Recent discussion about Judgement and Hell, spurred largely by a recent book by Rob Bell, have prompted many to rethink what they believe – what Scripture teaches – about this subject. Among them, Francis Chan in this video titled Erasing Hell.
I had thought I was done with this thread, but Chan’s reflections warrant hearing.
Now that the advanced copies of the book have been sent out, people have had opportunity to read it and reflect.
Kevin DeYoung has thoughtfully analyzed Rob Bell’s Love Wins and published his observations and concerns in a compelling review. DeYoung’s opening paragraph offers a summary of Bell’s premise:
Love Wins, by mega-church pastor Rob Bell, is, as the subtitle suggests, “a book about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived.” Here’s the gist: Hell is what we create for ourselves when we reject God’s love. Hell is both a present reality for those who resist God and a future reality for those who die unready for God’s love. Hell is what we make of heaven when we cannot accept the good news of God’s forgiveness and mercy. But hell is not forever. God will have his way. How can his good purposes fail? Every sinner will turn to God and realize he has already been reconciled to God, in this life or in the next. There will be no eternal conscious torment. God says no to injustice in the age to come, but he does not pour out wrath (we bring the temporary suffering upon ourselves), and he certainly does not punish for eternity. In the end, love wins.
I am not sure what the allure of Bell’s thesis is. Oh, I understand why it appeals to some who are not Christians. What perplexes me is why some – maybe many – who consider themselves Christ followers are intrigued with this notion of Universalism that has been debunked repeatedly by every expression of Christ’s Church for nearly 1500 years. Could it be that we, in our feigned wisdom, imagine we might out-do God in compassion?
It is unusual for me to publish critical posts, and very unusual for me to harp on a trendy issue through repeated posts. But I do so because I see the intrigue this book has stirred, even among some I know. As a pastor I would urge folks not to even bother reading it. There are so many great things out there to feed our minds and our souls, why should we choose warmed over heresy? What spiritual benefit do you imagine you might gain?
But should you be among those who succumb to the temptation… please also read DeYoung’s review.
NOTE: This review is also available in .pdf.
Click: God is Still Holy and What You Learned in Sunday School is Still True
Apparently the dance goes on and on!
That is in reference to the opening statement I made in a post yesterday. A debate about the Doctrine of Hell has been spreading like a wild fire for a couple weeks now. I only made mention of it because it is a subject that has subsequently been raised by some from our local congregation. I wanted to touch on it, offer a few insightful links, and move on.
I am surprised by the interest that post has raised, especially since I came to the dance so late. Not only are there discussions going on in the comment section, but quite a few folks have visited that post without commenting.
One of the most practical comments was that some people who are objecting to a book by Rob Bell, which is what apparently sparked the debates, had in fact not even read the book before offering criticisms. This is true. I appreciated John Armstrong and Mark Galli, two prominent voices who pointed out this glaring neglect and calling for patience that will lead to clarity once the book is released. I did point out, however, that the responses were not only to the book, which had not been read, but to the publicity video, which many have viewed. (See Love Wins). Therefore, while being slow to speak is always wise counsel, those who wrote were not entirely without basis.
Now, however, some are chiming in who HAVE read the book; or who at least read the manuscript provided to reviewers. In particular I commend Tim Challies’ & Aaron Armstorng’s Love Wins – A Review of Rob Bell’s New Book. For those who were awaiting informed voices to chime in, I think you will find the tune still sounds quite the same.
I am coming to the dance late, but it appears the party is not yet over. So late may not be too late. What party? Well, the “Hell-acious” party that has been going on in the blogosphere.
Apparently the debate was kicked off by Rob Bell and his new book titled: Love Wins. Apparently the video promoting the book leans a little too close to affirming Universalism. Having watched it, I can see why there is some concern.
There is little I will add to this discussion, other than to affirm that the Bible is clear about Hell being an actual place. Any notions that the reality of Hell somehow diminishes Grace or is a stain on God’s character are just uninformed and/or thoughtless. More than that, such theories are not rooted in Scripture. Thus we can assume they originate from the pit of… well, you know…
Some notables responding to Bell were:
John Piper & Josh Harris on Twitter:
Kevin DeYoung
Justin Taylor
Tim Keller also republished a post titled The Importance of Hell
John Armstrong chimed in on the debate, and suggested that some of the responses were just knee jerk reactions. Armstrong advocates waiting for the book to come out before developing any conclusions about Rob Bell. Caution and charity is almost always good counsel.
But, while this discussion is still in vogue, I thought I would direct those interested to a few other resources. In particular 9 Marks Sept-Oct ’10 e-Journal was devoted to it. Click: Remembering the Awful Reality. Two articles from that edition I find worth consideration are summarized below:
How Does Hell Glorify God? by James Hamilton.
- Hell shows that God keeps his word.
- Hell shows God’s infinite worth.
- Hell demonstrates God’s power to subdue all who rebel against him.
- Hell shows how unspeakably merciful God is to those who trust him.
- Hell upholds the reality of love by visiting justice against those who reject God, who is love.
- Hell vindicates all who suffered to hear or proclaim the truth of God’s Word.
- Hell shows the enormity of what Jesus accomplished when he died to save all who would trust him from the what they (we) deserved. If there were no hell, there would be no need for the Cross.
Why is Hell Integral to the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert
- Hell shows us how heinous our sin really is.
- Hell shows us how unimpeachably just God really is.
- Hell shows us how horrific the cross really was, and how great God’s grace really is.
- Hell focuses our minds on the task of proclaiming the gospel.
One final word. This is not a one sided discussion. Many are picking up where Bell left off – or where they think he left off. Wherever Bell will come out on this issue, some folks are running with their own half-baked theories… they are running fast like bats out of… well you know.
GRACE & PEACE 