I wasn't going to write an exposé about the SDA Church only because I have covered their false doctrine in exposing the doctrine of Annihilationism here and exposing the keeping of The Sabbath here in the expose of Messianics.
So if you want the full doctrinal dispute on those specific issues, please go read those articles. For this article... I am going to dive into exposing the history of the SDA Church, William Miller, Ellen G. White specifically and like my previous article, exposing the false date setting prophesies of this movement. Let us begin...
William Miller is the founder of the religious movement known as the Millerites in the 1930s. The Millerites were formed because of Miller's study through 1818 to 1823 that concluded that the Second-Coming of Christ would between 1843-1844.
He did not publicly declare this conclusion until August, 1831 which we see is the same year that he resigned from being an active Freemason. With regard to his resignation, he stated...
"To avoid fellowship with any practice that may be incompatible with the Word of God among masons."
In 1833 he wrote a letter to friends stating, "Treat Freemasonry as you would any other evil."
Very interesting as it is known that Charles Taze Russell (Founder of Jehovah's Witness) was also a Freemason, which was quite common in those times, but we see how William Miller acknowledged Freemasonry as evil, while Charles Taze Russell never did seeing as his headstone at his grave is that of a Freemason with it's pyramid shape giving glory to the all-seeing eye symbolism that represents Satan. You can read my exposé on Jehovah's Witness, here.
The major differences between the Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses is that the Seventh-Day Adventists obviously believe in keeping The Sabbath, hence their name and Jehovah's Witnesses obviously believe in referring to God using His proper name, Jehovah, hence their name.
With that said, Charles Taze Russel was greatly influenced by William Miller and the Millerites, specifically George Storrs an Adventist writer. Many factions came of the Millerite Adventists such as the Adventist Christian Church and Life and Advent Union to which Russel based many of his doctrinal views off of.
Many Millerites urged William Miller to give a specific date to when The Lord's Second-Coming would be to which after much urging he gave the time-frame between March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844. This wasn't the Great Disappointment though, as when these dates passed by with no second-coming to be had, William Miller then concluded that April 18, 1844 would be the second-coming as he used the Karaite Jewish Calendar instead of the Rabbinic Calendar that he used in his first time-frame prophesy.
Once again, April 18, 1844 passed by proving the difference of calendar use to be in vain. William Miller wrote to the Second Advent Believers stating, "I confess my error, and acknowledge my disappointment; yet I still believe that the day of the Lord is near, even at the door."
A Millerite known as Samuel S. Snow took on study of his own to prove that Jesus' return would be in 1844 and his conclusion gave the date of October 22, 1844. This date is known as the Great Disappointment.
With much disappointment, to the extent where people were bed-ridden with depression as many had been kicked out of their former churches for accepting Advent doctrine, and many had sold all of their possessions in faith of Christ's coming. With great disappointment came great rioting towards Millerites and their churches.
It is to be believed that William Miller in the Spring of 1845 declared himself in opposition to any arising new prophecies, but it is also to be believed he never gave up his faith in the Second Coming. William Miller drifted to the background in his last years of life with him dying on December 20, 1849.
The Albany Conference of Millerites in 1845 was called together to discuss the future of the Millerite movement as many had lost their faith in the movement or a mass division between the Millerites had ensured. This meeting resulted in the title, "Millerites" being replaced with the name, "Adventists". With the doctrinal disagreements that couldn't be resolved, the meeting resulted in four main factions of Adventists.
These being, The Evangelical Adventists led by Joshua Himes, Advent Christian Church led by Jonathan Cummings, The Life and Advent Union led by John T. Walsh and Sabbatarian Adventists led by Joseph Bates.
Joshua Himes, a prominent leader in the Advent faith tried to reorganize the multiple dividing factions of continually theorizing Millerites, and opposed factions that believed in Sabbatarian Adventism and Conditional Immortality (which is a conclusion for Annihilationism).
Miller along with Himes affiliated themselves with the first faction known as Evangelical Adventists who believed in imminent return of The Lord, the immortality of the soul, and Sunday worship, but Miller never stopped working for there to be unity among Adventists until his death in 1849. In 1863, Joshua Himes accepted Conditional Immortality and joined the Advent Christian Church.
Jonathan Cummings, was a disciple of William Miller, but through his own study determined Christ's Coming would be in 1854 and held the belief of Conditional Immortality which led to the faction of the Advent Christian Church being established.
John T. Walsh, was a Millerite who led a group of Millerites that believed that the Lord Jesus did in fact return on October 22, 1844, but His return was invisible. This group formed as Life and Advent Union in 1848. In 1863, the group formerly organized as The Life and Advent Union in 1863 and later merged with the Advent Christian Church.
Joseph Bates, was the one who co-founded Sabbatarian Adventism when he accepted the belief of keeping the Sabbath in Spring of 1845 after the Great Disappointment. He wrote several books on the topic and was known as, "The apostle of the Sabbath." Joseph Bates is accredited with converting James White and Ellen G. White to Sabbatarian Adventism. Joseph Bates died on March 19, 1872.
Now we may dive into the founding of Seventh-Day Adventists...
James White started the first Sabbatarian Adventist news-magazine in 1849 titled, "The Present Truth" known as the, "Adventist Review" today. While Joseph Bates greatly supported James White for his work, Bates particularly took interest in the prophetic gift of James White's wife, Ellen G. White. Her many visions and spiritual leadership was a great impact on the founding of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. It is believed she had approximately 2,000 visions and dreams from 17-years-old until 87-years-old when she died.
Through the 1850s, Joseph Bates and James White worked towards establishing the Seventh-Day Adventist faith that manifested officially on May 21, 1863. John Byington built the first SDA church on his land in Buck's Bridge, N.Y. Byington then became the first President of the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist in 1863. James White rejected the position when he was elected.
In 1865, James white became President of the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists and in the same year suffered from a stroke. His fragile health made him have to take breaks from ministry and eventually his retirement in 1880 to whom, G.I. Butler replaced him as President of the General Conference. James White died on August 6, 1881.
Of all the Adventist factions that died off, Seventh-Day Adventism is the faction that has survived despite William Miller's embarrassing false prophecies. Seventh-Day Adventism surviving I would accredit to Joseph Turner with his imaginative doctrine known as, "Shut-Door" doctrine. Ellen G. White pioneered this doctrine known as, "Investigative Judgment" officially into the Seventh-Day Adventist fundamental beliefs.
Investigative Judgment...
Ellen G. White writes in her book The Great Controversy Chapter 28, pg. 479-480...
"'And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away.' [Daniel 7:13,14.] The coming of Christ here described is not his second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in Heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will be given him at the close of his work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not his second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies, and there appears in the presence of God, to engage in the last acts of his ministration in behalf of man,-- to perform the work of investigative Judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits."
It is clear to me this doctrinal was merely created to cover William Miller's butt if I may ever be so blunt. This doctrine is to cover-up the shame of the 1844 failed prophecies. With that said, let's also carefully clarify in the above verse of Daniel 7:13 we see, "Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven."
Mark 13:26 ~ "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."
Revelation 1:7 ~ "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
Coming in the clouds is a specific key in the Second Coming of Christ and it honestly is a mockery of what knowledge William Miller did have of Eschatology that he knew well enough that Daniel 7:13-14 is in fact, talking about the Second Coming.
As for the Ancient of Days theory, we see in Revelation 1:7 is clear that all eyes, not just the eyes of the living, but the eyes of those who pierced Him will see Him. If they see Him, which are ancient themselves being in the grave thousands of years already as I type... Then what more of the Prophets Time who were persecuted like Christ or those of Moses' time? Every living, dead, righteous or evil eye... Will see the Lord. Christ's Kingdom, Heaven, His Temple, will be upon the earth (Revelation 21) after He cleanses the earth with His wrath.
I could explain and debunk this from every angle, but this article is already quite lengthy, so I pray with this article, I'd encourage to read other's such as this especially of those from former-SDAs. For now, let us continue onto another false doctrine...
Satan is our scapegoat...
On October 23rd, 1850 Ellen G. White reported a vision...
"He will come to the door of the tabernacle, or door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head of the scape goat. Then He will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the plagues come upon the wicked, and they do not come until Jesus puts on the garments of vengeance and takes His seat upon the great white cloud. Then while the plagues are falling the scape goat is being led away. He makes a mighty struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that bears him away. If he should effect his escape Israel would be destroyed (or slain). I saw that it would take time to bear him away into the land of forgetfulness after the sins were put upon his head... As Jesus passed through the holy place or first apartment, to the door to confess the sins of Israel on the scape goat, an angel said, This apartment is called the sanctuary."
First of all, this completely doesn't align with Apostle John's Revelation
Second, there is no land of "forgetfulness" and certainly Satan isn't going there. He will burn forever.
Matthew 25:41 ~ "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."
Ellen G. White writes in The Great Controversy Chapter 41, pg. 658...
"Now the event takes place foreshadowed in the last solemn service of the Day of Atonement. When the ministration in the holy of holies had been completed, and the sins of Israel had been removed from the sanctuary by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, then the scapegoat was presented alive before the Lord; and in the presence of the congregation the high priest confessed over him 'all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat.' Leviticus 16:21. In like manner, when the work of atonement in the heavenly sanctuary has been completed, then in the presence of God and heavenly angels and the hosts of the redeemed the sins of God's people will be placed upon Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he has caused them to commit. And as the scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, so Satan will be banished to the desolate earth, an uninhabited and dreary wilderness."
It sounds somewhat convincing, and yet such a critical and important event that shouldn't the Bible record such? This is never mentioned in the Bible! Yes, Jesus is our High Priest, (Hebrews 7) so don't you think that anywhere in Revelation this event would be played out before the Apostle John when he foresees Satan being cast into the Lake of Fire? This is no small theory so therefore I dub it extra-Biblical heresy. Jesus died once for sins and He is forever the sacrificial Lamb of God.
Revelation 22:18 ~ "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:"
1 Peter 3:18 ~ "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
Revelation 5:6 ~ "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."
John 1:29 ~ "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
Case closed for me. And of course, other false doctrines that I have already covered in other articles you can click the links to such as...
-Jesus is Archangel Michael
-Sinless Perfectionism
-Vegetarianism
-Keeping the Sabbath
-Annihilationism/Conditional Immortality
Ellen G. White's Leadership...
It is safe to believe that Ellen G. White was a false prophetess like many Adventists. Not to insult her testimony of being filled with the fear of the Lord after suffering from a head injury after being hit in the face by a rock that could have resulted in her death. I love God bringing people to His salvation by putting fear into them, but perhaps this head injury caused her visions or rather, hallucinations. Nonetheless and either way, she was a false prophetess.
And I must make mention of how much influence and authority she had over the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and their doctrine. Her "prophetic" ability really seems to be the key how members feared/reverenced her, giving no concern that she is in fact leading over them through her visions and dreams. Strange thing for that era.
On April 1, 1880 from Oakland, California Ellen G. White wrote a letter to her husband James White stating...
"I had in the evening, it was stated, the largest congregation that had ever assembled at Arbuckle. The house was full. Many came from five to ten and twelve miles. The Lord gave me special power in speaking. The congregation listened as if spellbound. Not one left the house although I talked above one hour. Before I commenced talking, Elder Haskell had a bit of paper that was handed in, quoting certain texts prohibiting women speaking in public. H took u the matter in a brief manner and very clearly expressed the meaning of the apostle's words. I understand it was a Campbellite who wrote the objection and it had been well circulated before it reached the desk, but Elder Haskell made it all plain before the people."
I wonder what text prohibiting women to speaking was given...
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 ~ "34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
1 Timothy 2:12 ~ "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor ursurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
Ellen G. White received six credentials as an Ordained Minister. Her first credential was on October 1, 1883 in the Michigan Conference. The second credential was on December 6, 1885 in the General Conference which is the one particular credential where "ordained" was crossed out. The third credential was on December 27, 1887 in the General Conference. Her fourth credential was on March 7, 1899 in the General Conference. The fifth credential was on June 14, 1909 in the General Conference. The sixth credential was on June 12, 1913 in the General Conference.
It is very interesting to me that she received all of these credentials after her husband's death. As I already said, she obviously led the Seventh-Day Adventists as she had them all wrapped around her finger with respect for her spiritual "wisdom" and visions from Satan as they were not of God as there is no Biblical foundation for such, quite the contrary. So between Seventh-Day being founded by a false prophet William Miller, then overtaken by a False Prophetess Ellen G. White and her husband in all of their false doctrines, I feel it is safe to say that this is a false church. Be warned and warn those of this denomination, (Leviticus 19:17-18.)
Conclusion...
I must say this is one of the most tiresome articles I have had to write with the research and writing itself, but I am glad I have done it, as Seventh-Day Adventist insanity does need an article to expose it, all to its own, after all.
This will be my last article until the New Year as I said I will be diving into more articles directed towards women, to which, fitting with the subject touched upon in this article (female pastors/leadership) I will be exposing this doctrinal lie that has crept its way into many congregations.
So until then... May the Lord bless you spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially in this coming year of 2018. We do not know when our Lord will return (Matthew 25:13) so we must always be ready, living everyday as if He could come. With that said...
Be Blessed & Stay Sanctified,
October 22, 2017
October 01, 2017
September 27, 2017
THE GOSPEL......
The Gospel is "Euaggelion" in the Greek - G2098... Translating as, "Good tidings" or "Good news".
What is this good news? That Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ~ "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
The Lexicon goes on in greater detail...
"The glad tidings of the kingdom of God soon to be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God."
"Thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God..."
Mark 1:14-15 ~ "14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
It wasn't until Mark 8, 9 and 10 that the disciples understood that Jesus would die for their sins.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 ~ "7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
1 Peter 4:17 ~ "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
How do we obey the Gospel? How do we obey that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day?
The Gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. How do we obey that?
I'm not adding to the Gospel... For I'm glorifying God in what He has taught me to do by grace.
By His grace He has died for me. (2 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 5:8)
By His grace He has taught me to do His will. (Matthew 6:10)
By His grace He has taught me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. (Titus 2:11-12)
By His grace I can do NOTHING. I can take no glory or credit. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
1 Corinthians 15:10 ~ "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
Leading us right back to 1 Corinthians 15... The same chapter the Gospel is told...
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ~ "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
Christ died for us so we could live... His grace teaches us to die with Him.
Romans 6:3-4 ~ "3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
John 3:3 ~ "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
I am obeying the Gospel by being crucified with Christ by His grace. He led by example! We are made to glorify Him. (Isaiah 43:7).
Revelation 14:6-7 ~ "6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
God was glorified in Jesus when the time had come for Jesus to be crucified...
John 13:31 ~ "Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him."
Luke 9:23 ~ "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Galatians 2:20 ~ "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galatians 5:24 ~ "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."
Galatians 6:14 ~ "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
Ephesians 4:24 ~ "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Colossians 2:12 ~ "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
2 Timothy 2:8-11 ~ "8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:"
Are you obeying the Gospel? Jesus died for a purpose.
1 Peter 2:24 ~ "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
Hebrews 10:26 ~ "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
Jude 1:4 ~ "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
WATER BAPTISM......
There's many views on water baptism... So for those of you who may have many questions such as "Are we to baptize as infants or adults?", "Is water baptism a salvation issue?", "Are we filled with the Holy Ghost after water baptism?", "What does Baptism signify?", "Why is Baptism only in the New Testament?"
I bring you this article to shine a light with God's Word so let us get started with something already discussed in my Catholicism Exposed article, but since it is the easiest doctrine to disprove I thought we would start here.
Are we to baptize as infants or adults?
There is no Biblical reference for a baby ever being baptized in the Bible. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him. Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-4. Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and an identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.
A baby cannot place his or her faith in Christ, an infant cannot make a free will conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is sprinkling water over the babies head, this method of infant baptism fails to agree with the Bible.
Baptism is being immersed backwards in water and being brought back up out of the water which is symbolism for Christ's death, going down into the grave and rising again. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? It doesn't, but it is highly unsafe to immerse a baby in water, thus why baptism is for adults when someone reaches the age of accountability.
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. believe in infant baptism for multiple reasons. First, that infant baptism is the New Testament equivalent to infant circumcision in the Old Testament. We'll discuss this point in depth later on in this article.
Second, it is to baptize a child into the Christian faith (whatever church the child's parents belong). Of course, every parent never wants to see their child depart from the faith so infant baptism has become a tradition in bringing the grace of God upon the child and into the Christian community.
Third, going back to God's grace upon the child, to which I have an in-depth study on Sin Nature here. Those of who believe in infant baptism believe in Original Sin in the more extreme sense. I look at the Catholic Church when discussing this doctrine as the RCC has the largest congregation of these denominations and my husband was baptized as a baby into the Catholic Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 2, Section 2, Chapter 1, Article 1...
"1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.50 The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.51
1251 Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them.52
As we just read, according to the Catholic Church, it is. What matters is what The Bibles says, not what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says. So what about infants who die before being baptized? Well, The RCC has no official doctrinal statement of where non-baptized babies go when they die. Many Catholic theologians believe the doctrinal theory of, "Limbo of Infants - Imbus Infantium" that teaches that un-baptized infants go to neither Heaven nor Hell because they were not cleansed of Original Sin nor did they commit personal sin deserving of Hell. Again, this is a theory and no where stated in The Catechism. What The Catechism does say is just this...
"1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"64 allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism."
K
What does Baptism signify?
K
Why is Baptism only in the New Testament?
Noah, Red Sea, Circumcission
I bring you this article to shine a light with God's Word so let us get started with something already discussed in my Catholicism Exposed article, but since it is the easiest doctrine to disprove I thought we would start here.
Are we to baptize as infants or adults?
There is no Biblical reference for a baby ever being baptized in the Bible. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him. Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-4. Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and an identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.
A baby cannot place his or her faith in Christ, an infant cannot make a free will conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is sprinkling water over the babies head, this method of infant baptism fails to agree with the Bible.
Baptism is being immersed backwards in water and being brought back up out of the water which is symbolism for Christ's death, going down into the grave and rising again. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? It doesn't, but it is highly unsafe to immerse a baby in water, thus why baptism is for adults when someone reaches the age of accountability.
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. believe in infant baptism for multiple reasons. First, that infant baptism is the New Testament equivalent to infant circumcision in the Old Testament. We'll discuss this point in depth later on in this article.
Second, it is to baptize a child into the Christian faith (whatever church the child's parents belong). Of course, every parent never wants to see their child depart from the faith so infant baptism has become a tradition in bringing the grace of God upon the child and into the Christian community.
Third, going back to God's grace upon the child, to which I have an in-depth study on Sin Nature here. Those of who believe in infant baptism believe in Original Sin in the more extreme sense. I look at the Catholic Church when discussing this doctrine as the RCC has the largest congregation of these denominations and my husband was baptized as a baby into the Catholic Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 2, Section 2, Chapter 1, Article 1...
"1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.50 The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.51
1251 Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them.52
1252 The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole "households" received baptism, infants may also have been baptized.53
1257 The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation.60"
Is water baptism a salvation issue? 1257 The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation.60"
As we just read, according to the Catholic Church, it is. What matters is what The Bibles says, not what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says. So what about infants who die before being baptized? Well, The RCC has no official doctrinal statement of where non-baptized babies go when they die. Many Catholic theologians believe the doctrinal theory of, "Limbo of Infants - Imbus Infantium" that teaches that un-baptized infants go to neither Heaven nor Hell because they were not cleansed of Original Sin nor did they commit personal sin deserving of Hell. Again, this is a theory and no where stated in The Catechism. What The Catechism does say is just this...
"1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"64 allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism."
Water Baptism does not save a person. It does not matter if you were baptized by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling - if you have not first trusted in Christ for salvation, water baptism is meaningless because the individual has not done what water baptism represents: Dying to sin. Water baptism is the symbolism that we will forsake our sins and be obedient to God, born again, a new creature.
John 3:1-7 ~ "1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
John 3:1-7 ~ "1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
Romans 6:1-8 ~ "1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:"
2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Galatians 3:27 ~
Colossians 2:12 ~
Was the thief on the cross baptized? I don't like using this argument for those of the lukewarm, "It's by faith alone" crowd who use this same point out, but what is failed to mention is that the thief couldn't get off the cross to do God-ordained works or be baptized, he had a "deathbed" repentance that no one should strive for as it's very dangerous to gamble with your eternal destination like that. Nonetheless, he repented with all of his heart and humbled himself.
Matthew 27:41-44 ~ "41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth."
Luke 23:39-43 ~ "39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
God cares about sin more than symbolism.
Mark 1:4
Mark 16:16
Acts 22:16
1 Corinthians 6:11
1 Corinthians 1:14-17
1 Peter 3:21
Revelation 1:5
Revelation 7:14
Are we filled with the Holy Ghost after water baptism?2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Galatians 3:27 ~
Colossians 2:12 ~
Was the thief on the cross baptized? I don't like using this argument for those of the lukewarm, "It's by faith alone" crowd who use this same point out, but what is failed to mention is that the thief couldn't get off the cross to do God-ordained works or be baptized, he had a "deathbed" repentance that no one should strive for as it's very dangerous to gamble with your eternal destination like that. Nonetheless, he repented with all of his heart and humbled himself.
Matthew 27:41-44 ~ "41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth."
Luke 23:39-43 ~ "39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
God cares about sin more than symbolism.
Mark 1:4
Mark 16:16
Acts 22:16
1 Corinthians 6:11
1 Corinthians 1:14-17
1 Peter 3:21
Revelation 1:5
Revelation 7:14
K
What does Baptism signify?
K
Why is Baptism only in the New Testament?
Noah, Red Sea, Circumcission
August 01, 2017
WHO IS THE PROVERBS 31 WOMAN?
As I was in my daily study, I was surprised to be finding myself in an in-depth study of Song of Solomon... How the story plays out of King Solomon meeting, courting and marrying the un-named woman of Song of Solomon...
At first, I was guessing that the woman of Song of Solomon was Naamah, Rehoboam's mother who is part of the genealogy of Jesus, (1 Kings 14:21, Matthew 1:7).
Another possibility was that the woman of Song of Solomon was Queen of Sheba, since Queen of Sheba was from modern day Ethiopia. The woman in Song of Solomon 1:5 says that she is black, or rather a dark brown since the sun shining on her tanned her as she worked in the vineyard. The Queen of Sheba theory is actually quite popular, because of the Solomon movie as well as the origination of the theory from Alphabet of Ben Sira and even Islam.
Both guesses... Were proven wrong. Praise the Lord!
Song of Solomon 6:13 ~ "Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies."
The woman of Song of Solomon is a Shulamite... Not from Sheba... And not from Ammon as Naamah was from.
Who was a Shulamite in this time? Abishag.
1 Kings 1:1-4 ~ "1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not."
For those wondering, a Shunammite and a Shulamite are the same coming from the same village of Shunem, located in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa. Thought to believe to be the modern town of Sulam.
1 Kings 2:10-24 ~ "10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. 13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. 19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. 23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. 24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day."
Abishag was David's servant while David was on his deathbed, once the king died, I believe she started working in the gardens/the vineyards where Solomon and her meet again in Song of Solomon.
Shunamitism is the practice of an old man sleeping with, but not necessarily having sex with, a young virgin to preserve his youth. The rationale was that the heat and moisture of the young woman would transfer to the old man and revitalize him as well as keep him warm. Among scientific physicians, both Thomas Sydenham (17th century) and Herman Boerhaave (18th century) prescribed shunamitism for their patients.
Now let us turn to Proverbs 31… Who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:1 ~ “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.”
The first question to ask is, "Who is King Lemuel?" He is mentioned nowhere else in Scriptures besides Proverbs 31, he is not a recorded king of Israel anywhere else.
Strong’s Lexicon… H3927
1.) The name of an unknown king to whom his mother addressed the prudential maxims contained in some of the Proverbs
2.) Might be same as king Solomon
Solomon after all is the one who wrote Proverbs so it is wise to conclude that he is King Lemuel and his mother who is teaching him who to wife is Bathsheba. Of course Bathsheba would want Solomon to marry a Hebrew woman, herself being Hebrew, and Abishag the Shunammite was a Hebrew woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31 ~ "10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
A vineyard? Just like in Song of Solomon where she worked in the vineyards after King David’s death.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Silk and purple being clothing of royalty. Her husband known in the gates because he is the king.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
Verse 29 compared with…
Song of Solomon 6:9 ~ "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."
The many daughters in Proverbs 31:29 are Solomon’s queens and concubines just as in Song of Solomon 6:9. Abishag blessed by these other women because she is the fairest.
So the conclusion, Abishag is the Proverbs 31 woman and the woman in Song of Solomon.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
At first, I was guessing that the woman of Song of Solomon was Naamah, Rehoboam's mother who is part of the genealogy of Jesus, (1 Kings 14:21, Matthew 1:7).
Another possibility was that the woman of Song of Solomon was Queen of Sheba, since Queen of Sheba was from modern day Ethiopia. The woman in Song of Solomon 1:5 says that she is black, or rather a dark brown since the sun shining on her tanned her as she worked in the vineyard. The Queen of Sheba theory is actually quite popular, because of the Solomon movie as well as the origination of the theory from Alphabet of Ben Sira and even Islam.
Both guesses... Were proven wrong. Praise the Lord!
Song of Solomon 6:13 ~ "Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies."
The woman of Song of Solomon is a Shulamite... Not from Sheba... And not from Ammon as Naamah was from.
Who was a Shulamite in this time? Abishag.
1 Kings 1:1-4 ~ "1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not."
For those wondering, a Shunammite and a Shulamite are the same coming from the same village of Shunem, located in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa. Thought to believe to be the modern town of Sulam.
1 Kings 2:10-24 ~ "10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. 13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. 19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. 23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. 24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day."
Abishag was David's servant while David was on his deathbed, once the king died, I believe she started working in the gardens/the vineyards where Solomon and her meet again in Song of Solomon.
Shunamitism is the practice of an old man sleeping with, but not necessarily having sex with, a young virgin to preserve his youth. The rationale was that the heat and moisture of the young woman would transfer to the old man and revitalize him as well as keep him warm. Among scientific physicians, both Thomas Sydenham (17th century) and Herman Boerhaave (18th century) prescribed shunamitism for their patients.
Now let us turn to Proverbs 31… Who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:1 ~ “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.”
The first question to ask is, "Who is King Lemuel?" He is mentioned nowhere else in Scriptures besides Proverbs 31, he is not a recorded king of Israel anywhere else.
Strong’s Lexicon… H3927
1.) The name of an unknown king to whom his mother addressed the prudential maxims contained in some of the Proverbs
2.) Might be same as king Solomon
Solomon after all is the one who wrote Proverbs so it is wise to conclude that he is King Lemuel and his mother who is teaching him who to wife is Bathsheba. Of course Bathsheba would want Solomon to marry a Hebrew woman, herself being Hebrew, and Abishag the Shunammite was a Hebrew woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31 ~ "10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
A vineyard? Just like in Song of Solomon where she worked in the vineyards after King David’s death.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Silk and purple being clothing of royalty. Her husband known in the gates because he is the king.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
Verse 29 compared with…
Song of Solomon 6:9 ~ "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."
The many daughters in Proverbs 31:29 are Solomon’s queens and concubines just as in Song of Solomon 6:9. Abishag blessed by these other women because she is the fairest.
So the conclusion, Abishag is the Proverbs 31 woman and the woman in Song of Solomon.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
SEEKING A SPOUSE......
Should a woman pursue a man? Is a woman pursuing a man a meek and discreet thing to do? Let's look into the Scriptures...
Among the different roles assigned to men and women in the Bible, men are assigned the role of leadership in the church and home so why shouldn't the man lead the woman into courtship? It is the creation order that the man was first formed, that he is the leader/guide of the woman. Why should he not be the one to initiate a relationship? Allowing his woman of interest to remain in her role of being discreet, (Genesis 2, 1 Corinthians 11:7-9, Ephesians 5).
The man is to approach the woman, her father/guardian out of respect if he may court the man's daughter. We see this example Biblically...
God gave Eve to Adam. (Genesis 2)
Bethuel gave Rebekah to Isaac. (Genesis 24)
Laban gave Leah and Rachel to Jacob. (Genesis 29)
Pharaoh gave Asenath to Joseph. (Genesis 41:45)
Reuel gave Zipporah to Moses. (Exodus 2:21)
Naomi gave Ruth to Boaz. (Ruth 3:1-5)
Ruth is sometimes used as an example where Ruth pursued after Boaz, but Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz because he was a kin and by the law Boaz was to take Ruth.
Proverbs 18:22 ~ "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD."
The man is to find a wife... He is to pursue/initiate so the woman can stay in her God-ordained role of being discreet, a meek and quiet spirit as well as under her father's headship. Let the man speak, let the man ask for he will be your leader. Allow God to lead him to pursue you so your future husband can lead you into your marriage.
As well to add to this topic I must clearly state how as Christians we are commanded to not initiate or accept a relationship with a non-believer. Even though in the context of the chapter it is not talking about marriage, but all relationships such as friendships.
2 Corinthians 6:14 ~ "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
Now to more specific Scripture on the matter...
Deuteronomy 7:3 ~ "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son."
Obviously this wasn't for racist reasons, (see my article on Racism) but for reasons of the believing spouse putting a stumbling-block before themselves by marrying a non-believer that worship idols and influences the believer to worship such idols/partaking in sin.
1 Corinthians 7:39 ~ "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."
A woman can marry who she wants as long as he is in the Lord. Conditions. As a woman is to have headship that submits himself under Christ. Even a woman entering into a new relationship with someone that is a lukewarm believer lacking maturity, I would advice going slow with caution especially for women as it is harder for a woman to convict a man while staying in Biblical order, (1 Peter 3).
Do not let love blind you or fear of hurting the person, because furthering things longer will only bring more hurt as feelings kindle. You have to honestly consider if the lukewarm believer has an open heart to the narrow road or a hard heart. As for non-believers, do not even date until sincere conversion. Some may even lie about converting, or kindle hopes that they may convert if you will date them. Do not be fooled. Missionary dating can be dangerous so go very slow to be sure to guard your heart and purity before the Lord.
A man I would give the same advice, even though a righteous man can lead her to the narrow road by teaching and washing her in the word, (Ephesians 5:26). He as well cannot let love or lust blind him. He must be cautious to not be seduced by a lukewarm woman who will dig her heels in when it comes to applying submission in the marriage. There are many Delilah-like women out there that have evil spirits seeking to tear down a man of God.
Proverbs 6:26-27 ~ "26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?"
Proverbs 12:4 ~ "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."
Proverbs 19:13 ~ "A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping."
Proverbs 30:20 ~ "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness."
Keep it holy, follow the Bible and seek courtship. So until next time...
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
Among the different roles assigned to men and women in the Bible, men are assigned the role of leadership in the church and home so why shouldn't the man lead the woman into courtship? It is the creation order that the man was first formed, that he is the leader/guide of the woman. Why should he not be the one to initiate a relationship? Allowing his woman of interest to remain in her role of being discreet, (Genesis 2, 1 Corinthians 11:7-9, Ephesians 5).
The man is to approach the woman, her father/guardian out of respect if he may court the man's daughter. We see this example Biblically...
God gave Eve to Adam. (Genesis 2)
Bethuel gave Rebekah to Isaac. (Genesis 24)
Laban gave Leah and Rachel to Jacob. (Genesis 29)
Pharaoh gave Asenath to Joseph. (Genesis 41:45)
Reuel gave Zipporah to Moses. (Exodus 2:21)
Naomi gave Ruth to Boaz. (Ruth 3:1-5)
Ruth is sometimes used as an example where Ruth pursued after Boaz, but Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz because he was a kin and by the law Boaz was to take Ruth.
Proverbs 18:22 ~ "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD."
The man is to find a wife... He is to pursue/initiate so the woman can stay in her God-ordained role of being discreet, a meek and quiet spirit as well as under her father's headship. Let the man speak, let the man ask for he will be your leader. Allow God to lead him to pursue you so your future husband can lead you into your marriage.
As well to add to this topic I must clearly state how as Christians we are commanded to not initiate or accept a relationship with a non-believer. Even though in the context of the chapter it is not talking about marriage, but all relationships such as friendships.
2 Corinthians 6:14 ~ "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
Now to more specific Scripture on the matter...
Deuteronomy 7:3 ~ "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son."
Obviously this wasn't for racist reasons, (see my article on Racism) but for reasons of the believing spouse putting a stumbling-block before themselves by marrying a non-believer that worship idols and influences the believer to worship such idols/partaking in sin.
1 Corinthians 7:39 ~ "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."
A woman can marry who she wants as long as he is in the Lord. Conditions. As a woman is to have headship that submits himself under Christ. Even a woman entering into a new relationship with someone that is a lukewarm believer lacking maturity, I would advice going slow with caution especially for women as it is harder for a woman to convict a man while staying in Biblical order, (1 Peter 3).
Do not let love blind you or fear of hurting the person, because furthering things longer will only bring more hurt as feelings kindle. You have to honestly consider if the lukewarm believer has an open heart to the narrow road or a hard heart. As for non-believers, do not even date until sincere conversion. Some may even lie about converting, or kindle hopes that they may convert if you will date them. Do not be fooled. Missionary dating can be dangerous so go very slow to be sure to guard your heart and purity before the Lord.
A man I would give the same advice, even though a righteous man can lead her to the narrow road by teaching and washing her in the word, (Ephesians 5:26). He as well cannot let love or lust blind him. He must be cautious to not be seduced by a lukewarm woman who will dig her heels in when it comes to applying submission in the marriage. There are many Delilah-like women out there that have evil spirits seeking to tear down a man of God.
Proverbs 6:26-27 ~ "26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?"
Proverbs 12:4 ~ "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."
Proverbs 19:13 ~ "A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping."
Proverbs 30:20 ~ "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness."
Keep it holy, follow the Bible and seek courtship. So until next time...
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
GODLY JEALOUSY & KINDLED HEARTS......
I've come to a revelation, my husband always made this point, that I always seen as kind of extreme or silly, but over time the Lord has confirmed it to me as I have prayed about it and I’ve finally sat down to write about it. I am so thankful for my husband as my headship.
Obviously, I already agree that a woman should never counsel a man, but my husband has shown me that a man shouldn't counsel a woman either. Now let me clarify... We have to have a man as the head of the church; a bishop/a pastor/a shepherd...
1 Timothy 3:1-5 ~ "1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
Paul says that a pastor has to be the husband of one wife because a pastor will be in a situation where a woman needs counsel. However, some great men of God are single, widowed or divorced because of a rebellious wife that refused to submit when her husband came to the Lord.
Sadly, as my husband points out when a pastor counsels a woman one-on-one, feelings from either gender can possibly develop, so why it is not wise to have opposite genders being counseled one-on-one alone. It should be a group setting, other church elders present. This is for safety. This is wisdom.
1 Corinthians 14:35 ~ "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
When a pastor counsels a woman, he should have her ask her husband first. And if a woman is seeking counsel from her pastor because of her husband is unable to give an answer, her husband should ask the pastor on her behalf or at least have her husband present when she asks her pastor. There shouldn’t be one-on-one counsel between a woman and a man.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 ~ "Abstain from all appearance of evil."
This is because to have no stumbling blocks, no love kindled, even if accidental or non-intentional. A woman is not to awaken love in a man's heart with no intention of loving him or establishing a relationship. Song of Solomon 8:4.
Same goes for a man, a man is not to awaken love in a woman's heart with no intention of loving her or establishing a relationship. Awakening love in another's heart is easy, and why it is to be avoided with all costs. Why a single man and single woman shouldn't talk one-one-one unless it is with intention of a relationship, which is to be made clear to one another of being exclusive and going through the courting process.
Of course a married woman and a married man shouldn't talk one-on-one without each of their own partners present, the husband of the woman, and the wife of the man should always be present. In a marriage, each partner should know where the other is at all times. A man should not be counseling a woman one-on-one, it should be with his wife present and if he is single it should be in the presence of an assistant pastor or elder woman of the church.
Titus 2:3-5 ~ "3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."
Women teach women, men teach men. The pastor being public with other trusted elders when counseling a woman so that no love is kindled and no appearance of evil is given. Leaving no room for the enemy to bring anyone astray in lust or hurt.
I thank my husband for teaching me this, as well as fellow righteous brothers and sisters who furthered the conviction because of asking me to add their spouse as a friend on social media, brothers and sisters that message me with their spouse's in the conversation. I apply this conviction, if you are a brother and I message you, my husband is in the conversation with us, so please don’t mind and understand why. I am truly convicted this is Godly order; we must always go the extra mile for holiness.
It’s not that, “Oh my spouse trusts me in a conversation alone with the opposite gender.” It’s not about that, I trust my husband and my husband trusts me… This is about establishing respect and involvement, not acting as individuals, but acting as one flesh. The husband as the head and the woman as the body is Biblical order.
We need to understand that there is godly jealousy and ungodly jealousy. Ungodly jealousy crosses the line into paranoid-possessiveness of irrational fear, which neither my husband nor I have. To point out Numbers 5:14, nonetheless we must prove our innocence to our partner, but may we never have to have our partner question our faithfulness. In a healthy marriage, neither partner has to question the other's faithfulness. As my husband and I trust each other and have confidence with one another. My husband is from the Philippines where this order of communication etiquette has not yet been lost like it has here in 21st Century America. As Christians, may we bring back this moral standard.
Even our God is a jealous God...
Exodus 34:14 ~ "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:"
2 Corinthians 11:2 ~ "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
Protecting our marriage from any evil that tries to put it asunder because there are sexually immoral people out there that will try to be house-wreckers. Guard your marriage from physical, emotional and spiritual wickedness. And guard your purity if you are a single brother or sister. The Lord will bless you this much more if you go the extra mile.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
Obviously, I already agree that a woman should never counsel a man, but my husband has shown me that a man shouldn't counsel a woman either. Now let me clarify... We have to have a man as the head of the church; a bishop/a pastor/a shepherd...
1 Timothy 3:1-5 ~ "1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
Paul says that a pastor has to be the husband of one wife because a pastor will be in a situation where a woman needs counsel. However, some great men of God are single, widowed or divorced because of a rebellious wife that refused to submit when her husband came to the Lord.
Sadly, as my husband points out when a pastor counsels a woman one-on-one, feelings from either gender can possibly develop, so why it is not wise to have opposite genders being counseled one-on-one alone. It should be a group setting, other church elders present. This is for safety. This is wisdom.
1 Corinthians 14:35 ~ "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
When a pastor counsels a woman, he should have her ask her husband first. And if a woman is seeking counsel from her pastor because of her husband is unable to give an answer, her husband should ask the pastor on her behalf or at least have her husband present when she asks her pastor. There shouldn’t be one-on-one counsel between a woman and a man.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 ~ "Abstain from all appearance of evil."
This is because to have no stumbling blocks, no love kindled, even if accidental or non-intentional. A woman is not to awaken love in a man's heart with no intention of loving him or establishing a relationship. Song of Solomon 8:4.
Same goes for a man, a man is not to awaken love in a woman's heart with no intention of loving her or establishing a relationship. Awakening love in another's heart is easy, and why it is to be avoided with all costs. Why a single man and single woman shouldn't talk one-one-one unless it is with intention of a relationship, which is to be made clear to one another of being exclusive and going through the courting process.
Of course a married woman and a married man shouldn't talk one-on-one without each of their own partners present, the husband of the woman, and the wife of the man should always be present. In a marriage, each partner should know where the other is at all times. A man should not be counseling a woman one-on-one, it should be with his wife present and if he is single it should be in the presence of an assistant pastor or elder woman of the church.
Titus 2:3-5 ~ "3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."
Women teach women, men teach men. The pastor being public with other trusted elders when counseling a woman so that no love is kindled and no appearance of evil is given. Leaving no room for the enemy to bring anyone astray in lust or hurt.
I thank my husband for teaching me this, as well as fellow righteous brothers and sisters who furthered the conviction because of asking me to add their spouse as a friend on social media, brothers and sisters that message me with their spouse's in the conversation. I apply this conviction, if you are a brother and I message you, my husband is in the conversation with us, so please don’t mind and understand why. I am truly convicted this is Godly order; we must always go the extra mile for holiness.
It’s not that, “Oh my spouse trusts me in a conversation alone with the opposite gender.” It’s not about that, I trust my husband and my husband trusts me… This is about establishing respect and involvement, not acting as individuals, but acting as one flesh. The husband as the head and the woman as the body is Biblical order.
We need to understand that there is godly jealousy and ungodly jealousy. Ungodly jealousy crosses the line into paranoid-possessiveness of irrational fear, which neither my husband nor I have. To point out Numbers 5:14, nonetheless we must prove our innocence to our partner, but may we never have to have our partner question our faithfulness. In a healthy marriage, neither partner has to question the other's faithfulness. As my husband and I trust each other and have confidence with one another. My husband is from the Philippines where this order of communication etiquette has not yet been lost like it has here in 21st Century America. As Christians, may we bring back this moral standard.
Even our God is a jealous God...
Exodus 34:14 ~ "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:"
2 Corinthians 11:2 ~ "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
Protecting our marriage from any evil that tries to put it asunder because there are sexually immoral people out there that will try to be house-wreckers. Guard your marriage from physical, emotional and spiritual wickedness. And guard your purity if you are a single brother or sister. The Lord will bless you this much more if you go the extra mile.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
July 28, 2017
SUBMISSION: AN ETERNAL REWARD......
Rewards of submission are eternal, not just earthly and temporal...
We see that submission is a blessing and a great thing once we have come to understanding and application of submission in our lives, but to some women who dwell with husbands who are lukewarm or even non-believing (if she came to conversion after being married) we have to remind ourselves and such sisters that their reward of submitting to their lukewarm or non-believing husband is not his conversion. His conversion is not the reward for submission. Eternal life is.
Submission is a salvation issue that God has ordained to be the testing of the woman’s flesh. That she crucify every part of herself that seeks control and independence.
Don’t get me wrong, a lukewarm/non-believing man coming to salvation by his wife’s conduct with chaste conversation is a beautiful thing and a great reward to the woman to know that her husband has salvation and to dwell peacefully being equally yoked, but if she submits for years and years and years to no avail of her husband surrendering his will to the Lord. What then is her reward?
Our goal as Christians is to help lead as many people to salvation as possible, and for women, 1 Peter 3:1-2 tells us how, as well as 1 Corinthians 7:14-17. But our husband’s have their own will, everyone has their own will and if they will not come to the Lord and you can die on your bed knowing you stayed in your marriage until the end of your life, submitting yourself fully to your husband aligning with 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Titus 2, Proverbs 31, etc. then enter into eternal life, dear sister. And know that you passed YOUR testing as a woman and know that your reward is eternal. Not just in your earthly marriage that is only for a season until death.
You will be judged according to your deeds. Were you a wife that endured until the end with all submission and honor given to your husband? Or did you cheat in your testing, were you not always submissive, and patient and not praying for God to do a work in your husband? Be honest with yourself as you ask these questions within the corner of your own mind. Examine yourselves this day.
What I notice from a lot of women who are more righteous than their own husbands is that they try to correct and guide their husbands in the ways of righteousness, to end up playing God in their husband’s life. We are not our husband’s headship, God is. 1 Corinthians 11. It is not a woman’s role to lead her husband. It is her job to wait and pray and convict with conduct, not words.
This is a concept that many women of God have yet to grasp. We are to build up our husbands, not nag and tear them down with our words. Proverbs 14:1. Wait on the ways of her husband.
Your husband is your lord, wait for him and serve him as you serve your Heavenly Father. Ephesians 5:22. And wait on your Heavenly Father to work in your husband, if your husband stays in rebellion even though you can say you honestly submitted with all effort and application… Know that your reward for passing your test as a woman of God is eternal, not temporal. Do not see your husband’s conversion as a reward of your submission lest you be discouraged, for eternal life is a reward for your submission as your testing. Do your work and role and may the Lord bless you for such.
Psalm 27:13-14 ~ "13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Isaiah 40:31 ~ "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Romans 2:7 ~ "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:"
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
We see that submission is a blessing and a great thing once we have come to understanding and application of submission in our lives, but to some women who dwell with husbands who are lukewarm or even non-believing (if she came to conversion after being married) we have to remind ourselves and such sisters that their reward of submitting to their lukewarm or non-believing husband is not his conversion. His conversion is not the reward for submission. Eternal life is.
Submission is a salvation issue that God has ordained to be the testing of the woman’s flesh. That she crucify every part of herself that seeks control and independence.
Don’t get me wrong, a lukewarm/non-believing man coming to salvation by his wife’s conduct with chaste conversation is a beautiful thing and a great reward to the woman to know that her husband has salvation and to dwell peacefully being equally yoked, but if she submits for years and years and years to no avail of her husband surrendering his will to the Lord. What then is her reward?
Our goal as Christians is to help lead as many people to salvation as possible, and for women, 1 Peter 3:1-2 tells us how, as well as 1 Corinthians 7:14-17. But our husband’s have their own will, everyone has their own will and if they will not come to the Lord and you can die on your bed knowing you stayed in your marriage until the end of your life, submitting yourself fully to your husband aligning with 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Titus 2, Proverbs 31, etc. then enter into eternal life, dear sister. And know that you passed YOUR testing as a woman and know that your reward is eternal. Not just in your earthly marriage that is only for a season until death.
You will be judged according to your deeds. Were you a wife that endured until the end with all submission and honor given to your husband? Or did you cheat in your testing, were you not always submissive, and patient and not praying for God to do a work in your husband? Be honest with yourself as you ask these questions within the corner of your own mind. Examine yourselves this day.
What I notice from a lot of women who are more righteous than their own husbands is that they try to correct and guide their husbands in the ways of righteousness, to end up playing God in their husband’s life. We are not our husband’s headship, God is. 1 Corinthians 11. It is not a woman’s role to lead her husband. It is her job to wait and pray and convict with conduct, not words.
This is a concept that many women of God have yet to grasp. We are to build up our husbands, not nag and tear them down with our words. Proverbs 14:1. Wait on the ways of her husband.
Your husband is your lord, wait for him and serve him as you serve your Heavenly Father. Ephesians 5:22. And wait on your Heavenly Father to work in your husband, if your husband stays in rebellion even though you can say you honestly submitted with all effort and application… Know that your reward for passing your test as a woman of God is eternal, not temporal. Do not see your husband’s conversion as a reward of your submission lest you be discouraged, for eternal life is a reward for your submission as your testing. Do your work and role and may the Lord bless you for such.
Psalm 27:13-14 ~ "13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Isaiah 40:31 ~ "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Romans 2:7 ~ "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:"
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
July 27, 2017
ENCOURAGEMENT OR PATRONIZATION?
Many sisters have themselves fooled, even those who say they practice submission to their husbands. Do not be easily convinced if a woman says, "Yes and Amen" to certain Biblical questions about submission that therefore she is a submitted woman.
The same goes for the brethren, all Christians. As Paris Reidhead said in one of my favorite sermons...
"And so it wasn't long until it got to our generation, where the whole plan of salvation was to give intellectual assent to a few statements of doctrine. And a person was considered a Christian because he could say, "Ah hah" at four or five places that he was asked. If he knew where to say "Ah hah", someone would pat him on the back, shake his hand, smile broadly, and say, "Brother, you're saved!" so it had gotten down to the place where salvation was nothing more than an assent to a scheme or a formula, and the end of this was that salvation was the happiness of man, because humanism has penetrated." -Ten Shekels And A Shirt
Just as Humanism has penetrated The Church, Feminism has also penetrated The Church. Aren't we supposed to test the spirits? 1 John 4:1. Aren't we to judge them by their fruit/actions? Matthew 7:16.
Why I say... Beware of covert rebellious women! Even if this rebellious woman is your own self. As I speak to my own shame I have been guilty before of trying to be my husband's conscience. And he lives righteously! Even if I fail my test as a wife, my prayer for you dear sister reading this would be that you would succeed in your test. 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, 1 Corinthians 9:27. May we stand in agreement upon God's standards for us as wives for we have no excuse.
I know that even though women are the weaker vessel spiritually, there are Christian couples where the wife has come to the narrow road of sanctification while her husband remains spiritually indifferent; whether he be lukewarm or outright sinful. This variant doesn't really matter, as I am speaking to sisters to correct themselves of patronization of their man whether he be lukewarm or outright sinful. It doesn't matter. He is disobedient either way before God. Your husband may even be living righteously and works hard, but you still persist to patronize him.
Many women who do genuinely come out of lukewarmness to repentance and sanctification by grace are quickly once again snared up by their flesh and spiritual superficiality. A woman soon becomes puffed up by pride and superiority. She may not even realize it. She can say, "Yes and Amen" to submission in everything to her husband, yet she subtly undermines him.
She honestly thinks she is helping him. After all, she is his help meet. That is what you tell yourself, don't you? You justify your own self by your own genuine concern for your husband's salvation. I do not question your concern. I know you love your husband. I sympathize, I truly do, but please hear me when I tell you that you are chasing your own tail and you are chasing your husband away. Your greatest heart's desire is to have your husband be a righteous, zealous man of God that leads you and your children.
I have seen so many women in tears for their husband's salvation and those with genuine urgency. When people come to the narrow road... They quickly learn that "Thou shall not judge" is a cop out taken out of context of Matthew 7:1-5 and that warning a sinner of their sin is true love. Ezekiel 3:18-19. Rebuke is love. Proverbs 27:5. It is the love we are to have towards our neighbor. Leviticus 19:17-18. So wives try to love their husbands with rebuke. This is where things go wrong.
I do not take away from this glorious and timeless truth that rebuke is love. What I want to bring to light though, is the women who suffer and are being led astray by this truth being twisted. These women are souls who are growing, they understand sanctification and they have spiritual eyes to see their husband's lukewarmness. What these women cannot see though because they are the weaker vessel is that in her unbridled zeal she goes forth and takes the role of spiritual headship in her home. This is the snare of the devil.
After all, Satan convinced Eve to chase after bettering her own self spiritually and she then went to convince her husband Adam.
She thinks she is helping her husband by "encouraging" him to be better. She thinks she is "convicting" him and planting seeds by her subtle rebuke. She thinks she is being his help meet by "motivating" him to read his Bible more, to pray more, worship more, attend church, etc. etc. etc. She probably even says how she wants him to lead her and their children.
Please do not continue to fool yourself. You are not loving your husband with your subtle rebuke. You are not convicting him. You cannot force him to believe and be disciplined. You are and will end up chasing him away. Stop right now from thinking that him leaving is you being hated for Christ's sake. Matthew 10:22.
You can not be hated for Christ's sake if you haven't done God's will by being you a "spiritual" nagging wife. You are not encouraging him to be better; you are tearing your husband down. Instead of his trusted wife... Proverbs 31:11-12. You are his greatest critic. You are belittling him. You are patronizing him.
1 Peter 3:1-2 ~ "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."
Why do you effortlessly try and toil to win your husband to salvation by your words? Fear the Lord. Proverbs 8:13. He has directed your steps and told you what to do to win your husband. Yet you doubt and do not trust God, ye of little faith.
Because of your lack of faith you try to take matters into your own hands. You are trying to take control... Even worse in all seriousness you are trying to take over God's role and be your husband's headship. You're trying to be your husband's conscience. You're trying to be his Holy Ghost.
Who in the Bible wanted the role of the Most High? Satan Himself. Isaiah 14:14. The father of lies... The father of rebellion. Do not follow in the footsteps of rebellion. Follow the footsteps of your Heavenly Father Who's feet were pierced for you.
You are making your husband feel worthless, hopeless, discouraged, unmotivated, not good enough, not needed, not appreciated, out of place, insecure, inept, incompetent, etc. etc. etc. I do not justify his own sin/lukewarmness, but sister, you need to love your husband how God has instructed you as a wife to love him. If you expect your husband to be the husband God wants him to be than I suggest you stop being a hypocrite and start being the wife God wants you to be.
Stop patronizing and attacking your man's ego. A man will do great things with a wife that supports and respects him. Build up your husband. That is how you are a great help meet and have faith God will do the rest. John 16:8, 1 Corinthians 3:6.
You plant seeds by your conduct, not your rebukes. You're husband is lukewarm, but he is not stupid. He has seen your spiritual growth and he doesn't need to be intimidated by you anymore than he already is. Do not lose your humility! Practice fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. Stop patronizing and deceiving yourself that your patronization is encouragement. A wife's encouragement is not tearing down! It is building up!
Proverbs 14:1 ~ "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."
Are you a wise woman or a fool? Repent! You are tearing down your husband with what you think is spiritual encouragement for him to be better. You make him not even want to try because you patronize and look down on him with your spiritual superiority that you understand sanctification and Bible verses and you pray a lot and worship a lot all while he works overtime to provide for you and your children. Then you get caught up in personal convictions of spiritual superficiality to make yourself feel even more superior. Repent of your pride.
It's embarrassing and shameful for a woman to be stronger than her husband. Don't think that it is sexist for your husband to feel this way. If you think so that proves your underlining feminism that is still in your heart. Deborah was a judge and this was to the shame of the men of Israel. What did Deborah do? She built up the men! Not nag them to death.
"Why don't you ever read your Bible to teach me and the children?"
"You're supposed to be my headship."
"You should worship and pray more, honey."
"You used to be zealous or at least I thought you wanted to serve God."
"Why don't you spend more time with God, me and the children? Don't love money. It doesn't matter."
"We should forsake everything and become missionaries by faith."
"Have you ever thought about loving me spiritually instead of just carnally with the flesh and temporal things? I'm thirsty for spiritual things!"
"I've decided to give up makeup, jewelry, everything to please God. How has your walk with the Lord been doing?
"You never talk about God with me."
"Why won't you pray or read with me? I want you to lead us. The Bible says you're supposed to lead me."
"It's time for church. We'll be late if you don't get dressed. You're supposed to be zealous."
Let me convict you... Have you said or thought these things? I ask because if you have said them you really have been tearing down your husband. If you have thought them, I worry that your husband notices your prideful look of how you know better than he does. You disrespect him by looking down on him, even if just in your heart. You are what you are by grace, so I pray you not forget that. 1 Corinthians 15:10. Be humbled in fear that you are blaspheming God by trying to do God's role in your husband's life. Titus 2:5.
Please stop undermining your husband. You know better than to usurp authority in correcting him. Trying to change him. Trying to control him. You are not his headship.
1 Timothy 2:12 ~ "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
1 Corinthians 11:3 ~ "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."
Your prayers for your husband are in vain if you are not submitting, referencing and truly encouraging your husband by building him in all appreciation of him as your man. I say this all in love, dear sisters. I pray you apply yourself.
Proverbs 11:22 ~ "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion."
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
The same goes for the brethren, all Christians. As Paris Reidhead said in one of my favorite sermons...
"And so it wasn't long until it got to our generation, where the whole plan of salvation was to give intellectual assent to a few statements of doctrine. And a person was considered a Christian because he could say, "Ah hah" at four or five places that he was asked. If he knew where to say "Ah hah", someone would pat him on the back, shake his hand, smile broadly, and say, "Brother, you're saved!" so it had gotten down to the place where salvation was nothing more than an assent to a scheme or a formula, and the end of this was that salvation was the happiness of man, because humanism has penetrated." -Ten Shekels And A Shirt
Just as Humanism has penetrated The Church, Feminism has also penetrated The Church. Aren't we supposed to test the spirits? 1 John 4:1. Aren't we to judge them by their fruit/actions? Matthew 7:16.
Why I say... Beware of covert rebellious women! Even if this rebellious woman is your own self. As I speak to my own shame I have been guilty before of trying to be my husband's conscience. And he lives righteously! Even if I fail my test as a wife, my prayer for you dear sister reading this would be that you would succeed in your test. 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, 1 Corinthians 9:27. May we stand in agreement upon God's standards for us as wives for we have no excuse.
I know that even though women are the weaker vessel spiritually, there are Christian couples where the wife has come to the narrow road of sanctification while her husband remains spiritually indifferent; whether he be lukewarm or outright sinful. This variant doesn't really matter, as I am speaking to sisters to correct themselves of patronization of their man whether he be lukewarm or outright sinful. It doesn't matter. He is disobedient either way before God. Your husband may even be living righteously and works hard, but you still persist to patronize him.
Many women who do genuinely come out of lukewarmness to repentance and sanctification by grace are quickly once again snared up by their flesh and spiritual superficiality. A woman soon becomes puffed up by pride and superiority. She may not even realize it. She can say, "Yes and Amen" to submission in everything to her husband, yet she subtly undermines him.
She honestly thinks she is helping him. After all, she is his help meet. That is what you tell yourself, don't you? You justify your own self by your own genuine concern for your husband's salvation. I do not question your concern. I know you love your husband. I sympathize, I truly do, but please hear me when I tell you that you are chasing your own tail and you are chasing your husband away. Your greatest heart's desire is to have your husband be a righteous, zealous man of God that leads you and your children.
I have seen so many women in tears for their husband's salvation and those with genuine urgency. When people come to the narrow road... They quickly learn that "Thou shall not judge" is a cop out taken out of context of Matthew 7:1-5 and that warning a sinner of their sin is true love. Ezekiel 3:18-19. Rebuke is love. Proverbs 27:5. It is the love we are to have towards our neighbor. Leviticus 19:17-18. So wives try to love their husbands with rebuke. This is where things go wrong.
I do not take away from this glorious and timeless truth that rebuke is love. What I want to bring to light though, is the women who suffer and are being led astray by this truth being twisted. These women are souls who are growing, they understand sanctification and they have spiritual eyes to see their husband's lukewarmness. What these women cannot see though because they are the weaker vessel is that in her unbridled zeal she goes forth and takes the role of spiritual headship in her home. This is the snare of the devil.
After all, Satan convinced Eve to chase after bettering her own self spiritually and she then went to convince her husband Adam.
She thinks she is helping her husband by "encouraging" him to be better. She thinks she is "convicting" him and planting seeds by her subtle rebuke. She thinks she is being his help meet by "motivating" him to read his Bible more, to pray more, worship more, attend church, etc. etc. etc. She probably even says how she wants him to lead her and their children.
Please do not continue to fool yourself. You are not loving your husband with your subtle rebuke. You are not convicting him. You cannot force him to believe and be disciplined. You are and will end up chasing him away. Stop right now from thinking that him leaving is you being hated for Christ's sake. Matthew 10:22.
You can not be hated for Christ's sake if you haven't done God's will by being you a "spiritual" nagging wife. You are not encouraging him to be better; you are tearing your husband down. Instead of his trusted wife... Proverbs 31:11-12. You are his greatest critic. You are belittling him. You are patronizing him.
1 Peter 3:1-2 ~ "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."
Why do you effortlessly try and toil to win your husband to salvation by your words? Fear the Lord. Proverbs 8:13. He has directed your steps and told you what to do to win your husband. Yet you doubt and do not trust God, ye of little faith.
Because of your lack of faith you try to take matters into your own hands. You are trying to take control... Even worse in all seriousness you are trying to take over God's role and be your husband's headship. You're trying to be your husband's conscience. You're trying to be his Holy Ghost.
Who in the Bible wanted the role of the Most High? Satan Himself. Isaiah 14:14. The father of lies... The father of rebellion. Do not follow in the footsteps of rebellion. Follow the footsteps of your Heavenly Father Who's feet were pierced for you.
You are making your husband feel worthless, hopeless, discouraged, unmotivated, not good enough, not needed, not appreciated, out of place, insecure, inept, incompetent, etc. etc. etc. I do not justify his own sin/lukewarmness, but sister, you need to love your husband how God has instructed you as a wife to love him. If you expect your husband to be the husband God wants him to be than I suggest you stop being a hypocrite and start being the wife God wants you to be.
Stop patronizing and attacking your man's ego. A man will do great things with a wife that supports and respects him. Build up your husband. That is how you are a great help meet and have faith God will do the rest. John 16:8, 1 Corinthians 3:6.
You plant seeds by your conduct, not your rebukes. You're husband is lukewarm, but he is not stupid. He has seen your spiritual growth and he doesn't need to be intimidated by you anymore than he already is. Do not lose your humility! Practice fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. Stop patronizing and deceiving yourself that your patronization is encouragement. A wife's encouragement is not tearing down! It is building up!
Proverbs 14:1 ~ "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."
Are you a wise woman or a fool? Repent! You are tearing down your husband with what you think is spiritual encouragement for him to be better. You make him not even want to try because you patronize and look down on him with your spiritual superiority that you understand sanctification and Bible verses and you pray a lot and worship a lot all while he works overtime to provide for you and your children. Then you get caught up in personal convictions of spiritual superficiality to make yourself feel even more superior. Repent of your pride.
It's embarrassing and shameful for a woman to be stronger than her husband. Don't think that it is sexist for your husband to feel this way. If you think so that proves your underlining feminism that is still in your heart. Deborah was a judge and this was to the shame of the men of Israel. What did Deborah do? She built up the men! Not nag them to death.
"Why don't you ever read your Bible to teach me and the children?"
"You're supposed to be my headship."
"You should worship and pray more, honey."
"You used to be zealous or at least I thought you wanted to serve God."
"Why don't you spend more time with God, me and the children? Don't love money. It doesn't matter."
"We should forsake everything and become missionaries by faith."
"Have you ever thought about loving me spiritually instead of just carnally with the flesh and temporal things? I'm thirsty for spiritual things!"
"I've decided to give up makeup, jewelry, everything to please God. How has your walk with the Lord been doing?
"You never talk about God with me."
"Why won't you pray or read with me? I want you to lead us. The Bible says you're supposed to lead me."
"It's time for church. We'll be late if you don't get dressed. You're supposed to be zealous."
Let me convict you... Have you said or thought these things? I ask because if you have said them you really have been tearing down your husband. If you have thought them, I worry that your husband notices your prideful look of how you know better than he does. You disrespect him by looking down on him, even if just in your heart. You are what you are by grace, so I pray you not forget that. 1 Corinthians 15:10. Be humbled in fear that you are blaspheming God by trying to do God's role in your husband's life. Titus 2:5.
Please stop undermining your husband. You know better than to usurp authority in correcting him. Trying to change him. Trying to control him. You are not his headship.
1 Timothy 2:12 ~ "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
1 Corinthians 11:3 ~ "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."
Your prayers for your husband are in vain if you are not submitting, referencing and truly encouraging your husband by building him in all appreciation of him as your man. I say this all in love, dear sisters. I pray you apply yourself.
Proverbs 11:22 ~ "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion."
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
July 26, 2017
BUILDING HIM UP WITH HER TONE......
Proverbs 14:1 ~ "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."
To my sisters who are married, plan to marry, or are courting, I’d like to give a little teaching and advice…
As women, we have a lot of power in our hands to make our household harmonious or toxic… Proverbs 31:11 or Proverbs 25:24. Encouraging our men or emasculating our men, that wicked Genesis 3:16 nature to control that needs to be crucified to be a Godly woman.
It is a daily dying to be crucified to our flesh. Galatians 2:20-21. To be submissive, to be meek, to be discreet, to be quiet, to be modest, but I assure you, if you just bear through the pain of being crucified and accept the verses about women’s submission you will eventually become dead, completely dead to the flesh. Romans 6. Transformed into a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:7.
It is so important that we daily evaluate our own hearts… Especially our speech as women, speech is one of the most important things, dear sisters. Why? Always in the verses pertaining to women it references our speech… A meek and quiet spirit. Why is this? We as women were made to cater to our husband’s emotional needs, our children’s emotional needs.
This is why women are emotional creatures. It is a weakness to deal with logical/spiritual things and why we are called the weaker vessel. 1 Peter 3:7. Though it is also our strength… A good strength if used to encourage our husbands and not emasculate them.
A meek and quiet spirit… Be silent… Be submissive… Crushing to read, isn’t it? It is without Godly understanding to why this is. You may feel voiceless; yet know that it takes strength to remain silent. Self-control to hold the tongue is a hard thing to do…
James 3:5-6 ~ "5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."
James 3 is talking to both men and women of the faith… However, I encourage you ladies to read it as it is very convicting of how much strife can be created by our tongues, and how much harmony our home can have if we just can stop, wait, have the self-control to hold our tongue and really ask ourselves… “Will this issue matter tomorrow? Will it matter a week from now? Will it matter a month from now?”
All petty issues that we are just whined up about in the moment of our flesh can sometimes come out of our mouths so quickly to talk back to our husbands, as women we can speak passionately, even if we are not angry, our emotions are very strong even over the smallest of matters… This is good, but it also can be bad because from a man’s view we can easily be perceived as disrespectful which creates a misunderstanding.
When you are speaking to your husband you must, must, must set your tone to be engulfed with respect and honor. Men are to be protectors so they can be easily set to go into a fight or flight mode if they feel attacked or disrespected… It makes it very difficult for a man to listen to you when your tone is not engulfed with honor and respect, and so he doesn’t hear you and then you are angry for him not listening to you. Toxic cycle.
Make sure you do not have a nagging or strong tone. Of course a man must learn to be slow to anger, but everything has to start somewhere. Communication is key, but communication with the wrong tone can destroy marriages quickly. Do not allow the enemy or your own flesh put your marriage asunder. Matthew 19:6. Be the first to take action.
Again, women’s emotions are much more intense and complex than a man’s emotions are. You never want to send your husband’s mind into a fight or flight mentality where he feels he needs to defend himself, his honor. You want him to trust in you that you are only out to encourage him and not emasculate him.
You may not use disrespectful words and you may not think your tone is disrespectful, you may think you are just being passionate and headstrong… Sadly feminism has taught women to speak this way along with the underlining Genesis 3:16 nature so you must train yourself sisters to the way God meant us to be… A helpmeet. Genesis 2:18.
Men interrupt things differently, and they are looking for the helpmeet that God ordained for them. Fulfill this role, sisters. This is how you can keep your marriage harmonious. Be the bigger person; take the first step towards healing in your marriage. A meek, quiet, respectful, encouraging tone is a huge key when talking to your man.
Proverbs 31:11-12 ~ "11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Proverbs 31:26 ~ "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."
Be blessed and stay sanctified,
To my sisters who are married, plan to marry, or are courting, I’d like to give a little teaching and advice…
As women, we have a lot of power in our hands to make our household harmonious or toxic… Proverbs 31:11 or Proverbs 25:24. Encouraging our men or emasculating our men, that wicked Genesis 3:16 nature to control that needs to be crucified to be a Godly woman.
It is a daily dying to be crucified to our flesh. Galatians 2:20-21. To be submissive, to be meek, to be discreet, to be quiet, to be modest, but I assure you, if you just bear through the pain of being crucified and accept the verses about women’s submission you will eventually become dead, completely dead to the flesh. Romans 6. Transformed into a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:7.
It is so important that we daily evaluate our own hearts… Especially our speech as women, speech is one of the most important things, dear sisters. Why? Always in the verses pertaining to women it references our speech… A meek and quiet spirit. Why is this? We as women were made to cater to our husband’s emotional needs, our children’s emotional needs.
This is why women are emotional creatures. It is a weakness to deal with logical/spiritual things and why we are called the weaker vessel. 1 Peter 3:7. Though it is also our strength… A good strength if used to encourage our husbands and not emasculate them.
A meek and quiet spirit… Be silent… Be submissive… Crushing to read, isn’t it? It is without Godly understanding to why this is. You may feel voiceless; yet know that it takes strength to remain silent. Self-control to hold the tongue is a hard thing to do…
James 3:5-6 ~ "5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."
James 3 is talking to both men and women of the faith… However, I encourage you ladies to read it as it is very convicting of how much strife can be created by our tongues, and how much harmony our home can have if we just can stop, wait, have the self-control to hold our tongue and really ask ourselves… “Will this issue matter tomorrow? Will it matter a week from now? Will it matter a month from now?”
All petty issues that we are just whined up about in the moment of our flesh can sometimes come out of our mouths so quickly to talk back to our husbands, as women we can speak passionately, even if we are not angry, our emotions are very strong even over the smallest of matters… This is good, but it also can be bad because from a man’s view we can easily be perceived as disrespectful which creates a misunderstanding.
When you are speaking to your husband you must, must, must set your tone to be engulfed with respect and honor. Men are to be protectors so they can be easily set to go into a fight or flight mode if they feel attacked or disrespected… It makes it very difficult for a man to listen to you when your tone is not engulfed with honor and respect, and so he doesn’t hear you and then you are angry for him not listening to you. Toxic cycle.
Make sure you do not have a nagging or strong tone. Of course a man must learn to be slow to anger, but everything has to start somewhere. Communication is key, but communication with the wrong tone can destroy marriages quickly. Do not allow the enemy or your own flesh put your marriage asunder. Matthew 19:6. Be the first to take action.
Again, women’s emotions are much more intense and complex than a man’s emotions are. You never want to send your husband’s mind into a fight or flight mentality where he feels he needs to defend himself, his honor. You want him to trust in you that you are only out to encourage him and not emasculate him.
You may not use disrespectful words and you may not think your tone is disrespectful, you may think you are just being passionate and headstrong… Sadly feminism has taught women to speak this way along with the underlining Genesis 3:16 nature so you must train yourself sisters to the way God meant us to be… A helpmeet. Genesis 2:18.
Men interrupt things differently, and they are looking for the helpmeet that God ordained for them. Fulfill this role, sisters. This is how you can keep your marriage harmonious. Be the bigger person; take the first step towards healing in your marriage. A meek, quiet, respectful, encouraging tone is a huge key when talking to your man.
Proverbs 31:11-12 ~ "11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Proverbs 31:26 ~ "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."
Be blessed and stay sanctified,
July 17, 2017
SPIRITUAL SUPERFICIALITY EXPOSED...
This is a topic that I have swayed with for some time now. I may be repetitive as I have mentioned similar things in my Messianic Exposé, Sinless Perfection Exposé, as well as my Makeup, Jewelry, Head-Covering articles. Mostly because I will be talking about women's superficial spirituality... Those who are legalistic Pharisees.
Now, of course I have been called, "legalistic" by lukewarm Christians who do not want to give up their sin, those of you modern-day Pharisees reading this will make the same point that I am lukewarm because I call you a legalist. Allow me to make my case as I know I have sought God's Face on these matters and can now be strong in saying that. I've given this testimony before, as I stated I may be repetitive, but I want to give you the full testimony.
July 25th, 2012 I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Spring of 2013 I accepted the narrow road realizing I had to forsake sin; mostly idolatry at the time. My husband and I got married July 7th, 2013. We were long-distance when he proposed to me, he sent me a necklace instead of an engagement ring. I was never materialistic so it didn't matter at all to me to not have a ring.
Spring of 2014, The Lord convicted me of submission to my husband first, secondly convicting me of modesty (skirts/dresses past the knee) and thirdly convicting me of covering my head for prayer and prophesying. Even after dressing modestly all Spring and Summer I was surprised to have men coming up to me and asking me out. One man in a Wal-mart I remember, because it was the last time a man tried to pick me up.
I was looking at Sunglasses and he walked over from the Jewelry section. At first, I thought he was an employee the way he asked me, "Can I help you find something."
I politely discarded him and walked away to the next section of glasses. He followed. Now my small-town country self thought he was just a downright creep. Here I am in a flowly, ankle-length skirt with a modest blouse, hair in a messy bun, and yet he's following me when there's plenty of dolled-up, immodest women over in the Apparel section across from me. He asked me, "Are you Russian?"
I looked up into this tall man's eyes annoyed, "No, Irish."
He replied, "I've never met an Irish woman before."
I just smiled. Holding my tongue from saying that I had never met someone so creepily persistent. I was learning to hold my tongue at the time as I can be too quick-witted for my own good sometimes. The man then pushed me by asking, "Can I buy you something?"
I wittily replied, "Are you willing to buy my husband something, too?"
His facial expression changed drastically to disappointment and I walked away over to the Apparel section. Waiting by the elevator for my husband to come back from the bathroom. I told my husband as it was quite scary, annoying and funny. After this, as it wasn't long before our First Wedding Anniversary, my husband decided to get me a ring. I have not had someone ask me out on a date since.
In our culture, the wedding ring is a symbol that you are married. Not all men respect that a woman is taken, but the majority do and it prevents those who are seeking a single woman. I looked single to these men when they look at my ring finger and nothing is there. So instantly I was convicted of leading men to lust by not wearing a symbol of marriage in my culture. I was dressing modestly, but this wasn't enough because I presented myself as single by not wearing a ring.
Matthew 5:28 ~ "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart."
Fall of 2014, a sister joined my church and I honestly got close to her, we talked a lot and I admired her a bit as she was the first sister I met who also dressed modestly, covered her head, etc. She also wore no jewelry or makeup. I never wore much makeup since getting saved, but I stopped in order to show willingness to the Lord that I would give up anything for His glory. I always prayed for clarity directly from God, as I started to see self-righteousness in this sister who made me question makeup being sinful. She corrected the brothers, nit-picked to not bring our purses or wallets when evangelizing, told the other sisters that we should not be shaving our body hair because it is vanity, and she finally rebuked me directly for wearing a pagan wedding ring.
Yes, I realize that wearing a wedding ring has spiritual pagan origin. As well as makeup. Many of the things we have are made by non-believers... Should I throw out my Apple Laptop because the logo is Satanic to represent the fall of Adam and Eve? Should I throw out my Persian rug? Should I no longer go by the Gregorian calendar? The list goes on and on to get a bit ridiculous.
At the time even after this sister stopped talking to me in January of 2015, I still didn't wear makeup and sought God. I knew just because she was a Pharisee didn't mean she was wrong completely as I knew she was right about modesty, head-covering, etc. Which makes me bring up another point... Do you know that Pagans cover their heads? Yep! I was once a Wiccan so I'm quite familiar with it that many women feel led by the Divine Feminine to cover their head. So does that mean us as Christian women shouldn't cover our heads now? Of course not! We are part of the spiritual realm so there is spiritual symbolism... What matters is the Spirit we serve... Jesus Christ or satan.
Back to my timeline, I was quite hurt to lose this sister and grew cynical of ever having a trusted friend in the Lord. Not long, only a few weeks later there came a new sister into my life... I kept my walls up, so to speak. She and I became the best of friends though. She didn't wear makeup or jewelry so I continued to have an open heart before the Lord if this was the next step He needed to convict me in. I never felt convicted by God... I only questioned my heart before the Lord because of these women's convictions about makeup and jewelry. I wanted the Lord to confirm it for me as He did with submission, modesty, head-covering. He never really did so I deeply studied The Bible on the topic and from my study wrote my conclusion in my articles on makeup and jewelry in early 2016.
This sister wasn't nearly as much as a Pharisee as the first sister; she allowed the Holy Spirit to work in my life, she respected me and I really respected her. We talked everyday for hours sharing, studying, praying, crying, laughing. I truly thought I had a best friend forever, but as of recent she has not talked to me. I do not know why and it bothers me almost everyday. She has dropped off the edge of the earth. I checked with her mom, she's physically okay... She just started ignoring my messages. She was engaged and I believe she just wanted a clean slate. As much as I love her and forgive her for the hurt she has caused me... She has been unrighteous towards me to not go about this in the Matthew 18:15 order. If I have even offended her, I honestly do not know. God strike me dead if I'm lying.
Getting a little sidetracked at this point, but in the last few months of solitude from any sistren... The Lord has taught me to stand by what I wrote about makeup and jewelry in early 2016. He has taken it a step further though to wake me up to spiritual superficiality. I questioned myself with always having this sister making me feel inferior, but now, her fruit bears witness. Looking back on it, as I see now, as I see with many women now... They lose focus on the modest spirit and focus on looking modest/spiritual on the outside. The Lord has opened my eyes to this recently so allow me to explain deeper.
The heart condition is a key factor. The heart intent. Now if you wear skulls and wickedness that reflects your heart of death... If you wear a bikini that reflect your heart of no self-respect for your body and the seeking of attention. Women are called to be modest and I will not move on this Biblical standard. Let's dive into four main topics I notice...
Hair cutting... Click here for full study
I touched on mentioning this in my Messianic article, but didn't dive into the topic because that article was long enough as is and as well I was just starting to have solitude with the Lord when He was showing me women's spiritual superficiality. All of these matters honestly are putting oneself under The Law... Under spiritual signs that are to symbolize a virtue. People focus more on the sign than they do on the virtue.
Many women as the weaker vessel fall into the trap of placing themselves back under The Law when it comes to not cutting their hair, (Leviticus 19:27) not even a trim of the dead ends. Women also use 1 Corinthians 11:15 that a woman's hair shouldn't be cut because it is her glory. Many women claim it's bad for hair to be trimmed... I respect your experience, testimony, personal conviction, but don't belittle sisters over this. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue.
Head-covering... Click here for full study
Whether you cover full time or part time... I respect you if you understand the symbolism of the head-covering. Time and time again I see women who come to the narrow road and get convicted about covering full time... Their husbands not understanding and missing being able to see their wife's hair throughout the day. These husbands request and/or prefer their wives not cover full time... And the women do not submit.
This deeply bothers me and confuses me. So here you are wearing a head-covering that is a SYMBOL that you accept and respect your husband as your headship, yet you aren't submitting to him as your headship. What's the point of covering if you are not obedient to your husband? You veil your head in vain. You are a hypocrite. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue. The salvation issue for you as a wife is submitting to your husband in everything, (Ephesians 5:24) even if your husband himself is disobedient to God, (1 Peter 3:1-2).
Makeup... Click here for full study
I know I could completely deny myself of wearing makeup and feel no need to wear it ever again. So why do I wear it? To be feminine and pleasing to my husband's eyes. Many of you will say... "We blaspheme God by wearing makeup because we are telling Him that His original artwork (our face/body) isn't good enough."
I'm beautiful without makeup. I do not feel insecure without makeup. I don't want to look sexy, I want to look elegant, modest and pretty. If it's vanity to wear a little makeup of natural coloring than it must also be vanity to shower, put perfume on, shave, cut nails because we shouldn't be altering the way our bodies naturally are.
Now don't get me wrong, physical superficiality is an obsession women need to repent of, but let's not go to the other extreme of still focusing on appearance. God cares about your heart condition. Too much focus on looking sexy or looking holy isn't good, we need to BE holy. Stop focusing on makeup either way. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue.
1 Samuel 16:7 ~ "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
Jewelry... Click here for full study
As I opened up with my personal experience of my wedding ring being a preventative with men lusting after me. So here is the choice before me... Be in sin by wearing a piece of metal around my finger or be in sin by being a stumbling-block for a man to lust? I choose the metal around my finger. It is a symbol and my heart condition is to honor my husband that I am his and his alone. A sign to the world to not try and take me as your wife as I already belong to someone. Again, it's superficial. Not a salvation issue. My heart intent is pure before God. I focus on my heart rather than looking righteous.
Matthew 23:27 ~ "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."
Conclusion...
Now I'm not going to up and rebuke you just because you are personally convicted to not wear makeup, jewelry, perfume, etc. head-cover full time and not cut your hair whether it be all of these things, a few or one of these personal convictions. By all means, power to you. To me though, these things are not sin in moderation and pureness of heart.
James 4:17 ~ "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
So don't let me see you going around rebuking other women when you have no Biblical basis. Many of you are operating out of deep insecurities to try and make yourself feel superior to other Christian women. I deeply sympathize, but please repent now and stop being a modern-day Pharisee with your religiosity.
There are so many women who hide their rebellion behind religiosity of modest dress, no makeup, full time head-coverings, etc. but will not submit to their husband. Not being modest at heart, a meek and quiet spirit that God is most pleased with, (1 Peter 3:4).
I will stand in support of a woman who wears pants that has a submitted modest heart towards her husband and I will stand against a woman who wears skirts and is rebellious towards her husband. As there are MANY women who are modern-day Pharisees where the outside looks holy, but the inside is dead, (Matthew 23:27).
These rebellious women are led by their emotions, doing as Eve did and making decisions without headship. Listening to the voice of rebellion (Satan) that disguises as an angel of light, (2 Corinthians 11:14). These women think they are hearing from the Holy Spirit and can come out from under their husband's headship because of their "spirituality" which in truth, is superficiality. So many women have ruined their marriages by obeying their emotional convictions and rebelling against their husbands.
Submission to God-ordained order is priority. We need more women who acknowledge they are the weaker vessel, joyfully being led by their husbands regardless of the stage he is in with his walk with the Lord, (1 Peter 3:1-7). I'm not at all saying submitting to sin, but many women need to learn that not doing superficial things is not sin... What is sin is not submitting to your husband and blaspheming the Word of God, (Titus 2:5).
I fear becoming a Pharisee because I fear God... My hair is kept long, I cover for prayer, my makeup is minimal, as well as perfume and jewelry. My priority is being a meek and quiet spirit, (1 Peter 3:4). Please pray for me as I honestly keep a heart open to the Lord to convict me in all things always, but as I said, I know He is the one who has taught me and opened my eyes to spiritual superficiality. I invite your prayers nonetheless as I pray for you.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
Now, of course I have been called, "legalistic" by lukewarm Christians who do not want to give up their sin, those of you modern-day Pharisees reading this will make the same point that I am lukewarm because I call you a legalist. Allow me to make my case as I know I have sought God's Face on these matters and can now be strong in saying that. I've given this testimony before, as I stated I may be repetitive, but I want to give you the full testimony.
July 25th, 2012 I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Spring of 2013 I accepted the narrow road realizing I had to forsake sin; mostly idolatry at the time. My husband and I got married July 7th, 2013. We were long-distance when he proposed to me, he sent me a necklace instead of an engagement ring. I was never materialistic so it didn't matter at all to me to not have a ring.
Spring of 2014, The Lord convicted me of submission to my husband first, secondly convicting me of modesty (skirts/dresses past the knee) and thirdly convicting me of covering my head for prayer and prophesying. Even after dressing modestly all Spring and Summer I was surprised to have men coming up to me and asking me out. One man in a Wal-mart I remember, because it was the last time a man tried to pick me up.
I was looking at Sunglasses and he walked over from the Jewelry section. At first, I thought he was an employee the way he asked me, "Can I help you find something."
I politely discarded him and walked away to the next section of glasses. He followed. Now my small-town country self thought he was just a downright creep. Here I am in a flowly, ankle-length skirt with a modest blouse, hair in a messy bun, and yet he's following me when there's plenty of dolled-up, immodest women over in the Apparel section across from me. He asked me, "Are you Russian?"
I looked up into this tall man's eyes annoyed, "No, Irish."
He replied, "I've never met an Irish woman before."
I just smiled. Holding my tongue from saying that I had never met someone so creepily persistent. I was learning to hold my tongue at the time as I can be too quick-witted for my own good sometimes. The man then pushed me by asking, "Can I buy you something?"
I wittily replied, "Are you willing to buy my husband something, too?"
His facial expression changed drastically to disappointment and I walked away over to the Apparel section. Waiting by the elevator for my husband to come back from the bathroom. I told my husband as it was quite scary, annoying and funny. After this, as it wasn't long before our First Wedding Anniversary, my husband decided to get me a ring. I have not had someone ask me out on a date since.
In our culture, the wedding ring is a symbol that you are married. Not all men respect that a woman is taken, but the majority do and it prevents those who are seeking a single woman. I looked single to these men when they look at my ring finger and nothing is there. So instantly I was convicted of leading men to lust by not wearing a symbol of marriage in my culture. I was dressing modestly, but this wasn't enough because I presented myself as single by not wearing a ring.
Matthew 5:28 ~ "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart."
Fall of 2014, a sister joined my church and I honestly got close to her, we talked a lot and I admired her a bit as she was the first sister I met who also dressed modestly, covered her head, etc. She also wore no jewelry or makeup. I never wore much makeup since getting saved, but I stopped in order to show willingness to the Lord that I would give up anything for His glory. I always prayed for clarity directly from God, as I started to see self-righteousness in this sister who made me question makeup being sinful. She corrected the brothers, nit-picked to not bring our purses or wallets when evangelizing, told the other sisters that we should not be shaving our body hair because it is vanity, and she finally rebuked me directly for wearing a pagan wedding ring.
Yes, I realize that wearing a wedding ring has spiritual pagan origin. As well as makeup. Many of the things we have are made by non-believers... Should I throw out my Apple Laptop because the logo is Satanic to represent the fall of Adam and Eve? Should I throw out my Persian rug? Should I no longer go by the Gregorian calendar? The list goes on and on to get a bit ridiculous.
At the time even after this sister stopped talking to me in January of 2015, I still didn't wear makeup and sought God. I knew just because she was a Pharisee didn't mean she was wrong completely as I knew she was right about modesty, head-covering, etc. Which makes me bring up another point... Do you know that Pagans cover their heads? Yep! I was once a Wiccan so I'm quite familiar with it that many women feel led by the Divine Feminine to cover their head. So does that mean us as Christian women shouldn't cover our heads now? Of course not! We are part of the spiritual realm so there is spiritual symbolism... What matters is the Spirit we serve... Jesus Christ or satan.
Back to my timeline, I was quite hurt to lose this sister and grew cynical of ever having a trusted friend in the Lord. Not long, only a few weeks later there came a new sister into my life... I kept my walls up, so to speak. She and I became the best of friends though. She didn't wear makeup or jewelry so I continued to have an open heart before the Lord if this was the next step He needed to convict me in. I never felt convicted by God... I only questioned my heart before the Lord because of these women's convictions about makeup and jewelry. I wanted the Lord to confirm it for me as He did with submission, modesty, head-covering. He never really did so I deeply studied The Bible on the topic and from my study wrote my conclusion in my articles on makeup and jewelry in early 2016.
This sister wasn't nearly as much as a Pharisee as the first sister; she allowed the Holy Spirit to work in my life, she respected me and I really respected her. We talked everyday for hours sharing, studying, praying, crying, laughing. I truly thought I had a best friend forever, but as of recent she has not talked to me. I do not know why and it bothers me almost everyday. She has dropped off the edge of the earth. I checked with her mom, she's physically okay... She just started ignoring my messages. She was engaged and I believe she just wanted a clean slate. As much as I love her and forgive her for the hurt she has caused me... She has been unrighteous towards me to not go about this in the Matthew 18:15 order. If I have even offended her, I honestly do not know. God strike me dead if I'm lying.
Getting a little sidetracked at this point, but in the last few months of solitude from any sistren... The Lord has taught me to stand by what I wrote about makeup and jewelry in early 2016. He has taken it a step further though to wake me up to spiritual superficiality. I questioned myself with always having this sister making me feel inferior, but now, her fruit bears witness. Looking back on it, as I see now, as I see with many women now... They lose focus on the modest spirit and focus on looking modest/spiritual on the outside. The Lord has opened my eyes to this recently so allow me to explain deeper.
The heart condition is a key factor. The heart intent. Now if you wear skulls and wickedness that reflects your heart of death... If you wear a bikini that reflect your heart of no self-respect for your body and the seeking of attention. Women are called to be modest and I will not move on this Biblical standard. Let's dive into four main topics I notice...
Hair cutting... Click here for full study
I touched on mentioning this in my Messianic article, but didn't dive into the topic because that article was long enough as is and as well I was just starting to have solitude with the Lord when He was showing me women's spiritual superficiality. All of these matters honestly are putting oneself under The Law... Under spiritual signs that are to symbolize a virtue. People focus more on the sign than they do on the virtue.
Many women as the weaker vessel fall into the trap of placing themselves back under The Law when it comes to not cutting their hair, (Leviticus 19:27) not even a trim of the dead ends. Women also use 1 Corinthians 11:15 that a woman's hair shouldn't be cut because it is her glory. Many women claim it's bad for hair to be trimmed... I respect your experience, testimony, personal conviction, but don't belittle sisters over this. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue.
Head-covering... Click here for full study
Whether you cover full time or part time... I respect you if you understand the symbolism of the head-covering. Time and time again I see women who come to the narrow road and get convicted about covering full time... Their husbands not understanding and missing being able to see their wife's hair throughout the day. These husbands request and/or prefer their wives not cover full time... And the women do not submit.
This deeply bothers me and confuses me. So here you are wearing a head-covering that is a SYMBOL that you accept and respect your husband as your headship, yet you aren't submitting to him as your headship. What's the point of covering if you are not obedient to your husband? You veil your head in vain. You are a hypocrite. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue. The salvation issue for you as a wife is submitting to your husband in everything, (Ephesians 5:24) even if your husband himself is disobedient to God, (1 Peter 3:1-2).
Makeup... Click here for full study
I know I could completely deny myself of wearing makeup and feel no need to wear it ever again. So why do I wear it? To be feminine and pleasing to my husband's eyes. Many of you will say... "We blaspheme God by wearing makeup because we are telling Him that His original artwork (our face/body) isn't good enough."
I'm beautiful without makeup. I do not feel insecure without makeup. I don't want to look sexy, I want to look elegant, modest and pretty. If it's vanity to wear a little makeup of natural coloring than it must also be vanity to shower, put perfume on, shave, cut nails because we shouldn't be altering the way our bodies naturally are.
Now don't get me wrong, physical superficiality is an obsession women need to repent of, but let's not go to the other extreme of still focusing on appearance. God cares about your heart condition. Too much focus on looking sexy or looking holy isn't good, we need to BE holy. Stop focusing on makeup either way. It's superficial. Not a salvation issue.
1 Samuel 16:7 ~ "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
Jewelry... Click here for full study
As I opened up with my personal experience of my wedding ring being a preventative with men lusting after me. So here is the choice before me... Be in sin by wearing a piece of metal around my finger or be in sin by being a stumbling-block for a man to lust? I choose the metal around my finger. It is a symbol and my heart condition is to honor my husband that I am his and his alone. A sign to the world to not try and take me as your wife as I already belong to someone. Again, it's superficial. Not a salvation issue. My heart intent is pure before God. I focus on my heart rather than looking righteous.
Matthew 23:27 ~ "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."
Conclusion...
Now I'm not going to up and rebuke you just because you are personally convicted to not wear makeup, jewelry, perfume, etc. head-cover full time and not cut your hair whether it be all of these things, a few or one of these personal convictions. By all means, power to you. To me though, these things are not sin in moderation and pureness of heart.
James 4:17 ~ "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
So don't let me see you going around rebuking other women when you have no Biblical basis. Many of you are operating out of deep insecurities to try and make yourself feel superior to other Christian women. I deeply sympathize, but please repent now and stop being a modern-day Pharisee with your religiosity.
There are so many women who hide their rebellion behind religiosity of modest dress, no makeup, full time head-coverings, etc. but will not submit to their husband. Not being modest at heart, a meek and quiet spirit that God is most pleased with, (1 Peter 3:4).
I will stand in support of a woman who wears pants that has a submitted modest heart towards her husband and I will stand against a woman who wears skirts and is rebellious towards her husband. As there are MANY women who are modern-day Pharisees where the outside looks holy, but the inside is dead, (Matthew 23:27).
These rebellious women are led by their emotions, doing as Eve did and making decisions without headship. Listening to the voice of rebellion (Satan) that disguises as an angel of light, (2 Corinthians 11:14). These women think they are hearing from the Holy Spirit and can come out from under their husband's headship because of their "spirituality" which in truth, is superficiality. So many women have ruined their marriages by obeying their emotional convictions and rebelling against their husbands.
Submission to God-ordained order is priority. We need more women who acknowledge they are the weaker vessel, joyfully being led by their husbands regardless of the stage he is in with his walk with the Lord, (1 Peter 3:1-7). I'm not at all saying submitting to sin, but many women need to learn that not doing superficial things is not sin... What is sin is not submitting to your husband and blaspheming the Word of God, (Titus 2:5).
I fear becoming a Pharisee because I fear God... My hair is kept long, I cover for prayer, my makeup is minimal, as well as perfume and jewelry. My priority is being a meek and quiet spirit, (1 Peter 3:4). Please pray for me as I honestly keep a heart open to the Lord to convict me in all things always, but as I said, I know He is the one who has taught me and opened my eyes to spiritual superficiality. I invite your prayers nonetheless as I pray for you.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
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