Acid Test Question
To Spot A License For Immorality

Dan Corner

Acid Test to Spot a License for Immorality

Acid Test for License to Sin (mp3)
Acid Test For License For Immorality (pdf) 

Our day is filled with religious deception, even from those who are allegedly teaching holiness. The truth is: the semantic trickery that many pastors/teachers/etc. have been using for years enables them, with ease, to ambiguously state something and thereby mislead others regarding their true doctrine on salvation, grace, sin, holiness, etc. The most effective way, therefore, to smoke out such a deceiver like that, is to bring up the acid test question to spot a license for immorality. Unless you do bring up the pointed acid test question, a practiced deceiver can easily slip by unnoticed!

NOTE: From experience we have learned guilty parties like to hide and reluctantly, if ever, answer the acid testquestion about King David. There should be no hesitation in answering it.

The Actual Acid Test Question

The ACID TEST question to know a license for immorality is:

Did King David lose his salvation while in adultery and murder and BEFORE he repented — yes or no?

The Biblical answer to the acid test question is YES. David did lose his salvation. (Afterwards he got saved again.)

IF any person (even one who does believe salvation can be lost) says no you can be SURE he is speaking for the devil and spreading a license to sin, even though he will surely deny it! This cannot be overemphasized. If he answers the acid test question, “yes, if he wouldn’t have repented,” he is teaching that King David retained his salvation while in that wickedness and is also teaching a license for immorality. Such a wicked deceiver is also confusing the issue by answering that way, because he answered a different question and not the one he was asked! The question was not, "Would King David have gone to hell if he didn't repent?" The question was "Did king David lose his salvation while in adultery and murder?" The difference is great and allows for a license for immorality, especially when coupled with the hellish belief that one must "practice" adultery or "practice" murder to be a Bible-defined adulterer ormurderer. According to the Bible, it only takes one act of adultery to be a Bible-defined adulterer (Lev. 20:10) and only one act of murder to be a Bible-defined murderer (Numbers 35:16-18). Sometimes and only sometimes heretics would say such proves that type of person was either a false convert or would lose his salvation only at the point of practicing sin - the latter being the sometimes message of the hypocrite David Servant. (A righteous person, who turns to evil, dies spiritually when he turns to evil (Ezek 18:24; 33:18; etc.) and before he dies physically (Lk. 15:24; James 5:19,20; etc.) Be alert. License for immorality teachers can be tricky and highly deceptive! They don't like being exposed as such.

If any ministry or congregation refrains from answering the acid test question about King David, they are trying to hide their ungodly allowances for sin. For example: We have tried for years to get Ray Comfort to answer that simple but revealing question and to this date, he has never answered us! Be assured Paul Washer doesn't want to answer it either!

It is NOT just the eternal security proponents, like John MacArthur, Charles Stanley, John Piper, James White, Matt Slick, Bob George, Dave Hunt, June Hunt, Hank Hanegraaff, and many others, who are teaching a license to sin and distorting grace. Some who claim to teach holiness are doing the same thing! Because this issue is connected with grace and salvation, this is of utmost importance. The King David question is very revealing and vital. It is the acid test question.

To say King David did NOT lose his salvation is to teach indirectly that a person previously saved can turn away from God to that degree, like he did, and remain saved. That, at least, allows for adultery and murder and salvation all at the same time, which is Biblically impossible (1 Cor. 6:9,10; Rev. 21:8; etc.). To say Peter didn't lose his salvation when he disowned Jesus is to also say a Christian can disown Jesus 3 times and fall away (Mt. 26:31-34) yet retain his salvation. Again, that is not a Christian teaching for Jesus will disown one who disowns him (Mt. 10:33). That is a dangerous distortion of the Christian image.

Do you remember the important acid test question? Commit it to memory and use it often to smoke out opponents of the true gospel message and grace of God. (Use the point/s about Peter too.) Be assured that you do NOT have to practice sin to lose your salvation. It can happen with certain transgressions by just one sin, according to Scripture. The acid test is most revealing!

OTHER TOPICS:

Skull And Crossbones Awards For False Prophets And False Teachers

Eternal Security Teachers Are Good People, IF...

Spiritual Treason and Tolerating Jezebel For Selfish Gain

The Plan Of Salvation

Angels, Demons and Satan

Contact Us Or Join Our Internet Church

Evangelical Outreach PO Box 265
Washington, PA 15301

EvangelicalOutreach.org
EternalLifeBlog.com

Kent Hovind Gets The
Skull and Crossbones Award

Dan Corner

Dr. Kent Hovind is the founder of Creation Science Evangelism. He needs to be congratulated for his sound teaching refuting the prevalent theory of evolution and for teaching creationism. However, along with his teachings refuting evolution, Kent Hovind dangerously slips in the license for immorality and doctrine of demonscommonly known as once saved always saved. This is what Kent Hovind also teaches as he refuted evolution:

Anyway, the Lord said “Come into the Ark.” And so all the critters went in—two of each kind and seven of some. And then the Lord shut the door. That’s a good eternal security verse by the way. When God shuts the door, it won’t leak. People say, “Brother Hovind, do you believe you’re eternally secure?” Yep. I got born into God’s family and he is stuck with me. Now some of God’s children, he takes them home and crowns them. Other children, he ‘crowns’ them and takes them home. But if you are saved, you are eternally secure, you are going to heaven. (Creation Seminar, Part 6 video, The Hovind Theory)

Did you notice that Kent Hovind, in different words, is suggesting that God will kill an unrepentant sinning person, who was previously born again, and take him home to heaven? That is a horrible distortion of God’s word and his version of the sin unto death. Kent Hovind said:

Now some of God’s children, he takes them home and crowns them. Other children, he ‘crowns’ them and takes them home.

Kent Hovind To A Christian Friend

All of that should be crystal clear that Kent Hovind believes in once saved always saved, even though it is NOT Biblical, but here is another quote from a personal letter from Kent Hovind to a dear Christian ministry friend who sent it to us. Kent Hovind wrote:

I CANNOT lose my salvation and go to hell. I CAN however lose my reward of entrance into the 1,000 yr kingdom! (All capital emphasis his)

Many Scriptures refute Kent Hovind, but here is a clear one:

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest IF we do not give up. (Gal 6:8,9)

That is clearly a SALVATION passage and not a REWARDS passage as the words eternal life prove. The Gal. 6:8,9 salvation passage is never quoted by the prominent teachers of our day for various reasons, even though it is vital for Christians to understand after getting born again.

Furthermore Kent Hovind makes the mistake that he can have salvation but not inherit the kingdom of God! That is clearly refuted in the teaching, Will Not Inherit The Kingdom Of God. Kent Hovind is rightly awarded the infamous Skull and Crossbones Award for his deadly teaching of eternal security. People need to be warned that part of Kent Hovind's creation teaching is a snare to SOULS, as it obliterates the holy image of a Christian and sets one up for a spiritual fall (1 Cor. 10:12).

Skull and Crossbones Awards of False Prophets and False Teachers

True Grace Teaching vs False Grace Teaching

Which Gospel or Salvation Do You Believe?

Plan Of Salvation

False Prophets and False Teachers

Contact Us Or Join Our Internet Church

Evangelical Outreach
PO Box 265
Washington PA 15301

EvangelicalOutreach.org
EternalLifeBlog.com

Never a Christian and Once Saved Always Saved

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Eternal Life Blog

[Bible Question] Hi, blessings I have a question. I believe people can lose their salvation.Recently a friend in Christ asked me how many sins must one make to lose salvation, and how many times can one be born again, so I answer according to the little knowledge I have according to the bible. At the end he said, I think one who dies in sin was never a Christian to begin with. Then I realized he wasn’t discussing once saved always saved, but never saved false convert type. He used, ‘they come out of us but was never of us.’

[Bible Answers] Greetings in Jesus’ name. Thank you for your question about false converts and those never saved. You are right, such is a different topic than once saved always saved. Usually it is the once saved always saved teachers who bring up this NON-related subject in an effort to conceal the license for sin that their doctrine is! It is a smokescreen which is EASY to see through when you know what to look for! Those FALSE teachers usually bring up Mt. 7:23 and 1 John 2:19. Neither scripture fits the identity of a person who was radically changed and set free from his sin addictions through repentance and faith in JESUS [which occurs at salvation]. Mt. 7:23 shows that group were continuous tense EVIL doers and 1 John 2:19 is answered in 1 John 2:22 where they didn’t believe Jesus was the Christ! Obviously, such were NEVER saved and shows how misused those passages really are to be cited as though the subjects were very sheep-like counterfeits of the real!

What If You Are Wrong And Go To HELL

NOTE: ALL eternal security teachers believe King David remained saved in his adultery and murder! NONE of them say he was never saved because he turned to such vile wickedness! Clearly, King David died spiritually by turning to sin (Ezek. 33:18). Without question, the righteous can die spiritually.  Here is more biblical information on the bogus never saved argument.

Be sure to carefully read over this page explaining and demolishing once saved always saved (eternal security)  Finally, consider reading “The Believer’s Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted.” It is the most exhaustive work on this subject. Tell your friend about that book! Are you set free from your sin addictions now (Rom. 6:22)? God bless you.

ShareThis

Link to this post!

Joy Of Salvation

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Dan Corner

The only time the joy of salvation is cited in the word of God is at Psalm 51:12. It was mentioned in King David‘s prayer after he repented and got saved again:

Joy Of Salvation Passage

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

The context of Psalm 51 is King David’s prayer for mercy and forgiveness for his sins of adultery and murder because of Bathsheba (verses 1,2). It is important to remember, he had already been forgiven (2 Sam.12:13), but was now praying to God for various things, including to have the joy of his salvation restored. He wanted the inner contentment and joy in his spirit returned, which he had experienced with his walk with God before he turned to evil and died spiritually (Ezek 18:24; etc.). His sins of adultery and murder had destroyed that, along with his possession of eternal life and salvation:

If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. (Ezek 33:18)

A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.  (Prov 21:16)

The prophet Nathan had already confronted King David over his evil behavior and declared his sins were forgiven (2 Sam. 12) and that was before the point of Psalm 51. King David’s prayer in that Psalm is the prayer of a backslider.

Restore The Joy Of Salvation

How then can a former backslider, who repented, have the joy of his salvation restored?

• First, by praying for it to be restored as King David did, then
• afterwards walking holy before God.

After awhile David’s inner peace and joy must have improved.  According to a man I personally know who had fallen away and was later trying to get the joy of his salvation restored after repenting, he told me about 3 months after he returned to God it was getting better and around 6 months he seemed to have it back. Perhaps, it might be like that for others too who, like King David, wanted the joy of salvation restored after repentance.

ShareThis

Link to this post!

About Dan Corner

Evangelical brother Dan Corner is a Bible holiness preacher, teacher and soul winner. Most importantly he is a Christian and former Roman Catholic.

View all posts by Dan Corner →

Tithing, giving and New Testament: Conclusion - Tassos Kioulachoglou

Tithing, giving and New Testament: Conclusion and what to do with the information in this book

Now from all the above let’s make a not so long conclusion.

From our study it has become clear that there is no tithe in our times, in the New Testament era. The tithe, together with the other ordinances and handwritings of the law, has become obsolete, through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. What is valid in the New Testament is free will offerings which were given for the following purposes:

i) to support the poor saints. This is the most common form of offering and the one about which the New Testament speaks most.

ii) free will gifts to missionaries and apostles i.e. sent ones (that’s what the word “apostles” mean) that went around spreading the Word of God.

iii) free will, voluntary gifts (not salaries) to elders i.e. to the more mature in the faith (“elder”) brothers that were acting as shepherds, overseeing the flock of God in the local church.

iv) support of widows that trusted in God and in addition were old in age, commendable for their works and had nobody else from their family to take care of them.

The gifts were free will gifts “as one may prosper” i.e. in accordance to what he had. They were to be given as “one purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Though I believe every part of the Scripture is equally important I do believe that there are parts that are emphasized more than others because of the space that is given to them. If I’m speaking to you and 90 % of what I’m saying is about A and 10% is about B, I obviously put more emphasis on A than on B. And on the matter of giving, 90 % is about giving to the poor saints (including widows) while there are 2 verses about giving to elders, another few verses about giving to church planters (missionaries, apostles, sent ones). All are important but the scriptural weight is, in my opinion, in supporting the poor saints. Comparison to today? In a typical, 21st century, western church about 40-60 % of the expenditures relate to staff salaries with another 20-30% going to building expenses and bills. They didn’t have such items in the 1st century church! Why do we need to have them? Why can’t we go back to the New Testament church model, establish collective leaderships of believers each of whom has his own occupation to earn his income? Why don’t we meet at homes as they were meeting instead of having to sit in an auditorium to hear a 40 minute sermon every Sunday … which costs a pastor to give it and a building to house it ? If this is how they were doing it in the New Testament why can’t we not do it like them? Why do we take what would normally go to the poor saints and to missions to further the kingdom of God and give it to maintain structures and traditions that are foreign to the Word of God? Think about it and ask the tough questions.

What to do with what you learned in this book.

Having said the above, I need to make it clear: With these questions I want to challenge you, but I’m not propagating that you should leave your church organization. Leaving a church is not a solution. It is just a reaction and in fact an immature one. The church for me is something much more than structures and tithes: it is people, brothers and sisters in Christ. For me, they – and not a building made of stone, a system, or a name - are the church. Writing this study was two things for me: first it was enlightening and refreshing. Discovering the truths of God’s Word is always refreshing and liberating. At the same time, writing this study was painful because I knew I was writing something that is going to be controversial. The reason I wrote this book was because we have to be informed to what the Word of God says. We can’t close our eyes and say forget about it. It is the truth and as for me personally, I have decided with the help of the Holy Spirit to follow this truth. I have to show you what I see that the Word of God says. That’s my job and I have tried to do it the best way possible. At the same time I pursue to have, with my brothers and sisters in Christ, a great degree of tolerance on theological matters. I suggest the same to you. I will not tolerate it if somebody claims to be a brother in Christ and says that he does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is raised from the dead. These are fundamental matters of our faith. Nobody can be a believer without believing in them. He is just not saved. I have to point out the truth to this person in love and I will do it right away. But with those that believe the fundamental truths that make somebody a Christian (i.e. the Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of God, the Messiah, and God raised Him from the dead), I will not start a fight about tithing or the system of today’s churches. Nor of course am I going to leave my brothers and sisters that is the church, the body of Christ, because they are not informed about the tithing or they don’t agree with me. The system does not change like this. The system does not change with reactions but with actions. It changes I believe when each one of us starts seeking the truth of the Word. When he is thirsty to learn what God says about a matter. When he is not satisfied with what a church official or even I may tell him but searches the Scriptures on his own to see if it so, as the Bereans did. Then after he learns it, he is eager to apply it in love. You learned from this book that the Word of God gives much importance in helping poor and troubled saints. Go ahead and do it! You learned from this book that in the Bible elders, bishops and shepherds were not people that graduated from theological schools and started a career as employees of a church. They were people with jobs and families like me and you. They were plain, ordinary, people, like the illiterate fishermen the Lord called to follow Him. They were also people mature in Christ that took upon themselves to shepherd, oversee the younger believers. Are you a mature Christian? If yes step up, inside or outside the system, and do the work of a mature believer. If God wanted to continue the Levite system with some individuals doing the ministry while the remaining of us would pay the tithes to maintain it, He would have done it so. But He hasn’t. Instead Christ made all of us priests and kings. We are all the royal priesthood with our God-ordained function. Fighting against the one-man-does-it-all system, saying how wrong it is and at the same time overlooking the fact that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, is I believe just an immature reaction. The action is to step up, find and be what God made you to be in the body of Christ. Do your part and function to the best of your gifts and abilities. You have to know and be informed based on the Word of God about what is right and what is wrong. This is what I have tried to do in this book concerning tithing and giving. This is needed, yet you should not use it as a sword. You should do what the Word of God says for you to do, without condemning or separating yourself from those brothers that don’t do it.

Now if you are a pastor, I also need to make clear that I have nothing against you. Don’t feel threatened brother. Feeling threatened is again a reaction not an action. I don’t believe that any church should fire any pastor because it is not biblical to pay pastoral salaries. This is not the way to go. What I believe should be done is that everybody should recognize that pastors are brothers, just brothers. They are not bosses, they are not the head of the body (as I heard somebody saying in a church meeting). Christ is the head of the body, Christ is the boss, and everybody else is a member of this body. Pastors should encourage the other members of the body to grow, to rise, transferring tasks and activities from themselves to the more mature of the believers. For example (and it is only an example): bad or good the focal point of a church service is the sermon. Ask the congregation to step up as brothers and give sermons in addition to you, rotating. Not just one or two or when you are out of town. But regularly, in the same portion as you do. Why not? It should not be difficult for a brother to leave the pulpit and isn’t this exactly what church is: brothers and sisters in Christ coming together? I have seen pastors that are not gifted with the gift of teaching. This is not bad. Why should it be? A pastor is just another member of the body. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?” says the Word (1 Corinthians 12:29). The answer is obviously no. These people may not have a teaching gift but they have other wonderful gifts. Yet they will be preaching week after week, because, according to the system, the sermon is a task of the pastor. This is sad, but I only mention it as an example. It is not the main point. The main point is that pastors should help the congregation to grow and the more mature ones should take over some of the pastor’s tasks so that the burden is equally distributed to the mature brothers. The pastor will then be functioning in his true dimension as another member of the body and not in today’s distorted dimension, as, implicitly or explicitly, “head of the body”. He will then also be free to earn his living by working as everybody else and the congregation should help him in this by finding if possible a job for him. There is no ground for divisions and fights. These are coming only because of reactions to the truth of the Word not because of actions. As the Word says: “Only by pride comes contention” (Proverbs 13:10). If we as believers want to follow God’s way, this way has one name: it is called the way of love and humility and we can do it. We can do what the first century Christians did. It may sound crazy, risky and new. It is definitely easier to stay as we are. But why should we do this? Why should we willingly deviate from what we know that the Word of God says? I really see no reason to do this. Do you?

Tassos Kioulachoglou

Anastasios Kioulachoglou

Please check out Anastasios's book "The Warnings of the New Testament". Purchase at Kindle and Amazon or download for FREE at: http://www.jba.gr/Articles/pdf/the-warnings-of-the-New-Testament.pdf

Christian HATE CRIME: Umpqua Community College in Roseburg Oregon

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Eternal Life Blog

On October 1, 2015, at the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, a Christian-hating killer asked, “Are you a Christian? If you are a Christian stand up. You are about to see God in about one second.” Then, out of hatred, he shot the professing Christians in the head. (Nine people died that day, but not all professed to be Christian.)

Christians, the essence of Rev. 12:11 can become reality for YOU at any time,if you’re rightly and courageously following Jesus unashamedly and holding to your Christian testimony for your own salvation’s sake to the end (Mt. 10:22; Heb. 3:14; Rev. 2:10,11). You must hold to your profession of faith of being a Christian! God’s truth is clear on how to overcome:

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Rev 12:11)

It takes COURAGE to follow Jesus (to do the will of God), to be an overcomer:

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Heb 3:6)

The servants of the devil (who teach you can disown Jesus and he won’t disown you in contrast to Jesus) are not only calling Jesus a “liar,” but setting a lethal snare for their own faithful followers and supporters! Jesus taught his followers that they would be hated and cited this warning of spiritual death:

But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (Mat 10:33)

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mat 10:37-39)

They Shifted The Focus From Hating Christians

The central focus of the Oregon massacre has been shifted away from hating and killing Christians. IF the cold-blooded murderer had focused on Muslims or homosexuals and shot them in the head for their beliefs and practices, the public uproar would be much greater! Christians remain hated and despised by the world. It has always been this way for 2,000 years and will remain this way until the end. Why are Christians so hated? Because the Lord Jesus and his precious life-giving truths are hated and we represent and cherish them. IF you are a real Christian, remember Jesus’ words:

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Rev 3:11)

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mat 10:28)

Hate Crimes In Columbine and Umpqua – Who Will Be Next?

A “hate crime” in our day is defined as: “A crime motivated by racial, RELIGIOUS, gender, sexual orientation, or other prejudice.” Without question the recent massacre at the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon was a HATE CRIME against Christians, but it isn’t being reported as a hate crime!Have you observed that?

ShareThis

Link to this post!

Tithe? On 2 Corinthians 11:8-9: What was Paul receiving while in Corinth? Tassos Kioulachoglou

On 2 Corinthians 11:8-9: What was Paul receiving while in Corinth?

2 Corinthians 11:8-9 is a passage frequently misunderstood, with many using it to support that Paul was receiving a salary from a church while in Corinth. It would be fine for Paul, an apostolic worker, to “live from the gospel”. He was entitled to this. However as we saw previously he chose not to do so, giving an example to the other believers. Before we go to 2 Corinthians 11:8-9, let’s first go to Philippians where we read about the support these believers sent to Paul. This is necessary so that we get the background needed to understand 2 Corinthians 11:8-9 :

Philippians 4:14-18 “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”

Many consider that the support of the Philippians to Paul was only during the time that he was in Thessalonica. However this is not what the passage is telling us. As it says the Philippians supported Paul “in the beginning of the gospel, when he departed from Macedonia”. Thessalonica was part of Macedonia. Also see that the passage says that “even in Thessalonica you sent me..”. In other words what he is saying is: “you sent me support in the beginning of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia …. in fact you even sent me support when I was still in Macedonia, in Thessalonica”. Now, where did Paul go after he departed from Macedonia? Acts 17 and 18 tell us that he went to Athens, where he stayed only briefly, and from there he went 50 miles southwest to Corinth. There he stayed one year and a half preaching the Word of God and establishing the local church. I believe it is there where he received the support of the Philippians. Acts 18:5 tell us:

“When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul [now in Corinth] was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.”

The Philippians helped Paul “in the beginning of the gospel, when he departed from Macedonia”. Where was he when he got their help? I believe in Corinth, and he got their help through Silas and Timothy the brothers that “had come from Macedonia”. So Paul was supported partly by the Philippians church in Corinth. He was also working, at least part time. The fact that he was working there is clear from Acts 18:1-3 :

“After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them AND WORKED; for by occupation they were tentmakers.”

Paul was working in Corinth. He also received support from the church in Philippi. From the record of Philippians it is clear that this was not an involuntary support extorted from Paul, but a voluntary given gift. Having clarified this, let’s now turn to 2 Corinthians 11:8-9 where Paul is saying:

“I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.”

The phrase “taking wage from them” is rather misleading and unfortunate translation. This is recognized by more modern translations such as the English NIV and ESV that have translated this as “I robbed other churches by accepting support from them” (ESV). This is a more accurate translation and agrees also with the context and the other references on the subject. Paul was not receiving “wages”, salaries from other churches. He received support. This support was voluntary given, for we never see him soliciting it. How did he get this support? “From the brothers who came from Macedonia”. From which churches? We have seen already one: the Philippians who “sent him support in the beginning of the gospel, after he departed from Macedonia” and went to Corinth. Other Macedonian churches may have supported him too, though such support is not mentioned explicitly in the Scriptures. Did he rob these churches? Of course not. I believe he uses this phrase as a figure of speech, to make a point, because Corinth was a very wealthy city. As Strabo, a Greek historian and geographer of the 1st century, informs us:

"Corinth is called 'wealthy' because of its commerce, since it is situated on the Isthmus and is master of two harbors, of which the one leads straight to Asia, and the other to Italy; and it makes easy the exchange of merchandise from both countries that are so far distant from each other" (Geography, 8.6.20).”

According to ancient sources, Corinth at the time of Paul was more wealthy and prosperous as never before. Its population was 300.000 free men plus 450.000 slaves, a city of huge size by ancient (and even modern) standards. Paul, in saying that he robbed other churches, he uses a figure of speech to say that he was supported by other poorer churches in his ministry to these wealthy Corinthian Christians. Figuratively, it is “robbing”.

To sum up: Paul was not receiving a salary from a church. While in Corinth, he was working, at least part time, and he was also partly supported with free will, unsolicited, gifts from the brothers from Macedonia. He did not rob any church literally but he uses this term figuratively to point out that he was receiving support from poorer churches to preach the gospel to a rather wealthy community of people.

Tassos Kioulachoglou

Anastasios Kioulachoglou

Please check out Anastasios's book "The Warnings of the New Testament". Purchase at Kindle and Amazon or download for FREE at: http://www.jba.gr/Articles/pdf/the-warnings-of-the-New-Testament.pdf