All Pastors are Frauds

Your pastor is a fraud.

I like to make large, sweeping, easily discernable declarations from the position of truth.

Jesus was similar. When Jesus spoke, his listeners were astonished because he spoke as one having authority.^{(Matthew 7:29 cf. Mark 1:22.)} Jesus then left Earth, but he gave this authority to us, saying, Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.^{Mark 13:33-37}

Now that Jesus has left us, we have his authority. And we need this authority to fulfill God's will for us.^{(As found in John 6:39-40, the only place where Jesus has stated it.)} Thus, I tend to make very simple claims that Jesus stated thousands of years ago, and apply them to us today.

And today, I will tell you a truth: Every pastor currently living is a fraud. No, I don't mean those that herd the four legged mammalian animals. I mean the pastors that are spread throughout the world to give wannabe children of God advice, peace, and perhaps take a little money for their work.

That man is a fraud. God said, And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.^{Ezekiel 34:23-24}

We merely need to ask ourselves, "How many shepherds will God provide his flock?" The answer is one. This one shepherd is Jesus, there is no room for any other shepherds, including your pastor.

Does the Ezekiel 34:23-24 Prophecy Apply to Jesus?

We would be remiss to apply a prophecy to Jesus that cannot be applied to him, so let us make sure that Jesus does fulfill this prophecy.

First, let us note David. King David was once a man of importance, but then he passed away, just as all humans tend to do. He had some children, and there were several prophecies that one of his children would eventually become important. Thus, knowing that Jesus was of David's line is incredibly important. If Jesus was not of the seed of David, then Jesus cannot fulfill this prophecy. However, several testaments to Jesus's lineage are made in the gospels. In addition to the two lineages,^{(Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38.)} the people Jesus spoke to called him the Son of David.^{(Matthew 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30-31, 21:9, 15, Mark 10:47-48, 11:10, 18:38-39)} In Jesus's time, no one questioned whether Jesus was or wasn't of David's lineage. Thus, Jesus fulfills this portion of the prophecy.

Second, let us note that God said, and my servant David a prince among them. So, is Jesus a prince? Well, the Pharisees certainly thought he was at least associated with one. They claimed that He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.^{Matthew 9:34 cf. Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22} But this isn't the prince that God was talking about. No, Jesus does not say that he is a prince. Instead, he claims that he is the son of God. Jesus said, Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.^{John 10:36-37 See also John 3:16} Jesus also said, Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.^{John 13:13} Well, if Jesus is both the son of God and a Lord, then he must be a prince! Thus, Jesus fulfills this portion of the prophecy.

Third, let us consider if Jesus fed us. Of course, Jesus fed thousands of people^{(Matthew 14:15-21, 15:32-39, Mark 6:33-46, 8:1-9, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:5-14.)} a few times. So technically, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, but we are not looking for a technical fulfillment. We want a full spiritual fulfillment. We want to be fed today, separated from Jesus by thousands of years! Thankfully, Jesus left behind food for us in the forms of his disciples, who recorded his words. Jesus said, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.^{John 4:34} And this is the meat that Jesus has promised us! Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.^{John 6:27} This meat is everlasting life! So how do we eat this meat? Simple. We must believe in what Jesus has said.^{(John 6:47. However, the whole of John 5 and 6 should be read and understood to fully make the connection here that Jesus is the word of God, that word of God is water, bread and meat, and that Jesus is the water, bread and meat.)} So Jesus has fulfilled this portion of the prophecy.

Last, let us make sure that Jesus claims the position of shepherd. If Jesus doesn't want to be called a shepherd, then he clearly does not fulfill the prophecy in Ezekiel. Jesus claims to be this shepherd. He says, I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.^{John 10:14-16} Note that Jesus echoes God in saying that he will be the one shepherd. Thus, Jesus fulfills this portion of the prophecy as well.

There can be no doubt, Jesus is the shepherd! He is a son of David! He both a lord and the son of God, a prince! He has left us food to grant us eternal life! He is the one shepherd! Any other shepherd then, must be a false liar, as both Jesus and God have declared that there can only be one shepherd.

Think about what that means for a moment. That would mean that anyone who calls themselves a pastor, the same term as shepherd, do not know Jesus, for if they did, then they would know that Jesus is the only shepherd. And if these pastors do not know Jesus, then how could that know the words of God, which Jesus gave us to eat? These self-proclaimed pastors then, must be something else. Jesus provides us one clue as to what these people might be, saying, But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.^{John 10:12-13}

A hireling. Does your self-proclaimed pastor receive money from you? From his congregation? If he does, why? If it is so he can obtain food or clothing, whether for himself or another, then he truly does not know Jesus. Jesus said, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?^{Matthew 6:25, but also read on until verse 34.}

If your self-proclaimed pastor wishes to provide a charity,^{(This is something that is esteemed by man, and therefore seen as an abomination before Jesus. See Luke 16:15. Consider also reading God's View of Evil.)} then he should do so without using his position as a spiritual advisor or teacher or whathaveyou.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.^{John 14:6} There are no pastors but Jesus.

I believe that in light of Jesus being the only shepherd, we should consider another passage Jesus said. We will break it down into parts. He said, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.^{Matthew 7:13-14}

There are hundreds of thousands of pastors. God has only ordained one and Jesus is that one. Every other pastor is a liar and a fraud, and listening to them will result in destruction.

Jesus say directly after this, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?^{Matthew 7:15-16}

Consider what fruits these fraudulent pastors are gathering. If they are "good" pastors, then they feed their flocks and teach them about God. That means that they take away the position of pastor from Jesus, and the chance for God to feed from the God. Instead, what they feed their flocks is not the word of God, but whatever they believe to be right or correct. A similar thing can be said of those denominations who call their leaders by the term of "father." Jesus expressly forbade this.^{(Matthew 23:9.)}

Skipping ahead a little bit, Jesus next says, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.^{Matthew 7:21-23}

All these fraudulent pastors will probably die and say similar things to God. Things such as, "But I fed many people and told everyone about you!" But Jesus will stay say, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. And indeed, how can Jesus know these people that attempt to usurp his position as shepherd of the flock? Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.^{John 10:27} Well, if these fraudulent pastors call themselves "pastor," then they did not hear Jesus's voice, and they do not follow him, and thus Jesus doesn't know them! This may have been the case with the rich man, who played counterpart to Lazarus.^{(I'm speculating with this sentence. We are never given the name of the rich man who died around the same time as Lazarus in Luke:19-31. Jesus knew about the rich man, but Jesus didn't give us his name. Does this imply that Jesus didn't know the man himself? I cannot give the answer one way or another. Speculative food for thought.)(More regarding Matthew 7:22-23 at Speaking In Jesus's Name.)}

Thus, our pastor is no Earthly person. Our pastor is Jesus, and he left us his voice. It is recorded in the gospels, and it is our feed for eternal life. Praise be to God!