That Prophet Jezebel

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. (Rev 2:19-22 NIV)

Before I go to sleep at night, I usually listen to scripture or a sermon on YouTube. Some of the sermons are good. Others are not so good. I just pick them at random and get what I get. Last night I listened to one about tolerating sexual immorality based on the letter that St. John was told to write to the church at Thyatira. On occasion someone will point out to me that we are not to judge others. I usually point out to them that we are to be discerning and when someone is sinning and in danger of losing their way, as Christians, we are to help them back on the right path and sometimes that means reminding them that what they are purposely doing is definitely a sin.

As I listened to the sermon on the letter to the church of Thyatira I was reminded that we are not to tolerate the woman Jezebel and her teachings. She will lead us on the wrong path as she teaches that what is a sin is not a sin. She encourages sexual immorality. She encourages eating of food sacrificed to idols. That is, she encourages worship and rituals to false gods. 

This letter; although, written to a particular church regarding the teaching of one particular prophet, is a reminder to us all that we are to continue in the way that the Lord has taught and not in the way of those who would preach another gospel to please the itching ears. And, no we do not get to judge the ultimate outcome for anyone. But, we are to discern, by means of scripture, what we are to teach; what we are to believe. We ought to confront sin and not tolerate it. 

May God help us to discern how to live life more fully in Christ; according to the will of Almighty God and not our own self-serving wills.

God's Peace - Pr. J