“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.
Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”

MLK
Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (1967)

Let me say first off, I like Francis Chan. Even though, like Jeff Cook, I will probably come down in a different place than him on the eternity questions, I really appreciate his passion & his willingness to put his life where his words & books are. That is rare in our world.

So it was with a sigh, that I first saw this video about his coming book, Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity, and The Things We Made Up. I haven’t read it; I will, but I’m concerned about the length of it.  If we take the title literally, then this book could be really really long or incredibly short and with the price of gas these days, I kinda wanna know what I’m getting.

Here’s what I mean; let’s take the title.

Erasing Hell: What the God Says About Eternity -

*Erasing Hell (reference to the Bell discussion)…okay. I see where he’s coming from even though right now from just the video I feel like he’s missing the point of the previous discussion, as did many  and there is from my chair a common theological faux pas.

*And let’s be real here, if he’s going to write a book about what God actually says about eternity (from the mouth of God himself or from the lips of Jesus) this will be a very short book – there is simply not that much material from the mouth of God about it. The Old Testament is basically devoid of eternal insights and as N.T. Wright often quips Heaven & Hell aren’t things that Jesus seems to be too concerned about.

Honestly, it’s the And, The Things We Made Up part that concerns me.

I mean how is he going to in one book cover…

Weekend Worship Services
Sunday School
Small Groups
An Age of Accountability (if you’re not Baptist, go here)
Infant baptism (if you are Baptist, go here)
Tithing as the base of New Testament/Church giving
Pastor as CEO
Just War Theory
Those funny outfits that priests wear (thinking the hats & shoes)
Purgatory
Verse #’s in the Bible
Teaching as the most important thing that we do in churches
Worship (singing) as a sacrifice ( I mean really…)
Building buildings
The rapture
That the world was perfect before Adam & Eve’s sin
Evangelism as a sales pitch
Discipleship as a program outside of relationship

And that’s just the beginning. Over 2000 years we’ve really we’ve made up a lot of stuff. Can he really get to it all? Maybe that’s why he stepped down from pastoring, to write this tome. Or maybe he’s just going to pick and choose the stuff that we’ve made up that is important to him or his tribe. Not to pick on Francis Chan at all; we all do this but not everyone has the platform to lecture their points. And growing a large church and being a very good communicator or even writing a good book doesn’t make you a theologian with the wisdom to lecture the masses. Having a blog doesn’t give you this right either.

My Few Insignificant Thoughts…

1)These items above are all from my perspective and his ideas about eternity will be from his perspective. Beyond the sarcasm what really made me nervous was the title of the video I saw over the weekend promoting the coming book. Specifically “we can’t get this wrong.” With this phrase comes the assumption that we can get it right.

We do the absolute best that we can with the information that is given to us under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and faithful men and women under this direction have come to different places on the topic. So to assume that one side is right and the other is wrong means that God is misguiding or blinding some or that we are in a time where the Spirit is allowing a wrestle over this topic. Maybe one day it will be made clear and maybe it will not ever be.

I dread the idea that again over the summer we are going to be dragged into another “we are right and you and everyone else are going to hell!” finger pointing match. It’s almost like we’re getting a rebuttal from the opposing party who is rolling out there “trendy hip guy.” In the words of Roberto Duran, “No Mas!” (If you’re younger than 40 click here). I’m actually starting a count of how many times I’m asked if I saw this video or read this book…should be interesting, especially since…I have a friend who has been somewhat vocal about all of this

Not that we can’t get this or other things right but to get it right we’ve got to include all of the insights, all of the voices and then wrestle through it with divine help. Anything else is just building dogma from what we know or feel comfortable with. The beauty of Love Wins was not a new a theological insight, not a new fresh inspired word from God about what’s really out there, not  even an unbelievably well written book that you just couldn’t put down but it was a tool that started discussion…a discussion that I still here today and That is a win – but only for those who discuss. Those who are arguing even when thinking that they have won have only lost and so has the kingdom.

We need to think, discuss, wrestle with, test our faith & our stances. But this requires time, patience, listening and the willingness to admit that we could be wrong and we aren’t very good at these things. We as a culture are very poor listeners & learners. Me thinks that it’s a pride thing.

2) The video quotes Isaiah 55v8-9 and God’s words that his ways and thoughts are not our ways and are highter than outs. I would never assume to know what God is up to or why he moves or doesn’t move. But I do know these things:

1) Paul writes to us in Romans 8 & 12 about a process of us being transformed and renewed mind and body to be like Christ. So though God’s ways are higher we are seeking to be like him and attain his character.

2) God is higher but knowable.

Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” John 10v30

He also said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the father.” John 14v9

John also wrote that the “Word was with God and was God.” John 1v1…”the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1v14

Paul wrote, “He is the image of the invisible God,” Colossians 1v15

The author of Hebrews speaking of Jesus said, “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” Hebrews 1v3.

Are we seeing a pattern here?

While we may never know “why” God does what he does. We do have a crystal model of who God is and how he would act. So when we approach heaven, hell, sin, forgiveness, giving, going, listening, talking or eating fried chicken. We really know what God would do – look at Jesus.

This is what makes it hard for many of us who struggle with God acting the way that some believers believe that he would/does. I find myself over & over again in these discussions thinking, “This is simply not Jesus.” …which again reminds me of this gem:

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly.

Soren Kierkegaard

Jesus to me is pretty easy to understand – easy to understand but most often not easy to follow. It seems to me, and maybe just me, that our arguments are so often nationalistic, tribalistic, self-preserving or poorly informed and often, out of character with Jesus…it often simply doesn’t add up.

Speaking of adding up…We’re there really three wise men? Can’t wait to see if we get an answer to that one

Peace ~

William

 

 

I’m interested but not sure.

Maybe it’s the name? Sure everyone really wants to know what others think of them but what do you think comes from this? I wonder if you get a lot of  critique, maybe some truth, but probably little love to balance???

Maybe you get lots of love, little critique and now truth?

Maybe you get the perfect mix of what you want but more importantly what you need?

Maybe I’m completely wrong; maybe my view is jaded because I’ve generally held vocations where your

(flaming arrows received in the back) to
(caramel pecan pie w/ice cream w/0 strings) received

…ratio is about 15:1, but that just an estimate. Who’s really counting anyway? But the words to count; they have a cost. So the toll cost adds up whether we acknowledge it or not (both good and bad words)

So what do you think about failin.gs? Do you have a profile? I don’t, yet. I must admit I am intrigued but not sure.

Peace ~