I just discovered another reason for not only taking seriously those Scripture passages about caring for the poor, visiting widows, feeding the hungry, and preaching the gospel to those who have never heard, but for also affirming those less-appreciated verses about women’s roles and the head covering as the revealed Word of God.
Glennon Doyle Melton is an often lucid writer with some important observations about the human condition, but has developed a false gospel (see article on Christianity Today ). Her self-centered philosophy is pegged here in her own words: “My loves, here is the good news,” she writes. “You are allowed to think and feel WHATEVER YOU NEED OR WANT TO FEEL!” (emphasis hers). If you don’t know who she is, it’s reported that her blog, “Momastery,” and social media posts reach 7 million readers a week! Her bestsellers are Oprah Book Club favorites.
What makes this dangerous is her profession to be a Christ-follower. See her response to a question about her acceptance of homosexuality. (At the time she wrote this, she was married to her husband, Craig. She recently divorced him and is now committed to a female soccer star.)
Q: How do you respond when people accuse you of picking and choosing what you believe in the Bible?
“Well, that theory suggests that there are two kind of Christians: Those who pick and choose what they follow in the Bible, and those who follow it all. I just tend to think that the two kinds of Christians are: those who admit that they pick and choose what to follow, and those who don’t admit that. For example: most folks reference 1 Corinthians to prove that homosexuality is a sin, while ignoring the fact that the same book of the Bible says that women should wear head coverings and be silent in church. The strange thing is that when I bring that up, people say: well, that was written in a different time. You have to understand the context. It is so strange. Context is allowed to be considered when discussing women (progress! great!) but not when it comes to homosexuality. It doesn’t seem right to pick and choose which scriptures we are permitted to consider the context of and which we are not. As a woman, it is important for me to say: Let’s please not take hold of our freedom, but leave our gay brothers and sisters in prison. This is like the Bible underground railroad; as the church moves forward and frees oppressed groups one at a time, let each newly freed group go back for those still imprisoned. What good is our freedom if we don’t spend it on those not yet free.”
From blog “Momastery“
Melton suggests denial of, and disobedience to, the Word as freedom, but Jesus said it was the truth that would make us free (Jn 8:32). When we understand the organic unity of the Word, and the strategic role of “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15), we also understand why Jude “found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (v 3). If we don’t hold up the truth, who will? Ironically, the issues of homosexuality and woman’s role/head covering are, at their foundation, both linked to the glory of God (see Rom 1:18-27; 1 Cor 11:3-16). Nothing could be more important than that!