American Christianity is full of fads. Almost every year, there's some hot new book that emerges on the scene with virtually everyone buzzing about the "new" insights it presents. Oftentimes, the commercial success of such a book leads to a whole cottage industry of rapidly-developed, similarly-themed products for the Christian consumer. (Can anyone say "Purpose-Driven ________ [just fill in the blank]"?)
Many of these popular works--like the various Purpose-Driven books--are quite legitimate and beneficial, in spite of our propensity to often go overboard in our response to them. Others, however, can be dangerously deceptive, tickling the fancy of modern readers while subtly drifting away from the moorings of biblical orthodoxy. Case in point: There's a hot new book out by a young, popular, trendy, "rock-star" preacher/pastor
named Rob Bell. The book has a pleasant enough title--"Love Wins". But in this misguided effort, the author presents some supposedly "new" or "rediscovered" insights regarding the biblical teachings on Hell. These "insights", based on Robb's misinterpretation of scripture, are in reality quite erroneous and harmful. Unfortunately, "Love Wins" has been flying off the bookstore shelves like hotcakes and many deceived church people are embracing it enthusiastically.
So, what's the problem with Rob Bell's new book? Basically, in it he redefines the concept of Hell. On one hand, he sees much of Hell playing out in the hardships and injustices people have to endure in this life (i.e., we experience Hell on earth). On the other hand, Bell also still leaves room for a Hell beyond the grave. But it's definitely not your granddaddy's idea of Hell. Rob Bell envisions Hell not so much as an eternal destiny but as a temporary assignment. He envisions the Hell of the afterlife as a purgatory-type experience wherein all unbelievers--atheists, agnostics, and adherents of false religions--go through a necessary time of "pruning". During this pruning process, God's love melts and changes their hearts, enabling these unbelievers to then go to Heaven to be with Christ forever. Thus, in the end, according to Bell, "love wins!"
Many of these popular works--like the various Purpose-Driven books--are quite legitimate and beneficial, in spite of our propensity to often go overboard in our response to them. Others, however, can be dangerously deceptive, tickling the fancy of modern readers while subtly drifting away from the moorings of biblical orthodoxy. Case in point: There's a hot new book out by a young, popular, trendy, "rock-star" preacher/pastor
named Rob Bell. The book has a pleasant enough title--"Love Wins". But in this misguided effort, the author presents some supposedly "new" or "rediscovered" insights regarding the biblical teachings on Hell. These "insights", based on Robb's misinterpretation of scripture, are in reality quite erroneous and harmful. Unfortunately, "Love Wins" has been flying off the bookstore shelves like hotcakes and many deceived church people are embracing it enthusiastically.So, what's the problem with Rob Bell's new book? Basically, in it he redefines the concept of Hell. On one hand, he sees much of Hell playing out in the hardships and injustices people have to endure in this life (i.e., we experience Hell on earth). On the other hand, Bell also still leaves room for a Hell beyond the grave. But it's definitely not your granddaddy's idea of Hell. Rob Bell envisions Hell not so much as an eternal destiny but as a temporary assignment. He envisions the Hell of the afterlife as a purgatory-type experience wherein all unbelievers--atheists, agnostics, and adherents of false religions--go through a necessary time of "pruning". During this pruning process, God's love melts and changes their hearts, enabling these unbelievers to then go to Heaven to be with Christ forever. Thus, in the end, according to Bell, "love wins!"
The dangerous thing about Rob Bell's skewed theology is that he carefully cloaks it in the wardrobe of one who claims to be an evangelical, Bible-believing Christian. He rejects the assertions of his critics that he is nothing more than a Universalist, emphasizing the fact that he still believes in the concept of Hell (albeit his own version).
FYI, Universalism is the unscriptural belief that in the end everyone--regardless of what they believed or did not believe, and regardless of how they lived their lives--is going to be saved. Universalists typically reject the idea of the existence of Hell altogether.
Universalism has been around for a long, long time. Rob Bell's theology is really nothing more than old-time Universalism dressed up in a new suit of 21st Century clothes. Bell may use a somewhat different vocabulary, and he may take a less-direct path to get there, but the end result is all the same.
Just to set the record straight, God's Love DOES win. But it never 
wins apart from the Truth. In order for Love to Win, Truth also must prevail. Love apart from Truth is sentimentality. And mere sentimentality will not get you into Heaven. It's only the Truth--God's Truth--that sets you free.
wins apart from the Truth. In order for Love to Win, Truth also must prevail. Love apart from Truth is sentimentality. And mere sentimentality will not get you into Heaven. It's only the Truth--God's Truth--that sets you free. The church today is becoming increasingly fuzzy in terms of its understanding of clear biblical truth. This generation of believers needs to wake up to the reality that there's a lost and dying world out there--a world in desperate need of the good news of salvation available through Jesus Christ alone.
Make no mistake about it, Hell is real. But, thank God, no one has to go there. Because Christ--through the blood of His cross--has provided the way of forgiveness and reconciliation to Creator God.
And please be certain of this: There are not many paths to God. There is only One Way. And that One Way is Jesus. Indeed, Jesus unequivocally declared, in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; No man cometh unto the Father but by Me."Ultimately, Rob Bell's popular book will salve many consciences. It will make lethargic Christians feel less guilt for not sharing Christ with others. It will allow Christian families to feel better about their loved ones who have rejected Christ. It will enable churches to feel free to turn inward, devoting less emphasis to the "unnecessary" tasks of missions and evangelism. And it will free up pastors to spend their time preaching feel-good sermons to meet the felt-needs of their self-focused parishoners. But, in the end, it will do nothing for the advancement of God's Kingdom. As a matter of fact, it will probably keep some people out of it.
Pastor Danny
NOTE: For a much more scholarly response to "Love Wins", see the helpful critique written by Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky--http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/16/we-have-seen-all-this-before-rob-bell-and-the-reemergence-of-liberal-theology/
