In recent weeks, several outlets published articles about a controversy that developed on the "The Bachelorette", a TV program. It appears that a professing male Christian named Luke Parker, who an article indicates exhibited fits of pride and anger, declared his intent to remain sexually pure to a professing female Christian named Hannah Brown, who pronounced that she engaged in sexual contact with another contestant of the show. Are these unbelieving actors mocking? Or are these really professing Christians doing these things? I don't claim to know, but there are implications, such as how those two's controversy hit the airwaves (variety.com magazine website is the top Google result for "The Bachelorette Hannah Luke" followed immediately by people.com magazine website). At least, it is an offense to the ministry (2 Corinthians 6:3), but there is more.
Here are a few articles - US and UK sources:
Does Jesus still love you if you have sex out of wedlock?
Michael Brown, July 17, 2019
Does Jesus still love you if you have sex out of wedlock?
That Bachelorette sex talk and what it says about Christianity in the West
David Robertson, July 20,2019
That Bachelorette sex talk and what it says about Christianity in the West
Is sex before marriage OK? "The Bachelorette" shows most unmarried Christians say "yes"
Bianca Tavera, July 30 2019
Is sex before marriage OK? ‘The Bachelorette’ shows most unmarried Christians say ‘yes’
Jesus, Lord and God (John 20:28) and Word (John 1:14), said:
"You shall not commit adultery." (Matthew 19:18)
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)
There is no mistaking, a person who loves Jesus will not practice adultery.
The author Brown mentioned "willful sin" in the first article. I say that Brown missed the accurate term which is "practice lawlessness" as in Matthew 7:21-27. Brown did not write that a person who fears the Lord has wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and Christ is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
In the second article, Robertson wrote, "The whole controversy is an insight into some aspects of Christianity in the West today and shows how a misunderstanding or misapplication of Christian teaching can become anti-Christian".
In the third article, the author Tavera called Hannah ("The Bachelorette") a strong Christian in the same paragraph that Tavera includes Hebrews 13:4 verbatim which was the verse that Luke (one of the male contestants vying for "The Bachelorette") cited about purity. That is an oxymoron - such a contradiction!
Tavera included:
"I believe there is a deeper underlying issue here than just the sex argument. It begs the question: Do we take God at His word this day in age as Christians? That is the real challenge? do we take God seriously enough? Do we believe that we are actually honoring God, in His holiness, when we choose self-discipline in regards to sex outside of marriage?
"We have to know that obedience to God is a sacrifice, and it will not look anything like the patterns of culture."
Now that I've read through this, I think of what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:
"do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor [the] covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."
It's where Paul wrote fornicators, the Greek word behind fornicators is pornoi Strong's G4205 pornos from pernao "to sell off" as in male prostitute then 4205 refers back to 4202 which is porneia again from pernao "to sell off" bringing in the sexual immorality of prostitution. If Hannah truly committed the sexual behavior while being paid to be on "The Bachelorette", then SHE PROSTITUTED HERSELF.
Since Hannah is claiming to be a Christian - if the show is not true then she is lying so there's eternal consequences - if the show is true and she is not acting then there are still eternal implications - also many young girls are influenced by television shows and television personalities - she claims to be a Christian while giving terrible advice in her example to impressionable young girls.
According to the reports, it sounds like Hannah and Luke flamboyantly parade themselves behaving like worldly people while claiming to be God's people in front of an audience. Their fruit is not commensurate with their testimony (Matthew 7:15-20). Their pop-culture (worldly) aspiration and appeal is not humble (Matthew 5:5).
It sounds like Hannah and Luke lead lives contrary to the sound doctrine taught by the Apostle Paul, "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, [to be] sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, [with] purity in doctrine, dignified, sound [in] speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." (Titus 2:1-8)
There is rampant FAILURE TO TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE in the churches.
If the above controversy is true, then Hannah exhibits low regard for scripture - disregard may be a better term - even low esteem or no esteem. She holds herself above the immeasurable value of the Word of God. She is not interested in properly handling scripture. HANNAH'S HEART IS HARDENED AGAINST THE WORD (MATTHEW 13:15, ROMANS 2:5). That is a worse state than the first (Matthew 12:45, 2 Peter 2:20).
The Word is just not that important to her - she sounds like she's having a difficult time caring about it, so she lives in licentiousness.
The Apostle Peter wrote:
+ "Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned" (2 Peter 2:2)
+ "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12)
+ "keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." (1 Peter 3:16)
+ "In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you" (1 Peter 4:4)
Lord Jesus said:
"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)
Because of Hannah the Way is maligned - which contrasts with "because of Me" in the above citation.
During the "The Bachelorette" timeframe, another story developed. It, too, speaks to high regard and low regard for scripture, and here are a couple of articles that I noticed:
Street preacher rebukes Kirk Franklin for failing to represent Christ at BET Awards; celebrities push back
Leonardo Blair July 16, 2019
Street preacher rebukes Kirk Franklin for failing to represent Christ at BET Awards; celebrities push back
Street preacher sits down with Kirk Franklin, claims he is guilty of selling soul to devil
Leonardo Blair July 22, 2019
Street preacher sits down with Kirk Franklin, claims he is guilty of selling soul to devil
There is righteous love, and there is unrighteous love. The Spirit of the Living God clarifies which is which by way of scripture, and in God's people - we people that are being conformed to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29) - Him alone Who saves (1 Timothy 2:5).
There is serious pretentious presumption and arrogance in the world - and it even percolates like clean water mixing with mucky muddy tar from seminaries pouring into local churches then spilling into the world!
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" wrote Paul the Apostle (Colossians 2:8)
Returning to Tavera's article again, it appears that she conveyed to not look like the world. I pointedly declare the Apostle Paul's command "come out from among them, and be separate" (2 Corinthians 6:17); furthermore, I write that to practice lawlessness is to look like the world - it is friendship with the world thus enemy with God (James 4:4).
Never forget, the Apostle Peter wrote about God's people and the Word of God respectively in "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
Lord Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). These are sobering words.
Here are a few articles - US and UK sources:
Does Jesus still love you if you have sex out of wedlock?
Michael Brown, July 17, 2019
Does Jesus still love you if you have sex out of wedlock?
That Bachelorette sex talk and what it says about Christianity in the West
David Robertson, July 20,2019
That Bachelorette sex talk and what it says about Christianity in the West
Is sex before marriage OK? "The Bachelorette" shows most unmarried Christians say "yes"
Bianca Tavera, July 30 2019
Is sex before marriage OK? ‘The Bachelorette’ shows most unmarried Christians say ‘yes’
Jesus, Lord and God (John 20:28) and Word (John 1:14), said:
"You shall not commit adultery." (Matthew 19:18)
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)
There is no mistaking, a person who loves Jesus will not practice adultery.
The author Brown mentioned "willful sin" in the first article. I say that Brown missed the accurate term which is "practice lawlessness" as in Matthew 7:21-27. Brown did not write that a person who fears the Lord has wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and Christ is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
In the second article, Robertson wrote, "The whole controversy is an insight into some aspects of Christianity in the West today and shows how a misunderstanding or misapplication of Christian teaching can become anti-Christian".
In the third article, the author Tavera called Hannah ("The Bachelorette") a strong Christian in the same paragraph that Tavera includes Hebrews 13:4 verbatim which was the verse that Luke (one of the male contestants vying for "The Bachelorette") cited about purity. That is an oxymoron - such a contradiction!
Tavera included:
"I believe there is a deeper underlying issue here than just the sex argument. It begs the question: Do we take God at His word this day in age as Christians? That is the real challenge? do we take God seriously enough? Do we believe that we are actually honoring God, in His holiness, when we choose self-discipline in regards to sex outside of marriage?
"We have to know that obedience to God is a sacrifice, and it will not look anything like the patterns of culture."
Now that I've read through this, I think of what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:
"do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor [the] covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."
It's where Paul wrote fornicators, the Greek word behind fornicators is pornoi Strong's G4205 pornos from pernao "to sell off" as in male prostitute then 4205 refers back to 4202 which is porneia again from pernao "to sell off" bringing in the sexual immorality of prostitution. If Hannah truly committed the sexual behavior while being paid to be on "The Bachelorette", then SHE PROSTITUTED HERSELF.
Since Hannah is claiming to be a Christian - if the show is not true then she is lying so there's eternal consequences - if the show is true and she is not acting then there are still eternal implications - also many young girls are influenced by television shows and television personalities - she claims to be a Christian while giving terrible advice in her example to impressionable young girls.
According to the reports, it sounds like Hannah and Luke flamboyantly parade themselves behaving like worldly people while claiming to be God's people in front of an audience. Their fruit is not commensurate with their testimony (Matthew 7:15-20). Their pop-culture (worldly) aspiration and appeal is not humble (Matthew 5:5).
It sounds like Hannah and Luke lead lives contrary to the sound doctrine taught by the Apostle Paul, "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, [to be] sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, [with] purity in doctrine, dignified, sound [in] speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." (Titus 2:1-8)
There is rampant FAILURE TO TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE in the churches.
If the above controversy is true, then Hannah exhibits low regard for scripture - disregard may be a better term - even low esteem or no esteem. She holds herself above the immeasurable value of the Word of God. She is not interested in properly handling scripture. HANNAH'S HEART IS HARDENED AGAINST THE WORD (MATTHEW 13:15, ROMANS 2:5). That is a worse state than the first (Matthew 12:45, 2 Peter 2:20).
The Word is just not that important to her - she sounds like she's having a difficult time caring about it, so she lives in licentiousness.
The Apostle Peter wrote:
+ "Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned" (2 Peter 2:2)
+ "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12)
+ "keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." (1 Peter 3:16)
+ "In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you" (1 Peter 4:4)
Lord Jesus said:
"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)
Because of Hannah the Way is maligned - which contrasts with "because of Me" in the above citation.
During the "The Bachelorette" timeframe, another story developed. It, too, speaks to high regard and low regard for scripture, and here are a couple of articles that I noticed:
Street preacher rebukes Kirk Franklin for failing to represent Christ at BET Awards; celebrities push back
Leonardo Blair July 16, 2019
Street preacher rebukes Kirk Franklin for failing to represent Christ at BET Awards; celebrities push back
Street preacher sits down with Kirk Franklin, claims he is guilty of selling soul to devil
Leonardo Blair July 22, 2019
Street preacher sits down with Kirk Franklin, claims he is guilty of selling soul to devil
There is righteous love, and there is unrighteous love. The Spirit of the Living God clarifies which is which by way of scripture, and in God's people - we people that are being conformed to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29) - Him alone Who saves (1 Timothy 2:5).
There is serious pretentious presumption and arrogance in the world - and it even percolates like clean water mixing with mucky muddy tar from seminaries pouring into local churches then spilling into the world!
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" wrote Paul the Apostle (Colossians 2:8)
Returning to Tavera's article again, it appears that she conveyed to not look like the world. I pointedly declare the Apostle Paul's command "come out from among them, and be separate" (2 Corinthians 6:17); furthermore, I write that to practice lawlessness is to look like the world - it is friendship with the world thus enemy with God (James 4:4).
Never forget, the Apostle Peter wrote about God's people and the Word of God respectively in "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
Lord Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). These are sobering words.
