A past spring a bought a bicycle, and the manual of how to assemble and operate it in safety was almost as thick of that of an automobile. That is because the maker wants the user to have his equipment in the most efficient and durable application.
God, man’s Creator, wouldn’t act differently from any maker of human equipment, leaving the “machine” He created without being accompanied by its due “manual”. Thus, He established laws so that man put into operation the “machine” of his body for the best performance possible. The health laws of the Bible regulate the best for human feeding, with its hygienic features as clear preventive measures to preserve the good health of His creatures.
Actually, the advocates of the “eat-it-all” freedom mentality regarding these rules admit that the reason why God gave these detailed laws on foods was exactly to grant man defense mechanisms in the face of the underdeveloped conditions, at a time when there were no hospitals, clinics, laboratories, medicines and the modern means of treatment. That is true, but with that they can’t justify why these laws had to end overnight (when Christ died), since the conditions that could be detrimental to men kept on justifying such divine care, both in the land of Judah and in the other lands where the gospel would be proclaimed.
The Bible dietary rules practically define what should constitute food for man. Otherwise, he would ignore what would be best for him and consume every type of animal, whose ecological role is another, which involves land, air and water beings. Some time ago a read in the Readers’ Digest magazine about someone asking to a dweller in the seashore region why they didn’t hunt the fowls that flew over the beaches to eat. The experienced man explained that a brick put to cook in an oven would end up being smoother than a seagull and other birds typical of the coastal areas.
Ignoring such dietary rules has been the cause of many plagues and diseases that have affected human beings, such as AIDS, ebola fever and afflictions such as the bubonic plague of the Middle Ages that have been attributed to the consumption and manipulation by men of animals prohibited by God.
The Sabbath commandment has its health aspects also. If God hadn’t established a day for man to interrupt his activities, his tendency would be to work more and more, without stop, causing himself great physical and mental harm. God wisely associated a day for his rest with a special time for worship, thus setting necessary limits for man and a time for his spiritual refreshment. Jesus demonstrated an interest for the best health of His disciples caring for their physical rest, when He urged them once: “Come with Me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest” – Mark 6:31 (NIV).
Even the tithe question has its beneficial logic. God doesn’t need man’s money, but He created norms for the maintenance of the ministry so that there was participation of His children. Otherwise man’s tendency would be to gather selfishly more and more to himself, not thinking about the responsibility for God’s Work that man has the assignment of concluding on this planet—the mission of preaching the gospel to every people, thus promoting Christ’s message until the end of all things (Matt. 28:19, 20 and 24:14).
The December 2005 issue of the National Geographic Magazine brought a special news story confirming what had been found in previous researches—the greater longevity of the Seventh-day Adventists and the health advantages of this religious group in comparison with Americans in general. Jesus declared: “By their fruits ye shall know” if a tree is good or bad. The fruitage of the Adventist’s (and Jewish) care for the biblical dietary laws could only result in benefit for those who follow them.
And if these rules are good for the Seventh-day Adventists, why wouldn’t they be equally good for other Christians and the general population as well?
Little insight:
A snippet of an interview with Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, in the last issue of Time magazine:
Answering the question, if it would be a sin not to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle (one of Graham Jr.’s passions) he, who as the father is a Baptist pastor, answered:
“. . . You know the Bible says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And if we do something to hurt the bodies that we have, eating too much, eating the wrong foods, drinking too much, we are hurting this body God gave us and I think putting your body at risk when you don’t need to put it at risk, like riding a motorcycle without a helmet, I just don’t think it makes sense. I think God gave us a brain. He expects us to use it”.—(“10 Questions for Franklin Graham”, Op. Cit., May 29, 2006. p. 8).
Then if you go to the author’s footnote number 6 listed above, you find Dr. Talbot saying:
“In my judgment, the exegetical considerations supporting the traditional doctrine are somewhat better than those against it.” See, for instance, Kendall S. Harmon, “The Case Against Conditionalism: A response to Edward William Fudge,” in Cameron, ed., op. cit.”
So, if even an author who is making a good case for eternal punishment, can show enough grace to say that the exegetical considerations are only somewhat better for his position than those who disagree with him, then I can hardly see an argument for dividing with other Christians over this issue.
I purchased the book by Dr. Hughes entitled “The True Image: The Origin and Destiny of Man in Christ”. It can be purchased here:
http://www.marshillaudio.org/resources/article.asp?id=89
It is a well written book on systematic theology as well as church history. J.I. Packer endorses the book with the following: “In this wide-ranging biblical, historical, and theological study a versatile veteran makes convincing use of the concept of the divine image to integrate the doctrines of man and Christ. His biblical bases are solid, his expositions weighty, and his historical interactions judicious and enlightening. This is a very valuable piece of work”
Sinclair B. Ferguson, a former colleague of Hughes while teaching at Westminster Theological Seminary also endorsed the book as follows: “We have come to expect both solid learning and exquisite literary style from Philip E. Hughes. “The True Image’ is no exception. Indeed it is a remarkable piece of work, quarried from a lifetime of study in Biblical exegesis, systematic theology, and church history. It is encyclopedic in its discussion of anthropology and Christology and their mutual relationship. The novitiate will find it instructive, while the theologically advanced will discover comprehensive exposition married to a scholarly judgment that sometimes resurrects classical views, sometimes provides the unexpected, and on occasion surprises with the controversial.”
I am sure that last statement refers to Hughes views on eventual annihilation. However, it should be remembered that Hughes view is not similar to the SDA view in many ways. He clearly is orthodox on the view of the human spirit, and he believes in the intermediate state, and not soul sleep. He does believe that Jesus’ parable in Luke 16 speaks of the wicked in chains waiting the final judgment, depicts accurately the doctrine of Hades. His contention is that in the new heavens and new earth, Death and Hades will be cast finally into the Lake of fire and destroyed completely.
I think his arguments are well worth considering, and comparing with more traditional views. That is why I decided to take the time to type chapter 37 that deals with this topic and present it for your consideration. I haven’t finally made up my mind on this, but at least I am less dogmatic than before after studying this scholar’s arguments.
Stan
]]>Arminianism and Adventism: Celebrating Our Soteriological Heritage
October 14-17, AU, Sponsored by AU, ATS, BRI, AU Press, AUSS, R&H;Pub.
Speakers: Roger Olson, Barry Calien, George Knight, Hans LaRondelle, Woodrow Whidden, Denis Fortin, and others.
]]>Sincerly in Christ,
David Y.
]]>
If you visit the website of the Evangelical ministry of the Family Radio (http://www.familyradio.com) you will see at the top of the screen a key to enter a section with Bible chronology studies on which it is written: May 21, 2011—Judgment Day. They seem convinced that at such date we will witness the end of the world.
Harold Camping, director of the Radio Family ministry, says that he has 99% of certainty that his calculations of the time of the Judgment Day are accurate, and admits only 1% of possibility that they are wrong.
I do not deny the sincerity of him and his followers, but I believe that the equation is exactly the opposite. There is 1% possibility that the Judgment Day will occur on the 21st of May, 2011 (since it has to be one day. . .), and 99% that these calculations are flawed.
A famous philosopher said once that those who don’t learn with the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them. ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’, among several dates set for events that were never confirmed along their history, taught that 1975 would be the year when humanity would see the beginning of the millennium of peace. But nothing happened as expected. Their basis for calculation was about the same of the Family Radio folks--the text of 2 Ped. 3:8, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”.
The problem is that they take those words as a FIXED RATE, which makes no sense. Psalm 90:4 of the New World Translation, of the JW’s themselves, destroys that idea, as it says that “For a thousand years are in your eyes but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch during the night”.
What do we have here? TWO COMPARISONS – one thousand years for the humans is BOTH a complete day, and PART of a complete day, for God, since it would compare to a watch during the night.
What one can realize from that is that the comparison is PURELY METAPHORICAL, not a fixed rate. If taken literally one might even absurdly be able to measure the size of God (at least timewise): If 1.000 human years is tantamount to 1 day for God, then God is only 365,000 times bigger than man.
Does that make any sense?
I have to post this list in multiple posts, due to the length being over the character limit per post.
Abbreviations used:
“Heb.” = Hebrew
“Gr.” = Greek
“lit.” = literally
1. Man was created in the image of God with an immaterial spirit/soul (within the material body):
Genesis 1:27: “God created [Heb. ”bara”] man in His own image, in the image of God He created [Heb. ”bara”] him; male and female He created [Heb. ”bara”] them.” (NASB.) cf. John 4:24: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NASB.) cf. Genesis 2:7: “Then the LORD God formed [Heb. ”yatsar”] man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (NASB.)
Genesis 2:16-17: “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’” (NASB.)Genesis 6:3: “Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’” (NASB.)
Genesis 27:4 (also in verses 19, 25, 31): “and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.” (NASB.)
Genesis 34:3, 8: “And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. [...] But Hamor spoke with them, saying, ‘The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife.” (ESV.)
Genesis 41:8: “Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.” (NASB.)
Genesis 42:21: “Then they said to one another, ‘Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.’” (NASB.)
Genesis 45:27: “When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.”
Genesis 49:6: “Let my soul not enter into their council;
Let not my glory be united with their assembly;
Because in their anger they slew men,
And in their self-will they lamed oxen.” (NASB.)Exodus 35:21: “Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD’S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.” (NASB.)
Leviticus 16:29, 31: “‘This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; [...] ‘It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.” (NASB.)
Leviticus 19:28 (also in 21:1): “‘You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead [lit. “soul"] nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD.” (NASB.)
Leviticus 26:15-16: “if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,
I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.” (NASB.)Leviticus 26:43: “‘For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes.” (NASB.)
Numbers 16:22: “But they fell on their faces and said, ‘O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?’” (NASB.)
Numbers 21:4-5: “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.’” (NKJV.)
Numbers 27:16: “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 2:30: “But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 4:29: “‘But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 6:5: “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 10:12: “‘Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 11:13, 18: “‘It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, [...] ‘You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 12:15, 20-21: “Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. [...] When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.” (KJV.)
Deuteronomy 13:3: “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 14:26: “And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,” (KJV.)
Deuteronomy 26:16: “‘This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 28:65: “‘Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul.” (NASB.)
Deuteronomy 30:2, 6, 10: “and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, [...] ‘Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. [...] if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.” (NASB.)
Joshua 22:5: “‘Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.’” (NASB.)
Joshua 23:14: “‘Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” (NASB.)
Judges 5:21: “‘The torrent of Kishon swept them away,
The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.
O my soul, march on with strength.” (NASB.)Judges 16:16: “It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death.” (NASB.)
1 Samuel 1:10: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.” (NKVJ.)
1 Samuel 1:15: “But Hannah replied, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.” (NASB.)
1 Samuel 2:16: “And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.” (KJV.)
1 Samuel 2:33: “‘Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.” (NASB.)
1 Samuel 18:1: “Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.” (NASB.)
1 Samuel 20:4: “Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.” (KJV.)
1 Samuel 23:20: “‘Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.’” (NASB.)
1 Samuel 30:6: “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” (NKJV.)
2 Samuel 1:9: “‘And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul [is] still in me.” (YLT.)
2 Samuel 3:21: “Abner said to David, ‘Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.’ So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.” (NASB.)
2 Samuel 5:8: “David said on that day, ‘Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.’ Therefore they say, ‘The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.’” (NASB.)
2 Samuel 11:11: “Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.’” (NASB.)
1 Kings 2:4: “so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” (NASB.)
1 Kings 8:48 (repeated in 2 Chronicles 6:38): “if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name;” (NASB.)
1 Kings 11:37: “And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.” (KJV.)
1 Kings 21:5: “But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, ‘How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food?’” (NASB.)
2 Kings 4:27: “When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, ‘Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.’” (NASB.)
2 Kings 23:3 (repeated in 2 Chronicles 34:31), 25: “The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant. [...] Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.” (NASB.)
1 Chronicles 5:26: “So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river of Gozan, to this day.” (NASB.)
1 Chronicles 22:19: “‘Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD.’” (NASB.)
2 Chronicles 15:12: “They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;” (NASB.)
2 Chronicles 36:22 (repeated in Ezra 1:1): “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah--the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,” (NASB.)
Ezra 1:5: “Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.” (NASB.)
Esther 4:13: “and Mordecai speaketh to send back unto Esther: ‘Do not think in thy soul to be delivered [in] the house of the king, more than all the Jews,” (YLT.)
Job 3:20: “‘Why is light given to him who suffers,
And life to the bitter of soul,” (NASB.)Job 4:15-19: “Then a spirit passed by my face;
The hair of my flesh bristled up.
‘It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, then I heard a voice:
‘Can mankind be just before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?
‘He puts no trust even in His servants;
And against His angels He charges error.
‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!” (NASB.)Job 6:4, 7: “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,
Their poison my spirit drinks;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me. [...] ‘My soul refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.” (NASB.)Job 7:11, 15: “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. [...] So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my pains.” (NASB.)Job 10:1: “‘My soul loathes my life;
I will give free course to my complaint,
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.” (NKJV.)Job 10:12: “‘You have granted me life and lovingkindness;
And Your care has preserved my spirit.” (NASB.)Job 14:22: “Only—his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.’” (YLT.)
Job 15:12-13: “Why does your heart carry you away?
And why do your eyes flash,
That you should turn your spirit against God
And allow such words to go out of your mouth?” (NASB.)Job 19:2: “‘How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?” (NKJV.)Job 21:25: “While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even tasting anything good.” (NASB.)Job 24:12: “‘From the city men groan,
And the souls of the wounded cry out;
Yet God does not pay attention to folly.” (NASB.)Job 27:2: “‘As God lives, who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,” (NASB.)Job 30:16, 25: “‘And now my soul is poured out within me;
Days of affliction have seized me. [...] ‘Have I not wept for the one whose life is hard?
Was not my soul grieved for the needy?” (NASB.)Job 32:8, 18: “But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. [...] For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.” (NKJV.)Job 33:18-22, 24, 28-30: “He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from perishing by the sword.
‘Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
So that his life abhors bread,
And his soul succulent food.
His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners. [...] Then He is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom’; [...] He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit,
And his life shall see the light.
‘Behold, God works all these things,
Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
To bring back his soul from the Pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.” (NKJV.)Job 38:36: “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being
Or given understanding to the mind?” (NASB.)Psalm 6:2-3: “Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O LORD—how long?” (NKJV.)Psalm 10:3: “Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah.” (YLT.)
Psalm 11:1: “In the LORD I take refuge;
How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain;” (NASB.)Psalm 13:2: “How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” (NASB.)Psalm 16:10: “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (NKJV.)Psalm 19:7: “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (NASB.)Psalm 23:3: “He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.” (NASB.)Psalm 24:4: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.” (NASB.)Psalm 25:1, 13, 20: “To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. [...] His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land. [...] Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.” (NASB.)Psalm 26:9: “Do not take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with men of bloodshed,” (NASB.)Psalm 31:5, 7, 9: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth. [...] I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul, [...] Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.” (NASB.)Psalm 32:2: “How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (NASB.)Psalm 33:19-20: “To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.” (NASB.)Psalm 34:2, 22: “My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice. [...] The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” (NASB.)Psalm 35:3, 7-9, 12-13, 17:"Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’ [...] For without cause they hid their net for me;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
Let destruction come upon him unawares,
And let the net which he hid catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.
And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;
It shall exult in His salvation. [...] They repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. [...] Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul from their ravages,
My only life from the lions.” (NASB.)Psalm 41:4: “As for me, I said, ‘O LORD, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.’” (NASB.)Psalm 42:1-2, 4-7, 11: “As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God? [...] These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. [...] Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.” (NASB.)Psalm 43:5: “Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.” (NASB.)Psalm 44:25: “For our soul has sunk down into the dust;
Our body cleaves to the earth.” (NASB.)Psalm 51:6, 10: “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. [...] Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NASB.)Psalm 56:13: “For You have delivered my soul from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of the living.” (NASB.)Psalm 57:1, 6: “Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction passes by. [...] They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They dug a pit before me;
They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah.” (NASB.)Psalm 62:1, 5: “My soul waits in silence for God only;
From Him is my salvation. [...] My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.” (NASB.)Psalm 63:1, 5, 8: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water. [...] My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. [...] My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.” (NASB.)Psalm 69:10, 18: “When I wept in my soul with fasting,
It became my reproach. [...] Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;
Ransom me because of my enemies!” (NASB.)Psalm 71:23: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.” (NASB.)Psalm 77:2, 3, 6: “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
In the night my hand was stretched out [a]without weariness;
My soul refused to be comforted.
When I remember God, then I am disturbed;
When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. Selah. [...] I will remember my song in the night;
I will meditate with my heart,
And my spirit ponders:” (NASB.)Psalm 78:8: “And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (NASB.)Psalm 84:2: “My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” (NASB.)Psalm 86:4: “Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (NASB.)Psalm 94:19: “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
Your consolations delight my soul.” (NASB.)Psalm 103:1-2, 22: “Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits; [...] Bless the LORD, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (NASB.)Psalm 104:1, 35: “Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty, [...] Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more
Bless the LORD, O my soul
Praise the LORD!” (NASB.)Psalm 107:18, 26: “Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death. [...] They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.” (NASB.)Psalm 116:7-8: “Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.” (NASB.)Psalm 119:20, 25, 28, 81, 129, 167, 175: “My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times. [...] My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word. [...] My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word. [...] My soul languishes for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word. [...] Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul observes them. [...] My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly. [...] Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.” (NASB.)Psalm 123:4: “Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud.” (NASB.)Psalm 130:5-6: “I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.” (NASB.)Psalm 131:2: “Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.” (NASB.)Psalm 138:3: “On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.” (NASB.)Psqalm 139:14: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.” (NASB.)Psalm 142:3, 7: “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me. [...] Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will deal bountifully with me.” (NASB.)Psalm 143:3-4, 6-8: “For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is appalled within me. [...] I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.
Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.” (NASB.)Psalm 146:1: “Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!” (NASB.)Proverbs 2:10: “For wisdom will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;” (NASB.)Proverbs 3:21-22: “My son, let them not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
So they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck.” (NASB.)Proverbs 11:17: “The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.” (NKJV.)Proverbs 11:30: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls.” (NASB.)Proverbs 13:19: “Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.” (NASB.)Proverbs 15:4, 13: “A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit. [...] A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.” (NASB.)Proverbs 16:24, 32: “Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. [...] He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (NASB.)Proverbs 18:14: “The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?” (NASB.)Proverbs 20:27, 30: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the innermost parts of his being. [...] Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the innermost parts.” (NASB.)Proverbs 21:10: “The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.” (NASB.)Proverbs 23:7: “For as he hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, ‘Eat and drink,’ saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.” (YLT.)
Proverbs 24:12-14: “If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?
My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.” (NASB.)Proverbs 25:13, 28: “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters. [...] Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.” (NASB.)Proverbs 28:25: “Whoso is proud in soul stirreth up contention, And whoso is trusting on Jehovah is made fat.” (YLT.)
Proverbs 29:17: “Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also delight your soul.” (NASB.)Ecclesiastes 3:21: “Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?” (ESV.)
Ecclesiastes 6:2-3, 9: “a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.
If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, ‘Better the miscarriage than he, [...] What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.” (NASB.)Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, 27-28: “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. [...] Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.” (ESV.)Ecclesiastes 8:8: “No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.” (NKJV.)Song of Solomon 1:7: “‘Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
Beside the flocks of your companions?’” (NASB.)Song of Solomon 3:1-4: “‘On my bed night after night I sought him
Whom my soul loves;
I sought him but did not find him.
‘I must arise now and go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
‘The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
‘Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.’” (NASB.)Song of Solomon 5:6: “I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.” (NASB.)Isaiah 10:18: “And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,
And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.” (NASB.)Isaiah 15:4: “Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,
Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;
Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud;
His soul trembles within him.” (NASB.)Isaiah 19:10: “And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed;
All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul.” (NASB.)Isaiah 26:8-9: “Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD,
We have waited for You eagerly;
Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
At night my soul longs for You,
Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;
For when the earth experiences Your judgments
The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” (NASB.)Isaiah 38:12-13, 15-16: “Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
As a weaver I rolled up my life
He cuts me off from the loom;
From day until night You make an end of me.
I composed my soul until morning.
Like a lion--so He breaks all my bones,
From day until night You make an end of me. [...] What shall I say?
For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;
I will wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
O Lord, by these things men live,
And in all these is the life of my spirit;
O restore me to health and let me live!” (NASB.)Isaiah 42:5 “Thus says God the LORD,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and its offspring,
Who gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it,” (NASB.)Isaiah 53:11-12: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (ESV.)Isaiah 55:2-3: “Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.” (NKJV.)Isaiah 57:15-16: “For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
‘I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
‘For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the breath of those whom I have made.” (NASB.)Isaiah 61:10: “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (NASB.)Isaiah 65:14: “Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart,
But you will cry out with a heavy heart,
And you will wail with a broken spirit.” (NASB.)Isaiah 66:3: “‘But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol
As they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,” (NASB.)
Continued in next post...
Jeremy
]]>The SDA church has hired an outside auditing firm to process surveys from former SDAs, and their reasons for leaving the church.
I just filled my survey out with lots of comments.
I told them, that as a friend of the late Walter Martin, he would be disappointed in the direction the SDA church has taken with regard to EGW and 1844. The SDA church at its core functions as a cult as evidenced by the practical reliance on EGW as an infallible interpreter of scripture, which Martin feared.
I expressed my outrage with all the scandals, especially David Dennis.
I also expressed my admiration for Desmond Ford, and how he was cast aside because of his faithfulness to the gospel.
You can fill out your own survey at http://www.adventistreality.com
Stan
]]>As always, a very thoughtful discussion on just what plenary verbal inspiration is. One thing it isn’t, as pointed out by Horton, is mechanical dictation which seems to be a common misconception among those holding to thought inpiration.
I hope those who have some time will check it out.
]]>The book is a Christian fiction similar to Pilgrims Progress, and I don’t doubt that it has a very good style. Not the form or the genre of the book concerns me, but the content. A guy named Mack is involved with a conversation with the Trinity, where the Father is personified by a ... Black Woman. I knew that Ellen White, the third Person of the Godhead for the early adventist was a white woman, but we are in the era of political correctness.
My concern was stirred by the fact that the book received an endorsement especially for a part that it is something which should raise eyebrows, and concern any Protestant, any Evangelical who is claiming to believe in Sola Scriptura, Bible alone as a rule of faith. The author of the post changed the names of the characters in order not to spoil any of the story for those who will read the book
HOLY SPIRIT: You can always talk to me and I will always be with you, whether you sense my presence or not.
MAIN CHARACTER: I know that now, but how will I hear you?
HOLY SPIRIT: You will learn to hear My thoughts in yours.
MAIN CHARACTER: Will it be clear? What if I confuse You with another voice? What if I make mistakes?HOLY SPIRIT: Of course, you will make mistakes. Everybody makes mistake, but you will begin to better recognize my voice as we continue to grow our relationship.
MAIN CHARACTER: It feels like living out of relationship - you know, trusting and talking to You - is a bit more complicated than just following rules.
HOLY SPIRIT: What rules are those?
MAIN CHARACTER: You know, all the things the Scriptures tell us we should do.
HOLY SPIRIT: And what might those be?
MAIN CHARACTER: You know, about doing good things and avoiding evil, being kind to the poor, reading your Bible, praying and going to church. Things like that.
HOLY SPIRIT: And how is that working for you?
MAIN CHARACTER: Well, I’ve never done it very well. I have moments that aren’t too bad, but there’s always something I’m struggling with, or feeling guilty about. I just figured I needed to try harder, but I find it difficult to sustain that motivation.
HOLY SPIRIT: The Bible doesn’t teach you to follow rules. It is a picture of Jesus. While words may tell you what God is like and even what He may want from you, you cannot do any of it on your own. Life and living is in Him and in no other. My goodness, you didn’t think you could live the righteousness of God on your own, did you?
MAIN CHARACTER: Well, I thought so, sorta....but you gotta admit, rules and principles are simpler than relationships.
HOLY SPIRIT: It is true that relationships are a whole lot messier than rules, but rules will never give you answers to the deep questions of the heart and they will never love you. Religion is about having the right answers, and some of their answers are right. But I am about the process that takes you to the Living Answer and one you get to Him, He will change you from the inside. There are a lot of smart people who are able to say a lot of right things from their brain because they have been told what the right answers are, but they don’t know Me at all. So really, how can their answers be right even if they are right, if you understand My drift?
The author construes a false dichotomy here, following rules versus loving God. it is true that just following rules apart from a relationship with God is not effective, but I wonder why ‘reading your Bible, praying and going to church” are not put in the right perspective, as God ordained means for our sanctification, for developing a better relationship with him. I don’t know why prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers at the church should be presented in contrast with relationship with God. Why prayer which is our talking to God, and study of Bible which is God talking to us should be classified as rules in opposition with relationship with God. Why also doing good things and avoiding bad things could not be seen through the lens of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves, not as a rule, but as a relationship with others, as a manifestation of our love for God, since no one who does not love his neighbor loves God. And there is also an internal contradiction between affirming on one side that the rules are “all the things the Scriptures tell us we should do” just to deny this afterward by “The Bible doesn’t teach you to follow rules”. Even if the intention was “The Bible doesn’t teach us that following rules is the essence of the Christian life, but still give us enough instruction for a healthy relationship with God. But first and foremost, it points us to what Jesus has done for us in his life and his sacrifice on the cross, not to what we do in order to have a relationship with him.
A second dichotomy is construed, a religion of the head with a religion of the heart, knowing God in your mind versus knowing God in your heart. it is true that you can know God only at an intellectual level without the truth transforming your entire being, but the way to our hearts is through our minds. The book “The Shack” itself is a refutation of its thesis, because it brings on the scene ideas about God which people find very good, and consequently are adopting a different image of God that they previously had. It is a paradigm shift, and it operates at the head level first, and second to the heart level. But this plays in the trend of Postmodernism when propositional revelation about God in the Bible is downplayed, or even ignored, replaced with an existential religion, in which experience takes precedence over objective truth.
And this inevitably leads to my greatest concern regarding what I emphasized with bold letters above, is knowing God in your mind in a subjective way, open to misunderstanding (the fictional character admits that people make mistakes when they attempt to hear God’s voice in their hearts). This sounds very similar to a direct revelation from God, God speaking outside of the Bible in our hearts. Especially when you had rejected Ellen White’s claims of direct revelations on the basis of a closing canon of the Bible, talking about God’s voice in our heart apart from the revealed Word of God is opening the door again for fresh revelations, a negation that the final revelation about God came to us in the person and work of Christ. It only changes one person (Ellen White) with my person, one claim of direct revelation with other claim, the only difference being that now I’m listening this voice in my head instead listening the voice of God in another head.
Seeing this, I wanted to be sure that I need to check if William P. Young really is arguing for subjective revelations. Here is what Tim Challies says in his review, starting by quoting from the book:
“You might see me in a piece of art, or music, or silence, or through people, or in Creation, or in your joy and sorrow. My ability to communicate is limitless, living and transforming, and it will always be tuned to Papa’s goodness and love. And you will hear and see me in the Bible in fresh ways. Just don’t look for rules and principles; look for relationship—a way of coming to be with us.”
Beyond looking for new revelation, The Shack says little about how God has communicated or will continue to communicate with us in Scripture. There are a couple of times that it mentions the Bible, but never does it point to Scripture as a real authority or as the sufficient Word of God. “In seminary [Mac] had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God’s voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects… Nobody wanted God in a box, just in a book. Especially an expensive one bound in leather with gilt edges, or was that guilt edges?” Here we see Young pointing away from Scripture rather than towards it. Through Mack he scoffs at the idea that God has spoken authoritatively and sufficiently through the Bible. And if he points away from Scripture he points towards subjective promptings and leadings..
‘God in a box, confined to a book” is a way of depreciating God’s revelation in the Bible, and is accompanied to n attitude of contempt toward good scholarship: “deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects” Tim Challies expressed the same concern here
Despite the great amount of poor theology, my greatest concern is probably this one: the book has a quietly subversive quality to it. Young seems set on undermining orthodoxy Christianity. For example, at one point Mack states that, despite years of seminary and years of being a Christian, most of the things taught to him at the shack have never occurred to him before. Later he says, “I understand what you’re saying. I did that for years after seminary. I had the right answers, sometimes, but I didn’t know you. This weekend, sharing life with you has been far more illuminating than any of those answers.”
Throughout the book there is this kind of subversive strain teaching that new and fresh revelation is much more relevant and important than the kind of knowledge we gain in sermons or seminaries or Scripture. Young’s readers seem to be picking up on this. Read this brief Amazon review as an example: “Wish I could take back all the years in seminary! The years the locusts ate???? Systematic theology was never this good. Shack will be read again and again. With relish. Shared with friends, family, and strangers. I can fly! It’s a gift. ‘Discipleship’ will never be lessons again.” Another reviewer warns that many Christians will find the book difficult to read because of their “modern” mindsets. “If one is coming from a strong, propositional and, perhaps, fundamentalist perspective to the Bible, this book certainly will be threatening.” Still another says “This book was so shocking to my “staid” Christianity but it was eye opening to my own thoughts about who I think God is.” At several points I felt as if the author was encouraging the reader to doubt what they know of Christianity—to deconstruct what they know of Christian theology—and to embrace something new. But the faith Young reconstructs is simply not the faith of the Bible.
The reviewer saying “if one is coming from a strong, propositional and perhaps, fundamentalist perspective to the Bible, this book certainly will be threatening.” confirms that the book is a threat to propositional revelation, to Sola Scriptura, to the authority of the Bible. The content of the book presents other problems, about which I will not comment, but I’ll post here for edification.
]]>God: “I am neither male nor female, even though both genders are derived from my nature.” Pg 93
God: “I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It’s not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it.” Pg 120
Jesus: “Who said anything about being a Christian? I’m not a Christian….. Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims… I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.” Pg 182