Tag: jesus

Posted in theology

Jen Wilkin is so gone (and what is the ‘ordo amoris’ anyway?)

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Today on X (formerly Twitter), a theologian noted that Jen Wilkin made a nonsensical statement by twisting a biblical concept while on a Q&A Panel. He said,

I’ll have three points here:
1. In general, avoid Jen Wilkin,
2. Specifically, explaining the error of her statement that was posted yesterday,
3. Explaining what the ordo amoris is.

1. In general, avoid Jen Wilkin

I have written about Jen Wilkin several times here on my blog, once positively (long ago!) and then always negatively. Jen is a teacher and preacher out of Matt Chandler’s church, The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX. She has been the Director of Curriculum, she has been teaching pastors & missionaries, and she preaches as a guest in other churches. Of course, the Bible says a woman may not preach or teach men in the church. (1 Timothy 2:11-12). It is disgraceful for her to do so. (1 Corinthians 33-35).

She is an egalitarian, feminist, rebel, Bible twister, unhumble, unteachable, and in general, one to be avoided. She is false. Resources supporting my claims will be provided below.

2. Specifically, explaining why her statement today is error

The entire video from which this short clip is taken is available on Youtube. It is from a Gospel Coalition series titled Good Faith Debates, and the debate was “Should Christians Send their Children to Public School?” Wilkin’s stance is pro-public school. She believes in the “public school ideal” and thinks that Christian children, even kindergarteners, should be in public schools to be a witness and to be engaged in society. So that is her overall stance.

In this specific short clip Jen said, “The most common phrase I hear thrown out in these conversations is ‘well I just need to do what’s best for my family.’ I think that’s something that as Christians we have to push back on. Philippians tells us each of you should look not just to your own interest but to the interests of others.“

Something that dishonest debaters do is to make a generalization. Here, Jen said ‘conversations I’ve heard’. Normally, people have conversations with people who think and believe the same as they do. If she has heard conversations of people saying that 5 year olds need to be active witnesses in public school then I am positive this is a biased view of the situation. It’s also too narrow. Her statement is not based on wide-ranging, unbiased fact. Or the Bible in context.

Secondly, another dishonest debating trick is to restate the question as an either-or. She split what should not be split. Here, Jen subtly poses the question as ‘Christians either ONLY do what’s best for their family’ (and by implication, no one else). She makes it seem as if Christians in this debate are only concerned with their own family and are ignoring the needs of the rest of the world.

No one in their right mind is going to ‘push back on’ having a primary view of doing for one’s family. No one. In addition, most Christians are concerned with the needs of others. Philanthropy is alive and well among the brethren.

3. What is the ‘Ordo Amoris’?

The term originates from Augustine, if not the concept from the Bible. He wrote about it in the City of God. We know that we are supposed to love the right things; holiness, our spouse, His word, our neighbor, His name (Psalm 5:11), and so on. We also are not supposed to love certain things- we are not supposed to love violence Psalm 11:5, or worthless things (Psalm 119:37).

But in addition to knowing what to love, we are supposed to love in the right order. That’s where ordo comes from, it’s a Latin word. So is amoris. We love pizza, we love our football team, we love our home, our children, our spouse, Jesus. Not all of those loves are measured with the same weight. We don’t even love all the people in our lives the same amount.

“For whatever reason, Jesus had His Peter, James, and John, and He had His twelve, and He had His seventy. And so there are these concentric circles of intimacy, it seems, that mattered to Him.” ~John MacArthur

We love our family first, the nuclear family is the first priority. Our deep love and care goes to the people living under our roof. That is found in 1 Timothy 5:8. “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.“

It doesn’t say not to provide for anyone else except your family, it says to be kind to all, but especially one’s family, indicating a hierarchy. There are circles of responsibility. As pastor John Michael LaRue said on X,

“To add to this, Paul’s recognition in 1 Corinthians 7:33-34 of the divided interest of the married man undergirds the reality that the husband and father has responsibilities of protection and care for his wife and children that a single man does not have.“

Then a close second in love are extended family members, then our neighbors, then love our community, then our country, and then consider the interests of the rest of the world. Of course these can overlap and even shift. The concentric circles are not in stone.

Galatians 6:10 says “So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith“, again indicating a concentric circle of mindfulness when considering to whom we donate. Jesus said to love your neighbor and defined it as, well, anyone in whose proximity we can share God’s love with.

My view on this ordo amoris discussion is, I trust true Christians to do and to give wisely based on their good decisions, true Christians who are making unwise decisions will be dealt with by Jesus (not me), and if they are not true Christians, then when they face Jesus they will have worse things to worry about than who or what to whom they gave donations.

In an essay about the ordo amoris, not specifically commenting about Jen Wilkin’s either-or statement, Owen Strachan said not to be “confused by silly dichotomies. You can love your natural family AND love the global body of Christ AND seek the salvation of the lost among the nations.”

The point is to use wisely the means (money, expertise, energy) Jesus has given us. Being a wise shepherd means making wise decisions about how to deploy what Jesus has gifted us with. After settling one’s obligations for the month, there may be discretionary money to use to fulfill others’ needs. Even if there is no money leftover we can use our energy, time, expertise to help fulfill others’ needs. As Christians we DO help with needs, as Christians we do so wisely.

Conclusion

False teachers abound, and Jen Wilkin is one of them. False teachers use deceptive language to divide the brethren, to confuse them, and to advance their evil agenda. Third, the ordo amoris is just a fancy phrase for being wise in providing for the people in your circles and extending outward with care and attention, founded by prayer and biblical principles.

Further Resources

Samuel Sey at Slow to Write: Is JD Vance’s ordered love biblical?

John MacArthur essay “Authentic Love“

JC Ryle essay: Christian Love

Jen Wilkin discernment article: If I ever meet him I’ll probably sock him in the face

Jen Wilkin discernment article: Boundary stones and slippery slopes

Cut to the chase, a shorter discernment article on Jen Wilkin

Posted in assurance, faith, john macarthur, salvation

Comfortable Unbelievers: A Church Concern

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

One of my most fervent prayers is that your/my church is not filled with comfortable unbelievers. The odds are though, that at least some in the church believe they are saved but are not. The Bible says,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Artist: Boris Sajtinac

Today is the day we should…

...draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Here is a resource for you to test your faith and find assurance

Is It Real?– 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation
1 John; 1 John 5:1; John 10: 10; 1 Peter 5:10-

Throughout the letter is a series of tests to determine whether you possess eternal life. If you don’t pass these tests, you’ll know where you stand and what you need to do. If you do, you’ll have reason to enjoy your eternal salvation with great assurance.

 God gave us His Spirit to indwell us as the guarantee of our salvation and of our future eternity with Jesus. Do you have the Spirit? Are you sure? Here are further resources addressing the question-

How Do I Know If I’m Really Saved? Costi Hinn

How Can I Know If I’m Saved? GotQuestions

Can I Know if I’m Saved? Ligonier

Eternity is too precious, and too long, to take casually.

Posted in bible, hermeneutic, life verse, what this verse means to me

Avoiding Misinterpretation: A Guide to Biblical Hermeneutics

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Hermeneutics. It’s not a word you hear often inside of churches. In our watered down state of the church, preachers and pastors don’t often use the “big words” any more. If they do, they’re abashed and even apologize for saying theological words like ‘justification’ or ‘inerrancy.’ Hermeneutics is a battleground in our continued spiritual warfare against the schemes of the devil. You have to know what it is.

From the Compact Dictionary Doctrinal Words by Terry L. Mithe, hermeneutics is

From the Greek hermeneutikos, “interpretation.” Hermeneutics is the science of the study and interpretation of Scripture, the branch of theology that prescribes rules by which the Bible should be interpreted. Biblical hermeneutics strives to formulate guidelines for studying scripture that help recover the meaning a biblical text had for its original hearers.

Here are some thoughts regarding hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the science of interpreting text, in this case, biblical text. The problem today isn’t so much Bible inerrancy, it’s Bible insufficiency- the Bible isn’t enough so we interpret it the way we want. The opposite of hermeneutics is casual interpretation and practices such as “life verses” and “what this verse means to me”.

In this essay you will find-

1. John MacArthur explains the fallacy of teaching ‘What does this verse mean “to me?”‘
2. A recommendation of Todd Friel’s teaching series “Herman Who? The art and science of interpreting Scripture“. (His ministry is now called Fortis Institute) is very helpful.
3. Matthew Henry’s quote

I think we’ve all seen either in real life or in videos, where a popular women’s ‘Bible teacher’ stands up to welcome her audience and to share with us her ‘life verse.’ Or as we hear the teacher ask the women, say, “Now, what does this verse means to you?…”

Biblical interpretation is not a Rorschach test “What do you see in the inkblot?”

What does John MacArthur say about this method of interpreting scripture, looking for what it means to the individual? What Does This Verse Mean “to Me”?

That’s a fashionable concern, judging from the trends in devotional booklets, home Bible study discussions, Sunday-school literature, and most popular preaching. The question of what Scripture means has taken a back seat to the issue of what it means “to me.” The difference may seem insignificant at first. Nevertheless, our obsession with the Scripture’s applicability reflects a fundamental weakness. We have adopted practicality as the ultimate judge of the worth of God’s Word.

In just one paragraph, MacArthur punctures the practice. We cannot adopt a scripture because it has personal applicability to us and dispense with other verses because they don’t. MacArthur continues,

No believer can apply truth he doesn’t know. Those who don’t understand what the Bible really says about marriage, divorce, family, child-rearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ, eternal rewards, helping the poor, caring for widows, respecting government, and other teachings won’t be able to apply it. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully to their own blessedness and God’s glory. True doctrine transforms behavior as it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the truth clearly and accurately. Practical application comes easily by comparison.

Solid biblical hermeneutics searches for truth under the premise of “What did God intend for me to know about Himself in this passage?” versus today’s practice of me-centered interpretations asking “What does this verse mean to me?” The latter leads to a false kind of open-mindedness regarding interpretation. It’s also “me-centered” and not God centered.

In theology at some point you need firmness, it’s imperative to obtain a settled authoritative stance on at least the fundamentals of the faith.

When it comes to possessing a firm understanding of the foundations of the faith gained by a proper interpretive methid, it’s OK to be ‘dogmatic’.

Dogmatic theology gets its name from the Greek and Latin word dogma which, when referring to theology, simply means “a doctrine or body of doctrines formally and authoritatively affirmed.”

Biblical hermeneutics appropriately conducted leads to an illumination of the scriptures which leads to a Spirit-settled understanding which leads to an authoritative witness with conviction. S. Lewis Johnson this in his sermon “Paul’s Right to Compensation.” In highlighting the importance of dogmatism he compared the ridiculousness of open-minded non-dogmatism in the secular world:

Now, I’ve been talking like I’m dogmatic, haven’t I? I’ve been trying to inject a little bit of the apostolic dogmatism in it. The world has little use for people without convictions when — for example, when your child becomes very, very sick and you want to call a doctor, you don’t call a doctor who is open-minded about personal disease, do you? Or we don’t send our children to school if we know the teachers are open-minded about the multiplication tables and things like that. We don’t do that. We want someone that we have confidence in…

Does a pastor ascend the pulpit on a Sunday morning after a week of study, and say, “Open to John chapter 3, here is what the verse means to me. It may mean something different to you.” No. Not a good pastor.

In contrasting the “this verse means to me” approach with the biblical approach, we now turn to Acts 8:26:40. The Spirit directed Philip the evangelist to go up to the Ethiopian Eunuch, who was seated in his chariot reading scripture, Isaiah 53 as it turns out. How did Philip begin the teaching lesson? Did he say, “Oh, I see you are reading scripture. What does the verse ‘“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth’ mean to you?”

Of course not. We read in Acts 8:30-31 that Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” This indicates there is one understanding, not many understandings dependent on personal applicability, whether the reader likes it, or how it fits into their culture or era.

In humility, the Eunuch said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” indicating that interpreting a verse is not about a mutual exchange of different interpretations relative to an individual’s personal meaning, but a teacher-student relationship wherein one submits to the other’s greater knowledge and listens. (Always check for proper interpretations as a Berean afterward as per Acts 17:11). What happened next was,

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:35)

Philip told him. Dogmatically, authoritatively. That’s what a teacher does, he studies, submits himself to the Spirit and seeks the interpretation. Then he tells the Good News. Do we say “I will share the Good News. It’s Good News to Me. Maybe it won’t be to you.” Heavens, no!

This is not to say that we aren’t humble when we’re dogmatic. Philip was humble when he submitted to the Spirit’s order to go where he didn’t know and approach the person he didn’t know and explain the scriptures to him. The Eunuch was also humble in his reply.

The difference between errant dogmatism and correct dogmatism in hermeneutical interpretation is the Holy Spirit. He will settle you, if you earnestly seek the Lord and submit to His teaching. Once a passage or doctrine is settled in your mind due to the Spirit’s illumination, then it’s the time to explain, exhort, and defend.

Observe, No scripture prophecy is of private interpretation (or a man’s own proper opinion, an explication of his own mind), but the revelation of the mind of God. … But though the scripture be not the effusion of man’s own private opinion or inclination, but the revelation of the mind and will of God, yet every private man ought to search it, and come to understand the sense and meaning thereof.

Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2436). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Further Resources

Todd Friel’s teaching series “Herman Who? The art and science of interpreting Scripture“. (His ministry is now called Fortis Institute) is very helpful. Link brings you to a product.

What is dogmatic theology? GotQuestions essay

Posted in theology

Christian Liberty: Can Women Work Outside the Home?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The other day I came across a post on X (formerly Twitter) from The Transformed Wife/Lori Alexander/ @godlywomanhood, which stated flatly:

I erased the rest of the post so I could present the main focus, her outlandish statement. I left the date and time stamp if you want to look it up to see the rest of her sentence.

Lori plays doctor, making overgeneralizing claims that have no basis in reality. Ladies, sometimes it’s OK or even necessary to work. Circumstances vary from household to household. In Christian liberty, you and your husband should pray, discuss, and decide what is best for you.

“The workforce” doesn’t cause infertility. Activity such as a stressful work environment can impact a woman’s cycles. But so can intense physical activity. Some female athletes when intensely training for an event, can result in not having a period anymore, called Amenorrhea.

Avoid Lori, her counseling advice and her medical advice!

Point #1-

Lori is a Legalist. This means she puts burdens on people she declares as biblical mandates which are actually within the realm of Christian liberty. Legalism has several nuances.

1. Legalism is believing that salvation can be earned by obedience.
2. Legalism is believing that one can obey the Bible through his own will and power for the purpose of gaining a greater measure of God’s approval and favor.

And here is where Lori Alexander’s legalism comes in-

3. Legalism elevates man-made rules above the Scripture. “This third form of legalism elevates man-made rules, especially prohibitions, to the same level of authority as God-given commands and the belief that following these rules will aid you in your spiritual growth.” Source ACBC Biblical Counseling.com

There is no scripture that says a woman may never under any circumstances join “the workforce”. In fact you notice Lori rarely if ever attaches an actual verse to her commands and pronouncements. Not just Lori, but ladies, watch out for any “Bible teacher” who does this.

There are situations which a husband and wife decide the wife works- he is deployed, in jail, on medical disability, finishing college, trade school, or seminary. To save for a house to have large down-payment and low or no debt.

The Bible offers up women who DID work in “the workforce”. There are others mentioned such as prostitutes, servants, and slaves but I am not pointing to them. The ones in this list are women who had jobs or duties in some kind of work-for-pay outside the home or a job that took them from home, whether it was theirs or their father’s.

Rachel was a Shepherdess.
Egyptian Midwives worked.
Sheerah, a builder, was the daughter of Ephraim, son of Joseph, 1 Chronicles 7:24.
Lydia worked, she had a business selling purple. Her work allowed her to have a large enough house to host church and guests for the propagation of the Gospel and the teaching of the saints.
Deborah worked, she was a wife but also a Judge/Prophetess.
Priscilla- was a Tentmaker with her husband.
Esther, Candace, Sheba- Queens.
Ruth- worked as a gleaner alongside Boaz’s women in the fields until the end of the harvests. (Ruth 2:23)
Women were also patronesses & benefactors, such as Susannah and Phoebe, which required them to manage their means and likely an employee.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

I don’t see a gender prohibition in this verse. The verse doesn’t say, if any man is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either; But women must not enter the workforce’…

It’s true that we must be diligent to sustain ourselves and not rely on the church or others without being willing to pull our own weight. But the Lord was gracious to leave us room to manage our individual affairs in ways that would be consistent with His general principles in this area without making strict mandates in a one size fits all forcible lifestyle.

Point #2-

Christian liberty means where the Bible doesn’t command or deny some kind of standard for us, it is within the realm of the individual or the couple to pray and follow biblical concepts as best they can.

Believers are free to do any activity that is not expressly forbidden in the Bible, as long it it does not present a stumbling block to others or violate your own conscience. Romans 14:22 says,

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 

There are many verses in Proverbs and elsewhere that talk about the busy ant, verses speaking against the slacker and the idle. Christians work.

EPrata photo

The Bible does not expressly forbid women to work outside the home. The women named above were not chastised by any person in the Bible or any verse that said they were violating a command.

However, there is a third, very important point-

Point #3

When the couple begins to have kids mom should do all she can to be a stay-at-home mother, though. God did give women a special role in childbearing and child raising. Strongly, if at all possible, moms should be at home with their children.

Here’s John MacArthur with a good article on a woman’s priorities: “What should a wife’s priorities be? Can she work outside the home?” Titus 2:3–5; Ephesians 5:25, 28; 1 Timothy 2:15

What are God’s priorities for women? Seven priorities of a godly wife are spelled out in Titus 2:3-5 … Whether or not a woman works outside the home, God’s primary calling is for her to manage the home. That is the most exalted place for a wife. The world is calling many modern women out of the home, but not the Lord. His Word portrays the woman’s role as one preoccupied with domestic duties. It is a high calling, far more crucial to the future of a woman’s children than anything she might do in an outside job.

The ultimate decision is a personal one that each woman must make in submission to her husband’s authority. Obviously, a single woman would be free to work and pursue outside employment. A married woman with no children is perhaps a little more restricted in the amount of time and energy she can devote to an outside job. A woman who is a mother obviously has primary responsibility in the home and would therefore not be free to pursue outside employment to the detriment of the home.

Conclusion

1. Some “Bible teachers” who sound good and biblical at first pass are actually expert at mixing in untruths with truth to the disservice of your walk. Not all that glitters is gold. Don’t let unwise and uninformed internet teachers put a burden on you that does not exist. (Or release you from restrictions that should exist). Test all things.

2. Keep in mind your Christian liberty- absent a command or a forbidding, always seek to align your decisions with the values that God has for you in your role at each stage of life. Always compare what you are learning from any teacher online or real life, with what the Bible says- and doesn’t say.

3. If you have children it is true that you and your husband should seek the Lord’s help in structuring your life to align with the priority of the mother at home managing the home, while husband provides.

Further Resources

Lori follows the stance of (false) Dale Partridge, which is that women should NOT teach any theology to any man or woman. Ever. His stance is here.

Partridge’s stance is rebutted biblically by Henry Anderson at The Cripplegate, here.

What does the Bible say about the woman working outside the home? GotQuestions article

Should women ‘work at home?’ How to understand and apply Titus 2, by Bill Mounce, an excellent, thorough article.

Does the Bible Allow women to work outside the home? Live Q&A, video by Dave Guzik, “We shouldn’t treat one Bible passage as if it says everything about a subject- we need to do what 2 Timothy 2:15 says to do, rightly divide the word of truth, and that means not taking one verse and acting as if that’s the only thing the Bible says on the subject.” slide to 3:43 to 17:24

Posted in dorcas, jehoram, peter, resurrection, service

A tale of two deaths: Jehoram and Dorcas

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Jehoram:

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:20)

Left, The Royal Sceptre of Boris III of Bulgaria

Dorcas:

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. (Acts 9:36-39)

In the first case, a sinful king. He served satan, and practiced wickedness. He was still a man, however, and yet not one person lamented his passing. Not even his wife. He was a king, touching the lives of each and every person in his kingdom. His influence was the largest a man’s could be, and yet not one person in an entire kingdom or beyond mourned his death. He was not regretted.

In the second case, a woman. Her sphere of influence was small. Her reach was especially small because she served widows, nearly the lowest of the low in terms of cultural power. At her death, relatives are not mentioned, it would seem that it was her friends the widows who washed her and laid her in the upper room. And yet, she was beloved. Usually the ritual was to immediately rub the body with spices and lay the death cloths on and bury immediately. Yet these women did not. They loved Dorcas so greatly they sought a different way.

They sent men to find Peter. They did not want to let her go. Dorcas’ life was regretted. They lamented and cried and presented her works to Peter. One can visualize wringing of hands and weeping and wailing of many. Dorcas was loved and lamented.

Dorcas: “who with her needle embroidered her name ineffaceably into the beneficence of the world.” ~Unknown

Why was Jehoram immediately forgotten and Dorcas never forgotten? I cannot say definitively or exclusively, but one reason surely must be that Dorcas was in Christ, and Jehoram was in Satan. The verse says that Dorcas was “a certain disciple” so she was a believer. She must have been beautiful in Christ, bearing the fruit of His love and grace and joy and peace, all the while serving tangibly with her needle.

Who can say what influence a loving submissive disciple of Christ will have for His kingdom? Jehoram was given Christ’s kingdom (Judah) and he served satan with it. (2 Chronicles 21:6). Dorcas was given Christ’s kingdom and served Jesus with it. Both have everlasting eternal consequences but both have earthly consequences too.

As for the eternal consequences of their deaths, Jehoram’s life was snuffed out and the spiritual repercussions were zero. It seems that nobody was the better for Jehoram having lived. As for Dorcas, she was raised bodily from the dead but the effect of that was many were saved. They were raised from the dead, too! Their spiritual deaths were now over and many became alive in Christ! The effect of that was Peter stayed and nurtured the new church in Joppa, personally discipling many converts. What an eternal effect Dorcas had on the lives of the people there, personally and spiritually!

The question is, what kind of death would you have? Or me? Would my own death be unlamented? Unremarked? Or would it cause mourning and weeping? The key is serving, and the fruit we bear. Dorcas served the people in Christ’s name. Jehoram expected to be served, and was one of satan’s. Dorcas served with her needle. Jehoram expected to be served with his scepter. Dorcas loved Christ and thus she loved her neighbors. And they noticed. Boy, did they notice. Jehoram loved satan and thus he hated his neighbors. And they noticed. Boy, did they notice.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15).

Love, serve, produce fruit. It will have an eternal effect.

Posted in theology

Understanding Eve’s Temptation: Lessons from Genesis

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Genesis 2:9 says, Out of the ground the LORD God caused every tree to grow that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 3:6 says, When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.

Eve already knew that all the trees were good for food. Only one tree she was told not to eat of it. Eve added ‘nor touch it’ herself, or perhaps Adam had instructed her so. In any case, ‘nor touch it’ wasn’t in God’s commands. He does not like when His word is added to or taken away from. (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19).

But satan suddenly made her ‘see’ it in a new way, a way that touched her selfish desires.

Did you know that John Bunyan wrote a commentary on Genesis? He had completed commenting on 10 chapters of Genesis fully and partially on Chapter 11. It was discovered oin his study in his own handwriting by Charles Doe, and then published in 1691. You can find Bunyan’s Genesis commentary online here at Monergism.com or at BibleHub, among other places. Here is what Bunyan had to say about that scene with Eve in the Garden-

————begin Bunyan commentary————

This verse presents us with the use that Eve made of the reasonings of the serpent; and that was, to take them into consideration; not by the word of God, but as her flesh and blood did sense them:

This is a very dangerous and devouring to the soul, from which Paul fled, as from the devil himself: “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood” (Gal 1:16).

Wherefore, pausing upon [the devil’s words], they entangled her as with a threefold cord-

1. “The lust of the flesh”; she saw it was good for food.

2. “The lust of the eye”; she saw it was pleasant to the eye.

3. “The pride of life”; a tree to be desired, to make one wise (1 John 2:16).

Being taken, I say, with these three snares of the adversary, which are not of the Father, but of the world, and the devil the prince thereof, forthwith she falls before him: “And when the woman saw” this, “she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.”

“And when the woman saw.” This seeing, as I said, is to be understood of her considering what Satan presented to her, and of her sensing or tasting of his doctrine; not by the word, which ought to be the touch stone of all, but by and according to her own natural reason without it.

God commands to self-denial.

————end Bunyan commentary————

Self-denial. Obedience. Submission. Three little words that meant the difference between Righteousness and the Fall of the human race. And so it is today. Not popular words. Admittedly very hard to do. Even in the Garden of Eden when all conditions were perfect, our human nature wants to rebel, disobey, fulfill self. It’s harder now with our fallen nature tempting us at all points.

There is One who was tempted at all points and yet mastered sin. The Holy One, Jesus, lived the perfect life of righteousness on God’s eyes. He died for us as the sacrificial (eternal) lamb so we may life. Resurrected and ascended to heaven, He reigns there now, receiving all who would repent of their sin.

Outside of Jesus, we sin daily, minute by minute our thoughts and intentions of the heart, our words, and our actions displease God. His wrath already abides on us. But if we repent, God then sees us as He sees His Son, as righteous and holy. To be sure, we still sin, but the Spirit in us given as a deposit of the guarantee, will continue to lead us into righteousness and help us resist temptation. Jesus will forgive our sins when we repent.

Jesus is the most wonderful person in the universe. Repent unto salvation if you have not already. If you have repented unto salvation, work at mortifying our daily sin, putting it to death.

Posted in theology

Inauguration day!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

It is a day off from school and for that I am grateful, because I can watch the Inauguration and celebratory proceedings.

President Trump is about to take the oath of office shortly, for the second time.

It has been a long 4 years since his first inauguration. As one who is so active on social media, Biden’s term has caused me no small amount of anguish. I have had to avert my eyes often, guard my heart, and work at reducing the bitterness, outrage, and unhappiness of all that I have witnessed. At times I’ve felt that my beloved nation was imploding, reminding me of the verse where God had said, Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim, And like rottenness to the house of Judah. (Hosea 5:12). A moth silently eats away at the fabric, rot causes foundational collapse.

It seems that He has granted us a reprieve from the Alarics of the world from sacking Rome.

I’ve grown up as a political animal. My father ran for office and also helped in campaigns of others seeking office. From my earliest days I remember grange halls, bunting, that echo shoes make on the wooden floors, Sousa marching music, and more.

I love my country and participated in Project Close-Up as a freshman. We were taken to the Nation’s capitol and given a close up look at how our nation runs, and time with our senator and representative. Even a tour of the Supreme Court. I loved it.

I’ve always been happy and proud of our country. My grandparents immigrated from Europe, coming thru Ellis Island, made new lives, prospered. I’ve been able to speak freely, assemble, and practice my religion with no hindrances.

I’ve been able to vote. What a privilege. I’ve almost always voted third party. I have felt strongly that we need to be governed by someone with real world experience in business (and ‘community organizing’ doesn’t count). Someone who understands at the minutest level about the economy. Someone from outside the two parties, which increasingly to me looked like one party. My first election I voted for John Anderson, and then Perot, Forbes, and so on. (Not Nader though).

I stood on the shore of Newport beach in 1976 and was wowed by the Tall Ships passing, our national bicentennial was a superlative party and a great lesson in civics.

It has been a long slog just since July when Candidate president Trump was shot, his life spared by the One who governs all life, but by a hair’s breadth to our eyes.

As someone who loves my country and is proud of it (and I never forgot THAT comment, yes I’m looking at you, Michelle Obama) and someone who loves justice, truth, and beauty, the last 4 years have been difficult if not depressing. Perhaps it was to give us a minute glimpse into what it was like for 1st century Christians under Nero. Or 1st century Jews under Herod. And yes I am deliberately likening our immediate past president to Herod and Nero.

“It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.” (Daniel 2:21).

It is HE. I do not know why God in His sovereign will decided to give us this reprieve or what He has in mind for the near future. But for the first time in a while I have optimism, even while completely understanding that my hope is in Jesus.

I’ve been praying for President Trump’s salvation, first and foremost. Then, that he survives the swearing in, and the next 4 years. I’ve been praying for justice to be done. Oh what a balm to my soul that justice in all her glory would be served. What a grace if I don’t have to wait until Jesus returns to see leaders right some of these recent wrongs.

I also pray that Mr Biden will receive the elder CARE HE DESERVES. He is obviously suffering from dementia, and it is a grief to watch in real time a man used as a puppet, a prop, inhumanely manipulated for evil ends. I can’t wait for THAT injustice to be addressed by Jesus.

But still, my hope is in Jesus. However, I am excited for today. I pray our nation returns to its earlier vigor and founding values. My life is advanced but I do hope that this sojourn by President Trump in our Hall of History will establish something good and strong for the next generation.

Happy Inauguration day.

Posted in theology

Debunking Myths: Women and Preaching in Christianity

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Below, Spot the flaws.

I wrote two days ago about the celebrity grandmother ‘Bible teachers’ who were adept at crafting a conservative persona on social media contrary to the lives they were actually living.

They had to craft their outward picture (in hypocrisy) because firstly, when they started out the faith was much more conservative than it is now. They could not openly say they were preaching or having a career at the office. They had to say they were ‘speaking’ and only occasionally because they were stay at home moms. They had a ‘ministry’ not an all-consuming, busy career.

Secondly 40 years ago there was not as much social media as there is now. Back in the day there was only TV, newspapers, and radio.

I wrote an essay in 2018 saying this push of preaching to men was going to be a problem:

Beth Moore has a lot to answer for in normalizing women preaching/teaching to men

I also said so two days ago that the evil example of these grandmothers in the faith (Moore, Shirer, Meyer, Caine…) during the last generation is a problem:

The Double Life of Christian Influencers: Beware of hypocrisy

So, a couple of days ago a woman whose handle is Cia Cloud, put up an Instagram story and a TikTok talking about the “romantic heart of Jesus”. The short video is below and here is the transcript:

@heyitscia

For the person struggling with with settling. #love #christian #jesus

♬ original sound – Hey it’s Cia

After you’ve experienced the romantic heart of Jesus, you cannot go back to casual dating. I got out of a relationship a while ago, and when I did I asked the Lord can you teach me what it’s like for You to be my husband? And before you get weirded out, it’s because the church is known as the Bride of Christ, and He’s the groom. I wanted to know what it felt like to truly be pursued so that I knew what to look for in a future relationship. Let me explain what God does so you don’t settle. I wish more people understood that God wants to romanticize your heart. He wants to win you over. He created you to delight in pursuing you. He is the ultimate pursuer. We just get distracted. The other day for example, the Lord told me he was going to take me out to lunch…”

She went on with two more examples of how Jesus spoke to her and shortly afterward the minor things he allegedly said came true.

No. But what can we expect when young women of this generation have had such an evil example for decades, with no rebukes coming from the grandmother preachers’ denominations?

It was sad to see the comments asking how to hear God like she does, one woman saying “because for me he has been so quiet”.

Let’s spot the falsities in her speech:

Falsity #1. “Jesus is my romantic boyfriend”. No. John Gacinski on Twitter replied to the person who had posted Cia’s video-

John Gacinski, @johngacinski: “God wants to romanticize your heart” No. Jesus wants us to surrender to Him and serve Him. He wants us to be born again so we can be worthy vessels in His house. He’s not wooing us like some twenty something who’s desperate for a girlfriend. I’m so tired of this “Jesus is my boyfriend/homeboy” trash.

Notice Cia said “I wanted to know what it felt like” not ‘what does the Bible say?’

Falsity #2. “He speaks to me directly.” No. The canon is closed. He spoke through His word as Hebrews 1:1-2 says. Justin Peters has a rebuttal to the ‘still small voice that speaks to me’ error.

Falsity #3. “Prophetic words given directly to me are coming ‘true’. No. Stop looking for signs and omens and back dating what you thought you heard in the ‘voice.’ Just live your daily life according to the word.

Falsity #4. Needing an experience rather than what His word says. The people followed Jesus when He spoke good things, and they clamored for the signs and miracles. But when he spoke hard things, they drifted away. Turns out they were only following Him for a show. The walk of faith begins and ends in the word of God, which will never pass away.

Falsity #5. He pursues with uncertain outcome rather than sovereignly electing (He “wants to win you”). Jesus is not wishing and hoping and wringing His hands hoping you come to faith as He chases you. He elected His people from before the foundation of the world and at the fullness of each elected person’s time, they are given the grace to repent and come to Him. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

This problem of prophetic words, still small voice, romantic boyfriend Jesus issues are not all the wicked grandmothers’ fault. Seminaries are doing their best to pump out women preachers rife with false doctrine. Witness Cia Cloud:

I am sad for her future because she is standing on sand building a house of sand

These nextgen women don’t even hide it anymore, not like the other false female preachers did in the 90s and early 2000s. They are ‘out’ as preachers. Immodest ones, at that. Apparently Cia attended Liberty University.

But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet, says 1 Timothy 2:12. See also 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Ephesians 5:22-24 among other verses that clearly state what the woman and wife should do and not do.

If you have a teen or young adult daughter, I feel for you. Keeping the false doctrines at bay is difficult. Just as you put one doctrinal fire out, another pops up. I want to encourage you moms, grandmoms, young ladies, that if you stay in the word, Jesus will keep you on the center line of his doctrine. Guard your heart, keep your eyes on Jesus, stay in the Word.

Pastor Owen Strachan has some wise advice for women (men too, but I’ll post the women’s here) on what to do and what not to do.

You notice none of those pieces of advice say chase after signs, listen for a small voice, ascend the pulpit to preach, or treat the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE like a wooing, weak boyfriend.

Stay strong, ladies. Jesus will come back and He will raise us up. He will address the false doctrine and the people who promoted it. Meanwhile, be a pillar, upholding His precious true word.

When our sons in their youth are like growing plants, And our daughters like corner pillars fashioned for a palace, Psalm 144:12

Posted in theology

Understanding God’s Jealousy: A Biblical Perspective

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Reading this by Michael Reeves from his book “What does it mean to fear the Lord?”

That large-heartedness is actually the overflow of a tender-heartedness toward God. It means that those who fear God have to use another much-misunderstood word—a jealousy for God. Such righteous jealousy should not be confused with selfish envy: it is a love that will not let go of the beloved or make do with substitutes. As God the Father is jealous for his beloved Son, and as Christ is jealous for his bride, the church, so too those who fear God find in themselves a loving jealousy for God. Adoring him, they cannot abide his glory being diminished or stolen. False teaching will distress them, not because it contradicts their views but because it impugns him. Self-righteousness becomes loathsome to them because of how it steals from the glory of his grace.

Actress and TV personality Oprah Winfrey was raised in church and knew the Gospel (presumably) but one little word set her off on a trajectory downhill to perdition. She was put off by the verse in Exodus 34:14,

—for you shall not worship any other god, because the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—”

She didn’t want to follow any God who was jealous of her. She said such a statement didn’t “feel right in my spirit”. She wanted “more than doctrine.”

Isn’t that where it all starts, ‘wanting more’ than the eternal word God already gave? Going on feelings rather than digging in to His word?

Source: https://youtu.be/sGCxCz2Q5Nk?si=WJTOUKO-Hv5zVHl_

Of course Oprah’s is a total misunderstanding of the verse. If only she’d asked the question, ‘what does it MEAN to be a jealous God’ maybe she wouldn’t have made a false god for herself.

But people who are not saved look for reasons NOT to submit to God. They are unwilling to take up their cross. They do not count the cost. They want to retain their pride, or come to God on their own terms. They are stiff-necked with a bias confirmation- they use their weak excuses to confirm that ‘I knew all along God was a fraud.’

But deep down they know the opposite. Romans 1:18-20 says, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 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.

God is not jealous OF us, He is jealous FOR us. God wants us to be in fellowship with Him not for His benefit, but for ours.

Are you in fellowship with Jesus today? He who put on the flesh of man, came from glory to live the sinless, righteous life we could not? Then die for our sins so as to absorb God’s wrath for the sinful ones like us? This is an incredible thing, the most incredible plan, event, and doctrine in all the universe. Believe it today and repent, casting your sins upon Jesus and asking for forgiveness of them. He will forgive and you will be blessed by the protection of a God who is jealous for you.

Posted in theology

What I Did on My Winter Vacation

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Our school system gives us 2 weeks off at Christmas. it is a just-in-time break. We are exhausted, and the Christmas ramp-up makes the kids extremely excited, which is more exhausting. The 2 weeks gives us a refreshment to enter into the second half of the year with vigor and eagerness.

Two weeks is a long break from work and I’m grateful for it. So what did I do with the time?

Firstly, I am not only grateful for the time off work for personal reasons, but I am grateful for the Lord giving me this job. It is a 190/day a year job. I get to be with children and educate them and I get to have time off. I’ve got 161 days at home throughout the year.

What does the Lord say about managing our time? Ephesians 5:15-16, So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

What does it mean in the verse ‘because the days are evil’? It means that sin abounds. As a result, we are temped with lots of things that divert our attention from God, from serving others in the name of God, and from our own Bible reading and study.

Barnes’ Notes says about redeeming the time:

They redeem their time who employ it:
(1) in gaining useful knowledge;
(2) in doing good to others;
(3) in employing it for the purpose of an honest livelihood for themselves and families;
(4) in prayer and self-examination to make the heart better;
(5) in seeking salvation, and in endeavoring to do the will of God.

What does the Bible say about single people?

The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:34).

I take that admonition quite seriously. If the Lord graciously gave me work that fulfills me and that I like – and He didn’t have to – then I should use the time when I’m not working to single-mindedly dedicate to Him. Not that I’m not dedicating ALL the time to Him, but you know what I mean. If I am sitting around here in my home, my flesh can easily watch endless reels and videos of kittens, sovereign citizens, design tips and so on. But no. I must resist the fleshly longing to be slothful or wasteful and dedicate the time to using it in ways that employ the spiritual gifts He gave me for His honor and glory.

My goal during this school break was to read 4 books. I accomplished that and read the 4 above. I watched movies such as The Princess Swap, Garage Sale Mysteries, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, and the series The Marlow Murder Club (a cosy English mystery). These were all on Hallmark. I cooked, blogged, answered women’s messages and emails of theological questions an encouragement. I went to church, prayed, read the Bible.

I am working to maintain a shepherding mentality- shepherding the time God has given me to use for His glory. Because one day, there will be no more time.