Love Wins: The Response - Part 1

This is the first of a series of posts in which I will be responding to claims made in Rob Bell’s book Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the fate of every person who has ever Lived.
The perspective of this book is rather aptly outlined on the back cover, where it says “God loves us. God offers us everlasting life by grace, freely, through no merit on our own part. Unless you do not respond the right way.  Then God will torture you forever. In Hell. Huh?”  That is basically the perspective underlying the whole book.  The rationale is as follows: since God is love (John 3:1),  surely He cannot punish people in hell, for that cannot be loving.  Bell cannot seem to properly  reconcile God’s justice and His love.
I personally found the arguments for his position very unconvincing – they were either based on out-of-context scripture quotations or emotional appeal.  However, amidst his many wanderings outside of Christian orthodoxy, we find a few good points which I will get into as I go through the book.
One thing to note is that, although Bell denies the Word of God at almost every turn, he never openly disregards its authority.  He refers to it (subtly twisting it) to support his position.  This has the potential to make the book appealing to not only ‘liberals’ but also ‘conservatives’.
In the preface and the first chapter, Bell is essentially preparing his readers for the false doctrine which will be expounded later in the book. But that is not to say that the preface and first chapter are devoid of false doctrine.  Bell essentially is kicking up the mud at the bottom of the puddle, if you will. Making what seemed to be clear seem unclear, he prepares the readers to embrace the doctrine of universalism – the belief that everyone will be saved.
Having said all that, I shall begin.
Bell introduces the book by talking about God’s ‘beautiful, expansive love’ which is for ‘everybody, everywhere’.  He then goes on to state that ‘Jesus’s story’ has been ‘hijacked by a number of other stories, stories Jesus isn’t interested in telling, because they have nothing to do with what he came to do.’  He informs the reader that ‘the plot has been lost’ and it is time to ‘reclaim’ it.
His writing is annoyingly vague, but he gradually becomes clearer as to what he is talking about.  He protests the version of ‘the Jesus story’ that has caused people’s pulse to rise, their stomach to church, and heart to utter the resolute words, “I would never be part of that”.  He specifies this ‘version’ of ‘the Jesus story’ as follows:
“A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous pace called heaven, while the rest of humanity will spend forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better.  It’s clearly been communicated that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith, and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus.”
The Question Bell essentially communicates is this: How can God create billions of people to go to hell?  Isn’t God love?  How could He punish sinners like that?
In answering this question. it must be acknowledged that Christians of varying theological positions will answer this question differently.  For the Arminian how believes in free will for salvation, it is rather simple to answer this.  Man goes to hell simply because he does not choose God.  For the Calvinist who believes in sovereign election, answering this question may be somewhat more difficult. However, I generally stay away from theological controversies such as Calvinism/Arminianism in my blog posts, and I do not intend for this blog post to be an exception to that rule.
Let us look at a few things here.  First, we have no right to question the justice of God. Bell is arguing against a literal hell primarily on the presupposition that God cannot eternally punish people in hell because He is too loving to do that.  However, we cannot pit one of God’s attributes against another.  God is both loving and just.  He sent His Son to die for sinners, but at the same time, He is holy and just.  We are all by nature sinners, and we all would die in our sins, were it not for the Father drawing us to Himself.  It is only by His grace that we were saved in the first place.  God has every right to send unrepentant sinners to hell, and Rob Bell, as the rest of humanity, has no right to question God’s justice in that regard.
Romans 9:18-20 has some words for anyone who would question God’s justice and sovereignty regarding who is saved and who is not.
18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
This is a passage he seems to have ignored in his book, but it is very relevant.  Bell goes on to teach that, in the end, all will be saved and Love will win.  But do you realize how many scriptures must be ignored to teach such a position?  Bell appeals to the readers on more of an emotional basis than on a scriptural basis.
Is it cruel to preach hell?  Is it cruel to preach that not all will be saved, and that eternal damnation is the lot of those who do not repent and believe?  If the gospel is false, most certainly.  But if the gospel is true, then it would be cruel not to preach it.  Rob Bell claims that by preaching hell, we hijack the ‘Jesus Story’.  But if hell is a real place, where sinners will actually go, then it is Rob Bell himself who has ‘hijacked’ the ‘Jesus Story’ by watering it down and eliminating the urgency of it.
I will write more soon, hopefully.

What is our Motivation?

  Notice:  I have started a WordPress site, which may eventually become my sole blogging site.  You can access this article on my new site at: https://waytruthandlifeblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/what-is-our-motivation/

   We are by nature sinners.  As such, we are naturally inclined to seek our own glory rather than glorify our Creator.  Even when doing the holiest of things, our hearts can be full of pride.  In this post, I would like to challenge my readers to examine their motivations for living the Christian life. This is something I have been challenged on myself, and to be brutally honest, I have yet to find a good intention of mine that is not tainted by some selfish motivation. True, that may seem like a rather excessive statement.  But read on - there is sometimes a reason to my madness.

   Firstly, let us talk about motivation as far as salvation is concerned.  Do we treat salvation merely as a form of 'death insurance'?  Many professed Christians do, and their lives reflect it.  "I'm already going to heaven, so why do I need to do anything more?", they say in their hearts.  This sort of thinking is a common trap that Christians fall into, and one that can hinder spiritual growth.  What about loving the Lord? Or living in obedience to His Word? Or becoming more Christlike?  If you are simply professing to believe in God without any intention whatsoever of doing His will, you ought to go read Matthew 7:21-23 and repent.  If you have believed and repented, and you are doing the will of God, take heed lest you fall after the error of this sort of thinking. It hinders fruit.

  Second, let us talk about motivation for living in holiness.  Did you know that it is possible to hate sin for the wrong reasons?  We may abhor our sin simply because we don't want God to get angry at us.  We may abhor it because we want to appear holy to others.  And we may even abhor it because it is humiliating to admit that we are less than perfect.  The actual reason we are to abhor our sin is because we love God, who is holy and just.  It is out of our love for God that we hate sin, because we realize sin for what it is - a direct affront to God, who sent His Son to save us from sin.

   Third, let us talk about motivation for bearing fruit.  It is possible for us to 'bear fruit' for the wrong reasons.  We may do so to look good in front of other Christians, which is, in a way, asking for glory to be given to us rather than God.  It is God who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6), and we have nothing to boast of.  Let us therefore not rob God of the glory due to Him.  We can give our lives to the 'Christian cause', but really, does this amount to anything in God's eyes?  I mean, do not many other religions have their dedicated adherents who give their life to their religion?

    Our chief motivation must be Love for God. And love in the Bible does not mean 'affection', as it apparently does in the English tongue.   It means devotion and commitment. With this in mind, take a look at the following Scripture.  Note: I am using the old KJV here, which renders the word for love as Charity:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

  

  

Eschatology and the Christian: What to make of it

   There have been very few issues that have sparked as much fiery debate among the Christian community as Eschatology, the study of 'end times'.  There have been so many different views of the end times all throughout Church history that I do not even know where to begin.
   So, when discussing as debated of an issue as eschatology, the question is 'how could I go about this discussion without getting someone mad'?  It's quite simple actually - by not dogmatically endorsing whatever end-times view I hold to and refuting the end-times views I disagree with.
    What does the Word of God promise? But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)  This is, for the most part, not disputed among Christians, except possibly by a few extreme Preterists who would have this refer to the destruction of Jerusalem rather than the Coming of Christ.
   What else does God promise? That there will be a day of judgment in which God renders every man according to his deeds (Romans 2:6) and judges everyone based on their obedience to the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8).  Those who are Christ's, will not perish, but inherit eternal life (John 3:16), but those who do not believe on Christ will spend eternity in hell (John 3:36).  This is also generally not disputed within the realms of orthodox Christianity, except by the adherents of Universalism (who teach all will be saved) and the adherents of Pluralism (who teach that there are many roads to God).
   What are the implications of eschatology? What does the coming of Christ have to do with our daily life?  Everything.   We live in expectation of that day. That will be the day when God avenges His saints and puts an end to all sorrow, pain, and death.                 
     Although we are now saved by grace, the Bible does repeatedly talk about being rewarded according to our works.  
   Consider, for example, 1 Corinthians 3:9-15:
  "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
¹³ Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
¹⁴ If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
¹⁵ If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
   These verses are very interesting.  Paul makes it very clear that our works will be judged, but at the same time he does not fail to emphasize the fact that this judgment has no bearing on our salvation (v. 15).  
   The end of the world is not a mere fantasy, it is a reality. It is a reality which has a direct bearing on practically everything we do in this life.  This is perhaps one of the reasons we see it said in Colossians 3:17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
  2 Peter 3:11-14, speaking in the context of the day of the Lord, says this:
  "11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."
    It seems that a lot of discussion revolving around end-times theology misses the point - that we are to live in expectation of that day, following after peace and holiness, and serving the Lord with our all.   I cannot claim a perfect understanding of what will happen in the end, but I do know what God commands of me now. 
   Some may ask why the Lord has delayed His coming so long.  But when we look around us we see that there is still work to be done.  Christ will comes when He comes, so let us in the mean time focus on advancing His kingdom and bringing more people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Let's focus on doing what He commands here and now, rather than trying to predict what He will do in the future.  
   Remember, up to the Coming of Christ, the Jews had a lot of ideas of how the Messiah would come.  And guess what?  They were all wrong.  
  Is the study of the end-times wrong?  No - but let us stick to what we know from God's word, and not miss the point.
  

  

Feeling Far from God

  Have you ever come to a point in your life where you feel as if God is not present - as if He feels distant and disconnected from the events of your everyday life?  Have you ever felt, when praying, as if you were talking to the wall? Perhaps you feel that way right now, or you know someone who does.  Whatever it may be, I have written this post in the hopes that it may be of some help.
   God promises that he will never leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). When God says never, he certainly means never, so it cannot be that God has actually forsaken you.
   'But', you may ask, 'Why do I not feel any peace and joy, as the scripture promises?  Why am I so miserable?  Surely a true Christian would not feel this way'.  
   There is a key word here, and one which you may have noticed - feel.  What are your feelings?  Are they a reliable indicator of your spiritual life, or merely arbitrary emotions?  It may be that you unconsciously have begun to adhere to Obi-Wan Kenobi's exhortation to Luke Skywalker - trust your feelings. Star Wars and the Bible are somewhat in contradiction here. The Bible, in contrast, tells us rather bluntly that he that trusts in his own heart is a fool (Proverbs 28:26), and that we should instead trust the Lord with all our heart (Prov. 3:6).  So clearly, our feelings are not a reliable indicator of our spiritual life.
  But does this necessarily mean that we ought to disregard feelings altogether? After all, was it not God who gave us emotions? 
  We should certainly not disregard emotions and feelings altogether, but we must realize where they come from.  If we feel discouraged and depressed, we could often point to a certain circumstance or occurrence that caused us to feel that way. 
  When we come to God, we must focus on God, not our feelings or circumstances.  We are encouraged to cast all our cares on Him, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  When you are down and discouraged, remember that God Himself is unchanging, His love is unfailing, and His mercy endures forever.  We may fail, but He never fails.  He remains the same regardless of our events and circumstances.
   There is, however, another aspect to this issue which should be discussed - sin.  God chastens us for our sin, and we are not to despise it (Prov. 3:11, Heb. 12:5).  When He puts His finger on sin in our heart, we should not become introspective and focus on our failure, but rather repent and move on, living in victory.
   If we are unrepentant of our sin, and quench the Spirit as He seeks to convict us, then it is inevitable that a feeling of being distant from God will result. If you really seem to be far from God, it would be wise to pray with the psalmist: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24).
   On the correlation of sin and distance from God, we read in Isaiah 59:1-4:

  "1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

² But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
³ For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
⁴ None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity."
    Sin brings separation from God. If you have any sin in your life which you are unwilling to repent of, God notices.  You cannot expect to have the same level of communion with God when you are willingly transgressing against Him.  
    "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
   Let us not be introspective, nor harbor unrepentant sin, but let us instead go on to completion (Heb. 6:1), looking to Jesus all the way.  
    Perhaps some feel far from God simply because they do not properly understand the gospel.  God is our Father - he does not cast us off the moment we mess up.  Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us (Rom. 8:34).  How cool is that?  He continues to intercede on our behalf in the presence of the Father.  
   Believe me, the Love of God is incomprehensible. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God (1 John 3:1).  It is not something which we have to labor for, as those of false religions who strive to please their false deities.  He poured out His love on us, even though we did not deserve it.
   Regardless of how downcast you may feel, and how distant God may seem, He is still there and He loves each and every one of us with an everlasting love. Think about that! The more you comprehend and grasp His love, the more you will find yourself loving Him. The Apostle Paul desired that his readers May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." (Eph. 3:18-19)
  Do not let doubt, discouragement, sin, or anything else cause you to feel far from God.  Go forth, living in victory, repenting of your sin, and loving God with a sincere heart.
  

 

 

Saturday Night Ramblings

  Seeing as I have not been able to put together very many adequately coherent and scripturally sound blog posts as of late, I decided that I will now write an impromptu post in which I simply talk about whatever things I have on my mind.
  We all know about the giant wildfire in Fort Mcmurray, Alberta, which has taken the homes of many.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this calamity - to those who have lost everything (in earthly terms).
  What can we learn from this disaster?  1 Timothy 6:17 comes to mind: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy". And furthermore, we read in Matthew 6:19 - 21: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
  This disaster serves as a sobering reminder that our earthly possessions - the things we hold dear - can perish in a moment. Let us therefore put our trust in the Eternal and Living God, who never fails.
  And further, this disaster is a sobering reminder of a reality that many would rather not admit. As all the inhabitants of Fort Mcmurray flee the flames of a very dreadful fire, let it be known to the world that there is another far greater and more dreadful fire - one which humanity can escape only by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  
   " And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
⁸ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
⁹ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" - 2 Thess. 1:7 - 9
  "¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:12 - 15
   Now it may possibly be said that it is cruel of me to draw this point from such a disaster.  To anyone who would think so I say this: if it is true that man is guilty before a just and holy God, who cannot tolerate sin, and if it is true that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and that apart from Him no one can find salvation, and if the doctrine of hell is true, it would actually be cruel of me not to warn people about the wrath to come, and fail to give them the gospel.
   On that topic (since this is a ramble I can go down all the bunny trails I want :), I have heard it said that some people 'get saved' simply to avoid hell.  And of course, if someone treats salvation as death insurance, they would not be sincere in their love for God, since they don't really care about serving him, as long as they can somehow avoid hell. Therefore, we should not actually warn people of the wrath to come, and we should instead try to present the gospel in a more 'loving' way.
   This gives the appearance of promoting earnestness within the sinner, but it is fundamentally flawed. If one truly realizes what Christ has done for him on the cross, his life will never be the same, and his love for God will increase.  When I realize what Christ went through to save a vile sinner such as I, and I fully comprehend the fate I would otherwise have had to suffer, the impact on my life will be inevitable. 
   We are to warn every man (Col. 1:28).  Preaching the 'good news' aspect of the gospel without preaching the 'bad news' of the law first is like giving a person medicine when he is not yet aware of his illness.  
   Interestingly, if the gospel were false, it would be cruel to preach it, but if it is true, then it is cruel not to preach it. Think about it.
   I think this will wrap up my discourse for tonight.  Thank you for reading, and God bless.