In Rob Bell’s new video promoting his new book, he asks “What is God like?” And his answer is this: God is far too loving to send anyone to hell. ((I am not completely sure that this is what his book will teach. Is is possible he is setting all this up to then comes back with his book and attack it. Regardless, what he lays out in this video many people believe. It may be his belief also, or he may just be caricaturing others beliefs. Either way, enough believe this to make it worth talking about.))
And doesn’t that seem so comforting? A God who cannot punish. A God too loving to sentence anyone to hell. A God who just takes all, regardless of their reception of his gifts, to heaven with him.
Well, it is comforting until you realize that the word of the cross becomes useless then. And if the cross was not necessary, then God sends his son to endure the pain of the flesh for no reason. He allows him to be betrayed, beaten, and battered uselessly. He just watches as every last breath is stretched out of his body on the cross for kicks. Gosh, now God doesn’t seems too loving anymore. I mean if he would allow his very own son to be tormented like that for no purpose, what of the rest of us?
This is why theology and doctrine matter. When we hold on to a false doctrine we begin to ignore the clear teaching of the scripture. In this case, when we decide that God is so loving as to not punish evil (a theology never found in the bible), we are forced then to ignore passage after passage in the bible that clearly teaches the opposite. Just yesterday, we read in bible class the word that Jesus would cut in two those wicked servants who watch not for his return. The only way you can read that and not get the point that God punishes evil on the last day is if you read it with the a priori assumption that God is too loving for that. And when you that happens, your bad theology makes you a poor hearer of the word. And if a poor hearer, certainly not a doer of it.
We must all be careful of this. Our study of the word must form our theology, not the opposite. Otherwise false systematic theology will overrun the clear sense of many passages in the scripture. And soon, we could end up saying something as obviously unscriptural as “No one goes to Hell. God does not punish evil. He is too loving.”
If God does not punish evil, then the sending of Jesus to the cross is more than folly, it is vain cruelty by the Almighty Father. But if he must punish evil, if the sins of the world cry out for justice, then the cross is great sacrifice to restore the world to himself in line with his desire that none would perish, be punished, or be pained. It is the answer to Rob’s question of what God is like. He is loving enough to die for all and to bring all to eternal life if they will just not reject these gifts. That is how loving he is. And that is good news indeed.
Great post. I also recommend reading this one:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/02/28/bell-brouhaha/
(I especially love the part where he responds in the same questioning fashion as Bell’s video.)
Unfortunately I think this isn’t some clever set-up. It seems to be what he really thinks.
In an interview with Bell (http://seeingclearly.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/rob-bell-and-hell-ooze-interview/) he says, “I am a bit skeptical of somebody who argues that passionately for a literal hell, why would you be on that side? Like if you are going to pick causes, if you’re literally going to say these are the lines in the sand, I’ve got to know that people are going to burn forever, this is one of the things that you drive your stake in the ground on. I don’t understand that.”
I drive my stake in the ground on things that the Bible says is true. I’m “on that side” because it’s the side God revealed as truth.
Pastor Hoppe, you couldn’t have read his book, because it’s not available yet. Let Jamie (above) drive stakes into the ground or whatever, and let’s not try to infer that Bell has emptied the cross of its meaning. Of course theology matters, but I see on blogs and on Facebook where he is accused of many things, yet from what I can tell the evidence to back up the accusations is weak.
Phil,
I too have been keeping up-to-date on this unfolding story and it is interesting to see so many people’s different takes.
I think your footnote should have been a main point. Nobody, unless you have read an advanced copy knows exactly what Rob is going to lay out in his book. And that is so central to this argument. Let the man say what he is going to say in his book and then make judgments about what he has actually said.
It is very dangerous to judge a man and his theology just based on a promo… again, especially when that promo has not said everything, by any means, that he is going to say in his book.
Tom and Gary,
Regardless of what he says (as I said), there are people that hold to this. And in general terms, some general thought of the Love of God negating the clear teaching of the scriptures is a common thread in Christianity today. Gary, I did not read the book and said that. Tom, please note my post is occasioned by his comments, but it is not directed at him personally, but those who hold to this heretical teaching, which many do, even if they would not say it so clearly. But I will post again when he has been clearer.
Pastor Held – I can’t speak for other blogs, but the only inferences I am making are the ones that, for whatever reason, Bell has made – from his leading questions and his other statements in interviews.
I won’t drive a stake through *him* for what he says 🙂 … but my point is that of course I would stand firm on what the bible says. That’s truth.