A pastor who blamed fornication for the coronavirus pandemic has passed away from Covid-19.
75-year-old Irvin Baxter died of the killer virus on Tuesday after getting hospitalized over coronavirus complications last week.
As the Endtime Ministries founder previously argued, “God may be using this [pandemic] as a wake-up call” for people committing fornications and living a “sinful lifestyle.”
“I was thinking as I was putting all this together in my mind, about the sin of fornication. And I thought about the term fornication, and I did a little research. There are 7.5 million unmarried couples living together in the United States,” the pastor said back in March.
“That means 15 million people, that are living together unmarried. And that’s increased over the last 10 years by 138 percent.”
Baxter also went on to rant about his research which suggests that 5 percent of American brides are virgins.
“Now, in addition to that — I hope this research is not correct, but I got it straight from the encyclopedia — it says that 5 per cent of new brides in America now are virgins. That means 95 per cent have already committed fornication,” he added.
“Now, God says… ‘Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. No fornicator, no adulterer, nor effeminate, nor abuser of themselves of mankind, nor extortioner, nor drunkard. None of these shall inherit the kingdom of God.’
“If we think we can just ignore God and live a sinful lifestyle, well, we cannot do it. You know, I believe in what you’re saying, that God may be using this as a wake-up call. This coronavirus may be a privilege, because I’ll tell you right now, there’s a much bigger judgment coming. It’s in the Bible.”
Following months after his controversial speech, Baxter himself succumbed to the virus, whereas the news of his passing was shared by his ministry.
“The Rev. Irvin Baxter, pastor and televangelist of Endtime Ministries died Tuesday of complications from Covid-19. While Baxter’s passing was unexpected, the ministry is poised to continue,” the statement read.
May he rest in peace.
Replaced!