Tim Keller wrote an impression on the book "The Shack" by William P. Young. Very interesting article, I suggest you read it, get acquanted with this book, that sold 7.2 million books in less than 2 years.
Over the holidays I read a good (and devastating) review of William P. (Paul) Young’s The Shack in the most recent print edition of Books and Culture: A Christian Review (Jan/Feb 2010.) It was a reminder that I was one of the last people on the planet not to have read the book. So I did. So why write a blog post about it? It had sold 7.2 million copies in a little over 2 years, by June of 2009. With those kinds of numbers, the book will certainly exert some influence over the popular religious imagination. So it warrants a response. This is not a review, but just some impressions.
At the heart of the book is a noble effort — to help modern people understand why God allows suffering, using a narrative form. The argument Young makes at various parts of the book is this. First, this world’s evil and suffering is the result of our abuse of free will. Second, God has not prevented evil in order to accomplish some glorious, greater good that humans cannot now understand. Third, when we stay bitter at God for a particular tragedy we put ourselves in the seat of the ‘Judge of the world and God’, and we are unqualified for such a job. Fourth, we must get an ‘eternal perspective’ and see all God’s people in joy in his presence forever. (The father in the story is given a vision of his deceased daughter living in the joy of Christ’s presence, and it heals his grief.) This is all rather standard, orthodox, pastoral theology (though it’s a bit too heavy on the ‘free-will defense’). It is so accessible to readers because of its narrative form. I have heard many reports of semi-believers and non-believers claiming that this book gave them an answer to their biggest objections to faith in God.
However, sprinkled throughout the book, Young’s story undermines a number of traditional Christian doctrines. Many have gotten involved in debates about Young’s theological beliefs, and I have my own strong concerns. But here is my main problem with the book. Anyone who is strongly influenced by the imaginative world of The Shack will be totally unprepared for the far more multi-dimensional and complex God that you actually meet when you read the Bible. In the prophets the reader will find a God who is constantly condemning and vowing judgment on his enemies, while the Persons of the Triune-God of The Shack repeatedly deny that sin is any offense to them. The reader of Psalm 119 is filled with delight at God’s statutes, decrees, and laws, yet the God of The Shack insists that he doesn’t give us any rules or even have any expectations of human beings. All he wants is relationship. The reader of the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Isaiah will learn that the holiness of God makes his immediate presence dangerous or fatal to us. Someone may counter (as Young seems to do, on p.192) that because of Jesus, God is now only a God of love, making all talk of holiness, wrath, and law obsolete. But when John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, long after the crucifixion sees the risen Christ in person on the isle of Patmos, John ‘fell at his feet as dead.’ (Rev.1:17.) The Shack effectively deconstructs the holiness and transcendence of God. It is simply not there. In its place is unconditional love, period. The God of The Shack has none of the balance and complexity of the Biblical God. Half a God is not God at all.
There is another modern text that sought to convey the character of God through story. It also tried to ‘embody’ the Biblical doctrine of God in an imaginative way that conveyed the heart of the Biblical message. That story contained a Christ-figure named Aslan. Unlike the author of The Shack, however, C.S. Lewis was always at pains to maintain the Biblical tension between the divine love and his overwhelming holiness and splendor. In the introduction to his book The Problem of Pain, Lewis cited the example from the children’s text The Wind in the Willows where two characters, Rat and Mole, approach divinity.
“Afraid?” murmured the Rat, his eyes shining with unutterable love. “Afraid? of Him? O, never, never. And yet — and yet — O Mole, I am afraid.”
Lewis sought to get this across at many places through his Narnia tales. One of the most memorable is the description of Aslan.
“Safe?…Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
That’s better.
A little about Tim Keller: Dr. Tim Keller is the Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Manhattan, NY and a Council member with The Gospel Coalition.
I love this clip so much, that I want to re-post it. It's Sho Baraka, "Revolutionary Died" snippet, Toasty!
First, I'm gonna post 2 teaser videos of what you can expect on Sho Baraka's upcoming project LIONS & Liars dropping March 30, 2010!!! This is probably one of the most slept on talents on Reach Records, I love his first project and Barakaology Mixtape, but this project is just gonna be off the HOOK!!!
Here is the second video, not the greatest this was recorded at the EnterMission Concert, so forgive the quality, however you can tell this is gonna be a banger:
Before I go to the main feature I want to mention that a friend of mine dropped an album, his name is Jay Cabassa and the album is entitled "All For The Love" produced by a good friend of mine Gabe of Freequency Productions! Cop it, the genre is consider Urban Worship, if you like R n B, Soul, Gospel and Hip Hop, you will definitely enjoy this, so support a local Brother from the NYC!!!
Now for the main feature: This is a bit longer, but well worth the watch, this video is of Mark Driscoll's 32 Hour trip to Haiti, and this truly brings Driscoll to a new light, not that I had any negative views of him, but this truly reveals his heart and motive, The Love of the Lord!!! Thanks Lee, for putting me up on this!!
When you get an opportunity please listen to this track, it's called "Pain" by Da Truth, really good song!!
I'm Praying for you Haiti!!!
Quote from Video: ~Driscoll states to Haitian Pastor “...You love Jesus, you teach the Bible, you marry a woman, you have 4 children, you're serving the Lord in ministry, and now you're wife is gone, your Church is gone, your home is gone, your Bible college is gone, why do you smile, where is your joy...”
~Haitian Pastor answers “...Well, it's from the Lord...”
This video of snapshots and clips of footage is so moving, my heart truly goes out to the Haitians, believe it or not, I am more embarrassed of our American Culture. How neglectful, selfish, and self-centered we are in this Country. The they had a awful experience, I have seen more positive responses from the suffering than Americans, who don't even know the half!
8 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and a let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
Here "Downtown" Leon Brown from www.EvangelismTeam.com goes 1 on 1 with a couple of homosexuals, it's truly amazing, places a sense of who they really are, Humans in need of Jesus Christ, redemption and repentance!!!
What's so awesome about this encounter?? Well, for one, Leon just showed you that we don't really have to address the issue of homosexuality in one on one encounters. In light of the Gospel we all are sinners, and yes I personally agree that the bible says that homosexuality is an abomination to God. However, just like the homosexual, liars, thieves, and idolators have to repent too! Watch the Video, comment if you like!
Watch this video too!! This last one here hits home, this is the condition of many "American Christians".
Lord, I know that when things aren't happening in my own backyard, it's easier to respond and to say how we should be responding and what we ought to do. As I watch the coverage on the Tragedy in Haiti, I beat myself up for not picking up and going, I make all the excuses for not following through, but YOU truly know my heart, and whether or not I am sincere. I wish I can build the courage and support to go, deny self, which would require sacrificing family and more, I wish I could. I worship you in the midst of misery, tragedy and hurt. And I am not even there, I can't imagine those at the forefront, Lord have mercy! Send the workers, with YOUR GOSPEL!
All praise to the name of the savior who reigns. He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame, He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim. Salvation by grace through faith in his name.
All praise to the name of the savior who reigns. He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame, He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim. Salvation by grace through faith in his name.
Jesus, the beautiful and blessed Son, Immutable, majestic one Who was resurrected from the grave for the depraved. He paved the path for some Place faith in His passion, son Be saved from the wrath to come.
He’s fabulous, His status is immaculate I’m lacking the vernacular to adequately capture His glory. Incomparable, unconquerable, all powerful, unstoppable Absolutely phenomenal.
No obstacle He can’t navigate. He’s God and so He fascinates. With Him it’s impossible to exaggerate.
Lord of all continents, Source of all consciousness, His compliments are the consequence of His accomplishments Every sphere of life, He’s the Lord of it And every other power is either fraudulent or subordinate.
At first we snubbed Him, Now His vessels of mercy love Him. Your highest thought is infinitely unworthy of Him. Beyond vocabulary His actions vary, His wrath is scary All His adversaries are imaginary.
He has no competitors. Ask Nebuchadnezzar, bro He’ll mess you up, have you eating grass, You can bet He’s amazing.
He takes in blatant, flagrant vagrants, breaks them, remakes them, and shapes them to hate sin.
Jesus! There’s no better name! That’ll never change and He’ll forever reign while we spread His fame.
So all praise to the name of the Savior who reigns He’s taken our blame Embraced all our shame He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim Salvation by grace through faith in His name!
All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns He’s taken our blame Embraced all our shame He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim Salvation by grace through faith in His name!
Wow, this earthquake may not be of such large proportions to California, but it's a different story in HAITI!!! For info follow this LINK, it's a blog from an American Missionary in HAITI who is blogging about the happenings.
Lord, you are sovereign no matter what we go through, You never change, regardless of what is going on in our world, You and only You are worthy to be praise. Forgive us, teach us to be mindful of Your ever present presence, forgive us our iniquities. Father on behalf of those who are suffering now, due to this current event of the earthquake, please Lord have mercy on them, bring them to your saving grace and knowledge. Provide their needs, and place it in the hearts of those who can give to give, whatever it may be. Lord, I know many may doubt you for such an occurrence, but many will also come to know you because of this tragedy. You who knows all things, allow for your will to be magnified and forever You are praise. We love You Lord, be with all them victims of this natural disaster. Amen
As I approached this New Year, I was thinking of what to write on my Blog, cuz truthfully I'm not a big fan of the festivities, so as I was thinking of what to write, I realized that I have strong convictions and opinions, but lack the way to articulate, so I decided to post an article that I agree with, from a person who's opinion I respect. So please forgive me, for posting someone else's work, but I hope you can appreciate!
Ponder this question as you read: Do I look like a Christian or do I look more like them, the World?
Thinking Biblically Commentary – January 4, 2006 K. Joel Gilliard
Every year on December 31, great festivals and celebrations around the world are held to ring out the old year and bring in the new year. In fact, starting backwards from December 26th, news broadcasters begin to reflect on past events of the year, who died, who got married and whatever the big news stories of the year that there were.
Many people use this time of year to do their own reflection on the events of the past year in their personal lives. Many make promises to improve themselves in the coming year and as we well know, these things have a tendency not to last.
Now let’s think for a moment. Biblically, if you will.
Is it wrong to reflect over our lives and think on the major events of our lives? Of course not. Is it wrong to make plans for change ? Not at all. Scripture is replete with folks who do these very things – from David in the Psalms to Isaiah in his book.
The problem is our thinking at how to go about accomplishing these ‘resolutions’ that we make. There’s usually two faulty assumptions that go along with most new year’s resolutions-making.
First, many times, even Christians don’t approach things they resolve to do for the coming year with glory of God in mind. They don’t seek to make change to serve God better, but mostly to serve themselves better, expand their own territory, build up their own kingdom and prosper their own house.
The prophet Haggai spoke of people like this during the reign of King Darius when he delivered a word from the Lord on the subject:
“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” (Haggai 1:4-11)
Several times here, the Lord admonishes His people to ‘consider their ways‘. That’s Hebrew shorthand for ‘think real close and reflect on how you’ve been acting and what’s been going on with your life’. We learn a lot in this passage. The context, dealing with the rebuilding of the temple under King Darius, is applicable to our present discussion.
So many times, we try to do things in our own strength with our own purpose and plan in mind. We spend our time and energy ’seeking with all our might’ after food, clothing and shelter (the same thing Jesus said the Gentiles did in Matthew 6). And to make it sound holy, we stamp the name of God on it and say ‘God wants me to have this’ or ‘God wants me to do this’ or ‘If it wasn’t of God, I wouldn’t have the vision or the desire’ and misquote scripture to support this notion (sometimes we’re taught to misquote scripture in this fashion).
My friends, this is nothing more than hedonism masked with Christian spiritualism. In English – seeking after self-pleasure and self-gratification but masking it with a layer of Christian-speak in order to make it sound acceptable to others and ourselves. Check your motivations real close. The desire to lose weight, for example, is not necessarily bad or good in and of itself. You’d like to lose weight for what reason ? So you’ll look cute in your bathing suit at the beach over the summer (or for the fellas, so you’ll look good and people will notice) ? How about because it makes you feel better about yourself ? How about so you’ll be healthier and live longer ? Or because it glorifies God when you take care of the body He has given you ?
Because we live in a fallen world and in fallen bodies, I’m not saying our motivations have to be perfect, but which of these three things is at the forefront of your thinking on the subject? God knows your heart, no matter what your lips might say. And the actions of your life will reflect it, no matter what you say the answer is. A tree is always known by its’ fruit.
Secondly, we approach the topic of resolutions for change with the world’s methods – sheer will-power and determination – instead of with the power and strength which Christ provides for change.
I make this a very important point because people oftentimes miss it. The major sin in the Garden of Eden was not merely disobedience, but independence. Man believing that he/she can do whatever he wants apart from God. Independence on one’s own strength and reliance upon one’s own strength apart from God can breed and foster an attitude of not needing God.
The average rich person will tell you they don’t need God at the center of their lives. They have everything they want at the time. The man who feels he can do anything and is fairly successful with his life will feel less of a need to be concerned with spiritual things.
So too, in the church, the person who feels that they will and can change their own destiny and God is just ‘along for the ride’ or ‘my eternal ticket to heaven after I’m done with my life’ will find that they really involve God in less and less of their daily life struggles and issues, other than on Sunday. Call it the ‘God is my co-pilot’ philosophy. This is how you find many professed Christians living in the world today: very religious in their speech, but their outward lives look no different than the world, their methods of dealing with life’s issues are no different than the world, they do the same sins as the world and use the world’s solutions for their problems. Or they may have God as an ‘add on’ – a cosmic bellhop to get them whatever they need as they reign sovereignly over their own lives and determine its’ course.
And it reeks of rebellion against God. Subtle rebellion, but rebellion nonetheless.
How should we think about these things ?
Reflection is good. It should never be a once a year thing, but a regular habit for the believer. At the reading of the law each week, Israel was always pointed back to things God had done in the past as proof of His continued faithfulness to them and hope for continued faithfulness in the future. Romans 8:28 should bring some of this to mind with the believer, as he looks back and sees that it was not he who ordered his own life, but God who prepared him for salvation, God who took out the wrong people from his life and put the right people in, God who ordered the events of his life so he would be where he is now. And we have His promise that He will never leave or forsake us – and this should bring us hope.
That reflection should drive us to seek His wisdom and counsel on how to live life skillfully. The Psalms, Proverbs, the book of Ecclesiastes and the book of James brings us thousands of years worth of very practical life-application mixed with sound teaching to put life into proper perspective for us. Immerse yourselves in these books and they will inform your mind on how to think and view life. This, in turn, will give you a right perspective from which to view changes in life and make change, grow your dependence on God for that change and help you live a life that is well pleasing and honoring to Him.
Let’s not be ‘resolution-driven’ people like the rest of the world. Instead, let us take time and fill our minds with the wisdom that God has given us in His word so that we can learn to live skillfully in this world. That’s real change that will last.
For TheologicallyCorrect.Com, I’m K. Joel Gilliard. Be blessed.
--end of article--
Wow, this guy hit it on the head! Now, think about your motives and why you have set your resolutions, I, for one, don't set resolutions, but continuously seek change, though I fall short!
So, now I say, Happy New Year, but who cares! When we look at our lives it shouldn't in terms of time, placing caps on it, but look at the BIG PICTURE and strive to please the KING of KINGS in all that you do!
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