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Category Archives: I Know You Think I Don't Know What You're Really Saying
A Strange Controversy: On Rob Bell and the Universalism Business
From one of my favorites — Jacques Ellul, anarchist, genius, Christian:
I believe that all people are included in the grace of God. I believe that all the theologies that have made a large place for damnation and hell are unfaithful to a theology of grace. For if there is predestination to perdition, there is no salvation by grace. Salvation by grace is granted precisely to those who without grace would have been lost. Jesus did not come to seek the righteous and the saints, but sinners. He came to seek those who in strict justice ought to have been condemned. A theology of grace implies universal salvation. What could grace mean if it were granted only to some sinners and not to others according to an arbitrary decree that is totally contrary to the nature of our God? If grace is granted according to the greater or lesser number of sins, it is no longer grace–it is just the opposite because of this accountancy. Paul is the very one who reminds us that the enormity of the sin is no obstacle to grace: “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom. 5:20). This is the key statement. The greater the sin, the more God’s love reveals itself to be far beyond any judgment or evaluation of ours. This grace covers all things. It is thus effectively universal.
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We read constantly that God does not reject forever. He “will not keep his anger forever” (Ps. 103:9; Jer. 3:5, 12; Mic. 7:18). On the other hand, his mercy endures forever (Ps. 106:1; 118:1; 136:1; etc.). These two great theological proclamations rule out the idea of a God who damns, for that would mean that he keeps his anger forever.
Frankly, I couldn’t pick Rob Bell out of a lineup, and can’t really get all that exercised over what he believes or teaches on this subject. And for the record, I am not a universalist. First of all, some kind of postmortem punishment is clearly taught in Scripture (although the duration of the punishment is a matter of interpretation — a fire may continue to burn after something has been purged of its alloys or sufficiently cooked). And second, I appreciate symmetry: this life is filled with misery — why wouldn’t the next one be too? As Ellul adds:
God being who he is, hell is impossible. It is an impossibility. Nevertheless, you Christians must realize that nothing is impossible for God. Hence the possibility remains that he might decide for this punishment and penalty. You must retain, though not as a dominating factor, a fear that God will make possible that which according to his revelation is impossible.
WARNING: This is going to be a long post. And if doctrinal hair-splitting makes you throw up a little in your mouth, then flee. Flee now. I’ll have more fun silly stuff soon. Also, I’m really thinking out loud here and not looking to get into yet another knock-down, drag-out fight on predestination. Been there, done that — both here at Strange Herring and at the Evangel blog. I ask these questions in all sincerity, because I have wrestled with these issues more than is probably healthy for any one soul. So with that in mind, here goes:
Why are so many of the Reformed heavy hitters so upset with Bell and this new book of his, which supposedly defends universalism. I mean, what do they care? So what if it’s false teaching — the elect cannot be deceived, correct?
In short, what the hell does hell have to do with anything in the Reformed construal of salvation? Read the rest of this entry »
If One Is Born Every Minute, How Many Are Avoiding Taxes Every April 15?
Another false religion. Don't bite.
Jim Carrey is a “priest” of a new Hollywood-based “religion” called GATE that preaches self-deification. I thought Hollywood had already gotten that religion. As with Scientology, follow the money.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is pronounced the winner of Iranian elections. And this surprises you because …?
Six-thousand-year-old tombs have been found near Stonehenge. One headstone reads “Beloved father, husband, wicker salesman.”
German teen hit by meterorite. Now has three superpowers, including ability to invade Poland without secret Russian alliance.
Which Apple-rumors site is most accurate? How about the one that predicted that Macmaniacs will believe virtually anything if it entails more RAM?
North Korea has declared it will “weaponize” its plutonium. Webster’s has declared that North Korea must stop verbizizing nouns.
Reading this blog every day will make you smarter. It’s now a proven scientific fact. You will also live forever, make $720,000 more than you would have otherwise, and gain the love and devotion of countless, nameless millions. Your gift for hyperbole will also expand exponentially.
And finally, Joy Behar is getting her own talk show. Where are all the anti-torture voices now?
Osama Calls Out Obama, Declares Jon and Kate Doomed
He’s nothing if not current. Assuming, of course, it’s him and not a voicemail from another mass-murdering wackjob with too many “anytime” minutes.
Zeroing in on the conflict in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, where Pakistan’s troops are taking on Taliban militants, the message asserts that President Obama is proving that he is “walking the same road of his predecessors to build enmity against Muslims and increasing the number of fighters, and establishing more lasting wars.”
Al-Jazeera, the Arabic-language TV network that aired the message, said the statement was “a voice recording by bin Laden,” and a CNN analysis said the voice does indeed sound like the leader of the terrorist network that attacked the United States on September 11, 2001.
The remarks — which would be bin Laden’s first assessment of Obama’s policy — were believed to have been recorded several weeks ago at the start of a mass civilian exodus because of fighting in northwestern Pakistan.
The speaker cites strikes, destruction and Obama’s “order” to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari “to prevent the people of Swat from implementing sharia law.”
“All this led to the displacement of about a million Muslim elders, women and children from their villages and homes. They became refugees in tents after they were honored in their own homes,” the message says.
“This basically means that Obama and his administration put new seeds of hatred and revenge against America. The number of these seeds is the same as the number of those victims and refugees in Swat and the tribal area in northern and southern Waziristan.”
When he says seeds, he really means dead bodies. Seems he just finished the “Metaphor vs. Simile”chapter of Poesy in Action. His book of verse, Massacred Infidels Under the Yew, will be available on Kindle sometime this fall.
Windows 7 to Debut October 22, Anniversary of the Death of Charles Martel, King of the Franks
Coincidence? I think not.
[Microsoft] also confirmed, without giving details, that it plans to offer some sort of “technology guarantee” giving those who buy Vista machines close to the Windows 7 launch a free or discounted copy of the new operating system. As with past similar programs, details on pricing will be up to individual computer makers, although Microsoft did say the upgrade program will apply to Vista Home Premium and higher-priced editions (meaning not Windows Vista Basic).
The tech guarantee program is not beginning immediately, but Microsoft did raise the possibility it will offer some sort of lower-cost upgrade to those who are already using Windows Vista.
As every school boy knows, Charles Martel is responsible for winning the Battle of Tours in 732, beating back a Muslim invasion and stopping Islamic expansion in Western Europe. By launching their successor to a dead OS that ceded market share to Leopard, Microsoft is casting Apple in the role of the invader, and Windows 7 as the only hope for maintaining control of its territory.
And everyone knows that the Franks gave their name to Gaul, which became France. And it was a French TV presenter who sued Microsoft for basically stealing his copyrighted trademark Vista.
You have to read between the lines here. And it never hurts to make stuff up.
