Category: discernment

Posted in discernment, theology

Jackie Hill Perry: Discernment Review

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Jackie Hill Perry is a self-described rapper, writer, teacher, and poet. She is also a married mother and an ex-Lesbian converted to Christianity ten years ago at age 19. She expresses her Christianity through spoken word poetry, music, and essays (some at The Gospel Coalition). She has published two CD’s, and is author of the 2018 book Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was, and Who God Has Always Been. An upcoming Bible study is due to be released this October called, Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today’s Culture. Perry says she feels compelled to share the wondrous truths of Jesus through her God-given gifts as communicator.

Perry is also friends with and partnered to in ministry with some spurious characters, all in the name of ‘not being tribalistic’ according to Perry. She recently photographed herself with Bethel Church’s Jenn Johnson of Bethel Church (daughter-in-law of Bethel cult founder Bill Johnson, who along with her husband Brian founded Bethel Music and MusicU) and pronounced her a friend. Perry also has partnered with false teacher Christine Caine, speaking at Caine’s Propel Activate conferences. Perry wrote that she is concerned about several theologically sound preachers complicit in “white supremacy who are faithfully inspired by the theological musings of slave masters”. Perry is a strident social justice warrior.

She has also just been UNinvited to the Answers in Genesis/Answers for Women 2020 conference.

So, Jackie Hill Perry is a study in contrasts.

Justin Peters (@JustinPetersMin) wrote on Twitter this week,
August 26, 2019

As has Francis Chan, Jackie Hill Perry, sadly, has now endorsed some of the most rank heretics and obvious false teachers in the “evangelical” world.

Pastor Gabe Hughes also asked (@Pastor_Gabe) @JackieHillPerry-

Mrs. Perry, you were included in the documentary “American Gospel: Christ Alone,” exposing the heresy of the prosperity gospel movement. Yet now you are partnering in ministry with one of the very churches (Bethel in Redding, CA) critiqued in that film. Are you not aware of this?

Finally, though she says “where I disagree, I’m open to discussion, and where I can learn, I have ears to hear,” she instead, rebuked those who attempted to share concerns regarding the above listed statements and partnerships, implying that distancing one’s self from those who practice discerning separation is itself loveless and arrogant.

Reading her Twitter feed is a study of social justice and racial reconciliation.

She begs the age-old question, when is it time to warn against a person who seems to be on a downward slope into false religion?

Well, it seems, now.

Perry’s commitment to the pure Gospel seemed solid until lately when she wrote a concerning rant on her Instagram– (August 26)

There are several worrisome phrases in her piece that concerned me. I’m sure there are other concerning aspects that more discerning and articulate people will spot that I have not addressed.

Tribalistic

It depends on what one means when they say they aren’t tribalistic. Though Seth Godin used the term “tribes”, it was Mark Driscoll in his earlier days that popularized it. Here from First Things in 2013, we have a short history of how this ridiculous term came into Christian use-

Driscoll tells Christians that they need to learn from each other, rather than criticize each other. He’s speaking to Evangelicals. He claims that Evangelicalism has been “tribalized.” In order for these tribes to be effective they need to cooperate and learn from each other. This talk of “tribe” is trendy thanks to guys like Seth Godin. Mark Driscoll has always been a trend follower.  He claims that the tribes of Evangelicalism manifest themselves through “magazines, publishing houses, blogs, social media, conferences, and schools.” These tribes are led by tribal chiefs.

Now, back to JH Perry, she said she is ‘not tribalistic’. There’s a good not tribalistic, like, in terms of ensuring that one does not divide into factions, following certain teachers to the exclusion of others, with pride on the rise. The Bible dealt with that in 1 Corinthians 1:12. Paul rebuked those who haughtily claimed he or she ‘follows’ Apollos, vs follows Paul, vs follows Peter vs follows Christ. We remember we are one body, united by Christ’s blood.

That said, there is bad not “tribalistic” to use the faddish term, in who we should partner with in ministry. There IS such a thing as purposeful separation. The correct kind of separation glorifies God. The called-for separation is from those who teach false doctrine, promote doctrines of demons, and who snatch the unwary. (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Jude 1).  As Justin Peters wrote this week:

Friends, the Bible is not unclear about how we are to deal with false teachers. We are not to partner with them. We are not to treat them as believers, befriend them (though we may evangelize them) or endorse them. They are to be marked and avoided (Rom. 16:17; 2 Jn. 9-11).

So yes, there are tribes. There’s the tribe destroying the faith, and the tribe upholding the faith.

Perry has chosen to ignore all the Bible verses that call for separation from false teachers and instead deliberately partners with them, in a twisted name of love.

White Supremacy

Perry, to her credit, has for years spoken of her commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the inerrancy and authority of Scripture, and love for God and neighbor, as she stated in her recent Instagram, and her music, interviews, and book.

Sadly, though, she has recently added another criteria to her bundle of characteristics that evinces a Christian. It’s whether or not they are “being blindly complicit when it comes to white supremacy, who are faithfully inspired by the theological musings of slave masters.”

Huh? That really does not make sense. The Bible is always clear. When you start overlaying cultural trends with advocacy of how to behave, that’s when things get muddy real fast, as they do here.

In 2017 Perry was hurt by “The decision made at #SBC17 to not denounce white supremacy”.

In 2018 she advocated for the church to ‘call sin sin, and to be aware of the small, flippant, and even subtle ways people speak about race.

Her emphasis on race might be a personal concern, having grown up black, just as divorce is a personal concern of mine having been the child of divorced parents, but using her platform to single out one sin that by default should be decried along with all other sins anyway, speaks to an undue emphasis that skews one’s perception of unity in the church. She believes she’s promoting unity in the church when overemphasis on race is actually divisive. Over the years as the groundswell of thrown-about terms such as white supremacy, slave masters, slaves, and racism had grown, Perry has drifted more toward the singled-out version of calling sin sin by more narrowly focusing on race, rather than promoting unity through Christ where all sins are a blot against Him.

Hers is social justice language and has nothing to do with Christianity. It is unknown whether Perry is immaturely following a trend, or allowing her deep-seated feelings on the subject of black vs white to finally emerge, but this faddish talk of slave masters and using scare quotes on “theologically sound” people influenced by white supremacy and old slave masters is unhelpful. Any time we see a fixation on cultural issues as criteria for partnering or even loving those around us who also claim Christ is a concern.

Discernment

She lacks it. This became quite evident in her follow up rebuttal to the outcry of partnering with Jenn Johnson & Bethel Music. On August 29, Perry issued a tweet of a 7-page screen shot of her written response to concerned brother’s email and also here continued. In it, Perry announces that she does not believe Word of Faith doctrine is heresy.

She’s wrong. It is.

She does not believe that the Charismatics are in error, just misguided and uninformed.

For someone who wants us all to be “nuanced” she certainly has lumped in 300 million people along a wide Charismatic spectrum into one group- and has declared them all genuine Christians.

In fact, JHP has been partnering with Propel Women and false teachers such as Lisa Harper, Christine Caine, Lisa Bevere, Priscilla Shirer, Shelley Giglio, Jenn Johnson and Bethel Music, since at least 2017 (source & source), and also with Sarah Jakes Roberts, daughter of TD Jakes (source)

She says that people’s reactions to her partnering with Bethel & Jenn Johnson were merely visceral reactions, and insinuates therefore that such concerns are dismissable, (while obviously her immediate response tweets were measured and worthy).

She says that she operates in “spaces” that are “primarily Conservative-Evangelical and Reformed” but she does not always remain in those “boxes” and she is free to move about, doctrinally. She said she doesn’t want people to have expectations of her that she doesn’t have for herself.

It’s not a measure of maturity to hop from one doctrinal camp to another, it’s the opposite. (Ephesians 4:14).

I’m sorry, but we do have expectations that especially our leaders remain theologically settled. We do expect that laymen and leaders won’t hop around like a bunny from one group of friends touting one doctrine to another group touting a different one. Peter did that and was rebuked to his face by Paul. (Galatians 2:11). The Circumcision group was cast out and the Nicolaitians were decried.

We are not free to be doctrinal shape-shifters. Our settled convictions forming the basis of our ministries aren’t “boxes”. She speaks of the context of her life primarily of people who have influenced her rather than doctrines she believes. She says she “doesn’t define false teachers in the way that others do,” which is not a mark of maturity nor of discernment.

Disbelief in absolutism

Post-modern adherents disbelieve there is such a thing as absolute truth. We saw hints of that in Perry when she claims that her ministry “isn’t in a box” and she is “too free” to stay in one tribe or another. Now in her rebuttal she said that it grieves her that people are put into categories, or have been classified as this or that. She said, “There’s more depth and nuance to where someone stands than there is as shown in their books or their talks.”

No. No, there isn’t. When someone writes a book outlining their theological convictions or when someone stands on a stage or a pulpit proclaiming their theological convictions, they are literally telling you where they stand. You don’t rely on unseen depths or nuances. Your job is then to compare what they say to the Bible.

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11).

Perry is actually demonstrating in herself and advocating that others employ an indistinct theological viewpoint and accept all who claim Christ unless they are at some far, far end of an undefined spectrum. Yet doctrine is actually narrow, divides, and excludes most people, even and especially many who claim Christ. (Matthew 7:21).

Preaches to men

She preaches sermons, called sermons, to both men and women. She did at UYWI National Conference in 2017, Chicago’s Legacy Disciple Conference, Legacy ATL 2019, and many other venues. Partnering with women such as Christine Caine & Propel Activate does not bode well since the women involved in that conference also preach and believe it is totally OK with God that they do so.

Conclusion

Perry converted at age 19 in 2009. A year later she made news and notice when she issued her spoken word rap called “My Life as a Stud” (about taking on the manly role in a lesbian relationship). A couple of years later came the famous “Jig-A-Boo”. Many people were stunned at such a young person’s wisdom and courage contained in the title and the lyrics of Jig-A-Boo, myself included. The problem is that young, untested people launched into positions of acclaim or responsibility before they are tested often leads to downfalls, pride, or drifting into false teaching. I hope that is not the case with Perry, she said herself at the end of her 7-page response that she’s young and to pray for her and give her time. But the slide is evident and it’s not new.

Remember, her original rant on Instagram and her 7-page response is to push-back to the rant are all so that she can defend her decision to partner with one of the worst cult leaders operating today and other false teachers. Her refusal to separate from Jenn Johnson, Bethel, Propel, and to listen to those who urge her to do so are marks of someone who should not be followed, at least not at this time.

I do pray this young woman will heed correction and that the Lord will graciously guide her back to solidity. She is a gifted communicator who loves the Lord and obviously has much to say and an ability to say it.

 

Posted in discernment, theology

Listen carefully to what she is saying in this video…

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata*

Please excuse that this is a bit long. It’s important. So, please prepare to read. I broke it up into sections.

Introduction

It was a 23,000 pound sailboat. You practically had to take a reservation to come about. When you steered it, the rudder attached to the 7,300 pound iron keel moved the boat in the direction you wanted it to go, but sloooowly. The bigger the boat, the longer it takes to change a course. You can imagine how long it takes a Destroyer to change course.

Think of America as a boat. Changing the course of a nation is hard work. The nation lumbers along as a ship of state over the societal waters. It takes a long time for a new president’s policies to cause the effect he had wanted. It takes a long time for mass attitudes to change. It takes a long time to change course of a nation.

Unless it’s sin. Then the lumbering ship that is America becomes a fleet sailfish, darting over the water as a dragonfly, skipping along instantly toward whatever course sin had wanted. I’ll give three examples of how quickly sin grips a nation (or a denomination) and changes its course, then focus on the third.

Sin embeds fast and changes the course of a nation quickly

Exhibit A: Divorce

It didn’t take long for divorces to take over once no-fault divorce became legal nation wide.

No-fault divorce came about in the 1970s and afterward, divorce rapidly began losing its stigma. Divorce as a “completely off the table” concept to “divorce is everywhere” occurred at a bewildering rate.

In this article by Meghan Kruger from the Roger Williams Law Review, we learn just how fast,

Between 1970 and 1985, the United States experienced an overhaul in divorce legislation. During that time, nearly every state either replaced or supplemented its fault-based system with some form of no-fault divorce

Divorce laws that had been instituted in the US for hundreds of years were were overhauled from coast to coast within just 15. That’s whiplash speed.

Exhibit B: Abortion.

Criminalization of abortion accelerated as a push-back from the late 1860’s when first wave feminism rose up. It was mainly doctors opposing the barbaric practice of tearing apart a baby in the womb for the convenience of the mother. By 1900 most states had criminalized it.

Only a few years later the groundswell of pushback against the no abortion pushback accelerated to Roe v. Wade. The year after abortion was de-criminalized, 1973, over 744,000 abortions were performed in the US. At its peak, 1990, 1.6 million abortions were performed. Within 20 years, an entire nation’s change of mind allowed not only so many sinful abortions, but also that doctors, once the biggest opposers of the practice, were now some of the biggest supporters.

Exhibit C: Homosexuality.

The number of men who identify as homosexual in the US is 2.2%. That’s it. Yet when the homosexual revolution that came after the 1969 Stonewall riots, a significant moment in the gay agenda in which homosexual people of all stripes demanded acceptance, today the homosexual lobby makes it seem as if every other man is gay. FYI the first “pride parade” was held one year after Stonewall. That same year, 1970, the first application for a marriage license between two men was applied for (and denied). The lobby went from skulking in seedy bars out of the public eye to parading down the street in one year. Within 14 years US cities would begin passing or allowing “domestic partnership” policies opening the door to homosexual marriage.

A revolution with widespread consequences and import

What was the worst revolution in America?

What’s the most significant revolution we’ve ever experienced in the United States? I imagine most Americans would say it was the American Revolution, which marked the beginning of our existence as a country. Some might make the case that it was the Industrial Revolution, which transformed our nation into a world power. Yet both answers, I think, are wrong.

The most far-reaching, epochal revolution in American history began about fifty years ago and is now reaching its zenith. … I’m talking about the sexual revolution, which has wrought far more changes to the cultural behavior of America than the War of Independence fought against England in the eighteenth century. RC Sproul

The church is in the world. Some churches and even denominations who do not vigorously resist the homosexual influence become the world.

moore

Those inroads of homosexual acceptance (and all that comes with it; drag queens, trans-gender, bi-sexual, etc.) is widespread in secular America, but it’s seeping into even the most conservative quarters of the formerly most conservative denomination. The Southern Baptist Convention is tolerating this sin. Though homosexuality is a litmus test for determining which churches or pastors can participate in the denomination, it is creeping into the acceptance side of the equation. As of now in 2019, that litmus test means nothing. The scales are about to get tipped.

[T]he Southern Baptist Convention has, not unwisely, also made it a litmus test for whether or not churches can be in cooperation with the SBC and whether or not LifeWay will carry an author’s materials (we’ve seen this with Jen Hatmaker, Eugene Peterson, etc.). (Source)

How does this happen?

Satan uses a person or organization to push his agenda, which is sin. It’s exactly the same but opposite of Jesus using godly people to push forward His agenda, the gospel.

In each case of the change in America to accept a particular sin, it seems that there has always been a front person or a front organization. In the case of divorce, it was the National Association of Women Lawyers that paved the way. In the case of abortion, of course it was Jane Roe and the US Supreme court, 10 individuals. In the case of homosexuality making its way into the conservative realms of the SBC, what many consider the last bastion of denominational adherence to strong biblical precepts, it’s Beth Moore.

Beth Moore’s part in this

Moore is arguably the biggest influence for the SBC and we know she is their biggest moneymaker. Yet she is obviously softening toward the stance that homosexuality is a sin. With her platforms, associations, and behavior of late, her influence is massively tipping the scales- to the detriment of souls and minds.

Here’s the evidence:

  • Public associations in person, at conferences, and on social media lauding people in the SSA and gay arenas, without accompanying warnings about the sin itself. This was discussed more explicitly in the Open Letter to Beth Moore that I and 5 other ladies signed and published, and was actually one of the reasons the question was originally put to Moore;
  • Her refusal to answer a direct question as to whether homosexuality is a sin;
  • Her writhing under the microscope, exhibiting behavior that slandered, taunted, and deflected while still not answering the simple question;
  • The discovery that Moore had secretly deleted the entire discussion about overcoming homosexuality as a sin from her Kindle version of the book Praying God’s Word, re-published in 2009, and not explaining that deletion to her readers;
  • Moore’s weak and emotional answer as to why she omitted the biblical discussion on how to overcome homosexuality;
  • Moore’s video.

The Video: listen carefully to what Beth Moore is saying

In addition to the above, which definitely demonstrates a change of stance about homosexuality, consider these next items. In her latest lesson video on unity and fellowship, Moore used many phrases and code words that indicate her stance toward same sex attraction, homosexuality, and their attendant issues, is aligned with the aforementioned folks she was supposed to be ministering to in love by warning against these very things. Here is a transcript of the pertinent part from her video for evidence.

I’ve deliberately started following and reading works of far more Christians of color. And my world and my heart has just exploded. I’m so thankful.

This is the world we live in. Let’s not be scandalized by what I’m about to say. I’ve also started following and reading articles and books by our fellow believers who are singles that have much dignity and humility testified to having lifelong same sex attraction, but they have chosen in their fellowship with Christ to fellowship with Him in the tremendous sacrifice of celibacy. This how they believe [?] want to follow Him and this is what I believe the scriptures say how I want to follow Him. [I know it doesn’t make sense…it’s transcribed exactly].

I’ve been so blessed by reading, getting to know my culture. Getting to understand it through the lens of the Gospel. We were entrusted to this world, not our parents’ world. This world. Are we going to act like we don’t know what’s happening? Or are we going to deal? Are we going to try and find good conversation to have? Good dialogue that has some salt on it? If we don’t, what in the world are we in this world for? [Then turns to Philippians 1:27].

1. Choosing to read books on the criteria of the color of the author is a Critical Race Theory act, not a theological act.

2. Reading books and articles about SSA people … perhaps Moore is attempting to learn more about the homosexual folks that have overcome their sinful thoughts and intents so she can rejoice in Jesus with them. Oops, nope. Moore wrote all about that in her 2001 book Praying God’s Word, which was re-released in 2009. It was in that re-publication she deleted the information about homosexuals overcoming their sin. Given that Moore is a trend follower, she is more likely mentioning this newly discovered interest in the “tremendous sacrifice” of the homosexually inclined, because it is a popular trend in evangelicalism.

3. Moore makes it sound as if homosexuals are doing Jesus a favor by choosing celibacy. Homosexually attracted people are no different in their sin than adulterers who lust after opposite sex people, singles who look at pornography, or any other flavor of sexual sin. If you’re not married to an opposite sex person, you’re not to have sex or think about having sex (lustful thoughts of the heart). Period. SSA folks aren’t any different, but Moore’s as-usual overblown emotional speech touting their “tremendous sacrifice” makes it seem as if they are.

Up top I’d noted the statistic for how many men in the US identify as homosexual- 2.2%. How many of those, do you think would identify as Christian homosexual? We’re talking a negligible number.

Obeying Jesus in celibacy is extraordinary in that the Spirit enables it, but mundane in that it’s expected of everybody.

I believe this video and Moore’s recent handling of the homosexuality issue means Moore seems to be readying herself to ‘come out’ as it were, of affiriming homosexuals in some way as believers.

Rosaria Butterfield gives a good definition of the two sides of the issue.

Side B believes that homosexuality is not a morally culpable issue, although it is a consequence of the brokenness from the Fall; Side B teaches against homosexual sexual practice, but only for the sake of Christian tradition.

That seems to be where Beth Moore is now, against it, weakly, and only for the sake of tradition, not for the sake of obedience.

Traditional Christian perspectives of course, decry all sexual sin, and oppose it. Traditional practice urges slaying that sin in us with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Traditional Christian belief says homosexuality in any and all form (thought, deed, etc) is a sin. Butterfield continues,

While Side B seeks to uphold biblical sexual standards, because it sees sexual orientation as an accurate category of personhood (i.e., there is such a thing as a gay person—that gayness describes who someone essentially is), their theology in no way allows for an understanding of why homosexuality, even at the level of desire, is sinful and needing the grace of repentance. To the Side B Christian, homosexuality is a sexuality—one of many.

So you see the trend Moore is on. She is paving the way for conservative acceptance of homosexuality as an integral and distinct part of the faith. She is being used of satan as one of the fronts-persons to promote his agenda. If you doubt me, listen to that part of the video again.

 

Moore is arguably THE most influential Southen Baptist. Look what happened when she wrote her Open Letter to My Brothers calling out some unnamed men for sexual harassment and misogyny. The SBC had a convulsion. Look what happened when she put her toe into politics. The Atlantic came calling.

Since her church, nor Lifeway, nor any SBC colleagues that we know of have rebuked her for any of her other errant stances, it is likely that she will be projecting this errant theology into the faith, too. Remember at the beginning I’d shown you how fast sin travels? Fast.

Adjectives in terms of grammar are modifiers, their job is to tell me what kind of Christian you are. The problem with a term like ‘gay Christian’ is that it modifies Christian according to a category of the flesh.
~Rosaria Butterfield

The scales are about to get tipped on the homosexuality issue for this denomination, and Beth Moore has her hand on the balance.

NOTE:
*I know I’ve written about Beth Moore a lot lately. This summer has been extraordinary in the conservative realms, and Moore has been a crucial part of the observable decline. I have other, encouraging and theological topics I plan to write about, but I do feel a duty to chronicle, warn, and provide food for thought on these sad circumstances. Please bear with me. 🙂
———————————-

Further Resources

Living Out part 1: The Shift by Tom Buck

The Deafening Silence of the Church on Homosexual Marriage, by DB Harrison

We Will Not Bow by John MacArthur

 

Posted in discernment, theology

Problems with Beth Moore’s teaching in list form- did you know there were this many?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

If I hire someone to do a service for me, like install the flashing on my deck, or clean my chimney, or fix my car, I want to ensure a quality job done. It is unlikely that I would re-hire a plumber who has demonstrated serial-mistake-making.

“I installed the wrong size pipe and that’s why it burst in the middle of the night.”

Would you rehire that same plumber? If you did, and he made another mistake…

“I forgot to turn the water off before I uninstalled the pipe, that’s why the laundry room is flooded.”

Would you hire him again?

“I used the wrong size wrench and that’s why the pipe is crushed now.”

Of course not, at some point very early on, you would seek a different person for the job.

So why is it that people continually overlook a false teacher’s wrong acts? Dismiss obvious errant theological interpretations? Why do they put their soul at risk in ignoring the myriad issues others have raised?

I know the biblical answers to these questions, my mind is at rest with God’s ordination of these things. I ask them because though my mind is at rest, my heart mourns.

We don’t call someone false after one mistake or two. But after decades of credible problems in a ministry with no hint of its teacher repenting or showing willingness to be corrected, it becomes obvious what is happening: that teacher is falling, not rising. Yet some people disregard scripture violation after scripture violation, and they keep drawing water out of the same poisoned well, even asking for more.

This hurts me. I grieve for the women who follow false teachers, who willfully resist the attempts from discipleship mentors, elders, pastors, discernment people, to instruct them of the imminent danger to their soul.

Beth Moore has been on a downward trajectory since the beginning of her ministry. Her issues are not new. I thought if I put some of the issues in list form, it might make things plainer. This list doesn’t even contain problems about her legalism, pop psychology, or her atrocious behavior on Twitter toward those who raise objections to her teaching. It doesn’t mention unethical publication practices such as deleting half a chapter from her Kindle version and leaving it in the hard copy without letting readers know there was a substantial difference in content they were paying for. One can only fit so much into one table.

And that is the point. This list isn’t even complete. Would you hire a plumber to fix your bathroom if he has year upon year made significant foundational errors? No, and he would probably lose his license! Would you seek a doctor whose practice is riddled with malpractice – or deaths? And how much more important is your soul to keep healthy and alive?

Please accept this table as an earnest proffer. I listed the unbiblical teaching or behavior, the consequence of that belief or behavior, and the scripture we can refer to.

There are links I can provide and substantiations for each of Beth Moore’s errors. I can provide documentation, if you ask. Let us reason over scripture and let our hearts become joyful as we seek purity in our walk, good teaching, and collegial fellowship with one another.

Issues with Beth Moore in List Form2

* The lifestyle issue is not because Moore is rich (she is). The Bible has no problem with wealth. Job, Abraham, Solomon, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and others were rich. The issue is what Beth Moore does with her money, how she uses it, and how open she is about her wealthy status. Jesus didn’t mourn the Rich Young Ruler because the man was wealthy, but because he gave up eternal life to retain his earthly property and money.

Posted in discernment, theology

Even Salon.com says “Joel Osteen Worships Himself” (re-post)

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I was working on an essay about the Drag Queen programs in public libraries but I simply could not continue. Here is a repost of an essay I wrote in June 2012. Joel Osteen is a false teacher, you guys.

——————————

Joel Osteen worships himself
At a D.C. rally, it’s clear that the megachurch pastor’s childlike faith is really about the power of narcissism

 The article is from Salon.com, a fairly liberal media outlet. I found it interesting that Mr Osteen’s obvious narcissism is apparent even to someone who may be liberal and may be an outsider to the faith.

Pastor Mike Abendroth at No Compromise Radio and Bethlehem Bible Church says that when people realize Abendroth is a pastor, they try and make an attempt at spiritual connection with him by saying, “I listen to Joel Osteen.” He said as an example to one lady who’d shared that, he had replied,

“Joel Osteen doesn’t like to talk about sin because he says we all know about it and we all get enough about that so let’s talk about other positive things. Paul talked about sin first. Peter talked about sin first. John the Baptist talked about sin first. All the prophets talked about sin first. And Jesus even talked about sin first. If you don’t know you’re a sinner, you don’t need to know about your savior. If you know how great your sin is, you don’t need a greater Savior than all your sin.”

The Salon.com author Mr Chris Lehmann stated in the article that it’s obvious Osteen “subtly downgrades” the magnificent and transcendent God “into a glorified lifestyle concierge”…into a “genial cruise director,” “through talismanic faith in positive utterance.”

He wrote, “The believer’s chief task is to ratify the preexisting divine script of success in his or her individual life — and then to bear testimony to that joyous transformation in a community of like-minded success believers.’

He’s right, that is what Mr Osteen preaches, and it is a far cry from true worship of the Living God.

So what IS worship of the True and Living God? Exodus 15:2 gives one example: “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Psalm 66:4: “All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.”

Rather, in the article, Lehmann states, Osteen has the “outlook of someone possessed of grandiose fantasies about the imperial reach of the self.”

It is not about us. I don’t recall David preaching or writing one Psalm that says we can have our best life now. I don’t recall Jeremiah the weeping prophet pronouncing that ‘It’s your time’. Mr Lehmann ends devastatingly with this thought on Mr Osteen’s approach, which is a:

theology-free success gospel, pitched exclusively to tales of individual triumph. Osteen’s sermons all begin with a self-empowering chant from believers. “This is my Bible,” it goes in part; “I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have.” But there are legions of dead — now confined by definition, it’s true, in the hated past — who come bearing the testimony that the Bible is not actually about you.

It is about the Holy One of Israel, the Word made flesh!!

Woodcut, 1695, Title, “Word” by artist Johann Christoph Weigel. Source

Fear God! Keep your vows! “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1).

 

Posted in discernment, theology

Learning when to stay in and when to separate out

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Proverbs is one of the Bible’s Wisdom books. The others are Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.

We Christians love all people, because we know that all people are image bearers of God. We also love them because we are to live our lives as a witness to the power of Jesus to change lives of sinners to people of love.

There are different kinds of love though. God loves the world, beneficently, but He loves His people covenantly. So do we.

We aren’t doormats, mindlessly loving all people no matter what. There are times and circumstances where we are told to separate from a person, or if you’re a pastor, to excommunicate a person. (1 Corinthians 5:5). We don’t partner with the unsaved or the professing false in spiritual endeavors, nor marry unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 6:14).

Paul was horrified the Corinthian church was tolerating the incest of a man and his mother-in-law’s sexual union. (1 Corinthians 5:1). We are told not to associate with sexually immoral people who claim Christ but live unrepentant, unholy, sexually immoral lives. (1 Corinthians 5:9).

And we all know this one, if you’ve given the Gospel to someone and they revile it and trample it, move on. You can continue to love them by praying for that Gospel seed to take root.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6)

Paul wasn’t speaking of standing apart and refusing to talk with or be with the unsaved. They can’t help what they do, and they need the verbal witness of the Gospel spoken to them and the tacit witness of a life lived for Christ. We’re still in the world, after all.

The issue is with professing Christians. It’s more significant when it involves professing Christians, because of the blot on Jesus’ name. There is a time to love and engage with those who profess Christ, and there is a time to shun them who say they love Jesus but say or do things consistently that belie that profession.

There’s another verse that speaks to to this issue, from Proverbs-

A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
(Proverbs 19:19)

I knew a man like that. He wasn’t in Christ. His anger was always bubbling, ready to erupt. He lodged a lot of lawsuits, he did a lot of yelling, grumbling, hating. The commentaries on the Proverb say,

Repeated acts of kindness are wasted on ill-natured people. John MacArthur Study Bible Note 

The sense of this proverb seems to be that the connection between unseemly anger and punishment is so invariable that any effort to save such a man from the disastrous consequences, which he brings upon himself by his anger, would do little good; because it wouldn’t be long till he would again need deliverance.” Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible 

for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again; if he is got out of one broil, he will get into another quickly; if he clear of one lawsuit, another will be commenced against him in a short time; if he is discharged and freed from a penalty he is justly subject to, it must be done again and again; he will fall into the same evil, and there is no end of appearing, for him and serving him; a wrathful man brings himself into great trouble, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

MacArthur preached,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” … At first reading, it sounds like Jesus wants to make us all into sanctimonious doormats.

“The fact that your heart is prone to retaliation, to get even, is evidence enough that no system of human religion can deal with the heart of the human problem. You need a Savior, a righteousness beyond our own.” That’s what He’s saying, and that’s the heart of the matter here.

In other words, don’t start a feud, or a vengeance thing. Don’t get some revenge going, that’s all He’s saying. He’s not talking about categorical evil and letting it overrun your life

Read the word, learn from commentaries, pray, and be aware that loving one’s neighbor sometimes means there are cases where it is better not to have anything to do with him than to be tempted to seek revenge, or continue to help out an angry man, or to partner with someone who is sexually immoral, etc. We’re always to be kind and reasonable, but we’re not doormats either.

separate

Further Resources

The Purpose of Wisdom Literature

How can a Christian avoid being a doormat for other people?

 

 

Posted in discernment, theology

An Open Letter To Beth Moore

Posted on by elizabethprata

Dear Mrs. Moore,

Hello – we hope this finds you doing well.

We as female Bible teachers ourselves write this letter to you in hopes of receiving clarification of your views on an important issue: homosexuality.

In the last few years, particularly since 2016, you have been very vocal in your opposition to misogyny and racism. Anytime a story with so much of a whiff of these issues comes to the forefront you are very quick to speak out. The actions of the Covington kids, for example, you said “is so utterly antichrist it reeks of the vomit of hell” in a January 19, 2019 tweet; a tweet you deleted, without apology to the kids, once the full video was shown that portrayed a very different reality than what initial reporting suggested.

It is this Johnny-on-the-spot readiness to engage issues related to misogyny and racism that makes your virtual silence on the issue of homosexuality so puzzling.

To your credit, in your book To Live is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, you wrote, “I met a young man who had experienced freedom from the bondage of homosexuality” (pg. 119). This book was first published in 1997 and then republished in 2008 but it seems since then you have said very little if anything publicly about this issue.

Another factor prompting our open letter to you is the very public mutual affection and admiration between you, Jen Hatmaker and Jonathan Merritt.

Jen Hatmaker and you regularly exchange affirming posts of one another on social media. In just one recent example, Hatmaker on September 17, 2018 wrote “Beth Moore will enjoy my respect and devotion forever. She is worthy of being a mentor to an entire generation. And friends, I wish you knew how deeply and profoundly she has loved me these last two years” (Source). In an interview two years before this post, October of 2016, Jen Hatmaker said she was a “left-leaning moderate,” came out as fully supportive of homosexual marriage (saying it can be “holy”) and said practicing homosexuals can be part of the regenerate body of Christ (Source). It was then that LifeWay decided to pull all of her books from its shelves.

More recently, on April 9, 2019, Jonathan Merritt tweeted, “I no longer believe @BethMooreLPM is a human. I think she is an angelic being having a human experience.” (Source). Jonathan Merritt has admitted to having at least one homosexual encounter about a decade ago (Source). Today, by his own admission he rejects biblical inerrancy, says a “liberal Protestant” would be an accurate description of him, and says his sexual orientation he no longer views as “broken” (Source).

In a crass response to Dr. Owen Strachan tweeting, rightly so, that there should never be an occasion in which men “cuddle” with one another, Merritt on May 1, 2019 tweeted in response, “C’mon, Owen. You can be my little spoon” (Source). Merritt also openly affirms that “queer” and LGBTQ people are included in God’s Kingdom and it is a “carrot of false promises” that the Gospel can make such people straight (Source, Source). He supports “Drag Queen Story Time” in which drag queens read stories to young children in public libraries (Source 27:40 mark– NOTE, the video has already been deleted. Try this one.). He even appears to doubt the exclusivity of Christ (Source).

Both Jen Hatmaker and Jonathan Merritt are known for their belief that practicing homosexuals can be Christians. Given that this is such a deeply held conviction that both share and this conviction (wrong though it is) has cost them both in their standing amongst theologically conservative evangelicals, and that they both praise you so highly, it raises the natural question as to where you stand on this issue.

Given his beliefs, Merritt publicly saying that he believes you to be “an angelic being having a human experience” strongly suggests that his high praise of you is, at least partially, rooted in your views on this issue that you have shared with him privately. It seems most unlikely that he would be praising you so highly if you had told him that as a homosexual man he will perish for all of eternity unless he repents. It likewise seems unlikely that Hatmaker (a married, straight woman) would praise you so highly if you told her that her affirmation of homosexuality and homosexual marriage is sinful and that she must repent.

When all of this is coupled with your total silence on homosexuality (in stark contrast to your very vocal stance on gender/racial/abuse issues) it naturally raises the question as to what your beliefs on it truly are.

With these factors in mind, and knowing that millions of people follow your teachings, we would like to ask you:

  • Do you believe homosexuality is inherently sinful?
  • Do you believe that the practice of the homosexual lifestyle is compatible with holy Christian living?
  • Do you believe a person who dies as a practicing homosexual but professes to be a Christian will inherit eternal life?
  • Do you believe same sex attraction is, in and of itself, an inherently sinful, unnatural, and disordered desire that must be mortified?
  • Why have you been so silent on this subject in light of your desire to “teach the word of God?”

We ask these questions to you out of genuine concern. As Bible teachers, all of us are held to a very high standard and will give an account for how we handle God’s word.

As you know, homosexuality is widely discussed and debated amongst evangelicals and society at large.

Many families are affected by this issue. The most loving thing obedient Christians can do for them is to clearly communicate God’s truth. We look forward to your clarification on these pressing issues.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Susan Heck
http://www.withthemaster.com/

Debbie Lynne Kespert
http://www.headstickdeb.com/

Michelle Lesley
http://www.michellelesley.com/

Martha Peace
http://marthapeacetew.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Prata
http://www.the-end-time.org/

Amy Spreeman
https://bereanresearch.org/
https://naomistable.com/

Added:

Kristy Kapp
https://www.narrowmindedwoman.com

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Posted in discernment, theology

On having ears to hear

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

You can hear the difference, can’t you? When a sermon is full of truth or if it isn’t. When a person is sincere and when they aren’t. Discernment is a gift given to some on the Body (1 Corinthians 12:10), discernment is also a skill demanded of all (Hebrews 5:14).

The illustration below is an example of how you can hear discernment.

There was an old pastor, so old that he had been forced to retire. His voice cracked from years of preaching. He was a humble old gentleman. He was invited to a high society kind of luncheon by a friend. He really was out of his league, frankly, but he went. And there was a famous actor there, and the one who was heading up the luncheon said to that actor in the midst of all of the folderol,

“Oh, would you stand up and recite something for us?” And he said, “Of course, I have an endless repertoire. What would you like?” The old pastor thought this is his moment. He said, “How about the 23rd Psalm” And the actor said, “Well, that’s an unusual request, but I happen to know that, and I’ll do it on one condition: that you’ll do it after I do it.”

Well, the old pastor hadn’t bargained for that, but for the sake of the Lord he said, “All right.”  The actor got up, and he recited the 23rd Psalm with great intonation, beautiful, lyrical voice, tremendous interpretation. And he finished, and everyone applauded. The old pastor stood up and cracking voice and just went through the 23rd Psalm in his humble way. And when he was done, there was not a dry eye in the room.

And sensing the emotion of the moment, the actor stood and said, “I think I understand the difference in your response to me and to him. You clapped for me; you wept for him. The difference is: I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.” ~John MacArthur, The Calling of the Church

And that IS the difference when you hear it. Some recite from the mind, others know from the heart. A worthless shepherd who doesn’t know the Shepherd will be empty, though he deliver his words confidently, or with flair, or eloquently. Lord, give us ears to hear. See Revelation 2:7, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches;”

He that hath an ear—This clause precedes the promise in the first three addresses, succeeds it in the last four. Thus the promises are enclosed on both sides with the precept urging the deepest attention as to the most momentous truths. Every man “hath an ear” naturally, but he alone will be able to hear spiritually to whom God has given “the hearing ear”; whose “ear God hath wakened” and “opened.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Discernment is something we can ask for more of (Psalm 119:66). It is something you can pray for others to be given it (Philippians 1:9). What a privilege to be able to ask the Wise one for more wisdom and discernment.

discernment1

Posted in discernment, theology

Discernment lesson: Thinking through some platitudes and pithy Twitter comments

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

wild wild west

When I post something online, (seems like when I post anything online) there is always someone or more than someone who immediately refutes it. Even the basics of our faith go challenged these days.

One of the most common arguments I receive is that theology doesn’t matter. “Just love Jesus”, they say. “It’s all about love” they say. Well, love is a doctrine. There are commands about it.

But when you mention commands, you’re called a Pharisee.

Here are three rebuttals I received recently that surprised even me. I’d like to explain why they are a concern and then offer some good, solid resources so that you can be a Berean and check them too.

It started with this statement from Beth Moore:

Leaving the obviously violated scriptures aside, Moore’s statement about poking the Calvinists in a sort of ‘us vs. them’ division, left one to wonder if she was identifying as Arminian. Which is what an observer tweeted to Moore, asking that very question. Moore replied that she didn’t know what she was, she’d been taught by so many different people. That led me to note that teachers of the word should know the word. Short version.

The rebuttals that a Bible teacher should know the word and its basic doctrines was refuted heartily by this teacher’s supporters. Here are the three I’ll focus on.

This statement was made by a pastor. He might have been talking about the layman who doesn’t need to know all the ins and outs of the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism, but it doesn’t matter, I refute it utterly. Seminarians definitely do know the difference in those two theologies. They are opposites of each other. They are fairly basic. I learned them in my first two years as a complete newbie to all religion. And we’re not talking about laymen here, but seasoned Bible teachers, and in his comment, seminarians. They of all people should know soteriology.

“It’s not necessary to be able to understand soteriology in order to preach the Gospel” is an internally contradictory statement.

Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation. So essentially the Pastor was saying you don’t need to understand salvation to preach salvation. Of course you do. You might not know the word soteriology, but you definitely need to understand the basics of salvation in order to preach it.

I’ve listed the standard topic words in systematic theology and their definitions below.

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In this next one, you might have noticed the elevated position certain followers put their idols in. Rachel Held Evans was called a saint and a prophetess upon her death. Moore was pronounced an angelic being by Jonathan Merritt. Below, in responding why a celebrity teacher would not answer a direct theological question, the tweeter invoked a comparison to Jesus. This is never wise. Jesus is sovereign God, sinless and holy. He has His plans and purposes for doing things. We are safer to simply follow in obedience the commands for teachers in the Bible, namely, being ready to give an answer to those who ask, (1 Peter 3:15), something this teacher we’re discussing seems to have excised from her Bible.

The lesson here is that no matter how much you love a certain preacher or teacher, they are a forgiven sinner just like us. God shows no partiality. We should esteem and honor our own elders, (1 Timothy 5:17) but to use language that elevate celebrity teachers to positions they do not hold only invites pride and conceit.

In sum, to answer a person who asserts that another person’s behavior is OK because Jesus did it, especially when it contradicts commands for us, is this:

1. Beth Moore isn’t Jesus. (Isaiah 45:22).
2. Teachers should know theology. (Ephesians 4:11-12)
3. Teachers are to give an answer when asked. (1 Peter 3:15, Colossians 4:6.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I erased the person’s comment until his last line, which is what I want to focus on. The problem with the line, which sounds punchy and kinda correct, is that it’s flatly wrong. We can’t examine fruit unless we have something to compare it to.

Say I’m in the Amazon. I’m walking on a path. I stumble across some ripe fruits that have fallen to the ground. What tree did it come from? Will I pick up the fruit and eat it, not knowing from whence it came? The scripture below warns us that some fruit is disguised and bad, because the false prophet it came from is disguised and bad.

I’d pick up the fruit and look for the tree it came from. If it came from a good tree, I’ll eat it. If it came from a bad tree, I won’t.

Bethel School of Prophets produces what people say is “fruit.” They graduate hundreds of mini-prophets per year. Is that fruit? No.

If you had a problem with your good fruit tree in your yard, and hired an arborist to come look at it, would you want him to look at the fruit and suggest a course of action if he had not been to arborist school? Was really just some guy wandering around looking at fruit apart from any tree knowledge? Of course not.

You can’t just declare something you believe is fruit without comparing it to the tree that grew it. The commenter is trying to unhitch fruit from the tree it came from (the tree being Jesus) and you can’t do that. Understand that the two, theology and fruit, are connected. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Meaning in this lesson, fruit grown apart from Jesus is empty of goodness and diseased.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-19).

One of the bad fruits a false prophet makes, is more false prophets and many evil disciples. (Matthew 23:15, Revelation 2:22-23).

How can you know if the tree the fruit came from is diseased? By comparing the fruit to the Bible. You have to know “theology” to do that. Theology simply means the study of God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twitter and Facebook, and other venues for online discourse offer up wonderful opportunities to learn and to engage with one another. These venues also offer up lots of opportunities for satan to promote his lies, through the keyboards of nice sounding platitudes. It’s important to think through these. Its one of the reasons we’re warned to be slow to speak (James 1:19).

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Further Resources:

CARM.org, What did Jesus mean by “you will know them by their fruit?”

CARM.org, Calvinism/Arminianism Comparison Grid

Alisa Childers: Studying Theology “The Bible Says, “Knowledge Puffs Up.” Does This Mean We Shouldn’t Study Too Much?

GotQuestions: What is Theology Proper? 

Theology Proper – the study of God the Father.

Christology – the study of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

Pneumatology – the study of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.

Bibliology – the study of the Bible.

Christian Anthropology – the study of the nature of humanity.

Hamartiology – the study of the nature and effects of sin.

Angelology – the study of angels.

Christian Demonology – the study of demons.

Ecclesiology – the study of the nature and mission of the church.

Eschatology – the study of the end times / last days.

Posted in discernment, theology

The past week(s) have been tough but the future looks bright

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

These past couple of weeks have been rough in our corner of the church. Rachel Held Evans’ passing caused so much grief for her followers and her detractors alike. The display of hatred and bitterness of her followers came after, toward anyone daring to speak a word against their prophetess (their words). It was hard to watch.

Then there was Beth Moore’s craven yet politically manipulative comment that she is preaching on Sunday at a church for Mother’s day and followers of THAT false prophetess came out of the woodwork to proclaim their glee in doing the same, even at Southern Baptist Convention churches, whose statement of faith had traditionally rejected this kind of activity.

Then there was Owen Strachan’s piece biblically outlining why a woman preaching the sermon in church is forbidden by God, and Moore’s self-serving rebuttal to it, her rising anger displayed wantonly for all to see, along of course, with her many followers yapping at Stachan’s heels for his daring to speak against their prophetess.

I’ve only mentioned two women but their combined following just on Twitter alone topped one million people. And their blogs, events, book sales have much greater reach than that, sadly. A huge segment of the western Christian world have been impacted in some way by just those two teachers.

So, it’s been turbulent on social media this week. It reminded me of the Riot at Ephesus where the idol Artemis was enshrined in one of the ancient world’s largest temples, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in fact. Paul’s Gospel preaching started to have an impact, and the merchandise sales began to decline. A silversmith named Demetrius made silver shrines of Artemis and brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He claimed that Paul was “leading the people astray”.

The Riot in Ephesus Acts 19:23-27
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

Notice that Demetrius twice mentioned his business and twice mentioned the goddess Artemis. But notice the order. He first was concerned about his business, both times. Then he mentioned the goddess and worship.

In any case, the people were gullible and became, as the verse says, “furious.” The Greek word for this fury is ‘thumos’. Strong’s concordance explains:

2372 thymós (from thyō, “rush along, getting heated up, breathing violently,” – properly, passion-driven behavior, i.e. actions emerging out of strong impulses (intense emotion). When thymós (“expressed passion”) is used of people it indicates rage, personal venting of anger.

That rage, that passionate personal wrath, is what we saw from RHE followers, from Beth Moore followers, and Beth Moore herself.

At Ephesus, the people filled the arena and shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

That is stunning. The theater there could hold up to 25,000 spectators. You know how loud it gets when just the school gymnasium at school is filled for a pep rally with a few hundred students, and everyone is stomping on the bleachers. Imagine thousands upon thousands of people creating a ruckus and shouting in unholy fury. It’s also stunning that they did it for two hours. That kind of shouting and rage is difficult to maintain at those intense levels. It seems that satanically inspired fury can be maintained for that length of time with no problem.

I liken the ruckus of social media over Rachel Held Evans’ death and Beth Moore’s tweet as similar to the riot at Ephesus; intense, rage filled, sustained, with the followers of those false teachers claiming that those trying to bring the truth were leading them astray. But at the root of it is money. It always is.

The lesson here in looking to that passage of scripture in Acts is that we should never doubt the intense love people have for their idols and the lengths to which they will go to protect and defend them. Never underestimate the power that greed has over those who teach falsely, for their motivation is money. (2 Peter 2:3). Don’t miscalculate the wrath that those in the cottage industries surrounding the idol and financially benefiting from the idol will go to preserve their income. Always remember that those who follow false teachers, false gods, and idols will say that anyone bringing the truth is actually lying and leading the people astray.

It’s been an upsetting week, many people doing and saying unpalatable things. I don’t know the Lord’s reason for ordaining RHE’s number of days to end at 13,505 or why He is allowing Beth Moore to continue polluting the church and blaspheming His name into her 60th year. His will be done. The good news is that we have glory to look forward to. We will sing and worship in truth and unity, with not one blot, not one jot, not one tittle of falsity anywhere. No false teachers will skulk in any corner, no false prophetess will lead anyone astray, and no merchandising of the people will ever happen. Glory will be sparkling pure, clean, and wholesome.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He 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.”

5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:1-7)

glory

Posted in discernment, theology

Beth Moore has a Lot to Answer for in Normalizing Women Preaching/Teaching to Men, again

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The holiness of God cannot be plumbed to its heights. We have no real conception of how Holy God is. Only Isaiah and Ezekiel (Old Testament prophets) and Paul and John (New Testament Apostles) really have a notion. They saw heaven or were given a vision of it. When Isaiah saw God on His throne, and understood his own sin in comparison, he said he was “undone” and fell to the ground.

So just as God’s holiness is infinite and unreachable in its limits, so is sin. I think we really have no idea of the extent of sin, its ugliness, and its infinite abyss. Just when you think sin can’t possibly get any worse, it does. It goes lower, gets worse, and continues on through its bottomless depths.

I’ve written several times about Beth Moore’s desire to preach at a pulpit, to men, with authority. See just two examples with links below. Over time, this desire has defaulted into a de facto reality. She tweeted this week in response to a woman boasting that she was preaching 3 Sunday services in a SBC church, Moore in reply said she herself was “doing” the Sunday service on Mother’s Day in Tomball TX, her hometown.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited. (Titus 2:3-5)

 

Sadly, Beth Moore’s failure to rebuke and train the young woman but instead applaud her for her decision to preach, and in fact celebrate her own sin, fails the Titus verse completely. Moore is teaching women to usurp, not be self-controlled, pure, and godly women at home, as commanded.

When Dr. Owen Strachan, (pronounced Stran, rhymes with man) Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Director of the Center for Public Theology, and Senior Fellow of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, wrote a biblical and clarifying essay on Moore preaching. Moore, who “took a doctrine class,” berated him publicly.

Her tweet contained nothing of a teachable spirit. It was haughty and displayed none of the humility and meekness Jesus demands from His people. Then as she stewed some more, she admitted she was “going off like a bottle rocket.” This behavior fails the command for teachers to be “self-controlled.”

But that is what happens when a person rebels against scripture. They descend further into a depraved mind and then gather others to do the same, then applaud them for it. In fact, the entire situation is one that the Bible warns will happen with ungodly people. Romans 1:28-32,

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Why the Lord is allowing Beth Moore to engage in behavior that stores up wrath for herself is His will alone. But woe to Beth Moore on the day she stands before a holy God and is called to account.

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Please read the following essays I wrote for more information on the devastating results that occur when we buck God’s word, especially when it comes to His Divine Order.

Beth Moore has a Lot to Answer for in Normalizing Women Preaching/Teaching to Men

Beth Moore: A Type of False Prophetess like the Jezebel of Thyatira?

Examples of Beth Moore preaching to and with men. Notice in her tweet she had said she only has preached at “SBC churches, like, 15 times”. But there are also plenty of other churches she has preached in…to men…against the will of God … as set in His word…

 

Below, Moore getting angrier and angrier at the rebuke she has received. She tweeted the following, which sounds more like a pre-teen arguing with her parents than a 40 year teacher of the Bible who has learned the required conditions of gentleness, humility, and self-control. Also, her Legalism is showing. Godliness is not a ratio of good outweighing the bad.