Short answer:
Love them by —
–Rebuking them sharply
–Muzzling them
–Saying “To hell with you and your money”
This is biblical. Listen to this 13 minute exposition by the wonderful S. Lewis Johnson.
Month: January 2015
Beth Moore’s heretic hunting article and its fallout
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| Beth Moore |
On Twitter one day, a young woman mentioned John Piper and Beth Moore in a negative light. She’d said,
“just watched an interview with @johnpiper saying he supports false teacher @bethmoorelpn #sosad”
The young woman’s name was Jessica Lam. Mrs Moore was apparently disturbed by Mrs Lam’s Twitter comment, so Mrs Moore wrote a long essay at her popular blog accusing Jessica of various things.
The title of Mrs Moore’s blog essay about Jessica was “It’s Hunting Season for Heretics“. This implies, of course, that Jessica Lam is a heretic for calling Mrs Moore a false teacher. Please keep in mind that Mrs Moore is pushing 60 years old, and Mrs Lam is 22.
In Jessica’s own words, here is what Mrs Moore accused Jessica of-
“Beth Moore wrote a blog about me because she didn’t agree with what I said about her. In it she put me down because of my age and implied that I don’t know what I’m talking about because I’m only 22… I’m not experienced enough.. I’m not thinking for myself.. And then she blocked me.”
The bible says, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” (Titus 2:3-5).
As sometimes happens (due to the Holy Spirit, I’m convinced) this particular interaction blew up. Mrs Moore’s supporters flooded her blog with hundreds of comments. (364 as of today). The interaction was widely circulated and discussed on Twitter and Facebook. Preacher Tony Miano emailed Mr Lam, and Pastor Justin Peters called Mr Lam to offer support and encouragement.
Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness (Titus 2:2)
Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, (1 Timothy 5:1)
At this point, Mrs Moore began to backtrack, at one point even asking someone to post Jessica’s phone number so Mrs Moore could personally call Jessica. Moore promised to “quickly delete it.” This brought out the protective husband instinct in Mr Lam. The couple have been married only 4 months, by the way. Mr Lam didn’t feel it was wise or safe to post their home phone number on a blog with hundreds of angry supporters just so Moore can “quickly delete it.”
Anyway, somehow the two women connected via email. Mrs Lam asked her readers for prayer so that their conversation on both sides would be biblical. Lots of people were praying that would be so.
Mrs Lam has posted the email conversation between herself and Mrs Moore. It can be accessed here.
Several men have commented on this situation. Here are their links.
Beth Moore Confronts Pastors Wife for Criticizing her Direct Revelation
Beth Moore: A Prophet for an Undiscerning Church
I am going to include this into my “All Beth Moore Critiques Here in One Place” essay
And sadly, though this next link has nothing to do with the current brouhaha, the legacy Beth Moore is leaving is this: one of rebellion. Witness this article from Christianity Today published just a few days ago.
What Happens when We See a Woman Teaching the Bible
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)
Those distressing sin-battles
Sin is a torture. There is no avoiding it. There is no getting away from it. I hate the sin in me, and I hate that the older I grow in Christ, the sadder and more disappointed about my sin I become. Why? The more I’m sanctified the more sin I see. The more sin I see the more I realize that, blessedly, Jesus is the only One who can catch me up. He will glorify me on His Day. The most I can do is run the race. Persevere. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
I love the bible. My Savior, who I really love, sent His Spirit to inspire an entire book which reveals God to us. I love that. It encourages us with words of life. In this book are common men, men and women who were living lives and worshiping or not worshiping, or in Apostle Saul/Paul’s case, killing. One day, Jesus broke the veil and converted Paul. Hallelujah!
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| I can’t wait until our soul and our flesh are both perfectly pure! |
However, even with a direct confrontation with a glorified risen Jesus, and even with the Spirit as fully on Paul as He was, Paul still did what he didn’t want to and didn’t do what he wanted. That old flesh.
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” (Romans 7:15-20)
In other words, Paul struggled. The flesh certainly has a grip on us, doesn’t it? I’m grateful again that the people who are written down in the book are regular people, saints of grace, but not saintly. At least I can relate to the passage there in Romans.
When Jesus came, and some disciples told John the Baptist that people were going over to Jesus, John replied.
He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)
O, Lord, please increase the Spirit in me! Please, more each day. Yes, I know that’s sanctification, but it is all right to long for the glorification, is it not? When there be no more sin in me, when I can worship Jesus properly? O happy day. I know I am not the only one to feel this way.
There is then…there is then sort of an ongoing sadness in the Christian life, isn’t there? And the longer you’re a Christian, the sadder you are over your sin. And what makes you sadder than you used to be is you keep assuming that you ought to grow out of this. There’s a place in life for fun and there’s a place in life for joy. And the Lord wants us to rejoice, all of that. But there’s always that nagging reality in the life of a true Christian, that deep-felt grief and sorrow over sin until it is repentant of. ~John MacArthur, The Only Way to Happiness is to Mourn Over Sin
There is the joy that we know we don’t have to increase by ourselves. We can’t. We have joy in knowing the Holy Spirit in us is the One who will increase us to Christ-Likeness.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
He is a glorious, wonderful Savior to save us from wallowing for an eternity in our sins. What a blessed relief that is coming, final and eternal release from the sinful flesh.
New Heavens and a New Earth
17“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
18But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. (Isaiah 65:17-20)
What a Creator. We brought sin into the world, but He will finally banish it. No more distressing flesh-battles…only peace- and purity.
"But you can’t know that [false teacher’s] heart! You can’t ascribe motivations!" Yes. Yes we can.
One of the common accusations from defenders of false teachers lodged against Christians who make the claim, is that no one can know their heart. That no one can know their motives. They say therefore it is not fair to make such claims. Only God can judge.
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| Once you know how to spot them, the fakes are easy to see. |
That’s a synopsis of their argument, an increasingly frequent one. But is it true? Let’s look at the Bible.
First, in order to make a determination whether a teacher is teaching according to the bible or is straying from Christ’s doctrines, we test them. (1 John 4:1). We test what they teach against the bible- no matter who they are! (Acts 17:11). If they preach a different Jesus, (1 Timothy 1:3-4; 2 Corinthians 11:4) fail to affirm His word, deny what the bible says (or that God said it), bear no fruit, or has a life that is below reproach, among other identifiers, they are false. They must accurately teach the full counsel of God through a life that stands up to scrutiny.
Once you’ve tested a teacher and they have fallen short, you know that they’re false. Now we can look at bible verses about false teachers to learn more about what motivates them and how they operate.
Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— Galatians 2:4 (cf. 2 Peter 2:1).
- Their motivation is jealousy.
- Their purpose is destruction of the true brethren.
- Their method is by adding works.
[The above in context were the Judaizers preaching works, circumcision].
And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:3)
- Their motivation is greed.
- Their purpose is exploitation.
- Their method is oratory.
Trivia: the Greek word for the term “false” above is from a root of plastós – which is the root of the English term, “plastic”
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. (Romans 16:17-18)
- Their motivation is their own appetites.
- Their purpose is personal satisfaction.
- Their method is flattery.
Conclusion:
Once a person has been deemed a false teacher, we DO know their heart. We DO know their motivations. The bible states them, not just in those three verses, but in many others too. A false teacher’s motivations and heart are evil and at enmity against God. They do not seek to glorify God and worship Jesus in His authority (they hate authority) but they seek to–
- Blight Jesus’ name
- Destroy you
- Satisfy themselves
- Get money
FMI on false teachers, these New Testament books were written to educate us as to the false teachers’ methods: Please read Galatians, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, and Jude
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| False teachers and their plastic words … one after another. Beware. |
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Further Reading-
The Pillars of Creation
Phil Johnson’s sermon “Why I Don’t Believe in Atheists” (text: Romans 1:19-20) is a brilliant and majestic exploration of the Creation. Pastor Johnson said,
“…the most obvious truth we learn about God from nature: He is glorious. Every molecule of the universe unveils and declares God’s glory. You can see amazing, majestic displays of incomprehensible glory from any conceivable perspective. The glory of God is on display in vivid, intense, and graphic detail no matter where you turn your eyes. Look in the most powerful telescope at the outer edges of the current technology’s ability to see, and what you will observe is breathtaking glory.”
NASA re-oriented its Hubble telescope and took another photo of the Pillars of Creation, its most famous photo, taken in 1995. In the 20th anniversary of the iconic space picture, we see an even more startling clarity than we’ve ever seen before. This morning in looking at the newly released Hubble telescope’s “Pillars of Creation”, I was pondering the Creator and His glory. What a joy that Johnson’s latest sermon is on this topic. He unfolded a most beautiful and cohesive explanation of why the likeliest most important verse in the bible is:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Why did AW Tozer claim that verse as the most important? Even though ALL scripture is profitable? Because all else flows from there. In dogmatic, simple fashion, God made a statement that answers the basic questions all humans ask. Where did we come from? Is this all there is? Why is man different from the animals? and has a conscience? and can think? As Johnson said,
This text lays the necessary foundation for a truly biblical worldview. It tells us an essential truth, and it’s the very first of all the inspired biblical dogmas.
This photo takes my breath away. God is tremendous.
When you look at this photo remember that God made all those stars.
He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. (Ps 147:4).
Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26).
Please listen to the sermon linked above. It will expand your thinking on Romans 1:19-20, and it will re-affirm your humility, as it did Job’s, under the sovereignty of such a Creator.
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| Pillars of Creation. NASA |
Add one more good woman teacher to the list: Chapter 3 Ministries
I recently finished a series on rebellious women who claim to be Christians, and the final entry extolled the virtues of many different women’s ministries. I presented a list of good women teachers with a synopsis, and said that in my opinion these are profitable for women to follow. There are many teachings among these women’s ministries that are currently safe in which to indulge.
Many women despair of finding a female teacher of substance who study the word with care and create solid curricula for us to use in bible study, Sunday School, or personally. Beth Moore is a false teacher. Joyce Meyer is also. Christine Caine, Bobbie Houston, and many others are false teachers too. Well, thanks to some time spent researching, I shared a list of good female teachers.
Just after I published the list, I became aware of another woman that should definitely be added to the list. I’d like to introduce Sharon Lareau, of Chapter 3 Ministries.
Her web ministry is is aimed at women and is founded on 1 Peter Chapter 3:1-6 & 15. She is married with two children, is a member of a local church along with her husband, and has homeschooled both children from kindergarten to college, over the course of 18 years. Mrs Lareau has health issues that keep her homebound most of the time. She wrote on her “About” page,
In my life as a Christian, I have been led by a desire to minister to Christian wives in the spirit of Titus 2:3-5. I have been blessed with many different opportunities to serve in that way through the years. I have taught classes at our church as a part of Women’s Ministry, I have been involved with different online support and outreach endeavors, and I have sought to fulfill the call of Titus 2:3-5 on a one on one bases.
Her foremost prayer is that the ministry brings glory to God. In addition,
The circle of my ministry expands to all women whether they are married, single, divorced, or widowed. Though I know I am not well equipped to minister to all in some ways, my heart is open to learning. I hope and pray to be an encouragement along the way.
Mrs Lareau ministers to women in matters of Christian marriage, apologetics, and faith. I found her discernment essays regarding Beth Moore to be humble, discerning, and biblically solid. She participated in a BM simulcast in September 2014, and reviewed them. Part 1 of 3 parts is here.
At the website you can expect to find essays on subjects ranging from the Sovereignty of God, analysis of “The Message” bible, marriage & family, discernment and more. Mrs Lareau believes that Christian women are called to the defense of the faith just as much as men. We have no less need to be equipped.
I hope you enjoy her website. I’ll add others as I discover them. For every Beth Moore out there, chanting mantras and proclaiming prophecies based on the deceptions of her own mind (Jeremiah 14:14), there are twice as many women in all corners of the United States and in other nations, persevering in the faith, ministering, laboring, loving fellow sisters through Christ.
Ladies, do you want to revile God’s word?
Ladis, did you ever consider the opposite of Titus 2:5? Here is the verse:
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| The Graphics Fairy |
“to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.“
I use the ESV.
NIV: “so that no one will malign the word of God.”
NAS: “so that the word of God will not be dishonored”
KJV: “that the word of God be not blasphemed”
The Greek word for ‘reviled’ is blasphemeo, means-
“refusing to acknowledge good (worthy of respect, veneration); hence, to blaspheme which reverses moral values.”
If we are NOT self-controlled, we revile the word of the Lord,
If we are NOT pure, we revile the word of the Lord,
If we are NOT working at home, we revile the word of the Lord,
If we are NOT kind, we revile the word of the Lord,
If we are NOT submissive to our own husbands, we revile the word of the Lord,
Please think about what we do as women, widows, and wives before the Lord. I know I will try to be more careful to adhere to the behavioral standards outlined in the verse.
Atlanta Fire Chief Cochran fired for Christian views on homosexuality
This is the story of Kelvin Cochran, former Atlanta Fire Chief.
But it’s so much more. It is really the story of how to glorify God when you are being persecuted.
It’s how to publicly express your faith in love when the world hates you.
It’s seeing the miracle of God using for good what they meant for evil.
The beginning of the story is that Kelvin Cochran, family man, Baptist, Sunday School teacher, men’s Bible study leader, and Atlanta Fire Chief, wrote a book in 2013 stemming from his bible study class, entitled “Who Told You That You Are Naked?” The title refers to the moment in Genesis 3 after Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit, and hid from God when they heard Him walking in the garden. God asked the man and woman, “who told you that you were naked?” Throughout his book, Cochran also refers to being naked as being not-covered with the righteousness of Christ.
In Cochran’s book when he refers to naked men, of course he isn’t being literal. It refers to the nakedness unsaved people live in with being exposed to Jesus without the covering of His righteous blood.
Mr Cochran shares his faith, something that he stated in the book that “it’s his first priority within the department “to cultivate its culture to the glory of God.” Chief Cochran has said in many interviews that this job as the Atlanta City Fire Chief is a dream come true. That ever since he was five years old, he has pursued a career as a firefighter. And yet for all that focused intent on pursuing his life’s dream, he puts Jesus first. The purpose of Kelvin Cochran’s life is to glorify God, and the Fire Station is just as good a place as any other on earth in which to be Christ-like and to speak of his faith. Where Chief Cochran loves to be is the Station, where he longs to be is with Jesus. His duty as a Christian is to show people his love for Jesus in heaven while Cochran is still on earth.
Along the way, he published a book. It’s aimed at men, how to be good husbands, leaders, men, based on God’s standards for doctrine and for life. In it, Cochran spelled out exactly what God’s standards for purity are, purity in works, purity in thought, and including sexual purity.
“Uncleanness – whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, all other forms of sexual perversion.”
“Naked men refuse to give in, so they pursue sexual fulfillment through multiple partners, with the opposite sex, the same sex, and sex outside of marriage and many other vile, vulgar and inappropriate ways which defile their body – temple and dishonor God.”
Less than a half a page in the 160-page book mentioned homosexuality.
That doesn’t matter to the homosexual people.
The First Amendment of the United States’ national constitution, part of the United States’ Bill of Rights, says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Not for Kelvin Cochran. Not for an increasing number of Christians.
The Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transsexual lobby discovered the book’s existence in November of 2014, and raised an outcry. Cochran was suspended with no pay for one month. He was due back to work this week.
Various reasons were given for his suspension.
–he distributed the book on government property without prior consent of the Mayor (his boss)
–he failed to alert the Mayor he was writing the book
–his views likely mean he has in the past, or will in the future, discriminate against LGBT people in hiring practices at the Fire Station
–his book is in violation of the city’s standard of conduct
–his language is so extreme, so belittling of gay and transgender people that he could not effectively lead a diverse workforce
During the one-month suspension, no one heard from Cochran. On Sunday, January 3, he did speak at Atlanta’s First Baptist church during the GA Baptist Convention regarding his testimony. The Times-Herald reported,
Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin J. Cochran spoke to the “blessings of suffering” during his message delivered at First Baptist Church on Sunday. Coming off a one-month suspension because of a passage on homosexuality in a self-published book he wrote, Cochran expressed that his time off allowed him to spend more time with his family and enjoy the Christmas season
“God intended for men and women are to be together to have children and populate the Earth,” Cochran said. “And any sex outside marriage and outside of a man and woman in holy matrimony is against the word of God. For that stand, I have been laid off for 30 days without pay.” However, Cochran emphasized that he is not a victim of his beliefs, nor is he discouraged or disheartened.
I love our city, and honor and respect our mayor and love all the people of the world,” Cochran said. “I took an oath to die for all people, under any circumstance. This is not about me, it’s about the Lord.” Cochran stated that his reputation was not on the line. “I took a stand for Christ, and it’s his reputation that is on the line,” he said. “Jesus never throws us under the bus. He will be glorified and I will be vindicated once all the truth comes out.”
On Monday, the one-month suspension was to be concluded. Mayor Kasim Reed was to have pondered, investigated and come to a decision. He did.
The LGBT members of our community have a right to be able to express their views and convictions about sexuality and deserve to be respected for their position without hate or discrimination,” Cochran told me in an exclusive interview. “But Christians also have a right to express our belief regarding our faith and be respected for our position without hate and without discrimination. In the United States, no one should be vilified, hated or discriminated against for expressing their beliefs.”
Mayor Reed disagrees that it is about religious faith. Reed says it is about judgment. Chief Cochran’s judgment that is, being impaired due to extreme views.
There is some back and forth about Mayor Reed’s knowledge of Cochran’s book. A sort of what did Reed know and when did he know it?
Reed said that he had no knowledge that Cochran was writing a book. However, Cochran said the director of Atlanta’s ethics office had not only given him permission to write the book, but to also mention in his biography that he was the city’s fire chief. Cochran said he gave a copy of the book to Mayor Reed in January 2014 and the mayor told him he planned on reading it during an upcoming trip.
Cochran wants to make clear that he does not hate anyone. “The essence of the Christian faith is a love without condition, sir,” he told me. “I have demonstrated that love in the fire service for 34 years. There’s not any person of any people group that has interacted with me for any measure of time that can say I have hate or disregard or discrimination in my heart for any people group.”
Ex-Chief Cochran says he has no plans to appeal.
What does the bible say about situations like these?
1. They are inevitable. If you’re a witnessing, mature Christian in the world, you will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12). None of this is a surprise to Chief Cochran. None of it should be a surprise to you or me, either. Our response to persecution is key. Cochran said he is not a victim of his beliefs nor is he disheartened or discouraged. I am sure that in addition, Chief Cochran feels blessed in some measure to be sharing the persecution of His king.
The Hatred of the World … “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. (John 15:19-20)
2. Turn the other cheek. Chief Cochran demonstrated the values Jesus imposed in Matthew 5:39, when Cochran says he hates no one, loves all people.
But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
John MacArthur said in his blog essay Persecution and Submission,
…when persecution comes to the church, true believers don’t flee. Nor do they fight back against the persecution, or try to protest or legislate it away. Instead, authentic Christians submit to persecution.
3. He honors his boss. Mayor Reed had asked Chief Cochran not to speak to the media during the one-month suspension, and Cochran did not. Prior to that, Cochran said he’d gone to his boss’s Ethics Committee to receive advice on the protocols regarding the book he was writing, and he said he also gave a copy to his boss. Cochran was doing the proper thing with his superior officers. The Chief says he has no plans to appeal. The bible says,
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, (1 Peter 2:13).
4. Remember that the world has an illogical mind when it comes to sin. Mayor Reed said of Cochran:
“His judgment and ability to manage the department was the subject of this inquiry.” Here is Cochran’s bio, and mind you, it’s only an excerpt. There’s more.
Kelvin J. Cochran serves as First Vice President and Director of International Association Of Fire Chiefs Inc. His formal education post High School includes the U.S. Fire Administration National Fire Academy, Wiley College, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management (1999). In 2009, President Obama appointed him as the U.S. fire administrator for the United States Fire Administration. Mr. Cochran holds a Masters Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech (2004). Previously, he was a 26-year-veteran of Shreveport, LA fire department, having joined as firefighter in 1981, progressing through the ranks of training officer and assistant chief training officer before becoming fire chief in 1999.
It seems to me that his ‘ability to lead and manage the department’ would be stellar, and in fact, has been for 6 years. What I ask is, would the same level of scrutiny be present with an LGBT person leading and managing the department? Would they have sound judgment and no bias when it comes to hiring, training, and leading Christian folk they know object to their lifestyle? Of course not. But sin makes the carnal mind illogical, they have a debased mind. That means they don’t think straight. (Romans 1:28). We understand that and simply continue showing the love of Christ, as Chief Cochran has done.
5. Trust the Lord. Chief Cochran ended his message to the Convention gathered at Fist Baptist Church by reciting Psalm 27, which he had memorized,
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations … Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
6. The LORD always uses His people for Good. Chief Cochran knows that good will come from this. It has already. Many people, I’m sure, are encouraged by his response and take inspiration from it. I’m one of them. He is providing a template for how to respond when persecution comes to my door. The bible says,
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20).
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
Chief Cochran’s goal was to glorify Christ. He has done so, in an unexpected way. When the time comes, may we do the same.
All the raptures in the bible
I was listening to Tommy Ice on pre-Tribulation rapture on a youtube video last week. It was a long video, over an hour, and I only had time to listen to about ten minutes. I figured I’d get back to it.
But I lost it in the flow of the dozens of music videos I subsequently watched while on vacation. Viva vacation.
All this to say I’m sorry I can’t post a link to the video, but here is the part that interested me.
We Christians know about the rapture. We understand that at the moment the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (the full number, Romans 11:25), the rapture will occur and Jesus will descend from heaven. We will vanish from the earth in a moment, a twinkling of an eye. The dead will be no means be left behind, they will also be raised and we’ll all meet in the air. Jesus will lead us to heaven. Then, the final 7 years remaining to complete the Old Testament decree regarding the Jews will resume on earth. It will be a time of Godly wrath, unleashed full force.
It’s fascinating to think about going on our daily business, driving, washing, feeding the dog, and suddenly we will hear the trumpet of God, and the next moment we’ll be airborne! The next moment we’ll be in heaven, where no eye has seen nor any ear has heard the things prepared for us!! It is a singular, unique, momentous event!
However as I listened Dr Ice put something together in my mind. There have been several raptures already.
Enoch.
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| James Tissot, ~1900 |
Father of the longest lived man on earth, Methuselah. Enoch was the 7th from Adam. He was a prophet. (Jude 1:14). He lived 365 years, then God took him home. He was the only one in a long line of the genealogical record to not have died. “And then he died…And then he died…And then he was not, for God took him.” Raptured.
Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
Elijah.
Prophet, servant of God. Slew all the false prophets of Baal by the sword. (1 Kings 18). Mentored Elisha. Raptured.
And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11)
Jesus.
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11). Raptured.
Paul, Isaiah.
Paul wrote about “a man” who was caught up to the third heaven. Most scholarly consensus is that Paul is speaking of himself. Note that Paul says “caught up” in some translations it’s “snatched up”. In the Greek it’s the word harpazo. This means snatched up. It is the same word that describes the bride’s snatching up, or of being caught up.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. (2 Corinthians 12:2)
Isaiah- This one is more speculative, but in Isaiah 6:1 Isaiah wrote that he saw the throne room. Whether in the body or not…we can’t be sure. He described the altar, the train of the Lord, the pillars,the seraphim crying HOLY HOLY HOLY. However after Isaiah exclaimed he was undone, he was a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips, the seraphim took a coal from the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips. If Isaiah was not in the body then this is metaphorical, however the word for mouth in Hebrew is mouth, the word used here. My personal opinion is that Isaiah was bodily caught up to heaven as Paul was.
Two Witnesses.
In Revelation 11 we are told that there will be Two Witnesses sent by God to preach to the entire world. This will be during the Tribulation
But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. (Revelation 11:11-12).
Many people think, and I include myself, that the Two Witnesses are Enoch and Elijah. Since it is appointed for man to die once then the judgment, and they never did, that this means the Two Witnesses are those two men and their death will occur during the Tribulation. Anyway, The Two Witnesses will be raptured.
Philip.
I wrote about his remarkable instant journey from point A to point B in Gaza: here. I have always been fascinated by the practical moments. After Philip was finished baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch, he was snatched up and set down 20miles away. He wasn’t raptured to heaven but to two places on earth, but still, the notion of being bodily taken up by the scruff of the neck like a kitten and plunked down some there else with no warning is amazing. In the sense of a harpazo, a catching away, Philip’s experience fills the bill. His snatching up is the same word used on the Bride’s rapture: harpazo.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (Acts 8:39-40).
We’ve talked about various raptures in the past. They’ve all been one man or at most two. The most startling and eagerly anticipated event of all is no doubt
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
This will occur at an unknown time in the future, and it will happen to a large number of dead and alive believers.
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.(1 Corinthians 15:52-53).
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,d that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
While being raptured is not a usual nor a frequent event, neither is it made-up as some like to claim. As we can see in the bible, it has happened before and will happen again. It isn’t far-fetched and it isn’t an “escape.” A catching up or a snatching away of persons or groups of people is an event that God uses in His plan to accomplish the things He wants to accomplish. Simple as that.
How wonderful He is so sovereign He is able to put us where He wants and to take us up when He wants. How majestic are His ways. What a blessed hope our rapture is.
Come soon Lord Jesus!
New Christian Biographical Documentary Movies: Through the Eyes of Spurgeon, Logic On Fire, and Polycarp
December 18, 2014: Through the Eyes of Spurgeon
Synopsis from the website: “A unique and never before seen look at the life and ministry of Charles Haddon” Spurgeon”
2 hours. Watch online for free.
Link for the film on Facebook
Full Review here: “Stephen McCaskell has given the Church a documentary that is timeless and accurate. He has done it with panache and to the glory of God. You need to see this film.”
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April, 2015: Logic on Fire: Life & Legacy of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Click on the film’s link to view the trailer. The website for the film is http://www.logiconfire.org
Link for the film on Facebook
Link for the film on Twitter
No reviews yet.
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Synopsis from the website:
The Story
Have you ever wondered what happened to the early Christians after the Book of Acts? What trials did they face and overcome? POLYCARP is like a journey to the past, giving us a glimpse of that world.
A young slave girl, Anna, is rescued and adopted by Christians in the 2nd century Smyrna and befriended by their aged bishop, Polycarp. As Anna is taught by Polycarp and her new family, she struggles to reconcile her beliefs with those of the Christians. When the Roman proconsul demands that all citizens worship Caesar to show their allegiance to Rome, Polycarp and the Christians must find courage to stand for their faith against the growing threat of persecution. Anna is forced to come to grips with the truth and choose whom she is willing to live – and die – for.
What should audiences expect?
While not an epic action film, audiences should expect an authentic and heartfelt story that will inspire viewers of all ages. This character-driven period drama is inspired by the true story of Polycarp, and we’re excited to have a role in keeping an important historical character from being forgotten!
Our number one goal is to make this a God-honoring movie. We have sought to make decisions prayerfully, and with good counsel. We believe the story will communicate an important message about being willing to sacrifice all for the sake of Christ. Our prayer is that the Lord would use POLYCARP to touch many lives around the world!
Henline Productions
Unknown Release, sometime in 2015. Trailer available here. No reviews yet.
Enjoy!
the-end-time.org 