Pastor who blamed premarital sex for COVID-19 dies from the virus after calling it a 'warning from God to unmarried couples and nonvirgin brides'
A pastor who blamed premarital sex for COVID-19 has died from the virus.
Irvin Baxter, 75, was hospitalized last week and died Tuesday.
Baxter, who founded Endtime Ministries in 1991, told televangelist Jim Bakker in March that the 15 million unmarried people living together 'cannot just ignore their sinful lifestyle'.
He also noted that '5% percent of new brides in America now are virgins' and said 'God may be using this [the coronavirus] as a wake-up call'.
It is not known how he contracted the virus. His ministry said in a statement: '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.'
Irvin Baxter was hospitalized last week and died Tuesday, Endtimes Ministry said
Baxter told said Bakker in March: '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.
'That means 15 million people, that are living together unmarried. And that’s increased over the last 10 years by 138 per cent.'
Baxter, 75, told televangelist Jim Bakker in March that the 15 million unmarried people living together 'cannot just ignore their sinful lifestyle'
Baxter founded Endtime Ministries, pictured, in 1991. His ministry said in a statement: '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'
Baxter added: '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.
'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.'
Baxter supported Donald Trump and had previously said: 'Those who hate the cross, they hate Trump. There is a spirit of anti-Christ in the world right now.'
More than 9.4 million Americans have tested positive for the virus; 233,265 have died.
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