It Is Not Ok To Be Angry With God

I have heard Christians say it's ok to be angry with God, but that is a sinful thing to state. It is not a matter if "He can handle it". Such utter foolishness! Of course HE can handle mere man's fury. But Scripture states that anger at God IS SIN.

An example is: Rev 16:9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.... 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

It is prideful and hateful toward God Himself; it is being blind to the fact that they are the ones under a curse and deserving of no mercy and grace, not the Holy One of Israel; they are impugning His character and Word; they are self centered and sit in judgment of God who alone is the righteous Jude of all. It is to have no fear of God before their blind eyes.

Job 40:1 And the LORD said to Job:
Job 40:2 "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."
Job 40:3 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Job 40:4 "Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Job 40:5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further."
Job 40:6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
Job 40:7 "Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Christians, please do not malign God's character and word, and help the one in sin to continue to sin and justify it with human nature, because that's helping them in their sin and giving false comfort.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 

Rom 6:2  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 

Even in election, we cannot dare question God, how much more the one who claims to be in Christ when given trials?

Rom 9:13  As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 

Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 

Rom 9:15  For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 

Rom 9:16  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 

Rom 9:19  You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 

Rom 9:20  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 

Rom 9:21  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 

Discernment

First Thessalonians 5:21-22 teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). According to the New Testament, discernment is not optional for the believer-it is required.

The key to living an uncompromising life lies in one's ability to exercise discernment in every area of his or her life. For example, failure to distinguish between truth and error leaves the Christian subject to all manner of false teaching. False teaching then leads to an unbiblical mindset, which results in unfruitful and disobedient living-a certain recipe for compromise.

Unfortunately, discernment is an area where most Christians stumble. They exhibit little ability to measure the things they are taught against the infallible standard of God's Word, and they unwittingly engage in all kinds of unbiblical decision-making and behavior. In short, they are not armed to take a decidedly biblical stand against the onslaught of unbiblical thinking and attitudes that face them throughout their day.

Discernment intersects the Christian life at every point. And God's Word provides us with the needed discernment about every issue of life. According to Peter, God "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). You see, it is through the "true knowledge of Him," that we have been given everything we need to live a Christian life in this fallen world. And how else do we have true knowledge of God but through the pages of His Word, the Bible? In fact, Peter goes on to say that such knowledge comes through God's granting "to us His precious and magnificent promises" (2 Peter 1:4).

Discernment -- the ability to think biblically about all areas of life -- is indispensable to an uncompromising life. It is incumbent upon the Christian to seize upon the discernment that God has provided for in His precious truth! Without it, Christians are at risk of being "tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).

~John MacArthur on what is discernment and why it is important

Heavenly Minded

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Col 3:1  If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 
Col 3:2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 
Col 3:3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Adoption

The Chen's first time meeting their new son, and realizing the amazing adoption story of Christians with God, as they adopt this new baby.

Another Church, This Time A Reformed Church Reverses Itself On Sodomy

And so goes another "church". This one is in San Francisco, modeled after Tim Keller's "church". They outright state that demanding "celibacy" for sodomites is unfair and harmful and that it is wrong counsel.

 As a church within the Reformed Tradition we go directly to Scripture to find counsel and to reengage the verses that talk about same sex activity. 
For so long this has been a “case closed” kind of issue for evangelicals. But in recent years, multiple respected evangelical scholars and theologians have begun to wrestle with this and a healthy debate is underway. Asking questions about what the Scriptures say on this issue must always be coupled with asking why the Scriptures say what they do and what kind of same-sex activity is being addressed. Scholars and leaders who have previously been united in their interpretations are coming to different conclusions. This does not mean that your view must change, but it does counsel humility with how we each hold our views. Given the status and variety of these opinions, what has become clear to us is that there is no longer clear consensus on this issue within the evangelical community.

They are deliberately arguing against Scripture, rejecting it and instead listening to some pro-sodomite book that tries to turn the issue of sodomy into a question. In Scripture there is no question; it dogmatically damns sodomy.

Jas 1:19  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20  for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

1Co 6:9  Or 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, 10  nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

1Ti 1:10  the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers,and

whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 

Jude 1:7  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.Rom 1:24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 

They admit what I said liberals do: take biblical doctrine and put into the Romans 14 category and say its personal preference and therefore cannot be judged as wrong.

"Our challenge is to hold our views with humility and do as Paul says inRomans 14 when speaking to Christians who could not come to consensus in their interpretation of the 1^stand 4^th commandments.  This was no small disagreement as it concerned Mosaic legislation. In the face of this major disagreement, Paul exhorted them to stay united saying, “Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another” and “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we all stand before the judgment seat of God.” "


Rom 14:1  As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 

Romans 1-13 are doctrinal truths and commands that must be accepted. Romans 14 is regarding matters of opinion that are NOT addressed as doctrinal truths or commands. Matters of days observed or food eaten is a matter of opinion in the New Covenant, not sexual immorality like the heinous sin of sodomy! Romans 1, the BEGINNING of that book, shows sodomy IS SIN.

I will note:

"One sad piece of news: two of our Elders, Tyler Dann and Bruce Gregory, resigned from the board. We received these resignations with sadness and understanding. These are fine members of our church who love Jesus deeply."  

At least these two men did not continue in the blasphemy.

Committed Or Converted?

I had an interesting email yesterday from a ‘young-in-the-faith believer’ who was sharing how difficult it is at times to discern if someone who claims to be a Christian is actually a Christian. This person referred to someone they knew who claimed –

(a) To have been 'raised as a born again Christian'
(b) To have ‘fallen away’ in their late teens
(c) To have returned to church, to have ‘made a commitment to the Lord’, and who claimed they were now stronger in faith than ever.

My email inquirer wondered what my thoughts were on this matter. This was my reply and I hope it may be helpful to others who read this –

Hi xxx

This certainly is a problem in much of professing Christendom today and often is 'the fruit' of what I have referred to in the past as 'decisional regeneration' - I think I perhaps sent you at one time a little booklet by that name. For a start no one can be "raised as a born again Christian" - when born we are "dead in trespasses and sins" and so a work of regeneration/conversion is an essential requirement before anyone can claim to be a Christian.

As for the expression "made a commitment to the Lord etc" I want to reproduce now part of a very helpful leaflet I came across many moons ago and it deals with this expression –

"150 years ago Britain led the world in missionary effort both at home and abroad... Satan could not allow this to continue so he determined to distract the people of God from the vital task of preaching the gospel. The central theme of forgiveness of sin through the lawful substitutional death of Jesus Christ had to be side-tracked. Words like repentance, atonement, justification and salvation had to be phased out and emphasis placed on the universal ideals of Love, Peace Joy etc.

The false religious systems, already devised by Satan, all work on the same basic principle i. e. 'What man can do for God' in opposition to 'What God has done for man in Jesus Christ'... If Satan could introduce what is most noble and sincere from his false religions into Christianity, he would have a lever to bring Christians into BONDAGE.

What he needed was something that appealed to the natural desires of me and yet appeared to be super-spiritual. He could then use it as a basis for Christian fellowship, a SUBSTITUTE for CONVERSION.

Satan's master-stroke was to introduce into the Christian vocabulary 'commitment', a word that appears nowhere in scripture (except in its alternative meanings 1. to commit sin etc; 2. where it simply means to entrust e.g. 'Commit thy way unto the Lord' Psalm 37:5). This word is however much used by extreme political organisations. The Oxford English Dictionary defines commitment as 'engagement that restricts Freedom of Action'.

Commitment sounds very spiritual, but in fact is a subtle change of emphasis from GRACE to WORKS: It is what Christ has done on the cross of Calvary that is 'The Pearl of Great Price'; man's commitment to God is a pitiful effort of his own will and vanity.

Commitment is NOT FAITH. Faith places all confidence in God's ability to hold on to the believer: 'Unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy' (Jude 24). Commitment is the opposite, it emphasises man's duty to hold onto God by his own effort.

Commitment is NOT PERSEVERANCE. The biblical doctrine of 'the perseverance of the saints' is God-centred, and means a perseverance in faith. If the believer is to live a holy life, it must be centred in what God is doing in his life and NOT in his own commitment to God.

Commitment is NOT CONVERSION. The increasing 'fellowship' between some professing Evangelicals and Roman Catholics is not on the basis of conversion but on the basis of commitment to the 'Lordship of Christ'. Remember Jesus said 'Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess to them I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity' (Matthew 7:22-23). Here the Lord clearly states that neither professed commitment to the Lord ship of Christ etc are to be taken as evidence of conversion.

Commitment is the common denominator with all the modern cults... It is used to bring members/believers into BONDAGE by offering Peace, Love Joy etc if they will commit themselves... The word BONDAGE is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as: 'subjection to constraint, influence, and obligation’ - a good definition of commitment. What a contrast with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ who said, 'If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed' (John 8:31-32 & 36)."

Hope this is helpful

Blessings

Cecil

~Cecil Andrews, Take Heed Ministries, N. Ireland

Ferguson Protesters Celebrate the Shooting of "Pig" Police Officers

This is NOT about race. It is about anarchy and rebellion.  You can see some of the tweets (a few I show below) in the story having multiple posts calling police officers "pigs". Seriously, who talks like backward, liberal, hippy, has-beens of the 60's anymore? 

Will these same idle, irrational, and angry protesters call the police when they have an emergency? And humanly speaking, why should the cops answer the calls if they are so hated and attacked? I mean, isn't that insane too? Obviously it is the officers' duty to go to every call and they will, but you can see the hypocrisy of these protesters....

As Infowars reports (video is at the link):

Some supporters of demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri reacted to the shooting of two police officers by justifying or even celebrating the incident.

Two cops were seriously injured when shots were fired during a rally outside the Ferguson Police Department just after midnight following the announcement that Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson planned to resign.

“These police officers were standing there, and they were shot–just because they were police officers,” St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters.

The Reverend @Kelemchrist

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#ChiefJackson steps down and two pigs get shot? Best day #Ferguson has had in years

3:29 AM - 12 Mar 2015

Lifeless @hastavilla

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im glad 2 pigs wounded in #Ferguson lol

2:29 AM - 12 Mar 2015

Isíldúr Jones @emptymindedejit

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serves those two pigs right, i hope organized public militancy continues #ferguson

12:41 AM - 12 Mar 2015

#LONGLIVEWENGER @StayBlessedKid

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Racist cops shot not gonna cry 4 pigs #Ferguson

12:25 AM - 12 Mar 2015

End quote.

The Federal Government came to a conclusion after their investigation, that the original shooing of Brown was indeed justifiable (the confrontation that Brown had with the officers also shows it wasn't racism but rather lawlessness that was the problem). But apparently the evidence and facts just don't matter to the protesters. They are led around by their emotions like unreasoning animals, bent on anarchy.

True Love

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1Co 13:4  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
1Co 13:5  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
1Co 13:6  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
1Co 13:7  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The Senselessness of Atheism: Sir Isaac Newton Speaks

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"Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance." "The true God is a living, intelligent and powerful being." - Sir Isaac Newton

Ignorant Muslim Portrays Bill O'Reilly's Notion of Jesus In New Movie

So, you know, it really could get worse than "The Passion", "Noah", "The Bible".....Here it is, the movie based on another book, this time by Christ-hating Romanist and self-appointed expert on the Bible and Jesus Christ Himself, Bill O'Reilly. The movie is called "Killing Jesus". What makes this interesting is, it's put out by the liberal and Christ-hating National Geographic channel, and  the actor playing O'Reilly's "Jesus"--he's a Muslim.

Quotes from "Christian" Post:

Sleiman, known for his 2007 role in "The Visitor," stated in a previously recorded on-set interview shared exclusively with The Christian Post that before being cast to play Jesus, he had been "going through a lot" in his life.

"And I used a lot of Jesus' teachings, you know, to apply it in my life. So when this part came, it was sort of magical to me that I would be doing this and everything that he taught, I believed in," Sleiman said.

Sleiman, raised as a Muslim, has previously emphasized that in Islam, Jesus is a revered (though not deified) figure and that he takes many of his teachings to heart.

"Jesus was a teacher, in a way," the actor said. "I mean, essentially, Jesus was a teacher. He was teaching people. He was helping them see themselves for what they were. He was helping them see their power, their strength, their beauty, what they're capable of."

End quote.

Ok so he believes in everything Jesus taught, yet denies Jesus was a teacher ("rabbi" or "teacher" would've been his first clue had he READ the Bible and has absolutely no idea what Jesus actually taught.

In Islam, Jesus isn't Jesus, he is Isa, a muslim prophet. Isa is NOT God the Son, not Jewish, and just merely a teacher of sorts. So killing "Jesus" is a good thing in the Muslim's eyes.

Francis Chan On Fat Christians

Francis Chan's views of today's churches:

He writes that these Christians remind him of "the fattest people on earth" who have consumed so much food that they can no longer walk. "They are fed more and more knowledge every week. They attend church services, join small group Bible Studies, read Christian books, listen to podcasts and are convinced they still need more knowledge."

Chan explained that continually listening to the Word without applying it has made Christians' ears dull to God's call.

Chan summed, "True faith is when we believe He's going to reward us whether it be in life now or the life to come. We know there's a reward coming and God wants us to have that kind of faith."

~ article  

The problem is that most of these churches aren't biblical, so they aren't feeding the sheep, but merely entertaining the goats. You can't blame the sheep on the goats' inability to obey the Shepherd.

The improper behavior of today's American Christian is actually a reflection upon their unbelief in Scripture. Let's start with Genesis 1-2 and I can prove it to you. Interesting Chan refers to Heb. 11:6 about pleasing God without faith is impossible, and yet the first three verses is about faith in the Genesis account of Creation.

The presumption there is no action to what they are hearing is false. Case in point: "One Thousand Gifts", "Purpose Driven Life", "Jesus Calling" and "50 Shades of Gray". Let's be honest: people ARE practicing what they are reading and hearing. It's just not biblical, that's all.

Social justice is NOT righteous spirituality. It is merely helping a fellow human being (let's define REAL "need" and REAL "poor" as well as REAL "brothers and sisters" first). Oprah is the master at that as is Rick Warren, but both are lost and without Christ Jesus.

You cannot walk by faith if you expect payment in return. That's not living by grace. The fact God does reward us (the verse he uses is about the revealing of God Himself, the nature of true faith, and the blessings in Heaven--not happiness now on earth---the list of martyrdom at the end of the very same chapter should've been clear to Chan on that).

Chan yet again sounds the trumpets like Oprah and Rick Warren with telling us how they are oh-so-spiritual in their giving "all the proceeds" to various social justice ministries (is Chan a member of a local church??). So, speaking of reward, this is all he's going to get.

I believe that the actual obese churches are the materialistic, mega churches. The ones that are so gluttonous, that they ask for money for missions while spending millions on the appearance of their building or church ground (do you really need a patio cover, fountain, several built-in bbq's, and a cafe? REALLY??). So yes, let's talk about the obesity of the churches...Because frankly there is a famine in the land for God's HOLY Word.

A Sodomite Can Be A "Christian Conservative"?

Over the past few weeks, on Wednesdays, we have been discussing Matthew Vines’ book, God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. (See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5) I chose this particular book because I think it provides the most accessible and personal introduction to the biblical and historical arguments in support of same-sex relationships, and because Matthew is a theologically conservative Christian who affirms the authority of Scripture and who is also gay. His research is sound and his story compelling, and he’s a friend—someone I like and respect and enjoy learning from.

~Rachel Held Evans, " 'God' And The Gay Christian"

1) There are no biblical arguments for sodomy. Scripture ONLY damns the practice.

2) You cannot be a theological conservative AND be a sodomite.

3) Affirming the Bible necessitates rejecting sodomy on all fronts as It does.

What exactly makes a "Christian conservative"?

I have been told that you can deny the Creation Week and also be conservative.

I have also been told you can hold to annihilationism and be a Christian conservative.

Also, those who claim the label "Christian conservative" who are pro-situational abortion.

And now you can be a sodomite (damnable practice according to Scripture) and be a "Conservative Christian"?

Nicolaitans and Jezebel---read about their rebellion in the churches in Revelation 2-3.

The Apostasy of Rachel Held Evans

"I felt drawn to the Episcopal church because it offered some practices I felt were missing in my evangelical experience, like space for silence and reflection, a focus on Christ’s presence at the communion table as the climax and center of every worship service, opportunities for women in leadership, and the inclusion of LGBT people."

~RNS report on Rachel Held Evans' full apostasy

As I said the other day, what you believe about the Beginning will affect how you believe about the rest of Scripture. Apostasize from the Truth of Creation Week, and you WILL apostasize in other areas. "Hath God Said?" is the satanic attack upon God Himself.

"In September 2008, Evans signed with Zondervan for her first book, Evolving in Monkey Town.[5] The book explores her journey from religious certainty to a faith which accepts doubt and questioning; the title is based on the Scopes Monkey Trial that occurred in Dayton."

~Wikipedia on Rachel Held Evans

Feminism is rebellion and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Feminism is not merely a different opinion. It is outright rebellion against God.

In the interview, I noted her social justice mixed with mysticism:

"RHE: The one that surprised me the most was anointing of the sick. I used to think such a practice involved superstition and false hope, but that was before I learned the difference between curing and healing. We may not be able to cure what ails our friends and neighbors, but as Christians we are called to the work of healing—of entering into one another’s pain, anointing it as holy, and sticking around no matter the outcome. An anointing is an acknowledgement. In a culture of cure-alls and quick fixes, the sacrament of anointing the suffering is a powerful, countercultural gift the church offers the world."

Sounds like Teresa of Calcutta's mystical Roman gnosticism:

Mother Teresa believed that there is spiritual value in suffering. Once, when tending to a patient dying of cancer, she said "You are suffering like Christ on the cross. So Jesus must be kissing you." (Christoper Hitchens - The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice, p. 41).

"RHE: Every Sunday morning, I stand in my Episcopal church and join in a chorus of voices publicly affirming the Apostle’s Creed. Together, we declare that there is a good and almighty God who is the creative force behind all things seen and unseen; that this God is One, yet exists as three persons; that God loved the world enough to become flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, who lived, taught, fed, healed and suffered among us as both fully God and fully human; that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born to Mary; that he was crucified on a Roman cross and buried in the ground; that after three days dead, Jesus came back to life; that he ascended into heaven and reigns with God; that he will return to bring justice and restoration to our broken world; that God continues to work through the Holy Spirit, the church, and God’s people; that forgiveness is possible, resurrection is possible, and eternal life is possible."

God "is a creative force"?
Jesus will return to bring justice and restoration to our broken world?
Forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life is "possible"??

Wow this isn't even close to the Apostles' Creed. This is Roman Catholic liberation theology. Is this what she defines as the dreed?

Here's the actual creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
    the Maker of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
    born of the virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
    the holy catholic church;
    the communion of saints;
    the forgiveness of sins;
    the resurrection of the body;
    and the life everlasting.

"In September 2008, Evans signed with Zondervan for her first book, Evolving in Monkey Town.[5] The book explores her journey from religious certainty to a faith which accepts doubt and questioning; the title is based on the Scopes Monkey Trial that occurred in Dayton."

~Wikipedia on Rachel Held Evans

What you believe about the Beginning will affect how you believe about the rest of Scripture. Apostasize from the Truth of Creation Week, and you WILL apostasize in other areas. "Hath God Said?" is the satanic attack upon God Himself. John Piper and Tim Keller are examples of this denial of Genesis as it is written, and now accept sodomy as a legitimate.

More quotes by Evans, which demonstrate her hatred for Truth:

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/8277628-evolving-in-monkey-town :
“You can't get too far into the Gospels without noticing that Jesus made a pretty lousy apologist.” 
― Rachel Held Evans, Evolving in Monkey Town: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions

“My interpretation can only be as inerrant as I am, and that's good to keep in mind.” 
― Rachel Held Evans, Evolving in Monkey Town: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions

“It seems that a whole lot of people, both Christians and non-Christians, are under the impression that you can’t be a Christian and vote for a Democrat, you can’t be a Christian and believe in evolution, you can’t be a Christian and be gay, you can’t be a Christian and have questions about the Bible, you can’t be a Christian and be tolerant of other religions, you can’t be a Christian and be a feminist, you can’t be a Christian and drink or smoke, you can’t be a Christian and read the New York Times, you can’t be a Christian and support gay rights, you can’t be a Christian and get depressed, you can’t be a Christian and doubt. In fact, I am convinced that what drives most people away from Christianity is not the cost of discipleship but rather the cost of false fundamentals. False fundamentals make it impossible for faith to adapt to change. The longer the list of requirements and contingencies and prerequisites, the more vulnerable faith becomes to shifting environments and the more likely it is to fade slowly into extinction. When the gospel gets all entangled with extras, dangerous ultimatums threaten to take it down with them. The yoke gets too heavy and we stumble beneath it.” 

― Rachel Held Evans, Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions

Actually Evans is placing commandments into a false category of personal preferences, to her own doom:

2Co 11:4  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. 

1Co 5:11  But now I am writing to  you NOT TO ASSOCIATE  with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one. 

1Jn 1:6  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 

Mat 4:4  But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

2Ti 2:19  But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." 

 1Jo 2:4  Whoever says "I know Him" but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5  but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6  whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1Co 6:9  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Psa 26:4 I do not sit with deceitful men, Nor will I go with pretenders.

2Co 10:5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 

2Jo 1:9  Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.10  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11  for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Eph 5:6  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Eph 5:7  Therefore do not be partakers with them;

Eph 5:8  for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

Eph 5:9  (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

Eph 5:10  trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Eph 5:11  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

Eph 5:12  for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 

2Co 6:14  Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

2Co 6:15  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

2Co 6:16  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

2Co 6:17  "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.

2Co 6:18  "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. 

Rom 16:17  Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances

contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.18  For such men

are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering

speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

What kind of "good news" is the "gospel" of Evans if she happily embraces all those who are outside of Christ, those who are in rebellion against God earning eternal punishment in Hell? This is the face of hatred of another's soul as well as the Truth of the Gospel. 

2Jo 1:9  Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.10  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11  for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.