I started this day by reading an email about Rob Bell and his controversial book "Love Wins". I have not read this book so I will not claim to know all that is contained in its covers. But the gist of it seems to be that he is telling Christians everywhere that there is not really a hell per se...more of a second chance for us to choose Christ. A purgatory, if you will. And really when it comes down to it, he can't believe that a loving God would send anyone to hell, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, whatever. So if this is where you would like to read in my blog that I am applauding Bell and his "new version of Christianity", then you should stop reading. If you want to read that I am tolerant and believe all roads lead to heaven, then definitely stop reading.
Rob Bell is quoted as saying "I have long wondered if there is a massive shift coming in what it means to be a Christian... something new is in the air."
Would you explain to me why that would be comforting to anyone other than a society who is out to be the most comfortable with the least effort? A faith that is over 2,000 years old is being redefined and we should be excited about this? My answer is a resounding NO.
The Bible is truth. The Bible is God's inspired Word to us. THAT is a loving God to me. He didn't leave us floundering here trying to figure out what to do, He gave us a guidebook. Of course, Bell also, in one of his popular Nooma vidoes (I watched many several years ago in an adult Sunday school class), repeatedly made statements concerning the "creation myth". Okay, this is another warning for you to check out of this blog now if you want me to be all tolerant and "we can read the Bible any way we see fit." The creation ACCOUNT is not a myth. It is truth. Just like every page in Scripture. So many people tell me the Bible is not relevant to their lives, that it doesn't make sense. If you don't read the Bible in its entirety and seek Bible study and teaching that will open it up for you, it might not make sense but it isn't because the answers aren't there. It's because our priorities put the Bible on a shelf and a remote in our hand or a computer monitor on our lap while we recline. (Hey, I'm not judging, I'm doing it right now!)
Okay, there is a point to my rant on reading the Bible. We say we want to "live like Jesus". We want to do good and obey God's commands. But we want to do that while not opening the pages of God's Word. How does that make sense? Don't get me wrong, I've had great Bible teaching, listened to amazing sermons and messages and rocked out to Christian music. And those are all great ways to stay connected and fellowship with believers. But we have this amazing gift to us - God's guide book...and we ignore it.
The danger in that?? More and more churches are popping up, preaching attractive doctrine that simply is not biblically sound. That is dangerous. Call me a fanatic. Call me intolerant. But really? I'm simply in awe of the God I read about and would not willingly choose to offend Him at any cost. I feel there is little more offensive than putting words in His mouth that He didn't say.
Okay, so I've been pondering this all day, extremely irritated at this extremely popular pastor who is spouting untruths that are being eaten up like candy by a spoiled, indulged society. His phrase that really ticks me off? "A loving God wouldn't condemn anyone to hell." Let me share how I ended my night.
Snuggled up with the kids, we read the Easter story and talked about why Good Friday is such a solemn day. I shared with my older two the graphic details of the beating and events leading to the crucifixion along with what a crucifixion actually would have looked like. (Condemn me here if you will but my children will understand truth.) We talked about (because of the wise questions of my 8 and 5 year old who know what a privilege it is to have a Bible in their very own hands) how Jesus didn't HAVE to live life as a human; He CHOSE to come to earth to live the same troubled human life we all endure. He walked the same roads, endured the same problems. All knowing that eventually He would die a gruesome death (don't let a Sunday school version of Jesus's death numb you to the reality). He endured a beating so severe, it ripped the skin from His body. He endured mocking and taunting as He walked death row...carrying His own cross. And He laid there as they pounded nails through His wrists and His ankles.
All the while, crying out that His Father would forgive the ones doing these deeds.
Forgive them, Father.
He was fully God but fully human. He hurt. He felt alone. And at that moment, He was...as He lay on that cross (look up crucifixion if you have ANY doubts as to the pain He would have endured), He WAS truly alone. His Father, so holy that He cannot be near sin, had to turn away as all sins that had been committed up to that time and would ever be committed were heaped upon His Son as He breathed His last. Your sins. My own. They are what held Him there.
God created us with a free-will. He didn't want more angels to do His bidding. He wanted humans, men and woman who would choose to love Him...but whom He would not force to do so. And when...in our independence, we chose over and over to reject Him (which an account of this is in...you guessed it...the Bible), He came to Earth Himself to take the punishment so we would not have to be divided from Him forever.
So Mr. Bell and any of you who would like to argue with me that if God would dare to condemn any to hell, He couldn't possibly be a Loving God...I would like to say shame on you. Because the love of my God was so very apparent by my Lord who lay dying on a cross, carrying my every sin, and saying "Father, forgive them."
And this is why today, I solemnly remember that sad day...but look forward to Easter morn...when the tomb was empty. Jesus has risen indeed, conquering the very gates of hell. And He will conquer any teaching that makes a mockery or untruth of His word. Woe be to those who choose the easy, attractive teaching, rather than sound truth. He wasn't taken lightly at His first coming - what will He find here on Earth at His second coming?
