I Don’t Want to Be Offended (Re: Love Wins)

There’s a lot of controversy in evangelical circles right now over Rob Bell's new book Love Wins.  I’m going to admit right up front that I’ve never read the book.  I read his book Velvet Elvis and watched some of his Nooma videos back in the day, but nothing of his since then.

That said, I can’t really discuss Love Wins in any detail.  I don’t think Bell is saying what people think he is saying.  He comes right out and says what he believes in.  Watch the video and see for yourself:

All that said, the controversy that the book spawned is a little more concerning than the book itself.

I’m going to layout what I believe before getting too deep into this.  I believe what the Bible says, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).  That judgment leads to eternal life or eternal hell.  Eternal life is knowing the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).  Jesus made it possible to know the Father by removing our sins at Calvary, and if you choose to accept this gift, it’s yours.  You’ll be transformed, and you’ll stop doing those things that separate you from God.  If you choose to reject it, you’re damned already.  Damnation means hell for eternity.

To sum up: Hell is real. Everyone does not get a trophy for participation.

Now, let me add some more controversy to the controversy about Rob Bell and whether this salvation can occur post-mortem:

We tend to get riled up at the thought of someone who did not accept Christ in this life getting into heaven anyway.  But let me ask you this: if He chose to extend mercy to someone after death during judgment, would you really be that person who says to God, “It’s not fair.  I spent years on earth serving You, and this person is getting the same thing I am” like the bitter workers in Matthew 20:12? Would it not be better to rejoice in such a case that your brother or sister who was lost is found?

Again I want to be clear that I think in order to be saved in the next life, you need to be saved in this one.  But it’s one of those things that I wouldn’t be upset about if I were wrong.  Jesus was very clear that many who think they’re saved will not be, and many who we might not think ought to be saved will be.  He’s the One who sorts the wheat and chaff, not us.  Let us rejoice with Him in the salvation of any sinner whenever it may happen, and grieve with Him in the destruction of any sinner whenever it may happen.  And rather than worrying about who's going where all the time, let's spend more time pointing everyone to Jesus, most importantly ourselves since He's the only one who can change our destination plans anyway.

Solo Deo Gloria

One Step Closer to Death

Take a moment.  Breath deeply.  Do you feel that?  That’s one less breath you’ll take in this life.  When you lay your head on your pillow tonight, you’ll have one less day to live.  Every step you take is one step closer to death.  There’s an old saying that goes something like “only two things are sure in life: death and taxes. “  But that’s not true.  People cheat on their taxes all the time.  No one cheats death. 

Time is marching ever onward and just as surely as you are reading these words; you will die.

The Bible says, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)  

There are a few more sayings out there about the certainty of death: “Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)”, “Live everyday like it’s your last”, and "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die."  You may recognize that last one from Isaiah 22:13.

Jesus brings up the idea again in Matthew: “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

None of these Biblical contexts hold the idea of “Carpe Diem” in very high esteem.  Yes, death can come at any moment, but that is no reason to live like it’s at your doorstep, trying to get in all the physical experiences you can before you’re gone. 

As an alternative I would humbly suggest that you spend your time on Earth preparing for eternity.  Spend everyday God gives you on this Earth getting to know Jesus better.  Learn to recognize His voice and follow His commands.  Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. 

These are the things that will bring joy on this journey into the grave, and these are the things that will bring us into our Master’s arms on the other side of it.

I Hate Zombies

I hate zombies. I really do. Before I was a Christian, I used to watch zombie movies all the time, and they always gave me nightmares. At this point in my walk with Christ, I have no desire to watch any kind of scary movie, but every once and awhile, I still have a zombie nightmare.

Last night was one of those nights.

I dreamt that I was in a house, and just outside there was a zombie apocalypse. I began boarding up the windows in the hopes of staying alive and not falling victim to one of them to become a zombie myself. That's how it works you know. One bite and it's zombie land for you.

At one point, there was a little zombie girl banging on a window, trying to get in. Her hair was curled in ringlets, and she wore a beautifully blue dress with lace, but it was covered in dirt and dried blood, and her face was twisted in a lifeless snarl. I felt bad for her even though I was terrified to look at her. "A little girl doesn't deserve to become a zombie", I thought as I boarded up the window she was banging on.

The dream ended, as all good zombie nightmares should, with a breach of my defensive perimeters. The zombies were in the house, and I was as good as dead, or at least walking dead anyway.

I woke up from my nightmare, not scared like I used to be, but angry. I demanded from God why He continued to let me have these accursed dreams.

His answer was unexpected and convicting, a sure sign you're hearing the Almighty.

He said, "This is how I see the world. People dead in their sins, pretending to be alive, while they cannibalize one another. And those of you who are alive, board yourself up in your houses and do nothing to help them."

I hate zombies, and that's my sin. I've been given the means to show them life, to bring them the Gospel of Jesus, and yet I am so afraid that they'll infect me and make me one of them, that I've boarded myself up in the safety of my home, my family, my church, and other Christians to keep them away from me. And the ultimate result of this, most assuredly, is that sin will find a way in, and my fear of becoming like them will be realized. Wouldn't it be better to leave the house and make them like me? To show them Christ and Him crucified so that they can learn what it means to be alive and stop cannibalizing one another.

Lord, help me to love people like you do. Help me to love the zombies of this world, and show them You so that they can live.