El enfoque sistémico de R. Cummins

Women in Ministry

Many denominations today allow women to be pastors, bishops, and leaders in the church. They perform marriages, baptisms, and carry authority in the church. The ancient church took the comments of the Apostle Paul seriously. In the Old Testament only men from the tribe of Levi could be priests.

Some non-Levitical men who tried to perform the duties of a priest God put to death or punished with diseases like leprosy. Paul taught there were very specific requirements to be a New Testament bishop or pastor.

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach...One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 1 Timothy 3:2,4-5

“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” 1 Timothy 2:11-12

The ancient church took Paul’s message seriously. Women were treated with respect, but were not allowed to be pastors. They were teachers of children and other women, but not men. Only Gnostic cults allowed women to hold an office in a church.

Tertullian, AD 210

On Baptism 17 – But the woman of pertness, who has usurped the power to teach, will of course not have the right to baptize. But if the writings which wrongly go under Paul's name claim Thecla's example as a license for women's teaching and baptizing, let them know that, in Asia, the presbyter who composed that writing, as if he were augmenting Paul's fame from his own store, after being convicted, and confessing that he had done it from love of Paul, was removed from his office.

On the Veiling of Virgins 9 – It is not permitted to a woman to speak in the church nor teach, nor to baptize, nor be in any sacerdotal office.

Prescription Against Heretics 41 – The very women of these heretics, how wanton they are! For they are bold enough to teach, to dispute, to enact exorcisms, to undertake cures [counseling] – it may even be to baptize.

Cyprian, AD 250

Treatise 46 – The first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians says, “let women be silent in the church.

But if any wish to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. Also Timothy says, “let women learn in silence with all subjection. But I do not permit a woman to teach, or be set over the man, but to be in silence.

Apostolic Constitutions, AD 390

3.1.6 – We do not permit our women “to teach in the church.” Rather, they are only permitted to pray and hear those who teach. For Jesus Himself, our Master and Lord, when He sent out the twelve to make disciples of the people and of the nations, nowhere sent out women to preach – even though there were no lack of women available.

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Paganism

Paganism

Paganism is based on the beliefs of ancestor worship, humans evolving into gods, and reincarnation.

There are a variety of occult practices depending on the various subgroups of paganism.

In the book Ancient Paganism, we learned about paganism, including the religion of the pre-flood world, the practices of the ancient Canaanites, kabbalah, mystical Christianity, and the occultic practices we have today. The one thing they all had in common was the practice of eastern meditation, called

“ecstasy” by the ancient church fathers.

In this section we will examine the pagan concepts of:

1. Astrology

2. Astral projection

3. Evolution

4. Ghosts

5. Islam

6. Meditation/Ecstasy

7. Reincarnation

Tatian AD 166

Greeks 17 – Demons use numbers, letters, roots, and amulets to ensnare people.

Tertullian, 190-210 AD

Against Marcion 2.8 – Man has an immortal soul coming from God, but it [the soul] is not God.

Tertullian AD 190-210

Apology 23 – Moreover, if sorcerers call forth ghosts, and even make what seem the souls of the dead to appear; if they put boys to death in order to get a response from the oracle; if, with their juggling illusions, they make a pretence of doing various miracles; if they put dreams into people's minds by the power of the angels and demons whose aid they have invited, by whose influence, too, goats and tables are made to divine, – how much more likely is this power of evil... The wicked spirit, bidden to speak by a follower of Christ, will as readily make the truthful confession that he is a demon.

Apology 35 – The arts of astrologers, soothsayers, augurs, and magicians were made known by the angels who sinned, and are forbidden by God.

Origen AD 230

Against Celsus 1:6 – Christians do not employ incantations or spells to perform miracles.

Lactantius AD 285

Divine Institutes 2.17 – Astrology, soothsaying, divination, oracles, necromancy, and the art of magic are the invention of demons and vain according to the Sybil. Magicians and enchanters call demons by their true name and mingle false things with true.

Divine Institutes 4.27 – Even the Greek Gods flee when the name of Jesus is used. If a god is commanded to tell the truth, it confesses that it is a demon. If one would be able to actually call up Jupiter or one of the others [ancient men worshiped as gods by the Greeks] from the dead, they would confess they were men and not gods and that there is only one true God and that the spirits that pretend to be them lie.

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Paganism

Astrology

Astrology

The most ancient form of astrology was from the pre-flood world. It did not include a horoscope. It was only used to predict when the next major astrological event would take place that would mark the time for an occultic ritual. After the Flood, the Chaldeans (Babylonians) changed the focus by inventing the horoscope. No longer was astrology used to determine when you could contact gods and goddesses, but it was used to determine what would befall a person on a daily basis. Modern astrology employs the idea that calculating the positions of the planets in our solar system, then comparing them to the positions they were in on a person’s birthday will predict what will happen in that person’s immediate future. All these forms of astrology were rejected by the ancient church fathers.

Irenaeus, AD 170

Against Heresies 2.32 – The Church does not perform anything by means of angelic invocations, incantations, or by any other wicked curious art; but, directing her prayers to the Lord.

Against Heresies 2.25 – God is not to be sought after by means of letters, syllables, and numbers.

Tatian, AD 166

Greeks 9 – Demons invented the concept of fate with astrology to enslave man into worshiping them.

Hippolytus, AD 170-236

The Refutation of all Heresies 4.3 – The horoscope was invented by the Chaldean astrologers.

The Refutation of all Heresies 4.16 – Examining bumps on the head is an equally stupid method of divination.

Tertullian, AD 200

Apology 35 – The arts of astrologers, soothsayers, augurs, and magicians were made known by the angels who sinned, and are forbidden by God.

Apology 1 – Christians don't blame fate or the stars for their actions.

Against Marcion 1.18 – The Marcionites [cult] are very strongly addicted to astrology.

Idolatry 1.9 – Astrology is idolatry; but the science of the Magi is different than pagan astrology.

Origen, AD 240

Against Celsus 1:6 – Christians do not employ incantations or spells to perform miracles.

Lactantius, AD 313

Divine Institutes 2:16 – Demons…invented astrology, soothsaying, divination, and those productions which are called oracles, necromancy, and the art of magic.

Divine Institutes 2:17 – Astrology, soothsaying, divination, oracles, necromancy, and the art of magic are the invention of demons and vain according to the Sybil. Magicians and enchanters call demons by their true names and mingle false things with true.

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Paganism