According to
the story as reported on Christian post the Iranian-American clergy is sending
out strong warnings to Churches in America and other free world to desist from
putting profit, fame, and love of money before God.
Iranian-American
Pastor Saeed Abedini has warned that some ministries are putting profit, fame,
and love of money before God, which leads to failure.
"The Bible tells us that some have served other masters their
whole life. It can be parents, your business, your boss, your church, your
pastors or a ministry. It can even be your country, like someone who commits
themselves to some politicians," Abedini, the exclusive director at Saeed
Ministries, wrote in a Facebook post on
Tuesday.
"I
have seen many people who have masters in any or all these areas of life. Why?
The Bible tells us it is for PROFIT," he continued.
"But
the same spirit is still especially working among Christianity in the United
States and still seeking PROFIT. We see people get famous from it and lose
their fame because of it. Ministries exist for it and get destroyed by it.
Competition is a way of business in churches and ministries everywhere."
The pastor,
who has continued his ministry following his release from Iranian prison in
January, where he was held as a hostage and tortured for three and a half years
due to his Christian faith, used examples from Act 16 and James 4 in his
message, warning Christians against selling themselves for attention and
profit.
He
reflected that people, including churches and countries, all too quickly change
their views because of the lure of profit.
"They
say this person is amazing and the day after they say the person is terrible.
Then we see fights and conflicts and destruction everywhere," he wrote.
In April, Abedini again spoke out against pastors in America whom
he said are too concerned with church
growth rather than helping Christians grow.
"After
being far from the USA for four years and in prison and thousands of hours of
prayer have happened, I see that more Christians seem ready to step into
revival but not all pastors and leaders," Abedini wrote at the time.
"Could
it be that pastors are so busy with ministry, church, financial growth plans,
and building walls around their church that they are missing the most important
thing?" he asked.
Abedini has
written on the subject of revival on a number of occasions, and in another post
in April said that God's grace is earned not through good works or church
attendance, but only through an awakening of hearts.
"Many people seek to cover their inner guilt through good
works, which never resolve the reason for their separation from God. Some serve
out of pride or evil motives," Abedini warned back then.
"Some
serve merely to work their way into a position of power or to have a closer
relationship with a certain church member."
This is
however not untrue as the events in our churches today confirm what the pastor
is saying. This warning, though directed at America is a warning to the entire
body of Christ be it in America, Africa, or Asia.
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