Tags
Gossip, Hell, Mars Hill Grand Rapids, ODM, Rob Bell, Satire, Speculation, Universalism, Watchbloggers
I don’t know about you but I’m sick and tired of the bloggers talking about Rob Bell and his new book Love Wins. The book isn’t even out yet but that hasn’t stopped silly people from commenting on and in some cases reviewing a book they haven’t even read.
Who cares what Rob Bell thinks about hell or anything else for that matter?
Oh wait, that’s not very good discernment now is it? Of course we’re supposed to care if Bell denies there is a hell. Of course we need to know whether or not Bell is a Universalist and fortunately there are folks out there who know what Bell actually believes without reading the book or even taking the time to personally ask him….
These brilliant folks call what they’re doing discernment but in reality it’s only speculation at best and gossip at worst.
While some in the ODM world are focusing on what they think Bell is going to say, the Bible tells us all we need to know about the existance of hell and the impossibility of Universalism.
Matthew 23:33
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
Sentenced to hell? Wait, that was too easy right? Let’s try another one;
Matthew 13:41-43
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The fiery furnace is for the unredeemed where there will be weeping and gnashing of the teeth. Doesn’t sound like a great place to be does it? Of course Jesus also tells us that the righteous (the redeemed) won’t share that same fate.There’s plenty more but I think you get my point.
I don’t know about any of you but I have read all three of Bell’s books, watched every Nooma video and have listened to him preach many many times and one thing rings true in each and every message, book and video; Bell will rarely if ever be specific about much of anything and I suspect Love Wins will be the same thing but I’ll wait until I read the book before speculating commenting further.
Next week I’ll be returning to the series Exposing the Church is Mystery Babylon Movement and let the watchbloggers speculate and gossip worry about Rob Bell!
Phil since you are familiar with his previous work …. Did you see or read any sign that he might be leaning toward universalism?Do you think it’s more of a promotional thing?
Hey Ann,
How are you? This week marks the 4th anniversery of this blog and you’ve been here since the very beginning. Thank you for that!
To be completely honest with you Bell is one of those types who seems to enjoy taking his theology to the very edge or the very border of heresy and then pulling back, so yes he has given indications of leaning in this direction as he has in the past with other theological issues. I suspect this could be more of the same but as I said in the OP you never know with Rob Bell because he’s rarely if ever specific about anything. That’s why he’s dangerous.
Promotion? The publisher sure was clever with their promo video KNOWING full well the video would get all the silly “discernment ministries” (there’s no such thing as a discernment ministry) to promote it for them. Sheer brilliance.
Run as far away from Bell as you can Ann!
God bless you Ann and know that I continue to keep you and your family in my prayers!
Phil
Bell is one of hundreds if not thousands of smart people who see all this money changing hands in the religious community and look for a nitch message to market to gain notoriety and fortune. The gullible public is constantly looking for an easier way to be a christian and extend their life beyond our mortal existences. Sorry folks, the formula for christian living hasn’t changed in 2000 years and it’s still hard.
Hey,
If anyones interested Tim Challies has reveiwed the book
http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/love-wins-a-review-of-rob-bells-new-book
Phil