No, there is definite precision in God’s Word.

Sorry if I came across as strident. I was just giving my perspective on grace being the way to Heaven, not works.

Thanks,
Randy

Happy New Year!

Are you saying that there is no precision in the Word of God?

Thanks!

I had to out-right contradict another post, but when I read your comment, I felt compelled.

Here’s your quote:
“1. You must have the exact gospel and exact response to avoid hell.”

From my perspective, this seems like a prescriptive and legalistic interpretation. In fact, it seems flat out wrong since it is only through the grace of God and the sacrifice of Christ that we are forgiven (and given eternal life) and not through exact adherence to the gospel or through any action of our own.

The Bible is full of folks who failed to live up to the criteria you set forth and we all fail to meet those standards. Heaven would be a very empty place if that were the case.

Again, sorry to be so blunt, but I felt like I had to say something.

God bless,
Randy

Thanks for the post. Most have been vitriolic and for the first time a few days ago I had to delete a comment by someone who leads worship at a church but whose comments were full of hatred and a few cuss words, to boot. You’re spot on. The cart has been out before the horse.

Everyone, the reason we must be critical and Rob Bell must be more consistent and careful is because the Bible is crystal clear that 1. You must have the exact gospel and exact response to avoid hell. 2. A lot of people are going to get it ‘kind of’ right and get the shock of their lives. Consider this most frightening text of all the Bible: Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

And just before that Jesus says “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Also in Gal. 1 – Paul says twice in a row that anyone who preaches a “different gospel” should be “eternally condemned”. If Paul was such a hard-liner on the Gospel/theology/doctrine, don’t you think we should be too?

The Gospel is not “Love one another”! Loving one another is the necessary result of those who correctly responded to the Gospel. See 1 John 3:14. Look at the scripture, it is clear, Dead People (Eph 2.) don’t love – they must be made alive first and then they love. You’ve got the cart before the horse.

Finally, regarding those multiple interpretations of the Bible – Matt, after reading your comments, I’m glad you fully agree with the Blog ownner’s Critique. At least that is the way that I interperate your posts. After all, if we can interperet the Bible 1000 different ways, can’t we also interperet your post 1000 ways? Or when you write, do you actually mean what you say and expect us to take it at face value? Why then should we not also take what God says at face value?

(Sorry, I know I’m a little off topic here, but Rob Bell is either right or wrong. He isn’t automatically right simply because we WANT everyone to be right. To cry “Can’t we all just get along?” … the answer is “No!”)

again thanks for inspiring me guys.

I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

I hear a man whom Yeshua Ha’Mashiac has redeemed and continues to redeem every moment of everyday…

This man wants those lost in the wilderness to know there is someone who wants to help them find their way and Yeshua has sent them to lead them home.

It must start with love.

When I first started reading his work I had some questions arise but the more I read, the more I undertood that he is very much on the ball scripturally and theologically. I guess some folks have to have “in the name of Jesus” after every statement someone makes or else they are suspect. But I don;t know how many more ways Mr. Bell can confirm that he is a man who lives by Orthodox Christianity, The Nicene Creed, or however you want to say that he has the essentials covered. Over and over again in the Beliefnet article linked in an above reply he talks about The Risen Christ, the resurrected Christ, etc.

Faith, Hope and Love…He’s got them covered.

Is his theology always 100% correct and without error? Nope…Neither is yours. Neither is mine. Neither is Billy Graham’s.

As for universalism, my guess is if Rob walked into a Universalist church and tried to teach he would be thrown out for being a Christian.

Bell and many others (NT WRIGHT, Dallas Willard…) are helping reclaim some of historic orthodox christianity that has been lost in the modern american evangelical/reform church. RECLAIM THEOLOGY

- substituionary atonement is not he only biblical view of the atonement – in fact it is not the orginal view.

peace to you.