Your Godly Calling vs. Commercial Activity

Richard Anthony


There is a subtle difference between 'engaging in commercial activity' and 'labouring as a workman". The most important thing to understand is that the term 'commercial activity' is a created term governed by the Law Merchant (lex mercatoria). Using the customs and usage's from that law is what determines whether you are in 'their' activity or not. Such as commercial instruments, a business license, profit and loss records, balance sheets, advertising, receipts, business cards, insurance policies, social security numbers, drivers license, commercial speech, extended credit, limited liability, free mail service, ownership, etc. The use of such modes and instruments makes you subject to the Uniform Commercial Code (a private copyrighted 'law' by the American Law Institute).


Buying, Selling, and Trading

Buying, selling, or trading is not necessarily 'commercial activity' or contrary to Scripture. How, and for what purpose you transact, determines whether or not it is considered a 'commercial activity' and contrary to the Law of God. Creating a record, such as the giving or receiving of a receipt, constitutes commercial activity.

Calling yourself 'the owner' (which is a commercial term) constitutes commercial activity, for God is 'The Owner' of everything (Psalm 24:1, Isaiah 44:24, 2 Corinthians 5:18). Charging or paying interest through extended credit for such transactions constitutes commercial activity through 'suretyship' and is contrary to Scripture (Proverbs 6:1-2; 11:15, Romans 13:8, 2 Kings 18:23,31). Advertising to the 'general public' (the secular world, atheists, and other infidels), to sell a product or your labor, constitutes commercial activity and is not favored in Scripture.

It simply has to do with venue and jurisdiction. Are you living the Law in accordance with the One True God of Scripture, or the god of Mercury (the god of commerce)? When operating within your community and with brethren, receipts, records, advertising, profiteering for abundant gain, free government benefits, charging or paying interest, etc., is not necessary and therefore should not be used if you wish to remain non-commercial. All bondmen of Christ should be operating by word of mouth within their community and supporting one another (Romans 13:8).


Employment and Laboring

Under commercial law, all employee-employer relationships are considered 'master-servant' relationships. When one works for, or is employed by, an individual or company that gets its privilege to operate from the State through business licenses, incorporation, etc., that person becomes, as the company has become, subject to regulation, taxation, etc. through the master-servant doctrine (rendering unto Caesar). Social Security Numbers, Drivers Licenses, Insurance Policies and all of the other indicators of commercial activity are required and made a matter of record for commercial tracking purposes.

This 'master-servant' relationship only occurs when one is 'hired' on a 'day-to-day' basis. In contrast, when one is paid daily, it is considered 'casual labor', and is not subject to taxation and regulation. This just happens to be biblical (Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:14-15, Matthew 6:11; 20:2,8-9, Luke 11:3). In reality, when you work for someone that pays you on a weekly or monthly basis, or after the sun sets, you are extending credit to that employer. For you expend your labor daily, but extend the payment for that labor to a future date. This is clearly commercial activity. And God condemns the withholding of wages (Proverbs 3:27-28, Jeremiah 22:13, Malachi 3:5, James 5:4).

Again, it should be your goal to work for only those of like mind and heart that will 'give you this day' your daily bread (the 'bread' produced from your labor) or 'an honest day's pay for an honest day's work', daily. You should work for or with those that don't look to the State for their right to pursue their Calling, whatever that form of 'business', gift, or talent might be. It's a matter of finding and remaining with those of like mind that are educated in these matters and who fear the Lord, not man.

Pursuing your godly calling is, therefore, working and operating for the Glory of God, wherein all obey the Law of God. The talents and gifts that God has given you can only be used to that end. This is love. Scripture does not use the terms "employee" or "employer," because these are created terms of the world. Scripture uses the terms "workman" (Matthew 10:10, 2 Timothy 2:15) and "labourer (Luke 10:7, 1 Timothy 5:18). The term "workman" does not appear in man's codes, rules, and regulations, and therefore, one is not regulatable if one claims to be labouring as a workman.

When somebody asks, "Are you a carpenter?", or "Are you a painter?", you respond, "No, I am not." You can do the work of one, but you’re not that thing. It’s something you can do, but it’s not who you are. You can work as a carpenter, or as a painter from time to time. To avoid placing yourself in Caesar's jurisdiction, it's important that you say you work "as" so and so, and only "from time to time," to avoid giving the impression you have a "job."

Jesus, our example, never answered to those commercial designations. For example, the Jews did ask Jesus, "Is not this the carpenter?" (Mark 6:3), but notice Jesus did not answer to that fictitious title, he did not give life to it. The Jews also asked, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55), but, again, Jesus ignored their man-made label, he avoided their fiction, and stayed in the Truth. He did not engage in the words of the world, but the word's of God.


Evidence

We will now look at evidence showing the lawlessness of the lex mercatoria's employee/employer relationship disclosed to us by the natural man, and the implications created thereby when a bondman in and of Christ becomes either 'an employee' or 'an employer.' These disclosures also apply to salaried pastors.

"The relation of employee and employer is that which arises out of a contract of employment, express or implied, between a master or employer, on the one hand, and a servant or employee, on the other" Ohio Casualty Ins. Co. v. Capolino, 65 N.E. 2d

When that express or implied contract is entered into, the State becomes the regulating master through their Imperial decrees:

"It is one of the functions of the State to decree the legal consequences that shall attach to a contract of employment made within a state, regardless of stipulation of the parties." Miller v. National Chair Co., 22 A.2d 804.

"The relationship of employer and employee is substantially the same as that of master and servant." Pennsylvania Cas. Co. v. Elkins, 70 F.Supp. 155.

"In its broadest sense the term 'servant' includes any person over whom personal authority is exercised (Toronto v. Hattaway, 122 So. 816) or who exerts himself or labors for the benefit of a master or employer (In re Caldwell, 164 F. 515); and anyone who works for, and under the direction or control of, another for salary or wages." Kiser v. Suppe, 112 S.W. 1005.

"In a more restricted sense a servant has been defined to be a person employed to labor for the pleasure or interest of another; especially, in law, one employed to render service or assistance in some trade or vocation, but without authority to act as an agent in place of his employer (Rendleman v. Niagra Spray Co., 16 F.2d 122); one who is employed to render personal service to his employer otherwise than in the pursuit of an independent calling and who in such service remains entirely under the control and direction of the other, who is called his master." Brosius v. Orpheum Theater Co., 60 P.2d 156.

When entering into a contract of employment, both the employer and employee also enter into a contract with the police State, and are thereby militarily bound by the benefit/duty relationship between them and the State:

"Statutes that preclude a contract for personal service are for the benefit of the employee, and are in the nature of police regulations or expressions of public policy." Shaughnessy v. D'Antoni, 100 F.2d 422; Hill v. Missouri Pac. Ry. Co. 8 F.Supp. 80.

In America, the prerequisite for a police regulation to apply to a given situation stems from "the permanent state of emergency" instituted by F.D.R. in 1933, which made all "persons" within the U.S. government's territory "alien enemies" and therefore subject to the "Trading with the Enemy Act." But the behavior of those "persons" must align with certain criteria for the Act to take effect in a given situation:

"Residence or doing business in a hostile territory is the test of an 'alien enemy' within the meaning of Trading with the Enemy Act and Executive Orders thereunder. Executive Order March 11, 1942, No. 9095, as amended, 50 U.S.C.A. Appendix 6; Trading with the Enemy Act 5 (b)." In re Oneida Nat. Bank & Trust Co. of Utica, 53 N.Y.S.2d 416, 420, 421, 183 Misc 374.

From the above, we see that residency is a major factor in the State's police regulating capacity against persons. But what constitutes residency?:

"There are three concepts of especial importance in connection with the presence of a person within a state: residence, domicile, and citizenship. Residence implies something more than mere transient visitation. It involves a more or less fixed abode but ignores the intent of continuance or political affiliation. Every natural person has a domicile. A domicile of choice is acquired by the concurrence of physical presence (usually residence) and an intent to make the place his more or less permanent home." The National Law Library, published by Collier, Volume III, page 358 footnote.

From the above, we see that one who resides is deemed to be a natural person (natural man). The determination of residency is based upon the prerequisite of a permanent home. What is a home?:

"Home: That place or country in which one in fact resides with the intention of residence, or in which he has so resided, and with regard to which he retains either residence or the intention of residence." Bouvier's Law Dictionary, (1914), page 1449.

"Home: That place in which one in fact resides with the intention of residence, or in which he has so resided, and with regard to which he retains residence or to which he intends to return. Place where a person dwells and which is the center of his domestic, social, and civil life." Restatement of Conflicts, Second, Section 12.

And in the State's taxing scheme, we find that business and residency are of utmost importance:

"Since travel expenses of an employee are deductible only if the taxpayer is away from home, the deductibility of such expenses rests upon the definition of 'tax home.' The IRS position is that 'tax home' is the business location, post, or station (military terms) of the taxpayer." Black's Law Dictionary, 6th Edition, page 1461.


Good Old Days

This is not intended to put down policemen and firemen today, for there are many good men and women in this line of work with good intentions who honestly want to help people. But things were quote different back in the 1800's. For example, back then, policemen and firemen did not sign contracts with the State to become agents of the State; there was no need for a written contract, and they became officers of the law, not employess of the State, as they are today. Most police today are agents, not officers.

In addition, firemen did not sit around waiting for a fire to happen; they did not get paid to wash their trucks in their firehouse. Nor did policemen go around searching for a crime to take place. Back then, people were productive, and people like Joe the store clerk would volunteer be a deputy or sheriff. He would attend to his duties in the store, and when a situation came up, he would clip on his badge and take care of the problem, then go back to work at his store.

Likewise, there were no firemen sitting around doing nothing waiting for a fire to happen. Back then, people were productive, and people like John the farmer would volunteer to put out a fire when one popped up. He would set aside his farming duties, go put out the fire, and then return to farming.

The same thing with most judges, postal clerks, etc. They did not work full time at those jobs, but volunteered as the situation came up. And the people did not pay them to do these things. They did not get a steady paycheck, but received compensation as the people were led to support them.


The Way Out

The way out of the commercial world is to shed all the things of the world. For example, Matthew was a 'tax collector' of receipts and customs. So he had a legal personality with the Roman Government. But when Christ said, "come follow me", Matthew just got up and walked right out. He left the Roman personality at the table, and became a new man in Christ Jesus.

Peter was a fisherman, a commercial type probably because he had nets. He left all that behind and he became a fisher of men. He left behind that commercial fisherman, that legal personality, and walked out of the city and into the light of Jesus Christ. When you walk out of the city, the city is at your back and Christ is in front of you.

This is what Lot did when he left Sodom and Gomorrah, he didn't look back, he kept going. His wife looked back, "Oh, I love the things of the world. Lot, can't we go back? Please?!" And she did go back. She became a pillar of salt and became a commodity (salt was a commodity to pay salaries). You leave or you die; also, it leaves you or you die. You can physically walk out, but you must spiritually walk out too. It takes both of them. His wife wasn't willing to spiritually walk out; she was of that city, but Lot was not.

That's how you get out of the house of bondage, out of Babylon, how you leave the whore. That's how you leave all that legal personality behind you. You don't need the ways of men. Revelation 18:4, "...Come out of her, my people." But the Churches teach that all this is future, so we don't have to worry about those things right now. All we have to do is sit down and wait for Christ. Most Churches will blame and point to the Catholic Church, while they have three fingers pointing at themselves.

In the 47th chapter of Isaiah, Israel and Jerusalem are described as the daughter of the Chaldeans. This is directly related to the fact that Chaldea was a nation that skillfully employed the techniques of merchants of debt to weaken a nation before it was conquered by the army. Thus, the Chaldeans would go into a country and offer loans at low interest with special conditions which virtually guaranteed that the debtor would never pay off the debt. As this practice spread throughout a nation, it so burdened the middle class that it ceased to exist and hence, the country was ripe for take-over. But, as shown in verse 15, when the conquest comes, even the merchants of debt will abandon the nation.

James 4:13-14, "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

For this reason, when we all stepped into commerce, we all compromised our traditionally vested rights. You only have two absolute 'unalienable rights': Life and Liberty. Everything else is conditioned on your conduct and consent. Your life and liberty are vested by God in Genesis 2:7. Dominion over property is conditional, this being the lesson of Adam in the garden.

Unalienable: "Incapable of being transferred. Things which are not in commerce as, public roads, are in their nature unalienable. The natural rights of life and liberty are unalienable." Bouvier's Law Dictionary (1914), page 3350.

Unalienable: The state of a thing or right which cannot be sold. Things which are not in commerce as, public roads, are in their nature unalienable. The natural rights of life and liberty are unalienable." Bouvier's Law Dictionary (1959), Vol.2, p.610.

You don't have unalienable rights in commerce, because everything is negotiable. "Every man has his price" is the mantra. This is simply because neither you, nor your neighbor, have a right vested by God to lie, cheat, steal, or financially profit (Exodus 20:15-17). Traditionally vested rights which are retained by Christian men should never be compromised by entering into commerce. Labeling oneself a 'persona' is when you say you are an article in commerce. Take heed of God's warning:

2 Peter 2:3, "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you."


Getting Paid

Once you find work, you can tell them, "I'll do this work as the Lord directs me to do it, and we'll put it in the hands of the Lord to direct you what I'm worth." If they ask how much money you want for your work, explain to them, "My Master determines my worth, not I. We'll put it into the hands of the Lord to determine my worth. Just pay me as the Lord directs your heart. A slave cannot determine his own worth."

There is a distinction between doing work for someone who's in need, and doing work for someone that's simply doing it to make a profit off of you (use your labour to make further profit). They're not doing that for their need, they're doing that to nake merchandise of you. But if you find someone, for example, that needs their house repaired or a window fixed, those are needs to improve their shelter, or someone who needs their teeth worked on by a dentist (because when you're teeth are hurting you are in need), you should not have prices. And that's a real walk of faith.

The workman is worthy of his hire (Matthew 10:10, Luke 10:7), but who does the workman belong to? We are the Lord's workman. Therefore, it is the Lord that determines what our value is, not ourselves. We cannot put a price on ourselves. And therefore, we do not say, "I'll do this work for you if you pay me this much." What we should say is, "I can see that you're in need to have this work done. I'll do this work as the Lord gives me the ability to do it, and there is no price on it. But when I'm finished at the end of the day, whatever the Lord directs you to give me at the end of the day, that will be sufficient." Under God's Law, we are to get paid at the end of each day, before the sun sets (Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:14-15, Proverbs 3:27-28, Matthew 6:11; 20:2,8-9, Luke 11:3).

The main blessing is the peace in it; and that is you are not fixing a price on a particular thing, there is no anomosity at the end because you know that it's been given to you from the Lord and not from their own self-will. By getting paid daily, there will be no animosity if the payer decides not to pay you. The most you can lose is a day's wages, and not a week or two (like pagan payers withhold). And, if at the end of the day, the payer decides not to pay you, you can tell him that you want him to look to the Lord to determine your worth, and since he is telling you that you are worthless, he is obviously not looking to the Spirit to determine your worth, because the Lord does not consider anyone worthless:

Matthew 10:10, "...for the workman is worthy of his meat."

Luke 10:7, "...for the labourer is worthy of his hire."

Therefore, tell him you cannot work with him anymore, since you are commanded to withdraw yourself from those who do not consent to God's Word (1 Timothy 6:3-5). If he tells you he'll pay you at the end of the week, tell him God's law requires you to get paid daily.

If the payer agrees to pay you daily, but pays a lot less than what is fair, ask him, "Do you feel, in your heart, this amount is fair?" And if he thinks it is, say, "Well, that's not enough to meet my needs." And if he does not feel moved to pay more, then either take what he gives you or find other work.

Yes, this is very different from the ways we have been taught by the world, and you might have some concern whether or not you will get paid enough to meet your needs. However, we have this promise from God:

Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Luke 12:22-31, "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Psalms 34:10, "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing."

And as long as the Lord provides, which He always does, there's no point in us putting a price on anything. There's many brothers now (carpenters, dentists, etc.) all around the country who are beginning to eliminate their prices and are putting that into the hands of the Lord to determine, and they're being blessed for it. That doesn't mean they're receiving any more then they were before, or any less; what it is is the peace of it, and that's where the blessings come from. It's the true Peace from the Lord that the world does not know.

John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

We know of a brother who works as a carpenter, and was a little concerned that he might not get paid enough money if he did not set a price. Well, the first time he did work for somebody, without setting a price, he got twice as much money as he would have gotten had he asked for a specific price he had in mind. Sometimes you will get paid more, sometimes you will get paid less than what you think your work is worth, but the point is to let God determine your worth, and put it in His hands to supply your needs. By placing your faith in Him to supply your needs, instead of placing your faith in "the world," you will be blessed.


What kind of Payment can we Receive?

The next step is to talk with the payer and explain to him that you can only accept cash (you can also accept United States Postal Money Orders, or pre-1964 silver coins, but these will be more inconvenient for the payer and he will most likely prefer to pay in cash).

We stay away from anything that's connected with a bank, because that's regulated by the Lex Mercatoria (Law Merchant). The things that are not regulated by the bank are federal reserve notes (they do not attach you to the Lex Mercatoria), because they are simply military script being used by a government that's in bankruptcy. It's not an unclean thing, it's simply a form of exchange; you're name is not attached to it; it's not a negotiable instrument; it doesn't even discharge debt. We also use United States Postal Money Orders (available at any Post Office). We stay away from Private money orders, because they are negotiable instruments, and therefore they are regulatable and require a signature, etc. Those are the things we need to stay away from, the things which require a signature or a have a signature attached to them.

The reason a signature is not appropriate is because it creates a commercial contract. When we agree with our brother in the way, it should be verbal, and it's to freely receive and freely give. But when you go beyond that you go beyond the ways of the Lord.

Since many payers are taught to pay by check, they may be hesitant to pay cash. He may believe that it is "illegal" to pay in cash. If he believes this, show him some "cash," and read the statement on it printed by the United States government which says: "This note is legal tender for ALL debts, public and private." And ask him why he believes it is illegal, when the government says it's legal.

He may say that it is illegal to not report the money paid to the IRS. Tell him that just because he is paying in cash does not mean he cannot report the money paid to the IRS. He can still report it if he so chooses. Then assure him that you will give him something comparable to a "receipt" which will show the money paid to you. Since commercial receipts are out of the question, you may give the payer something like this:

Greetings to _______________________________________ from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus, the Christ.

Thank you for your offering of support for my labour as a workman as you are directed by the Holy Spirit to give. It was a blessing when you gave me _________________________________________________________________ for work done from the ____________________ day of the ____________________ month through the ____________________ day of the ____________________ month, in the _____________________ Year of Our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ.

May God Bless you.

Sealed under Authority of the Christ, by His Direction of my own hands, on this ______________________ day of the ____________________ month, in the the ____________________ Year of Our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ.

Locus sigilii ecclesia:

______________________________________

(Place mailing location here, if moved to do so)

This will satisfy him as far as "evidence" of what was paid out and to whom, while at the same time, remaining separate from the commercial instruments of the world by using the Words of God in this "thank you" note. But remember to spell out all numbers when you fill in the blanks! If you use symbols, it may bring you under the IRS's jurisdiction for using a fiction that man created.

Notice we use he term "offering of support" above. This is because, in scripture, we are called to "support" one another (Acts 20:35, 1 Thessalonians 5:14), and we do this with "offerings." In offerings, there's no contract involved, and no promises made. Offerings are a sacrifice, and this is a sacrifice of support. We avoid using such terms as "Donations, Charitable Contributions, and Gifts," because these terms are under the commercial laws of man. "Donations" and "Charitable Contributions" do not appear anywhere in scripture, because they are the words of the world, and the world regulates these things. "Gifts," however, are found in scripture, but it usually refers to a bribe, and are condemned in scripture (Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy16:19, 2 Kings 5:15-16, Proverbs 17:23; 21:14, Ecclesiastes 7:7).

If a payer insists on paying by a check, and your situation is limited and have no choice but to accept a check, there are ways of cashing it without having your own bank account; you can go to their bank to cash it. You and your payer can go over to his bank and talk to the manager, and he can explain to him that "this man has no ID, but I give this bank permission to cash his checks without any ID." If the bank insists on something to identify you with, so that if someone steals a check, they do not cash it for the thief, you can leave your fingerprint or signature behind the counter of the bank, so when you ask them to cash your checks, they have something to verify who you are by comparing your signature or fingerprint with the one behind their desk.

Another alternative is to go to a cash checking place. You can work out a deal with a cash checking place that, since you have no ID, he can hold on to the checks and cash them, and you can come back at a later time to pick them up. He can also verify that the check is good by calling the payer on the phone and asking him to describe what you look like. Then, from then on, you should have no problem cashing his checks with no ID. You can also cash postal money order here as well. After time, he may not even require you to wait until the money order or check has cleared, but will cash it immediately, since you have proven yourself in good standing.


Other Sales

Someone may ask what one should do if they would like to exchange their possessions for money, such as having a "Garage Sale," "Yard Sale," etc. Well, if one puts such a sign out in front of their home, then this is engaging in commercial activity, because it not only advertises to the secular public, but is advertising that something is for "sale," which is a commercial term, and the "things" all have prices attached to them, which is a mark of a merchant. There is a maxim of law which states, "The payment of the price stands in the place of a sale." And this is one way the government acquires jurisdiction over you, when someone places the burden of a price on things, and when someone makes the payment of that price, that constitutes a "sale," and this is commercial activity. All sales are under the lex mercatoria. The problem with putting a price on anything is that it represents seeking gain.

So, what is one to do? Well, one can place a sign that says, "books," "records," "kitchen supplies," and other such descriptions above the things you are getting rid of. Do not place prices on anything you have. When someone comes up to you and is interested in "buying" something, just ask them to give you whatever they are led by the Spirit to give. Nobody can accuse you of "selling" anything, because you are not advertising a "sale," and you don't have prices on anything! If they feel uncomfortable, and say they don't want to pay less than what it's worth, you can tell them, "Don't worry about that. The Lord provides either through you or others. Those who pay more than enough, make up for those who pay less than enough."

If a policeman says, "you need a permit to have a yard sale," just tell him, "I'm not selling anything." For example, if somebody walked up to a police officer and offered to buy his gun, does that mean the police officer was selling his gun? No. Likewise, if someone walks up to you and offers to buy your book, this does not mean you are selling anything. Would it matter if the policeman had a sign above his gun that said, "Gun"? No. Likewise, if there was a sign hung above some books that said "Books," it does not mean it's for sale.


Final Thoughts on Prices

We got a phone call one time, and the man greeted us in the name of the Lord. He started asking us about prices, and we said we don't have any prices. I got the feeling that he was from the government (IRS, whatever), and he was just testing me out. One of the things he brought up in the conversation is, "Well, how can you do that? How do you balance your accounts payable and your accounts receivable?" And I said, "Well, I don't know what those things are. I don't find, whatever they are, in the Word of God. And, therefore, they must have to do with the concerns of the world, and I'm not concerned with the things of the world. The Lord has freely given and we freely receive from Him, and I do the same. It sounds like a record, and I'm not concerned with that. I don't have to keep a record of what the Lord gives me. He provides for my needs, I don't have to keep track of what he provides for me."

As soon as he said, "accounts payable and accounts receivable," those are terms of the lex mercatoria and we have to stay away from those things. When you keep records then you're concerned with your profits, and what we're doing is not for profit! I'm simply serving the Lord and He'll provide for my needs if He wants me to continue what I'm doing. That's why we don't have to have prices. Prices represent gain, and I'm not here to gain.

Man's maxim of law says, "The payment of the price stands in the place of a sale." So, as soon as you put a price on anything and entered into a sale, the lex mercatoria will regulate that. And then you come under the IRS and all those things.

We don't have prices on anything we have. Sometimes, people request numerous copies of the same CD, but they do not give enough to cover the cost of even one CD. Since they don't need five copies, but only one, we send them one copy of the CD they requested. We include a note which tells them that we are not able to send five copies, however they are free to make copies of the CD, or they can wait until we are able to send them the other copies.


Leaving Good paying Jobs

When someone comes to this knowledge, they may already have a high paying job, and may fear quitting because of all that money that will no longer be coming in. But that money only takes care of your wants; God will take care of your needs (Matthew 6:31-33, Luke 12:22-31, Philippians 4:19, Psalms 34:10).

"I would much rather be the trusting child of a rich Father, than a beggar at the door of worldly men. Yes, the Lord is not only my shepherd; He is my treasurer. He is very wealthy. Sometimes He tries my faith, but when I am obedient then the money always comes in just in time." Corrie Ten Boom.

The important thing is to be content with the things you have, and not "want" more, more, and more.

Hebrews 13:5, "…be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Luke 3:14, "…be content with your wages."

Philippians 4:11, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."


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