Not As Sound As a Bell
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 10:33AM I am, by now, sick of thinking and reading about Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins. Last week I did a short post related to it and thought that would be it because I wasn’t all that interested and I don’t do band wagons.
But I live in the real world. I know a few lovely folks who have read Rob Bell and liked his books. (I bet you do, too, especially among the young people you know.) On Monday, someone suggested that I buy the full set of Nooma videos for the church library. As it turns out, I don’t have funds for a rather expensive single purchase, but I am willing to bet that another in a position with access to a bigger purse will be approached with the same request.
Usually my strategy is to simply promote sound authors and books and pray that people will be drawn to what is solid instead of what is squishy. But it seems that Bell’s latest book is worse than just squishy, because at it’s core, it gets the matter of first importance—the gospel—wrong. I’m afraid that some people I know and love will be influenced to likewise leave the center by an author they’ve enjoyed previously.
The gospel, Paul says, is that “Christ died for our sins,” and we know from what Paul says elsewhere that, yes, this means that “Jesus rescues us from God,” an idea that Bell seems to belittle. To put it more accurately, Paul writes that God loves us by sending his Son to save us from God’s wrath. What’s more, there is only one way to escape the wrath of God, and that’s by faith in Christ in this life. This is the gospel that saves.
Getting the gospel wrong kills. “Another gospel” gives no hope—or worse, false hope.
Since Bell’s teaching could harm people close to me (and close you, too), I’m linking to a few more articles that have been written since my last post. These pieces will help identify the issues and give reasonable talking points in any real life discussions regarding the teachings of Rob Bell.
- Russell Moore: The Blood-Drained Gospel of Rob Bell
- Kevin DeYoung:“Through” Means “Through Faith”; God is Still Holy and What You Learned in Sunday Schoool is Still True: A Review of Love Wins; and A Few Thoughts As We Move On.
- Al Mohler: We Have Seen All This Before: Rob Bell and the (Re)Emergence of Liberal Theology
- Jared Wilson: Why I’m Thankful for Popular False Teachers
- Update: Tom Chantry: I Hate the Doctrine of Hell…
And may this be my last post ever on this subject, ever! But you never know.
Reader Comments (10)
Oh, yes I know some people who like Mr. Bell. For those in the 18-25 set, who have unanswered questions, he may be an appealing source.
It's rather frightening.
Rebecca:
I'd have second your sentiment and say that I'm sick (and tired) of all the free publicity that Mr. Bell is getting, yet the nature of the error he promotes is a deadly poison and that commands our response. Thank you for the links. I pray that we, "keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh." - Jude 21-23
jules
I've never read Rob Bell. Don't intend to, either. I have a friend here in Whitehorse who swears by his writings. She wants me to read some of his stuff, but I just can't be bothered. I'm not into feel-good, saccharine writings. I mean, I read The Shack and that was honeyed enough for me. But this Rob Bell stuff just rings-out like cheap art from everything I've learned and seen about it.
In any case, a good read--I mean, an actually good read--is Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. There's some hefty theological examinations, if you dare.
Here's a link to a special edition of the White Horse Inn. They interview Kevin DeYoung. Listened to it today while I was chopping veggies for soup (yes, I use 2, count them, 2 gg's in veggies!). I got tears in my eyes as I heard Bell's views of heaven and hell--and the necessary implications to his interpretation of the Gospel and his Christology. Broke my heart to think that there would be many led astray by this book. Breaks my heart to think of the ramifications. (brings tears to my eyes just typing this)
I think the interview with Martin Bashir is particularly interesting. Bell doesn't sem to be able to give a straight answer to a straight question.
Kane,
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship
That's a classic...
Your a more persistent person than me if you made it through The Shack.
Rodney,
I saw the Bashir interview and I agree: No straight answers.
Kim,
I'm going to listen to White Horse Inn this morning. Thanks for the link.
Rebecca,
Here's a vid-spot on Bell. Seems the interviewer isn't that fond of Bell, either.
Enjoy!
Kane
Hi Kane,
Thanks. That's the Martin Bashir interview. Best interview yet because Bashir understands the issues.
And now there's an interview with Bashir about his Bell interview.