For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. -- 2Timothy 4: 3-4 (NLT)
The key verse today is a familiar one for those who practice discernment as the Bible instructs us to. As we delve deeper and deeper into what most would agree are the end times, we see more and more Christians refusing to even tolerate sound doctrine. They vilify those who would demand such and gather around themselves people to speak what their itching ears want to hear. We see this trend in society through social media. No longer is the truth relevant. Just this week a spokeswoman for the newly elected president when caught in a bald-faced lie, just claimed that she was using "alternate facts." We have a word for alternate facts. That word is known as a "lie." If we saw anything suffer a tortuous death this past election season it was the truth. Now the world has been hiding behind shades of grey for as long as they have rebelled against God. The church however always has the absolute truth of Scripture. Do not diminish this beloved because it is one of the reasons why so many hate Christianity. We know things are black and white and the world wants desperately to hide their sin within the shades of grey they have set up.
But this past year saw the church march right alongside the world in distorting the truth to fit their pre-conceived worldview. Perhaps engaging in Machiavellian theology by thinking the ends justify the means, Christians lined up to disseminate false news in order to elect their new messiah. Their savior of Sodom. One such source of disinformation was Liberty University and Jerry Falwell Junior. Falwell made no secret of his affection for Trump by endorsing him personally and pretending it had nothing to do with the Christian University he runs. Now that the election is over, Falwell is at it again. This month he invited Paula White and her third husband to appear at a Liberty U Convocation. White is now married to former Journey rock and roller, Jonathan Cain. Falwell had Cain speak and he gave God credit for anointing his music. You know, like such righteous anthems as "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin" and "Anyway You Want It." Cain then went on to perform a short concert of his "anointed" music before his wife stepped up to speak. In introducing White, Falwell let us know how much he thinks of this snake oil saleswoman; who has made 5 million dollars from fleecing Christians of their money in the name of the Lord. Falwell:
Said Paula White exemplified what being a Christian woman is about
Said she taught Donald Trump that not all Christians are Pharisees
Stated that White taught the world that Christians are not all self-righteous
Referred to a critic of White who pointed out her heresies as one of these judgmental Pharisaical Christians
Paula White exemplifies what being a Christian woman is about? Really? Now everyone has problems they have to deal with and decisions they may regret in their life but three marriages is now the desired goal for Christian women? Even if you excuse the first marriage from her youth, she still divorced Randy White, ran their church into bankruptcy, and married someone who certainly appears outside the faith. Cain did recently admit from the pulpit that he and Paula watch pornography to spice up their marriage. This now is the standard for Christian women to aspire to?
Maybe Jerry was speaking about her performance at the Inauguration. You know where she prayed to God that He would grant Trump the "compassion to yield to our better angels." Is that the new benchmark for holy prayer from women? Wait, I know. He must be referring to her word faith and prosperity theologies that she routinely preaches. Like when she famously said that anyone who says you must deny yourself is from Satan.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. -- Matthew 16: 24 (NIV)
Oops. So I guess to Paula White Jesus was from Satan. Yet this is who Jerry Falwell is now lifting up to Christian women as a paragon of Christian virtue to desire to be like. Never mind that she has made a living off of merchandising the sheep to the tune of five million dollars. Never mind that just last year she claimed that God told her 1Chronicles 22:9 meant you needed to send her $229 dollars! Never mind that she routinely traffics in numerology such as this to get people to send her money. Nothing is sacred to White as she used last year's Pentecost as an opportunity to lie that God had spoken to her about you sending her money again. But she is model for Christian women and anyone who questions her is a Pharisee. Right.
The other three comments made to introduce White are just as ridiculous but reveal how sold out Falwell is to false doctrine and worshiping this country as an idol. There is no world that exists where Paula White is not a text book definition of a heretic. She teaches doctrines of devils designed to rob the sheep of the Lord. Beloved this is not about being self-righteous. It is about being doctrinally correct as Jesus instructs us over and over again to do.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. - Romans 16: 17 (ESV)
It is Paula White that divides the body of Christ. It is Jerry Falwell that divides the body of Christ. Ironically enough Falwell accuses people of being Pharisees when they never espoused correct doctrine. That was the problem. But the Pharisees had the show. They had had the appearance of religious trapping without any sense to what really mattered. To the weightier matters of the law they claimed they followed. They made a lengthy show of prayer only to steal widow's homes. Sound familiar Paula?
Paula White exemplifies the wolf the Bible warns us about so vigorously. She has no fear of the Lord before her because if she did, she would repent of her many heresies. Jerry Falwell Jr. continues the death spiral for Liberty University, which has always worshiped the Republican Party over Jesus but now does not seem to care who knows about it. He has now openly called discerning Christians; Pharisees, self-righteous and judgmental all for insisting that he stick to the Bible and stop portraying wolves as harmless to the body of Christ.
Anyway I want it? How about Biblical?
Rev. Anthony
