Is Jesus Okay With Who You Are?

"Don't judge" and "Love is love."

This is a common way of thinking that often seems accepted by those who have been taught that God is so loving that He must accept you the way you are or the way you perceive yourself.

Recently I saw a story about someone named Jen Hatmaker. Reportedly, she thinks that not accepting sin is "bad fruit".
Hatmaker explains why she rejected the bad fruit of the Bible's teaching about sexuality.

Jen is not the only person out there that rejects and twists Scripture to suit her own views. 

There are so many out there who want a god to suit their beliefs. 

People are so conformed to the culture, that they would rather try to make Scripture fit their worldview (that has been formed by the world) than to accept what God actually clearly says in His Word. 

Some want to allow women to be pastors and teachers of men. 

Some want to accept immoral lifestyles.

Some want a god who didn't create the world in 6 days.

Some want a god who ignores sin and never chastens those who follow him or sends anyone to a Hell that lasts eternally.

This is really a Gospel issue, because if you think that God accepts sin, then you don't even understand the basics of the Gospel. 

We aren't saved to be whatever or whoever we want to be. 

If you think that homosexual marriage (which is not a real marriage in God's eyes), transgenderism (which is really nonexistent in reality), adultery, fornication, abortion, certain forms of lying, etc., are just a matter of acceptable choices, then you are not a Christian who believes the Bible.

Christianity isn't about a faith that brings freedom from holiness and sanctification. 

If you desire to live a life of disobedience to God, then the question is do you really belong to HIm?  It isn't a matter of legalism, it's a matter of the Spirit transforming hearts and lives and giving us new desires.

The problem is that if you don't understand what sin is and its eternal consequences, then what are you being saved from, and what are you being saved unto?

If you think the church should accept you as a believer and allow you to promote your beliefs when you reject clear Scripture, then the bad fruit is not with the church. 

If you have the Spirit indwelling you and have genuine faith, then you would desire to be conformed to Christ's image. 

When your worldview clashes with Scripture, then you would know that Scripture is right and you are wrong. 

There are plenty of churches that will accept people as members who are living for themselves & their perceived identities, but they won't be churches that teach you the truth.

A gospel that doesn't transform you is not the Gospel of Scripture. 

This isn't a Pharisee or Judaizer idea.  The Spirit makes alive, and a sanctified heart desires to please the Lord.  (Ephesians 5:3-13; 1 Peter 3:15)

Are you a Christian? What is the Gospel that saves?

 Make A U-Turn

"Christian" Idolatry

We are seeing more and more people who are professed Christians who have been so influenced by the world that they ignore Scripture under the guise of "love."

Sadly, many well-known individuals have no solid grounding in the Scripture or sound Theology - which leaves them open to being tossed here and there by every wind and wave of "doctrine" as well as feel-good lies.

Even those who might seem to start well have let what others think - or their own desires -  guide their beliefs (rather than the Scripture).
What is worse is that these individuals have many followers that they are leading away from the truth.
They have the appearance of being reasonable and spiritual to those who have not been immersed in Scripture, but they actually are devoid of Biblical truth.
It's even more frightening when they speak a lot of truth at first, but error - like poisonous gangrene  -begins to fester.

Recently, I've seen people posting about Nichole Nordeman & Jen Hatmaker.
If someone tells you that LBGTQ  is acceptable to God, then they have rejected what the Scripture says as their authority.
Romans 1:21-32 & 1 Corinthian 1:6-11 make it clear that these kinds of behavior are not what should be practiced by Christians.

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

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

In a culture where people seek after fame (which is often a form of self-idolatry) and where people are desirous to have heroes to look up to (which can turn into idolatry when people blindly follow others), we need to be more like the noble-minded Bereans who examine the Scriptures to see if those we are following are actually leading us toward Christ or away from Christ and Scripture.

Even the apostle Paul's goal was not to seek glory from men.  We, as Christians, must seek to be holy...not like the Pharisees... but seeking after genuine holiness.

For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—
nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
1 Thessalonians 2:5-6 NASB

Galatians 1:6-10 serves as a warning to us as Christians to make sure that those we are listening to don't corrupt the Gospel.  Timothy was even warned to avoid opposing arguments which are falsely called "knowledge" ( 1 Timothy 6:20-21).

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.  Colossians 2:8 NASB

I want to obey Christ and follow His Word.