January 4, 2012
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Hell again
Fun subject. again. Some of you, who actually read some of the many, many things I post here, read (or discussed with me) my essay about hell. Rob Bell’s book “Love Wins” brought up this subject, which is alive and relevant, but not fun. Necessary, but I get around it more than I should. After I wrote it, some people told me I was too weak in my stance, and Rob Bell was the devil’s messenger.
I like Rob Bell. He is a likeable guy. And I like his books. He has a great writing style, and an awesome design artist. His movies inspire me. I have learned a lot about God through Rob Bell’s stuff. There. I said it. Do I recommend him to everyone? No. I am careful. Do I agree with everything he says? No. I don’t agree with everything my mom says either. (And yes, I know she will read that) Do I think he is off on some things and that can be dangerous? Yes. If you haven’t figured out by now, the world is a dangerous place. And truth is mixed with lies and black and white make grey. Walk with the Holy Spirit. Let Him guide you. Fall down, and get back up.
That said, I have finally read the book that Francis Chan wrote in response to Rob Bell’s book. His book is called “erasinghell” (almost looks like raising hell. ha.) And I liked it too. I wish he would have addressed more of C.S.Lewis, as Rob Bell did quite often. Rob Bell is more interesting, and Francis Chan was more scholarly about it, but I really appreciated the spirit of the book–it was never a “I am out to skin Rob Bell alive” book. If it had, I wouldn’t have read it. Because I don’t care if you are right if you are going to blast it like that.
“erasinghell” was a call to quit being wimpy, and I salute that, while sighing, because I like my wimpiness. It was a call to get your little buddha/white/hippy god out of the way and get to know the Real Deal. And to tremble. And to realize you don’t get it. And you never will. Because you aren’t God. sigh of relief and pain. Here–my favorite quote:
“I often hear people say, “I could never love a God who would…” Who would what? Who would disagree with you? And do things that you would never do? Who would allow bad things to happen to people? Who would be more concerned with His own glory than your feelings? Who would—send people to hell?
But this makes about as much sense as the clay looking up at the Potter and saying, “I really think you messed up here, let me show you a better way to mold me.” Picture the absurdity! But we do it all the time.
In fact, I do it all the time.
It has taken me forty-three years to finally confess that I have been embarrassed by some of God’s actions. In my arrogance, I believed I could make Him more attractive or palatable if I covered up some of his actions. So I neglected speaking on certain passages, or I would rush through certain statements God made in order to get to the ones I was comfortable with. The ones I knew others would like.
I am just now seeing the ugliness of my actions. Like the nervous kid who tries to keep his friends from seeing his drunken father, I have tried to hide God at times. Who do I think I am? The truth is, God is perfect and right in all he does. I am a fool for thinking otherwise. He does not need nor want me to “cover” for him. There’s nothing to be covered. Everything about Him and all He does is perfect.
Yet sometimes from our human perspective, it’s tough to see exactly how God is perfect and just and good. “–Francis Chan
No apologies. Take it or leave it. But don’t stay the same.
