Saturday, March 26, 2011

Yes, Rob Bell, Love did win!

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There is a lot of talk about this man in the video, Pastor Rob Bell.  He has written a book that was recently released and is causing quite a stir in the world.  The book is titled "Love Wins".  Let me first say that I have not read the book.  I have, however, listened to several interviews he has done and so I don't speak from "rumor" but rather from that which has come from his own lips.

In II Timothy 4, we see that Paul is about ready to be killed.  His final words are a charge to Timothy.  They are powerful and I will quote them from the New King James Version

II Timothy 4:1-5
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:  Preach the Word!  Be ready in season and out of season,  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according  to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Rob Bell has made some claims that about God and His teachings that are in DIRECT CONTRADICTION to the Word of God- Essentially, he has created his own gospel- which I guess should not be called a "gospel" for it is not good news for Rob Bell or anyone that is deceived by it.

In my years of discipling women, I have always emphasized the Bible to be our guidebook and our final authority.  We must know the Truth (the Word of God) if we are to recognize the lie.

Based on the you tube video you just watched, I want to use the Word of God to reveal the lie in these teachings.

1.) Rob Bell first questions he tosses out is this "Will only a select few make it to heaven, and will billions go to hell.?"
  I find it very interesting, the way he posed this question. To me, the way he posed this question can play with our emotions.  "select few make it to heaven"  "billions burn in hell".  The offer to salvation has been made to every human being!  John 3:16 makes this clear as does Romans 10:13.  As far as God is concerned, Billions could go to heaven and a select few could go to hell.  In fact, II Peter 3:9 confirms that. In this verse God says that He is not willing that any should perish. Matthew 7:13-14 says that we are to enter  by the narrow gate
for wide is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it.  Jesus knows the human heart and how we gravitate to darkness. He also knows who will accept salvation and who won't.  Be certain of this:  God does not send people to hell, we send ourselves when we refuse to accept His gift of salvation.

2.)  His comment immediately following is this "How do we become one of the few"  I don't sense he is asking this question seeking an answer, rather I sensed it as a mocking statement for those who believe that people will actually end up in hell.  As you see in the video, he goes on to ask how do we become one of the select few.....do we get baptized, join a church, on and on.  

This is an easy question to answer.  He need not look long to find the requirement for salvation
Lets look at Romans 10:9-10,13 (NKJV)

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Down through the years man has added to faith, preaching a gospel of works- but this is a false doctrine!  Jesus laid out the plan.  Boy, over and over again, Jesus lays out the plan of salvation.  Seems to me that it would be a waste of His time if in the end "love wins" and everybody goes to heaven!

3.)  He goes on to pose another easy to answer question- "What is God like?".  If we want to know what God is like, we should go straight to the source.  God is love!  The reason salvation exist is because God loved! (John 3:16) God is merciful!  The whole reason salvation exist is because God is merciful.(Lamentations 3:22-23)   God is Truth!(Deuteronomy 32:4)  God is gracious-(Ephesians 2:8-9) The whole reason salvation exist is because God is gracious!  God is just.(Deuteronomy 32:4)  On the day of judgement, those who accepted His gift will receive eternal life and those who rejected will receive eternal damnation.  Just as He said.



4.) Rob Bell claims that the reason that people don't want to be involved in Christianity is because there is an endless list of things we must do to achieve heaven.  I don't know who he was listening to when he had that thought, for the certainly doesn't come from the Word of God.  Ephesians 2:8-9 supports this

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.  not of works, lest anyone should boast."

5.) Lastly, Rob Bell says that what we believe about heaven and hell is so important.  I couldn't agree with him more!  I just wonder what he means about that.  He states he does believe in a hell- but my question is if "Love Wins" (as he argues) then why would there even be a hell.  Why even discuss it and why would Jesus talk about hell in the Bible more than any other subject.  Rob Bell says that when we understand things as he does than we will see that the good news (the Gospel) is better than we could ever imagine.  He is right about one thing.  The Gospel as written by God is better than we could ever imagine!  I don't need to buy into a new gospel to grasp that.  In fact, a "new gospel" such as "Love Wins" , if I buy into it, would actually bring me more pain than I can imagine, in eternal separation from God in a place called hell.

Do you see what Satan has done through the message of Rob Bell?  He has taken God's Word and twisted it that he may try to make God look like the bad guy!  Do not let Satan deceive you.

Yes, love does win!  But not as Rob Bell states.  Love won on an old rugged cross over 2000 years ago.  Love was what kept Jesus on that cross.  Love is what made Him willing to endure such pain and agony.  Love is what makes it possible for me to spend eternity with Jesus.  Love is what caused God to lay out the plan of salvation so clearly that even the youngest or folks with the lowest IQ possible can grasp what Jesus is  offering.  Love is what made salvation a "gift" and not something I could earn.  Love is what causes God to pick me up when I stumble, brush the dirt off me and set me back on the right path.






Oh Yes, LOVE WON!

p.s. May this be an opportunity to pray for Rob Bell and others out there.  I don't question the heart or the sincerity of this man.  Only God knows his heart.  I would give the benefit that he is sincere- nonetheless, sincerely wrong.  May the Holy Spirit open his eyes to the truth.