I always hated books. I used to be allergic to reading. It was a more time-consuming way to get information or get entertainment than watching TV or using the internet. I used to cringe at the thought of cracking open a novel. This was largely true until I moved to Madison. As a loser that doesn't drive and takes the bus to and from work (well, really to and from almost anywhere), I get a lot of time that I can't just sit and watch TV or use the internet. As such, I've probably read more in the past eight months than I have the rest of my life.
Last week I read Rob Bell's Love Wins. For those of you that were living in a cave most of last year and aren't familiar with the concept of the book, I'm going to do the book a disservice and distill it down to one sentence (read the entire book before judging solely on this): Bell suggests, crazy as it may be, that God is a loving God and does not eternally damn every person who doesn't meet the five actions the church has defined saves you. It's a bit more complex than this, but Bell essentially denies the existence of Hell as we know it. Before I talk about Hell, let me give some background.
The Bible is a book about God redeeming people. It never mentions man redeeming himself (mainly because we aren't qualified). The death of Jesus atoned for each and every sin I will commit before I have the chance to commit it. Nothing I do can make them "more atoned for"; it has been done. God loves each of us as his children and endured the death of Himself/His son to save each of us. He has also revealed to us that a time is coming when He brings his dwelling (Heaven) to us (if this strikes you as odd, Heaven will be here, on Earth. Read your Bible.) We have some time to prepare and that is what living like Christ is about.
This is where Hell comes in. When the good Christians die and go to Heaven, everyone else is sifted out and thrown into an eternal pit of molten sulfur, experiencing torture for the rest of eternity. This seems like just punishment for a small time of disobedience on Earth. Of course not. What's enraging about this is the fact that, if Bell's book is to be believed (more on that later), this is largely unfounded in scripture. Humans have created Hell. This shouldn't be too surprising, we are human, but to be this evil is disgusting and disturbing, and I'm ashamed to say that I have been a part of it.
So what about all those passages that talk about fire and brimstone? I can't offer any insight on the aspect of eternity in relation to the Hell of the Bible (let Bell do that, read his book), but I will offer an explanation that I'm currently pondering: God's bringing Heaven here to us and He gave us the manual on how Heaven can exist even with humans in it (because, as we're all aware, we'd otherwise mess it up. Remember the Garden of Eden?) God sees each command in His word as a benefit for us to get closer to the people we need to be in Heaven. So what are the fires of Hell all about? Let's consider it a "refining by fire" (hey, that's the name of the blog!) so we become purified to exist in Heaven. So what's the point of being a Christian in our current existence? Well, I'm not sure if you remember what the refining process is, but it would be an incredibly painful process for humans to go through and, in the process, the impurities are removed. If someone didn't live like Christ, they would come out of this painful process and not much of themselves would be left. This is why God commands us to live apart from society, be more like Christ, and we can bring all of that to Heaven with us.
I'm not sure I articulated that in the most clear manner, and in the way I wanted to, but, rest assured it makes a bit of sense in my mind. You need to make your own conclusions about it. This is where I come back to whether I believe Bell's book, and the answer is a definitive, decisive "maybe". I'm currently reading through the scriptures and seeing them with a whole new perspective. If this new perspective lines up, there's no reason to not believe it as a possibility. It only affects the fate of every person who ever lived, so I shant take it lightly and neither should you.
Interesting book. So the Title is "Love Wins", do does that mean that love is the ultimate factor into what gets you into heaven?
ReplyDeletePretty deep discussion there, something I will have to think about a little bit.
In a kinda related note, how have you seperated yourself from society? I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do that or what that entails.
Love, fully, is what will exist in Heaven. What gets humans in to Heaven is God's love.
DeleteIf you are showing your love unconditionally, if you eradicate all fear and trust in the LORD, if you set your focus fully on the kingdom of God, you will set yourself apart from society.
I enjoy Rob Bell, and his creative ways to share the gospel, and to be honest, I have not yet read the book, however, the more opinions I hear of the book, I find myself wondering if I really need to waste my time. Psalm 16:5-11 reminds me that all I really need is the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI think its a dangerous road to travel, when one (Rob Bell) creatively suggest that God doesn't really mean that there will be a literal Hell. God's word is very clear on the consequences of sin, and Hell. Jesus Himself indicates that punishment in hell is just as everlasting as life in heaven (Matthew 25:46)
Man did not make up the concept of Hell...that is false. Man may twist it,perhaps, but make no mistake Jesus himself spoke of it and often.
Interesting comment from Chelsea on "separating yourself from society".
Evidently, I did not make myself clear (and this applies to the anonymous comment below who I assume is my father). I did not mean to say that Bell says there is no Hell. He questions how much man has, as you say, twisted it. How much of what we've said about Hell is unfounded?
DeleteAs far as the eternal/everlasting aspect of it is concerned, I have to punt the subject to Bell. He goes through the Hebrew and Greek etymologies of the words used to explain what they mean to his view of Hell. There's a lot more to the words than what us English speakers get out of reading in the NIV/ESV/etc.
And, please, do "waste" the time to read this. It took me two days to read through it. It's closer to a pamphlet than an entire novel. It's definitely worth it, if only to get his full perspective (whether you agree with it, respect it, or reject it). Get yourself to ask more questions and seek answers.
Yeah,I guess I was not clear, however, "Humans have created Hell", clearly sounds like you believe Bell is saying there is no Hell per say. If Bell is saying there is no Hell...he is wrong. If he is saying that it's not eternal, and not too painful, rather, more of a "refining"....he is not only wrong, but that is a lie.
DeleteBut, alas...I need to read the book, and see for myself what exactly he's saying.
Anyway,I wonder if those Hebrew and Greek words for "Hell", that are describing it more like a refining, are in the context of those who might say/feel or believe that they live a "Hell" here on earth, lets face it many do? And God surely is refining us.
I am sure of this...God's word is not a mystery, it does not have hidden messages, nor is it written only to those who can decipher it at great lengths, God made things very clear so that every man is without excuse. Romans 1:18-20
Obviously, I am not a "philosopher", but my mind is always thinking and asking questions, and I do love when I'm challenged to think deeper, however,I fully rely on the scripture, the holy word of God, and trust what it says, leaning not on my understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge Him (his word)...if God's word is clearer, its a waste of my time to entertain any other thought.
...just saying.
On a side note, when talking about people who use Hell as a "tool" to get people into "heaven" or "saved" or as a tool to make others feel less than them, like the wacko's out west, who travel to funerals to tell people they are going to hell, then, I agree, that will NOT win, LOVE wins always. So perhaps the book is as simple as that, I don't know, if so, amen!
The refining aspect was more of my input on top of Bell's thoughts.
DeleteGod's Word is incredibly clear...on the important things (how to love God and others), but it is intensely deep to the point where no man could ever understand its full relevance. It's the reason we continually study it and ask questions about it.
Well, I'll try not to beat this thing to death. Read the book. Enjoy it. Complain about it. Have fun.
I agree with Will. I think to say the Bible is completely clear about every single subject is wrong. Absolutely wrong. Why are there different branches of chrisianity? Heck, why do we go to church then?
DeleteAlso, language is complex, and yes we as English speakers do speak differently than Biblical hebrew and the other languages written in the Bible. Why do you think there is much dispute about Mary the "virgin". We say virgin, but in Hebrew the word used means "young lady".
Also, man certaintly changed the concept of Hell, if not "making" it. Just like "man" made up the concept of how to protray Jesus in paintings, etc (hint: he doesn't look like Jim Caviezel, more like....a black guy).
DeleteWait, a man born in the Middle East didn't look like Jim Caviezel?
DeleteI know, shocking, but Jim Caviezel is soo hot so he can get a pass for playing Jesus even though he shouldn't have.
DeleteInteresting take. Having actually read "Love Wins", I will strongly agree with you on one point - distilling the book to one sentence does indeed do a great disservice to its ideas. I would disagree that the point of the book is about questioning the "existence" of hell; Bell points out that hell does in fact exist. The questions he's asking have more to do with the definition of hell, or in what form does it manifest itself. And is it limited to a Dante-esque portrayal, as embraced by much of the evangelical fundamentalist church.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind, too, that Bell himself, within the confines of the book and elsewhere in his writings, messages and interviews, wishes to be seen as a philosopher and not a theologian. His desire is to explore the nature of God; who He is; how we experience Him; how we share those experiences with others who don't know Him, etc.
It's clearly a discussion worth having with those who are willing to look beyond established (man-made?) traditions, and burrow into actual Biblical writings in context. The bottom line for Bell, as I saw it, and one that I would like to think any believer can agree with, is this: whether hell is or isn't the way the church has taught it, those of us fortunate enough to be introduced to Jesus have the opportunity to choose whether we walk THIS life with or without him...and with him is infinitely better.
See my comment to your sister-in-law above ;)
DeleteBy the way, I couldn't agree more with your last paragraph.
P.S. His favorite sister-in-law, none the less. :P
ReplyDeleteThis can be a very interesting topic. Northway did a two sermon series a few weeks ago on heaven and hell (http://www.northway.org/Pages/MessageArchive.aspx). It was a very interesting series seeing how rare it is to take a biblical look at hell. For the most part when it came to hell they mostly contrasted what the bible says about heaven vs. hell instead of just trying to come up with a picture of hell.
ReplyDeleteSweet, I'll have to check them out.
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