"Love Wins": Itching Ears Listen In

Walking down the streets of any major metropolis, anyone may hear messages of hell and damnation. Christians scream of fire and brimstone through piercing bullhorns while others pass out tracts, convinced that their efforts will “win more souls.” Unfortunately, this only turns people off to any human sporting the Christian label. Recognizing this downfall in the trend of Christian tradition, Rob Bell attempts to disarm such harsh judgment. Sadly, his efforts take a step too far in the wrong direction.

In March of this year, Rob Bell released a controversial book entitled, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. The heart of this book releases an atmosphere of tolerance and suggests new alternatives to Jesus’ message of “the straight and narrow” (Matthew 7:13-14). Throughout his book, Bell reiterates consistently the importance of the here-and-now. He claims that Christians too often focus on the heaven awaiting them, only to miss out on the heaven available on earth. True. God offers current blessings, making Him a personal God, and some Christians tend to overlook the present for the future. However, such a supreme Being cannot dwell in such a sinful world; thus, eternity comes hand-in-hand with belief in Jesus. To ignore the gift of everlasting life will result in a very unpleasant surprise in eternity.

In Love Wins, similar doctrines are hidden between flowery words and countless questions. One such argument proposes the idea of the ability of all people to make postmortem decisions about Jesus. Bell argues against the mentality in which only followers of Christ who accept Jesus before death advance into heaven and scoffs, “[M]ake your bed now and lie in it...forever” (110). He later assures that despite his belief, “you don’t have to believe it to be a Christian” (110). As he claims, “The Christian faith is big enough, wide enough, and generous enough to handle that vast a range of perspectives” (110).

One question: Since when do we chase after the Christian faith? The word “Christian” derives from the appearance of Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, where the locals deemed them “Christian” due to their semblance of Jesus (Acts 11:26). All beliefs must line up with Jesus, our true source, even if we do not understand God’s logic. Many of Bell’s rationalizations eliminate the possibility of hell, likely due to the confusion that accompanies stories of God’s wrath and judgment and debating the contradiction in a loving God who inflicts eternal punishment on His people. Lamentations 3:33 declares, “For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men” (NIV). God offers opportunities to accept Him; we choose to ignore His cry.

While attempting to balance the turbulent pendulum created by Christian tradition, Bell belittles the significance of eternity in a persuasive attempt to satisfy society’s “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3-4); he stirs up controversy while submitting new doctrine. Whatever the coming days may bring, may all of our theories line up in accordance of God’s Word, and may we listen in humble submission to His convictions.

The Mystery of the Afterlife

When you think of hell, maybe an evil, red Satan with horns and a pitchfork comes to mind. This little guy supposedly scares little children with his evil laugh and lives in a dark pit of fire. Critics see this depiction as the Church’s view of post-mortem punishment, which leads us to wonder: what do we believe?

While on earth, Jesus transformed the society’s perception of everyday life. He brought a deep love that led Him to die on the cross, and after three days in a tomb, He miraculously came back to life. This resurrection brings eternal salvation and covers every sin. We know this for a fact, since the Bible clearly outlines this progression (John 19:1-20). But what did Jesus save us from?

The answer: hell, or eternal separation from God. Several passages support the existence of such a place, one of which being Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus explains that after His second coming He will separate the nations. To those that ministered to Him in His need, He will accept into “the kingdom prepared for [them] from the foundation for the world,” but all others will be thrown into the “everlasting fire prepared for the devil and all of his angels” (Matthew 25:34,41, NKJV). Later, Jesus reaffirms this fact by stating, “and these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46, NKJV). You might wonder what constitutes the wicked versus the righteous. One of several definitions of the Hebrew word for wicked is “guilty of sin (against God or man)."* If that’s the case, all of us are wicked, but God made “Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV). Jesus puts a strong emphasis on the separation of the righteous from the evil. In essence, all followers of Satan will follow him straight into eternal punishment, for "God is light and in Him is no darkness" (1 John 1:5, NKJV). In the New Jerusalem, God will reign as such a bright light, that Revelation tells us, “the city [will have] no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God [will illuminate] it. The Lamb is the light.” It later mentions, “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:23,27, NKJV). Therefore, those who reject God will pay eternal punishment for their sins.

God is the light, and His truth illuminates the straight and narrow path to salvation. The moment we accept His truth, our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we begin our journey towards an eternity spent with our Saviour. But what do we believe about hell? In a nutshell, “the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalms 9:17, NKJV). No, Satan is probably not red with horns and a pitchfork, but he exists and willingly leads any gullible follower into a life of eternal punishment and misery. While this truth may be difficult to swallow, it should produce within us two positive actions: first, we praise God for His saving grace, and secondly, we urgently proclaim the redemptive message of God's sacrifice.

*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7563&t=NKJV

Halibut for Dinner

As you sit down to eat dinner, a server arrives with two silver platters. On one platter lies a gourmet meal of halibut; on the other, a rotten cod. The server requests your order. To his surprise, you would like the rotten cod. Of course, this seems ridiculous. Who in their right mind would want to eat a spoiled meal? However, decisions just like this stare us in the face every minute of every day.

When reading Christian articles geared towards teenagers, it is not uncommon to find a consistent motif throughout most works. That is, many of these articles possess the same underlying theme: Stay away from all ungodly music, books, movies and websites. Since we hear this advice repeatedly, it seems to lose its effect after the 50th time. This becomes extremely problematic since this message is vital to our spiritual health. In Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses declares, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (NKJV). By now we know the difference from right and wrong; we understand the consequences that come from an unwise decision. It is time for us to employ our self-control and choose the things that will ultimately prosper us. While society offers “desirable” rotten cod, we must always remember to choose the gourmet halibut.

Vending Machine Prayer

In a recent English class, my peers questioned me regarding my lifestyle and faith. During this conversation, I clarified my view of God: Oftentimes, people view God as some heavenly vending machine. They deposit a few prayers, punch in a request, and retrieve their answered prayer. When nothing comes out of the machine, they kick and punch it until their knuckles break. Angry about what they are tempted to label God’s “inconsistency,” they beg all of their muscular friends to shake it, hoping that something might fall out. When none of their efforts succeed, they walk away feeling cheated and doubting God’s faithfulness. Unfortunately, many people hold this greedy perception of Christianity as their own.

As Christians, we must place God at the center of everything. The term “Christian” only came to exist because the disciples resembled Christ while preaching in Antioch (Acts 11:26, NIV). What do we focus on? Do we resemble Christ? So many times preachers preach of what God will do for us, but what about what we will do for Him? According The Message, Romans 3:27-28 tells us, “God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade” (NIV). Our arrogant society exudes a self-sufficient view of life where people refuse the need for a Savior. Unfortunately, this leaves them empty-handed when God plans otherwise. Instead of striving to order our own steps, why don’t we give our lives over to the One who created us in the first place?

Mind-Set Revolution

"Honey, please clean the dishes."

"Mom, do I have to? You know I have tons of homework!"

Obedience often travels with grunts and groans rather than exuberance and enthusiasm. It seems as though our parents’ orders catalyze a plethora of excuses as to why we cannot complete the given task. Many Christians act the same way towards God’s calling. When He asks them to travel to foreign countries, many reply, “But God, I don’t have the money. Plus, their water is not safe! Do you have any idea what kinds of diseases I could catch? I might even die.” In essence, selfish desires hinder Godly calling.

Serving God brings joy; we love Him so much that the privilege to obey comes as a delight rather than a burden. Fortunately, God gives us this opportunity every day. Last week, I sat in a school computer lab, discussing drugs with a fellow student. He informed me of his drinking habits and explained that alcohol makes him feel “free.” During this conversation, he gave off an apathetic attitude towards the consequences of this deadly indulgence. He stated, “I’m going to die anyway. Why does the cause matter?”

After years of hard-hearted judgment towards drug addicts and the “worldly” members of my school and community, this conversation revolutionized my mind set. Why do people use drugs and hurt themselves in acts that we do not understand? They are broken people, completely blind to the joy and fulfillment in knowing the Savior. Yes, overseas missions is extremely vital in the body of Christ. People in other countries often live with false teachings and spiritually bare lifestyles. However, several believers fail to see the reality of life in America: our culture reeks of misconceptions. God has conveniently placed the mission field in our everyday lives. Those hurting people are students, teachers and administrators, and fill every classroom in the school building. Reaching out in love is not always easy, I know, but a listening ear and a prayerful heart just might do the trick.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV).

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

Burnt Out

"This is Ellen with Channel 5 News. Tonight we expect freezing temperatures with about 2-3 inches of snow starting around 9 p.m. When you wake up tomorrow, there's a 90 percent chance that the roads will be covered with anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 an inch of ice. Stay at home, and put the fire on, but whatever you do, don't leave your driveway!"

As a native Georgian, I think I can speak for the entire South when I say that we do not know how to drive on ice. When the meteorologist predicted wintry conditions, everyone fled to the local grocery store and stocked up on bread, milk, and canned goods. It's like they think the world is about to shut down.

Meanwhile, I observed a neighbor trying to drive up an enormously steep hill. Even though his truck had 4-wheel drive, the tires could not grip the road due to the thick layer of ice. Nevertheless, he kept trying. I thought to myself, “He’s going to burn out his brakes and cause some serious damage to that truck.” Why? Because he ignored common sense.

God calls us to many different purposes. He opens many doors to jumpstart a lifetime of following Him, and while it may sometimes seem difficult, we pursue His leading. The difficult part is trusting Him when He tells us not to do something. We feel like a child whose mother has just ordered, “Don’t open that gift until Christmas.” However, danger comes when we defy God’s commands. God “will guide you continually” and will never let you down (Isaiah 58:11, NKJV). When we decide to take matters into our own hands, our lives develop accordingly. We burn ourselves out, only to discover that nothing came of our efforts in the first place; we are right where we started. This year, give God an open ear and heed His warnings. Take His Word as truth, and watch your spiritual life blossom into a tree of trust and wisdom.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV).

“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:33, NKJV).

Fill Me Up

Pastors often use the analogy of a pitcher of water representing God's Spirit and cups representing us, God's vessels. They will pour the water into the smaller cups while quoting several scriptures concerning the overflow of God's Holy Spirit. These object lessons hold several valid points and clarify this entire spirit realm; however, these preachers frequently overlook a very important scenario.

Have you ever given numerous gifts to someone, simply expecting a gift in return? During December, many people give gifts, but they often bless someone with a present because of the expected benefits. This physical scenario translates directly into our spiritual journey with our Creator. When our best friends need help, we readily give it to them. Eventually, we realize the enormous amount of time we have invested in them, and we begin to expect something in return. We adorn the mindset, "Surely after all I have done for them, they will give back to me, right?" Unfortunately, the reality of their oblivion to our expectations leaves us second-guessing the past contributions to their well-being. We wonder why, after so much effort, we receive nothing in return.

God pours His Spirit into us just as a restaurant server pours water into a cup. Frequently, we pour out this gift into the cups around us. Pretty soon, surrounding cups fill with water while we stand empty. Thinking about the water we recently poured out, we wait and wait for the other cups to return our gift. This is where we go wrong. We can't expect these cups/friends to do anything for us; they are not the source of life and truth. The pitcher where our water originally came from, God, will administer the true gifts that we may need. James 1:17 tells us, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (NKJV)

Throughout this season of giving, ask God to show you your motives behind your generosity, and make the necessary changes in order to seek out His presence versus the gifts of others.