Category: theology

Posted in theology

It’s Pride Month: Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Gay Pride Month was first declared in 1999 by President Bill Clinton. Three presidents of the United States have officially declared a pride month. As mentioned, Clinton was first, who declared it June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month” in 1999 and 2000. Then from 2009 to 2016, each year he was in office, Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. Joe Biden declared June LGBTQ+ Pride Month in 2021.

A lot has happened with the homosexual agenda since 1993. Twenty-eight years ago, (1993) in an episode of the comedy sitcom “Seinfeld” called “The Outing,” Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza, lifelong buddies, are mistaken for a homosexual couple, and “strenuously deny that they are gay, conditioning their denials with ‘Not that there’s anything wrong with that.’ The line would soon afterward become a catchphrase. Jason Alexander maintains that it is the most popular to originate from the series. (source).

But the camel’s nose was under the tent. It was the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” (DADT). In the same year as Seinfeld’s episode of “The Outing”, President Bill Clinton announced new policy regarding homosexuals in the military. Until then, openly homosexual men and women were barred from service in the United States Military. Under Clinton’s policy, DADT meant that homosexual men and women could serve if they weren’t flagrant. No military official could directly ask them about their sexual orientation in recruitment or otherwise, either.

This new policy ushered in a sensitivity about asking or discussing one’s sexual orientation in the general culture, as seen in the hugely impactful Seinfeld episode. I can’t state more strongly what a cultural phenomenon that Seinfeld was. In the episode, each time when homosexuality was mentioned and the catchphrase “Not that there’s anything wrong with that” was uttered, the person would shrug, throw up their hands in a mock submission and shake their head. Here is a 16 second compilation from that episode-

Twenty-eight years later, even mentioning homosexuality in less than glowing terms raises immediate ire. If a person does not give hearty approval to homosexuality, (Romans 1:32), one is immediately scourged. The scourging is fast, immediate, and vicious. I’ve been a recipient of it myself, merely for inquiring of a third party regarding two ladies, “Are they together?”

It is a given that we understand there are many sins. Lists and lists of them are given in the Bible. (Romans 1:29-31, 2 Corinthians 12:20, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Jude 1:16). Committing even one of them disqualifies a person from heaven. Jesus is great enough to forgive them, no matter how many you committed. If a person is talking about the greatness of Jesus in His ability and desire to forgive any and all sins, then by all means, list the bunch of them to illustrate the breadth of His mercy and grace! But homosexuality is one of those sins for which people who practice it will endure hellfire forever.

While the discussion of homosexuality as a sin may legitimately call for an expanded list of sins, it is not necessary to hide homosexuality within a larger list of sins just to make it palatable to the LGBT lobby. If the discussion is about the sin of gossip, then the discussion will be about gossip. No one will suggest including adultery in the talk because it is in some way perversely fair to all the other sins to mention them too.

There is no pride in sin. If so, then an adulterer would proudly march up and down the streets showing off his mistress. Thieves would march in parades holding their ill-gotten goods. There is no pride in any sin. We are called to repentance for gossip, fornication, idolatry, greed…all of it!

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

No one who is unrighteous will inherit heaven. I’m not a better class of sinner than a gay person because I sin differently, no! All unrighteous will be disqualified from heaven. Likewise, the homosexual is not a better class of sinner than me, either. There is no pride in sin. None. All sin is cosmic treason and will evoke anger from a Holy God. He punishes sin in wrath.

The Good News is that repentance from sin will evoke forgiveness and compassion from a loving God. He forgives sin, all sin, as we see in the verse above. “…And such were some of you…” WERE some of you. They WERE greedy, drunkards, swindlers, homosexual. Past. They turned from their sin and appealed in penitence to God for forgiveness.

God forgives because Jesus took God’s punishment for sin on the cross. He became sin, He sacrificed Himself on behalf of us pigs wallowing in our filthy pens. The parable of the Prodigal Son reflects the goodness of the Father and his eagerness to forgive sin and welcome His sons into His house!

I will set out and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired laborers.”’ So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:18-24).

If one wants to feel pride, be proud of a Holy God who forgives. Boast in Him! (2 Corinthians 10:17). We feel pride in Jesus who did such a monumental work, who came to seek and save the lost, of whom homosexuals are grouped. There is no pride in sin, but there is pride in a sinless Savior. I pray that anyone lost in their sin and feeling deep shame, despair, hopelessness, realizes that no one is too far gone to be able to appeal to Jesus in repentance. He forgives all sin, and no sinner coming to Him will be turned away. And there’s nothing wrong with that, and everything RIGHT and GOOD.

Posted in theology

Was Jesus’ death on the cross “cosmic child abuse”?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

kilobox.mobi

Detractors of Christianity will say anything to cast aspersions onto the beauty, glory, and mystery of the atonement. One of the more popular riffs I’ve heard lately is that Father God putting Jesus the Son on the cross and killing him was “cosmic child abuse”.

It wasn’t.

Now that the flat denial and total rebuttal of that notion is out of the way, let’s take a look at why Jesus’ death on the cross was necessary and good.

The mystery of the atonement and all its attendant doctrines is something that has been written about for centuries and by better theologians than myself! I will not be adding anything new. However, my church’s Sunday School lesson taught through the scriptures related to the justification of saints through the atonement, and my brain is afire with thoughts.

As a side note, one way I can affirm the Spirit is alive in me, is His work in my mind when I study or I’m being taught by my pastor-teachers. The scriptures do say He transforms the mind. (Ephesians 4:23, Romans 12:2). My brain fairly sizzles with thoughts, connections, remnants of previous lessons unearthed from my memory to see the light of day and attach to the new information. I’ve got arrows, lines, writing sideways, lol. My brain comes alive when I sit under good teaching. Here is an example of my notes->

I’ll start where my teachers started: Romans 3:21-26,

Justification by Faith: But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [underline mine]

God is just. He performs perfect justice. Being just is one of His attributes. He cannot be anything else but perfect in all ways, including being just. He dispenses His justice as the Just One.

He is also the justifier. No human can forgive unto justification of another human’s sin, (Mark 2:7). We are on equal par, having equal authority. Someone higher than ourselves needs to administer justice. Can I send so-and-so to jail for a five year term for his crime? No, I have no authority. A duly sworn Judge can, though. With the crime of sin, God as the higher up and person distinct from ourselves is the Judge. Secondly, all humans sin, so we need someone outside of humanity to forgive, otherwise it’s just the blind leading the blind. Because God is perfect and holy, He can forgive. Therefore, He is also the Justifer.

Why does there have to be blood, a cross? Because simply to pass His hand over sins and forgive would compromise His holy character and make it seem that the sinful dishonoring of Him trillions of times would not be that big of a deal, said my teacher. As RC Sproul said, sin is “cosmic treason”. For a holy God to overlook treason by His enemies would make God a patsy, not an authoritative King over all!

Another reason the Son’s death on the cross was not ‘cosmic child abuse’ was that Jesus willingly submitted to the Father’s plan. John 10:18 says,

No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.

Jesus was not a victim. Claiming that He was a victim of abuse would introduce a split between the will and desires and plan among the Persons of the trinity. It is just not so. Jesus is the perfect image of the Father, of the same essence. (Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4). He came to do the will of the Father, (John 6:38) not be a hapless victim of a plan gone wrong.

Continuing with reasons Jesus was not a victim of cosmic child abuse, we have to know that God did not have to save anyone. The amazing part of grace is not that He saved some, but that He saved any. He extended His hand and plucked some from the fires of His wrath and He chose to do so with this plan of the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. This is a Plan the Son agreed to.

The fact that when the angels sinned God chose not to save them (2 Peter 2:4) shows His great mercy and grace upon His elect humans. “This magnifies God’s grace powerfully” said my teacher.

Finally, I ask detractors to think of the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked the Father to let this cup [of wrath] pass from Him, if there be another way, yet, His will be done. (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44). Jesus told his companions, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” (Matthew 26:38). He shared with them that He was grieved! Afflicted to the point of death! He sweat great drops of blood! Yet no one stayed awake with Him. He was alone. he pleaded to the Father in honesty but also in submission to the end of the great plan. Jesus asked the Father THREE TIMES.

If the Father had thought of another way, but did not use it, THAT would be child abuse. If the Father had held a different plan in reserve in His mind, and ignored the pitiful pleas from the Man of Sorrows in the Garden, how abusive that would be! If there had been a different way but God killed Jesus anyway, that would be abuse. But no, there was not another way.

Jesus must live the perfect life pleasing to God. This Lamb must be sacrificed in blood, because in the blood there is the life. (Leviticus 17:11). Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22) He must die, and be buried. He rose again, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. The Trinity is united in their desire to administer both justice and grace upon those whom they will administer justice and grace.

Remember, the shocking thing is not that God doesn’t save all. It is that He saves any.

Posted in theology

Moving Day

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m moving apartments this morning, so I won’t be writing and publishing a new blog today. My internet will be cut off here and (hopefully) installed there, later today, so I hope to be back up and running tomorrow.

The Lord providentially took care of this entire thing- giving me this apartment in the first place 13 years ago, and it was a perfect one with no problems whatsoever the entire time. Now that inventory is so low here in the county, He found me another one when it became necessary, and He prompted my work family and church family to help me make the move. Every detail is worked out.

I want to acknowledge His hand in my life down to the exact details,

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:6)

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible says of the Proverbs verse-

In all thy ways acknowledge him,.... Or "know him" (l); the Lord: set him before thee; have him always in view; consider him as ever present with thee, observing every step thou takest; and take not one step without his leave, and without his advice; ask wisdom of him who gives liberally; consult his word, and make the Scriptures thy counsellors, or the men of thy counsel, as in Psalm 119:24; take him as your guide; observe the footsteps of his providence; follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes; walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; when things go cross and adverse, and not to your mind, submit to his sovereignty; and be still and know that he is God, that does all things right, for his own glory and his people's good, Psalm 46:10; and when things succeed, give him the glory of all; own his hand in it, and the bounty of it; acknowledge that all you have, in providence and grace, come from him;

He is a good, good Father! So, I haven’t really ‘Gone Fishin’ because I’m not relaxing or on vacation, but I’ll catch you on the flip side! (See what I did there?)

Blessings and thank you for your prayers and donations, I’m humbly grateful!

Posted in theology

Will God send over 90% of all humans who ever lived to hell?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I received this question from a reader. That’s all he wrote. Not ‘I’m struggling with this doctrine, can you help?’ or ‘I need some clarification on why God would do this…” Just the question, no context or even a hello.

“Will God send over 90% of all humans who ever lived to hell?“

Oh, boy. I knew what was coming. I welcome questions and I love to point people to scriptures and to credible ministries that offer solid answers related to a person’s question. But a question that starts out with truculent phrasing is almost always from an atheist or purposeful provoker and never ends well. But, in good faith, I answered in the following way:

Prata: No… Our default condition upon conception is sinner at enmity with God. So God doesn’t “send” anyone to hell, since ALL PEOPLE since the Fall of Adam ever born (except Jesus) would go there just by being totally depraved sinners. It’s the just punishment for sinners against a holy God. What God does and did was send Jesus to rescue sinners and save them by His grace.

Prata: He justifiably judges sinners who rebel against Him, who is thrice holy. But He also chooses to save some through no merit of our own. This is grace, and we are grateful to a savior who saves wretched enemies who do not deserve it. What we ALL deserve is hell.

With my first reply, I tested the waters with going straight to the doctrine of total depravity to see how he would respond. If it was, I’d expect the person to sincerely ask for clarification, and then I’d begin teaching from scripture. If not, I’d reply once more to see if they were genuinely responding to the actual conversation, or just whipping up more scenarios simply to be vexing for their own entertainment. Here is his response:

Reader: If everyone is hell-bound by default, then people, especially Christians, should stop having kids. Because all we are doing is adding to God’s expanding no-fly list of billions of unsaved names. And if the vast majority of mankind is going to eternal conscious punishment in hell according to the end times prophecies of Revelations, then that means for the majority of mankind, life had absolutely no meaning in the end. Let’s say your car overturned and pinned you. There’s a fuel leak. I happened to be nearby. I’m a non-Christian. I am the only person around. I rush to your car and pull you to safety but the car bursts into flames and I burn to death while saving you.

Reader: But since I died a non-Christian, I would suddenly find myself in hell even though I ended my life doing a selfless, heroic act saving one of God’s elect. But if regardless of how I live and end my life, if the result is the same for non-Christians, I may as well have not saved you. I should’ve walked away and let you save yourself.

OK, one reply and then I’ll bow out. Scripture this time. Lots of them. It doesn’t seem like he cares about God but only about arguing his point. Going to the doctrine of total depravity and seeing peoples’ response to it shows me where they’re coming from. A low view of sin in ourselves means the person has a low view of God and a high view of man (and his deeds).

Prata: You have a man-centric point of view. You need to expand that and submit to God’s point of view and His plan. All lives had meaning in the end, those in heaven glorify God by being a display of His mercy. Those in hell glorify God by being a display of His justice.

Isaiah 64:6, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

So what you saved me from a burning car but died yourself? We all die sometime. All your works are as filthy rags if you’re not in Christ, whether you’re Hitler or an unsaved fireman saving someone from a burning car and died “selflessly.” The ONLY true selfless act in the universe was Jesus dying on the cross to save sinners like you and me.

I encourage you to read the article below about how hell glorifies God. The only meaning in life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. It’s the chief end of man. (Westminster Shorter Catechism)

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, [a] and to enjoy him for ever. [b]

[a]. Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev. 4:11
[b]. Ps. 16:5-11; 144:15; Isa. 12:2; Luke 2:10; Phil. 4:4; Rev. 21:3-4

Your argument is with God.

Romans 9:21, Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on Rom 9:21–
Hath not the potter power over the clay; of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another to dishonour?—”The objection is founded on ignorance or misapprehension of the relation between God and His sinful creatures; supposing that He is under obligation to extend His grace to all, whereas He is under obligation to none.

How Does Hell Glorify God?

We will end our discussion here, your tendency for mockery against God only digs you deeper into a hellish hole. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).

(I hadn’t liked his characterization of God making a ‘no-fly’ list).

Well, as expected, he did not respect my note to end here. He came back with another email splattered with different scenarios on different topics, not really replying to the one we started with. It’s a key indicator that I’m dealing with a truculent person out for his own entertainment. I replied asking him to please respect my wish for him to meditate on the scriptures provided, to read the article suggested, and to think about what was already discussed, which was substantial (if one is truly seeking and not just arguing). I’d said that if he replied right away again, I’d block him, sadly. He did reply, not with one email but two, which I did not read. And I did block, without engaging again, as promised. So he went to comment on the blog, which I blocked him there too.

When you’re in a public ministry, expect questions, challenges, and even linguistic booby traps in the guise of sincerity. It’s OK to make decisions based on your experience of how long to go on in conversation with a person. There are two scriptures which apply:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; (1 Peter 3:15)

and-

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

I’d said at the start that engaging with people who are obviously out for a fight doesn’t end well. It doesn’t end well for two reasons. Either I become vexed myself and speak ungraciously, blotting my witness; or they dig themselves deeper into a hole as Matthew 12:36 indicates-

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

I do not want to be the vehicle he uses to dig himself deeper. In not throwing pearls before pigs or in shaking the dust off my feet by not hearing my words (Matthew 10:14) and closing down discussion, it’s an art to keep that fine line. It’s an individual decision based on scripture and experience. I give one or two replies and cut it off from there, especially if they mock or use curse words.

Maybe I should give more time to a conversation or maybe my timing is just right. It’s a personal decision. Don’t feel guilty about cutting off endless replies and not engaging in a circling the drain conversation. I give a reply (hopefully graciously as 1 Peter 3:15 says to) but I also make decisions to cease engaging as per Matthew 7:6 says to. There are only so many hours in the day. I owe my time, metal energy, and emotional equilibrium to Jesus first, then to those closest to me in real life and my church family, and then to the anonymous public who contact me in this ministry.

It’s OK to bow out of a conversation that has run its course, or to block or mute people who have demonstrated ill-will. And I don’t feel guilty about it, either. Though I do feel bad for the person, so lost in his logic he is blinded from seeing the supernatural- which is God and His glory. I pray for that person. Then I shake the dust off my feet and go on to the next thing, ready with a reply for the hope that is within me…

Posted in theology

What can women do on stage during church services?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

A reader asked about women on stage during church services. During the service different churches allow women to do different things. Some of those things might be-

–preaching the sermon
–leading a confessional or a devotional
–reading of scripture
–leading the choir
–singing solos
–singing in the choir with men
–leading congregational prayer
–giving announcements

It is obvious that scripture forbids a woman from preaching to the congregation, to men, or to teach them. No matter how feminists twist the pertinent scriptures, they always say the same thing. Preaching is a NO. (1 Timothy 2:12)

Ten years ago Tim Challies, book reviewer and at that time a pastor/elder in his church, wrote two essays on women reading scripture on stage during services. The first article was strong on the complementarian nature of the functions of men and women in the Sunday Church service. It generated lots of push back (even ten years ago, imagine if it was published these days!). So he wrote a second article explaining more of his thinking.

He believes that the reading of scripture is a teaching function and therefore reserved for men only. Oddly, he/his church allows a woman to lead prayer from time to time. So here we view the see-saw nature of what a woman can or cannot do on stage during a Sunday Service according to scripture and according to various peoples’ interpretation of it.

It’s really up to the conscience of the elders/pastor and his interpretation of the pertinent verses to make decisions in the gray areas where scripture doesn’t speak specifically. I tend to fall into the narrow interpretation category of interpreting that it’s best not having a woman speak anything on stage during the service. I like seeing only men on stage during Sunday services praying, speaking, leading, or teaching because it’s consistent with 1 Timothy and the headship issue.

the women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

Here are Challies’ two articles. I liked his explanation of why he interprets the reading of scripture is a teaching function. That’s why I’m linking to it.

Here are Challies’ two articles

Article #1-

The Public Reading of Scripture

Article #2 responding to push back,

Men, Women & the Public Reading of Scripture

I agree with his articles that the reading of scripture is related to a teaching function (article #2 explains why very well, it’s why I posted it). I agree that preaching is reserved for men according to 1 Timothy 2 and other verses. In that same vein of interpretation, I personally believe that women leading prayer on stage during church service is the also a teaching function because we often pray scripture or pray about scripture, and therefore reserved for men.

I think especially in these days that a woman on stage during the church service speaking to the congregation in any form except to be baptized or share her testimony is a violation of 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and/or is a dangerous precedent presenting a poor ‘visual’ that will inspire others to follow and enlarge. A picture of a woman standing on stage with a Bible in her hand and a microphone in the other speaking to the congregation thru reading scripture or thru prayer puts the camel’s nose under the tent flap. We know that once you give an inch, satan will take a mile. Soon, I believe, that same church will allow women to preach. It’s incremental.

Here is an example of that incremental creep: …in a church I went to long ago a woman led the choir from on stage during service and sang with them. OK. But then she gravitated to standing behind the pulpit and explaining to the congregation the origin of the song they were about to sing. Hmmm. Then, she gravitated to standing behind the pulpit and explaining the theology and scriptures behind the song, and her explanations got even longer. Uh-oh. You see how it gets incrementally more of a violation of scripture to have a woman on stage explaining anything. Her “explanations” turned into mini-sermons over time. Give satan an inch … he takes a mile.

As for women singing in the choir with men or singing solos, I believe that is different. I believe that is an expression of service to God by using her God-given talent for the glory of God. When a woman leads congregational prayer or reads scripture she is being used as a vehicle to deliver God’s words to the people, that is why I believe it to be a violation of 1 Timothy 2. When she sings, she is using man’s words. She is not in authority over men because the highest authority, the Bible, is not being used as a conduit to express that authority. In that way, I believe singing is a service, not an authoritative leading.

Here is a blog post from Grace To You 2013 on the topic

https://www.gty.org/library/Blog/B130904

It’s about headship and submission (And Adam was formed first, then Eve…as the rest of the 1 Timothy 2 verse goes).

In my beliefs in matters of gray area, I tend to fall on the more conservative side. I know how grabby sin can be, and standing on the line with my toes right up to it would make for an easier fall into sin, in my view. Better to stay on more solid ground. But in matters of gray area it’s up to the pastor or elders’ interpretation and conscience, and then our own as our churches live out their ecclesiology.

Posted in theology

Ch-Ch-Changes

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday was the last day of school for teachers. I said goodbye to the kids on Tuesday, ending a year of COVID, stress, uncertainty, perseverance, and eventually, victory.

I said goodbye today to my dear friend and boss of ten years, the person who hired me, supported me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and loved me despite my ridiculous quirks, Angie. After 32 years of service in this same school, she retired. I also said goodbye to sweet friend and sister in Christ, retiring school secretary Jeannie.

Also in the last week, I gave up my new stray cat Sully to the shelter, since he was so unhappy and never adjusted to inside life nor to me, and I was unhappy since I could not comfort him enough for him to calm down, but I’m still wracked with guilt.

Continue reading “Ch-Ch-Changes” →
Posted in theology

The Beth Moore Effect, SBC Annual Meeting, and Storm Clouds

Posted on by elizabethprata
As the SBC prepares to gather…the storm clouds gather

By Elizabeth Prata

I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23‘And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:19-23).

There are so many warnings about false teaching. There really is NO reason to tolerate it. The first instruction ever given to the church is in Matthew 18, to discipline unrepentant church-going sinners! Jesus taught much against the dangers of false teaching, using vivid language of ravenous wolves shredding the sheep. Paul warning of unaddressed sin spreading like gangrene. Peter warned of satan roaming the earth looking for someone to devour. The letters to the churches in Revelation were written well after all the previous epistles. The Thyatirans should have known better.

We should always be pursuing holiness, and tolerating sin is the opposite of slaying sin. It is a massive failure.

In Thyatira’s case, not only had they tolerated a false prophetess who was usurping a place of leadership, but she had been doing it unabated for so long that she had spawned a second generation of like-minded idolater usurpers.

But let’s start with the first and pervasive thought that comes to our mind as we read the letter. It is obvious that this church had tolerated sin. It had tolerated acts of immorality and certain involvement with idols, as verse 20 indicates it. And not only had it tolerated, but it had allowed the woman who was teaching that to have reached a point of prominence where she was articulating it and leading Christians astray, as well as collecting around her some false believers. The Lord promises that He’s going to judge, and He’s going to judge that church severely, sparing only those, according to verse 24, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them. (The Church that Tolerates Sin part 1)

Think on this: the pollution from the Jezebel false prophetess was polluting the church and bringing judgment upon them. On the surface everything looked fine, though. The letter opens with Jesus exclaiming that the church had love, faith, service, and perseverance! Yet all was not well. The leaven of tolerating this Jezebel woman’s usurpation was going to bring severe judgment. Yes, ‘Jezebel’ and her like-minded children will be judged, but so will the people who allowed it!

Most churches tolerate sin of some kind all too often. Congregants divorce and it goes unremarked. Gossip spreads on prayer chains and people overlook it. People steal from God by failing to give cheerfully, and no one knows (except the church Treasurer and Jesus). But there are consequences for tolerating sin. Tolerating false doctrine or a false teacher has the most devastating consequence of all.

“In the case of the church at Thyatira, as of the churches in Sardis and Laodicea, the situation was far more serious. Here not merely a small minority was indifferent but large numbers had actually yielded to the demoralizing influence of false teaching, and I might add of sin.” [Charles Erdman, "The Revelation of John, Philadelphia: Westminster, 1966. p 56].

False teaching pollutes the church. False teachers pollute the church. False prophecies pollute the church. The tolerance of the Thyatiran leadership allowed sin to permeate their church and pollute it. They weren’t even struggling against it! They were simply caving in and letting it run rampant.

Since sin always worsens, it never, EVER rectifies itself, the sin in the Thyatiran church had descended to “the deep things of satan.” Thankfully, those deep satanic things are not spelled out in the letter, because we don’t need to know specifics. Suffice to say, tolerating false a prophetess means that satan’s things will simply embed deeper and deeper.

Worse, her sinful example will inspire others to do the same. And in Thyatira, that is exactly what happened. She had been tolerated so long that the church had descended to the evils of idolatry and the deep things of satan. AND she had spawned a second generation of false prophetesses!

"He says, “I’m going to kill her children.” What does He mean? I don’t think He means His bondservants who were following her. He means the second generation of her falsehood. It tells me this, that this thing had been around long enough in this church - remember, we’re in 96 A.D. and this church has been around for 40 years, this thing has been around long enough that there is a second generation of people propagating the same stuff. That’s her children. She has begotten a generation who are advocating the same thing…" (Thyatira: The Church That Tolerates Sin Part 2)

Let’s look at a modern day example: Beth Moore. Moore is a false prophetess, teaching false doctrine, prophesying, leading women astray. Southern Baptist Convention leadership and her own church leadership tolerated Moore, a false prophetess usurping a place of leadership not designed for a woman, bringing false teachings to women, living a life not designed for wives to lead. Her own pastor vaulted her to the initial position of preaching on Sundays and teaching co-ed classes. Knowing this was forbidden and after cursorily questioning the legitimacy of this, Moore seized at the opportunity to put herself in a position not designed for her, and never let go.

When it was obvious that her usurping and prophesying was getting out of control, and that her local pastor was not going to do anything about it, SBC leaders also tolerated her usurpation. Some even congratulated her for it.

Does sin ever lay passively around, helplessly spread? No. Sin is aggressive and it will permeate if given even a minute chance, and that is what happened with Moore. Other like-minded, usurping women watched Moore carefully, and seeing no leadership objections and certainly no discipline or consequence to her sin, they vaulted forward. This is the second generation of her children (Revelation 2:23).

I’ve read so many women online who “credit” Moore for the ground-breaking she did in making it possible for them to teach, preach, and prophesy.

There are tons of comments like these from many women, either as well-known as Wilkin or less well known. It’s a steady stream online of women praising Moore for leading the way into egalitarianism and acceptance of women usurping in the church. The comments remain the same- they “credit” Moore’s example of a Thyatiran Jezebel for clearing the path for them to preach. Women have even been ordained in the SBC now, with leaders perfectly open about it. This must stop. Moore laid the groundwork for this result and leaders tolerated it to the point where it’s accepted now, but the rug can be pulled out and new ground work laid, one that stands upon biblical principles and is acceptable to Jesus.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He did not tolerate false prophetesses in his church leading people astray then, and He does not tolerate it now. He also doesn’t accept leaders tolerating this kind of sin, either. He will judge.

My exhortation for the leaders attending the upcoming SBC annual meeting is to re-think your stance on women teaching men and preaching. Not because I said so. But because Jesus did. We do not want to have our denomination descend int the “deep things of satan” anymore than it already has. It robs Jesus of glory! It harms His people.

My request to readers is that since there are caravans of good men heading to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Nashville June 15-16 with intent to persuade those tolerating this female usurping sin and other sins to rectify it, please pray for these men to be successful. Please pray for the ones who oppose curbing the leftward drift of our denomination, too.

Posted in theology

I’m gonna need a bigger bookcase…

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

It’s a riff off the famous line in the classic 1975 movie, Jaws. I was born in Providence, Rhode Island and grew up in Little Rhody. I was 14 1/2 when the movie came out, timed for Memorial Day Weekend and the blockbuster season of summer fun movies. They filmed the movie on the nearby island of Martha’s Vineyard.

A friend from high school whose family had a trawler invited me to join them for a weekend jaunt to the ‘The Vineyard’. We’d all seen Jaws of course, and like everyone else the movie scared me to death. When we got to Edgartown, one of the main towns on the island, we anchored. Immediately my friend’s teenage brothers started cannon-ball jumping from the top of the bridge into the water. I looked down at those Atlantic seal-grey waters that obscured everything underneath, and thought about the shark, filmed in that very spot, and said ‘nope.’ The filming gear was still around, including the floating platform they used to film the mechanical shark, dubbed “Bruce.” Spooky!

The line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” is embedded in American consciousness and has become iconic. For me, I cannot believe it has been 45 years since that Martha’s Vineyard summer! Where does the time go?! I remember being shy around my friend’s brothers, of seeing the sun set over the harbor, of cobblestone streets, of scrimshaw shops, of eating fresh fish for dinner. Because of the movie, I thought about death for the first time, really thought about it. Where do people go when they die?

By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.
(Genesis 3:19)

What happens after we die? It was an impenetrable question to which my 14-year-old brain had no answer. What lay ahead for that gal, only the Lord knew. As I look back over the bridge of time, I know that it has been quite a ride.

As we age, I guess in some respects we become melancholy in reminiscing about the past. I’m not fond of memories because mine tend to be sad, or filled with wistful regrets.

I returned to Martha’s Vineyard many decades later. My husband and I had our own boat by then. We lived on it for 2 years, cruising up and down the eastern seaboard and over to the Bahamas. We spent some time in Edgartown and Vineyard Haven harbors, swinging on anchor and enjoying the summer breezes. I was a 30-year-old adult by then, twice the age I was when I’d first visited.

My time living on our boat taught me that the earth is beautiful. It could not have been banged into existence because of its easily seen currents, tides, beauty, progression of the sun, moon, and stars nightly. “This couldn’t have happened by chance,” I kept thinking. “There must be a God.”

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20).

The Jesus thing, though, forgeddaboutit. Not for nothing, but that sin and blood and cross stuff was wack.

Twelve years later I was closing in on the cross but not there yet. I was still pondering the mysteries of the universe, this time, the nature of evil. I was running the local newspaper then, and there was an epic struggle for the soul of the town. Dems vs Republicans, liberals vs conservative, old ways vs influx of people with newfangled ideas. You know, it was a mini-version of the same thing we saw in the 2020 election campaign season and culminating on January 6th. Bad.

The struggle turned ugly, with the entire array of dirty tricks, hatred, bitterness, and words said. Tires were slashed, slander spread, whisper campaigns galore. Why are people so mean? I wondered. If we go to heaven when we die, what makes that place different from here, if we’re all there? It would be the same? What makes heaven, heaven?

Now it’s eighteen years later. I’ve been saved since then. My church is a wonderful place. We had a great service yesterday with truth proclaimed in a steady, strong stream for an hour and a half in music, prayer, and sermon. We had supper afterwards, and friends and I talked, laughed, enjoyed each other’s company. Our church is a generous church and it is a reading church. When we planted, all of our elders were educators either in Christian schools or public schools. We have a lot of grad students, college students, and educators. We read. Our church buys boxes of books and gives them to us. We have book clubs sprinkled over two counties of our congregants. I SO appreciate their wisdom in making sure they recommend good material and provide the means to get good books to us!

One of the boxes of books they bought was John Piper’s new magnum opus, Providence. I eagerly went to the book room and grabbed a copy, excited to start reading it this summer while I’m home from work. I’m not a huge fan of Piper but I hear great things about this particular work.

As I hefted the book from the shelf and wrestled the tome into my smallish bookbag, I realized how big of a book it was. “I’m going to need a bigger bookcase…” popped into my head. Right after, all those thoughts of that long-ago summer in Martha’s Vineyard with Jaws filming props scattered around came back to me.

My favorite doctrine is the Doctrine of Providence. GotQuestions explains,

"Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66:7), human destiny (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people (Psalm 4:8). This doctrine stands in direct opposition to the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate."
"Through divine providence God accomplishes His will. To ensure that His purposes are fulfilled, God governs the affairs of men and works through the natural order of things."

And sometimes He works through the UNnatural order of things, like stopping the sun, parting the sea, or changing water to wine.

Providence is a comfort, it is reassuring, it gives me license to hand over control in submission to a wise and compassionate God. I’ve sometimes wondered if the Lord’s planning of my birth before the foundation of the world in the state of Rhode Island in the city of Providence was connected to my growing love for the Doctrine. It tickles me anyway, that I was born in Providence and I love the doctrine of Providence.

I AM going to need a bigger bookcase, lol. I’m running out of room and when I add this bad boy it’s going to make the shelf sag for sure. Good thing I providentially have time during the summer to read. See what I did there?

I’m grateful for God’s providential care, His salvation of my wretched soul at age 42, His raising up of good men turned to elders who plant churches for His name, for books, for my life. Take some time today to ponder Him, His creation, His plan, His providence in caring for you.

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. (Psalm 103:19).

Posted in theology

Giving Good Gifts

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11).

Parents know what their children need and want and would bring them joy. So they give good gifts. The Father in heaven knows all the greater what to give His children.

Today I’m looking at what children give their parents. Let’s think about the gifts children give to the adult loved ones in their life.

Continue reading “Giving Good Gifts” →
Posted in theology

Oh yeah?! Prove it!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

In Matthew 12:22-37, Jesus is teaching. The crowds had begun to swarm around Him. He had made a blind man see and mute man talk. The crowds were beginning to wonder if Jesus was indeed the promised Son of David. Of course, the proud Pharisees and scribes who were on hand did not like to hear that. They tried to dismiss the sovereign divine power of Jesus by claiming he casts out satan by satan.

Jesus replied with his famous teaching, that a divided house cannot stand, and if He drives out satan by satan, who did they drive out satan by? He went on for many verses with a teaching and a warning and reminders to this evil group of religious non-believers. He spoke of the unforgivable sin. He warned, He said by their words they will be justified…or condemned.

The Pharisees and scribes replied, replied, yeah, yeah, but we want a sign.

Continue reading “Oh yeah?! Prove it!” →