeliever, only those who walk in this love—who resemble God in the love of the cross—are truly worthy of salvation and of being called the children of God.
But today’s churches, by rationalizing man-made buildings as though they were God’s temple, deceive multitudes, making them believe that their religion gives salvation, that their church is the path to life. In doing so, they block the true love of the cross, which teaches believers to serve, cherish, and care for one another. Instead, they present their own words and claims as though they were the way, the truth, and the life. The fruit of such deception is believers who constantly fall back into sin—always repenting, always regretting, yet always returning to sin. Their consciences grow dull; they grow bolder in sin; they make themselves enemies of God. Their faith produces only fruits of greed and sin, never the temple of the heart with the love of the cross.
These are not those who desire to serve the saints, but rather those who make themselves the object of service and dominion from the saints, turning the saints into their slaves and servants, and to justify this, they put forward the name of God’s temple.
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 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. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.(Romans 2 : 8~29)
And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;(Romans 3 : 8~21)
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 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 : 14~33)
The abominable faith created by the doctrines of church-centered and worship-centered religion—made for the purpose of stealing tithes and offerings—has the following marks:
1. They corrupt the love of the cross, which sacrifices even life itself, and reduce it to nothing more than a common human love—mere moral and ethical values that anyone in the world, or even worldly corporations, can practice.
The love of the cross is a love that surrenders one’s entire life, even one’s very breath. In other words, as long as one chases after worldly dreams, ambitions, and desires, the love of the cross—which sacrifices life itself—can never exist. Yet pastors, instead of teaching the true example of the cross, which is to feed, give, and share with the needy, substitute it with self-serving displays: services that are nothing more than moral and ethical good deeds, resembling social charities performed by corporations to promote their image. Likewise, believers who worship God while at the same time serving the world and material things mistake such moral and ethical love as if it were the sacrificial love of the cross that gives even one’s life.
2. Because they have stolen the tithes and offerings meant to feed the poor and needy sheep, they have lost the true example of the love of the cross, and to rationalize their man-made doctrines, they have created the pretense of a so-called “faith of works.”
This is hypocrisy—an imitation of the love of the cross that cannot truly be practiced by those who still serve the world and material things. They parade acts of moral goodness and charity, no different from what worldly people or worldly corporations do to advertise and boast of themselves, and present them as if they were the sacrificial love of the cross. They are hypocrites who substitute real sacrifice with shallow imitation. For example: boasting of their church while wearing sashes with its name and cleaning the streets; feeding the poor with a single meal a week—funded by stolen tithes and offerings—yet presenting it as if they were living out the cross; handing out worn, unfashionable clothes and shoes they themselves would never wear, while proudly calling it charity; giving only a few coins or small bills, or serving only a few hours or days, while thinking they are fulfilling the love of the cross. Such works are no different from the superficial charity of unbelievers and idolaters, no different from the social service of corporations that advertise their goodness.
The Bible calls this hypocrisy, and it is what they call “the faith of works.” It is, in truth, nothing more than worldly moral and ethical values—acts that can never form the beautiful temple of the heart with the love of the cross, and therefore never make one fit for salvation.
Those who live for worldly desires and satisfactions rationalize their deeds, thinking that mere moral values are the sacrificial love of the cross. This rationalization is what is called the “faith of works,” and such people are hypocrites. They oppose the love of the cross, while teaching that their outward examples and deeds are themselves the love of the cross. They deify their unstable zeal, confidence, and pride—making them their “faith,” their “Word,” and even their “God.”
But the true temple of the heart—the inner temple that resembles God—is formed only through the love of the cross, which alone is worthy of salvation.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;(1 Corinthians 3 : 9~21)
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.(John 2 : 18~21)
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.(2 Corinthians 6 : 16)
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:(Ephesians 2 : 21)
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.(1 Peter 2 : 2~5)
If, as today’s Christianity and Roman Catholicism claim, salvation could truly be attained through religion and church, then from Adam to Noah, from Abraham to all the apostles, and even Christ Himself and His apostles, they would have set up man-made churches as their example. Yet nowhere in Scripture does it say to believe in religion, nor to serve churches and altars, nor to build churches of brick. On the contrary, the Word warns us not to form factions. Therefore, today’s Christianity and Catholicism—religions and churches that stand in opposition to the Word—are antichrist and heresy, for they misuse the names of the apostles of Christ, of God, and of the Word itself.
What is the fundamental reason why God created the earth and mankind?
It is because God, the source of love, desired to make humanity His eternal children of glory. To this end, He sent into the world the love of the cross—the essential condition by which man must become a child of God. The love of the cross was given so that we might be clothed with the divine nature, resembling God as His children. Therefore, the love of the cross is the very nature of God, the perfect covenant of salvation and resurrection, and the way, the truth, and the life which we must all walk.
For this reason, the Word, the Sabbath, the tithes and offerings, the shepherds, faith, hope, and love all exist—that through giving, serving, and caring for the poor and needy sheep, believers might live the beautiful love of the cross, learning to honor one another, cherish one another, and serve one another, and thus form within themselves the divine nature of God. But apart from this, all religion, churches, pastors, traditions, worship, practices, commandments, and doctrines that were created as tools of theft—built to exploit rather than to serve—are heresy, opposition, enmity, Satan, and antichrist. For they have betrayed the holy will of God and used the love and blood of the cross as a platform for theft.
Tithes and offerings were given so that, through feeding, giving, and caring for the poor and needy sheep, the love of the cross might form within us the beautiful heart that resembles God, making us fit for salvation. Yet Rome’s rulers and powers turned them into instruments to build their own power, filling their own greed. This gave rise to the counterfeit Christianity that exists even to this day, where offerings meant for the poor are still stolen under the guise of worship. This abominable worship of theft testifies plainly even now that what masquerades as Christ’s church is a false religion born of Rome’s power.
And the traditions, customs, ideas, theories, and doctrines contrived to rationalize such theft—worship completely divorced from the Word—stand as undeniable evidence against them.
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)
Now is the time to follow the true path that leads to salvation. Turn and repent! It is time to break away from the vain faith in which your own claims and judgments, set against the Word, have rationalized your deeds and become excuses for your rebellion. Now is the time to abandon the empty hopes and dreams that chase after worldly desires and fleshly ambitions, and instead pursue the holy will and Word of God, which alone lead to salvation. It is time to come out from the love that is tainted by greed, the false charity done for show, and the hypocritical kindness that even unbelievers and worldly people practice—attempts to serve God while clinging to the world and material gain.
Become a true watchman of Christ, partaking in the sufferings of those who proclaim the Word that guides us to the perfect gospel fit for salvation. Take part in this gospel, cast away the things of the world, and be born again. Learn the way of salvation. Remember His command: Repent! The end of the age is upon us, and even our own tongues testify to it when we say, “the last days.” Repent before it is too late! For God is the God of the poor, the weak, the mourning, the oppressed, and the sinners.
Do you dare to test the grace of God by using it as a cover for your lawlessness, lies, and every evil deed? How long will you continue? Under the pretense of “the temple of God,” you have used the offerings meant to feed the flock to satisfy your own greed, selling the name of God’s temple as a pretext for lawlessness and wickedness across the earth. You have extracted sweat and toil from countless believers, deceiving, oppressing, and lying in order to build up your churches. And then you boast that your churches grew and prospered by God’s grace! Do you think the Word that declares He will tear down and burn to the ground the man-made churches on the Day of Judgment does not apply to you? The Word is written precisely for sinners such as you!
Therefore, hear what the Spirit says to the churches: the Day of Judgment is at the door. Cast away the things of the world and of the flesh, and repent—all of you!