Paul Ellis's Blog, page 36

How to Get Your Book Published

“Paul, can you tell me how to get my book published?” I sure can. I have been in the publishing game for 20+ years. I have published more than a dozen titles including a few award-winners. I’ve worked with traditional publishers and gone the independent route. And I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons, such as this one: Lesson #1: There has never been a better time to be an author If you have a book inside you, your options for getting it published are better than ever. “Well I don’t have a...

Are Women Permitted to Teach? (1 Timothy 2:12)

I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. (1 Tim 2:12) Oh dear. Don’t tell Joyce Meyer that women aren’t allowed to teach. Or my mum, my wife, or a gazillion other ladies who teach in church. They’re all sinning. They should stop teaching and be quiet. Paul said so. But wait a second. Paul endorsed several female teachers including Junia, Priscilla, Euodia and Syntyche. Was Paul confused about the role of women in the church? Or are we? What is Pau...

Should Women be Silent in Church? (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

My three daughters are growing up in a country where women often reach the highest levels of leadership. In New Zealand we’ve had female heads of state and government and everything else besides. As a father, I am thrilled that my daughters will be able to do just about anything they put their mind to. As long as they don’t aspire to preach, teach, or speak in church. The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the...

Women Preachers? Where’s that in the Bible?!

I have three daughters. When they get a little older and start drawing the attention of young men, I will give them this piece of timeless advice: Don’t just listen to what he says; watch what he does. A man may say anything, but his actions will always reveal his heart. This is good to remember when we come to scriptures regarding women in the Bible. For instance, did Paul really believe that women must not teach and that women should remain silent in church? Many people think he did, and th...

A Future Tribulation?

When I was a boy in Sunday School, I came across an end-times comic that featured believers being executed in something called a great tribulation. It was like a holocaust for Christians and it was coming soon! Probably in 1984. Or maybe 1988. But definitely by 1999. It was years before I realized that cartoon was actually a form of child abuse, and that the great tribulation Jesus spoke of did not feature in my future. What Jesus said about the great tribulation As we have seen, Jesus listed...

When is the Great Tribulation?

In his time on earth only two things made the Son of God cry: the death of his friend Lazarus and the imminent destruction of Jerusalem. For Lazarus he shed tears, but for Jerusalem he wailed and sobbed (Luke 19:41-44). Here’s why: For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. (Matthew 24:21) Jesus sobbed because he could see what was coming. He saw the famine with its horrors and the legions with their swords....

When is the Rapture?

Before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, I stumbled on a prominent website that predicted the rapture would occur soon. Why? Because the polls said Hillary Clinton was going to win and another godless Democrat in the Oval Office would surely trigger the great tribulation. “With such gloomy prospects, the rapture has to be close, right? Get ready.” Then Donald Trump won the election, and the outlook became positively bright, at least as far as this website was concerned. A God-fearing Repub...

What about the Rapture?

Mr. Preterist: “Did you know the word rapture is not in the Bible?” Mr. Futurist: “The word Bible is not in the Bible. What’s your point?” Mr. Preterist: “My point is it’s silly to suggest the Lord is going to remove the church from a tribulation that’s not going to happen.” Mr. Futurist: “Doesn’t sound silly to me. I would very much like to avoid the great tribulation.” Mr. Preterist: “Haven’t you been paying attention? The tribulation already happened. Jesus said it won’t happen again. You’...

Jesus is Your Tithe

Jesus poked the hornets’ nest when he said, “Watch out for those law-lovers who strut about in long robes, pray long prayers, and take the best seats at banquets.” It was a provocative statement because Jesus was standing in the temple courts when he said it. He was surrounded by long-robed men. “These men devour widows’ houses,” added Jesus. No doubt some of the long-robed men were upset to hear this. Perhaps they got defensive. “I never devoured a widow’s house.” “Follow me to the treasury,...

How does Faith Establish the Law? (Romans 3:31)

The Bible makes some interesting comparisons between faith and law: We are justified by FAITH, not by LAW (Rom 3:28, Gal 2:16) Abraham and his heirs are blessed on account of FAITH, not LAW (Rom 4:13-14) You can live by FAITH or LAW (Rom 4:14) No one who relies on the LAW is justified for the righteous live by FAITH (Gal 3:11) The LAW is not of FAITH (Gal 3:12) Summary: You can live by faith or law but not both. It’s one or the other. But what about this… Do we then make void the law through...