This might sound weird, but I would like to publicly thank Rob Bell for his new book. The reason that I would like to thank him, is the same reason I express thanks to Brian Mclaren and Tony Jones. They have finally come out and exposed to the world their heretical views. They can no longer try to hide behind an Orthodox Christian veneer. They have, by their own words, firmly put themselves out of the camp of Christianity and their words have exposed them for the wolves in sheep's clothing that they have always been. For that I thank them for finally saying what they truly believe and exposing their teeth for all the sheep to see, so they might run to the shepherd for safety
Rob Bell has been one of the slipperiest and influential heretics in recent memory. He has the ear of countless youth groups and young believers. I myself was an avid viewer of his videos when I first came to faith. He is very friendly and engaging in his delivery, very entertaining in his productions and presentations, and like every bit of rat poison, he says some stuff that sounds almost true. But he has been able to hide behind the cloud of fog created by his words, and now he is laid open and exposed. For proof of his heretical views, all you have to do IS TO CLICK HERE.
To answer Rob Bell, I will simply quote the words from J.C. Ryle. Listen to Bishop Ryle's response to one who denies hell:
They are preaching up the devil's old, favorite doctrine!
There is such a place as Hell. Let no one deceive you with vain words. What people do not like--they try hard not to believe. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes to judge the world, He will punish all who are not His disciples with a fearful punishment!All who are found unrepentant and unbelieving; all who have clung to sin; all who have set their affections on worldly things; all who are without Christ--all such shall come to a dreadful end! "Anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life--was thrown into the Lake of Fire!" Revelation 20:15
1) I know that some people do not believe that there is any Hell at all. They think it impossible, that there can be such a place. They call it inconsistent with the mercy of God. They say that it is too awful an idea to be really true. The devil of course, rejoices in the views of such people. They help his kingdom mightily. They are preaching up the devil's old, favorite doctrine, "You shall not surely die!" Genesis 3:4
2) I know furthermore, that some do not believe that Hell is eternal! They tell us it is incredible, that a compassionate God will punish people forever. They imagine that He will surely open the prison doors of Hell at last. This also is a mighty help to the devil's cause.
3) I know also that some believe that there is a Hell--but never allow
that anybody is going there! They imagine that . . . all people are
good, all are sincere, all mean well, and all, they hope,
will go to Heaven when they die! Alas! what a common delusion is this!If I never spoke of Hell--I would think I had kept back something that was profitable, and would look on myself as an accomplice of the devil. Reader, I beseech you, in all tender affection--beware of false views of the subject on which I have been dwelling. Beware of new and strange doctrines about Hell and the eternity of
punishment. Beware of manufacturing a god of your own:a god who is all mercy--but not just;
a god who is all love--but not holy;
a god who has a Heaven for everybody--but a Hell for none;
a god who will make no distinction between godly and the ungodly in eternity.
Such a god is an idol of your own imagination! It is as truly an idol--as any snake or crocodile in an Egyptian temple! The hands of your own imagination and sentimentality have made it! It is not the God of the Bible--and beside the God of the Bible, there is no God at all.
What Rob Bell says about theology has a tendency to be slippery so I’m going to withhold judgement about the book until it is published and the reviews are in. And, no, I have no intention of ever reading it.
ReplyDeleteBut I do have a few comments about the book’s promo video.
First, Bell seems to imply that the common view of the Christian faith is that “a few select people will make it to heaven”. This view is at odds with the clear teaching of scripture. The Psalmist said “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” (Psalm 22:27) and the Prophet Isaiah said (in chapter 2, verse 3) “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” And the apostle John said (Revelation 7:9) “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;”.
Scripture teaches neither that all mankind will be redeemed nor that “a few select people will make it to heaven”. To the contrary, heaven will be so filled with those whom God has Soveringly elected that no one will be able to number them. If this is what Rob Bell means (but I doubt it) by “the good news is better than we could imagine”, my response is ‘amen’.
Second, at the end of the video Bell makes this statement: “The good news is that love wins”. “God is love” (1 John 4:6) but I wonder if this is what Rob Bell means-- as in, “The good news is that God wins”. Somehow I doubt it; it sounds as if he views love as something that should begin with a capital L. If this is the case, then Rob Bell makes an idol of love. God is love, but love is not God. Confusing the two excuses sin and defrauds God of His Holiness. Moreover if God is not love, all His other attributes would be displayed in destroying man. A loving God lacking holiness would be capricious and not worthy of trust; but a Holy God that is not love would be terrifying in the extreme.
The promo video definitely sets up a straw man argument against the Biblical view of God and the Good News, but will the book finally reveal Rob Bell's heretical views? Given Rob Bell’s history of not being theologically definitive about anything, I doubt it.