Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle

     “Erasing Hell” is a response to Rob Bell’s “Love Wins.” Chan and Sprinkle delve into the Bible to see what God said about Heaven and Hell. Using Scripture as their main source, they also discuss what ancient Jewish and Christian writers had to say about Hell, as well as more contemporary Christian writers. Their goal is to present the truth, even if it may be hard to take.

Scripturally sound, this book presents Hell as the Bible does. While Biblical authors do not give detailed descriptions of Hell, we are given impressions of what Hell will be like and who will go there. The question is: will you accept it? Francis Chan freely admits that he asked Preston Sprinkle to help him write this book because of the seriousness of the topic and because of Sprinkle’s theological background (PhD in New Testament) and ability (Sprinkle did most of the research). The effort is evident as sources are cited in abundance. This book is the perfect counter to “Love Wins” and Universalism as a whole.

Chan includes a prayer that I think we all should pray as we are likely all guilty of it in some degree:

Please forgive me, Lord, for wanting to erase all the things in Scripture that don’t sit well with me. Forgive me for trying to hide some of Your actions to make You more palatable to the world. Forgive me for trying to make You fit my standards of justice and goodness and love. You are God; You are good; I don’t always understand You, but I love You. Thank You for who You are.

This is by no means an extensive work, but I recommend this book to anyone who has any doubts about the existence of Hell in the afterlife.

5 out of 5.

Where to buy the book: CBD | Amazon | B&N

Love Wins by Rob Bell

     In his controversial book “Love Wins,” Rob Bell explains his views on Heaven and Hell. How do you get to Heaven? Who goes to Hell? Is that really the point of it all?

My summary of the book is short. A LOT shorter than I usually do a summary. There’s a reason for that. If I could choose just one word to describe the way this book left me it would be this: confused. First, let me say that there are times when I was able to say, “He makes a good point here.” This mostly occurred when he described the way the church in general interacts with the world and the fact that shouting at people that they’re going to Hell doesn’t really show God’s love. Other than that, this book was filled with questions. Tons and tons of questions that Bell never gives an answer to. His use of scripture within his arguments often left me confused and wondering… so… does he believe in Hell or not?

Ultimately, the impression that I got was that he does not believe in an eternal Hell, but believes that rejection of Jesus leads to a living hell in this life. The things that bothered me most about this book is Bell’s flippant, often mocking tone and the fact that the book never really answers anything and seems to have no point. You would think that at almost 200 pages I should be able to type up a decent summary for this book, but it is written in such a way that it becomes the theological equivalent of the philosophical “do I really exist at all?” Question after question with no real answers. Unfortunately, this makes whatever good points he made go out the window as they get lost in the jumble of everything else.

Finally, one thing that I strongly disagree with is Bell’s belief that people who are Heaven-minded (always thinking of, or focused on, Heaven) don’t think much about the needs of this world: i.e. the homeless, the hungry, the abused, etc. I have seen people and organizations who are very Heaven-minded who put in relentless effort to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people around the world.

I read this book because it had so much controversy around it, and I really don’t like to take other people’s word on things like this. I wanted to read it for myself. I have, and I’m glad I did if only for the fact that I can say I read it for myself. I’m not taking the word of anyone else. My opinion? There are books out there that make the same good points that Bell makes here and do it in a better way, with better scriptural support, without the mocking tone, and with actual answers.

I give this one 1.5 out of 5

Forgotten God by Francis Chan

     What does a Holy Spirit-filled life look like? How many of us can say we truly long for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives? Do you pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit in every decision you make, or just when serious “spiritual” decisions come up? What we tend to forget is that if we neglect the Holy Spirit, we are neglecting God. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit… He lives inside of us, so how can we ignore His presence?

Reading this book immediately after Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” I did notice many similarities. The premise is the same: the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives should change us in a way that people acknowledge God. This book, however, focuses specifically on the Spirit. It’s a challenge to open ourselves up to what God wants to do in our lives through the Holy Spirit. For some, this may require a serious step outside of our comfort zone. Chan gives several examples of what a Spirit-led life can look like through stories about people both from the Bible and modern times. He explains why he believes the American church is missing out on the fullness of the Spirit, saying, ” …I also believe that the Spirit is more obviously active in places where people are desperate for Him, humbled before Him, and not distracted by their pursuit of wealth or comforts (like we are).” I tend to agree with him.

One more quote that I loved from this book has to do with a job of the Holy Spirit that we seem to have taken on as our own responsibility: “… I cannot convince people to be obsessed with Jesus. Perhaps I can talk people into a prayer, but I cannot talk anyone into falling in love with Christ. I cannot make someone understand and accept the gift of grace. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So by every measure that actually counts, I need the Holy Spirit. Desperately.” I think this book will challenge you to look at your relationship with God in a way that you’ve never done it before.

I give this one 4 out of 5.

Where to buy the book: CBD | Amazon | B&N

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

     Think about your average day? Would it look any different if God didn’t exist? If the answer is no, then there’s a problem. According to Francis Chan, based on Scripture, the life of a believer should be different because God does exist. People should be able to tell from our actions, the way we live our lives, that we are Christians. We shouldn’t have to tell them. With examples from the both the early church and the modern world Chan shows what the “radical” life of a believer can look like when our full trust is in God.

The overall message is clear, if we’re not even thinking about God in our daily life then we are lukewarm and possibly not even truly saved. It’s a hard truth to take, but we should examine our faith. Think about what the Bible says: even the demons believe that Jesus is God and tremble… even Satan can quote Scripture. We need to examine our own personal relationships with God and think about how that relationship has changed how we live our lives. The most important question to ask is: Do I honestly love God? Not what God can do for me (including getting me into Heaven), but do I love God just because He’s God?

I think the biggest problem people will have with this book is the extreme nature of the examples given, though Chan admits that not all are called to be missionaries, or sell their house and give the money to the poor. The effect of the examples given can make you feel a bit worthless, but I don’t think that was the intent of the author. I’ve heard Francis Chan preach, and I’ve seen his love for both God and people. I honestly believe that this book was written in love, with an honest call for people to examine themselves. I also know that there are people who will say he is promoting salvation through works, but that is not the case. Francis Chan always preaches Grace… salvation by faith, through Grace alone. The works he’s talking about are what should come as a result of us being saved, keeping in line with the commandments to love God and our neighbor.

I give this one 4 out of 5.

Where to buy the book: CBD | Amazon | B&N

Words Are Cheap, But the Gospel Is Priceless

 If I told you I have a proven way to help share the Gospel, and all I need from you is a small donation, how much would you expect me to ask for? How much would you be willing to give? $100? Too much? Ok, how about $50? Still no? Well, what about $10? $5? How about $1? That’s it… just $1! That’s all Gospel for Asia needs to produce 200 Gospel tracts to give to their missionaries. These tracts are easily portable, and can be passed from person to person. Think of the lives that could be touched by just one tract! Take a minute to read a few stories about people who have come to know Jesus through Gospel tracts:

http://www.gfa.org/news/articles/one-tract-can-change-a-life/
http://www.gfa.org/send/one-piece-of-paper-begins-a-glorious-new-chapter/
http://www.gfa.org/news/articles/from-a-single-tract-comes-a-desire/
http://www.gfa.org/news/articles/a-gospel-tract-leads-a-witch-doctor-to-jesus/

200 tracts. That’s 200 people hearing the Gospel, possibly for the first time. Now imagine that half of those people pass that tract on, then half of those, and yet half of those. Literally hundreds of people can be reached with the love of Jesus for just $1! Is that worth a dollar? It’s worth SO much more! But it only takes 1… just $1. It’s probably the smallest sacrifice you will ever be asked to make… for something so important.

Please consider donating just $1 to produce 200 Gospel tracts (or even just $5 to produce 1,000 tracts!).

Bookish Fellowship Forum

It’s been up for a while now, but I haven’t really promoted it. I thought with Plummer’s declaration of May being “Read a Historical Theology text month,” it might be a good time. If anyone will be reading the Historical Theology text by Gregg Allison and wants to discuss, please come sign up. Even if you decide to read another text, or not to participate in the historical theology reading at all… still come sign up! The Bookish Fellowship Forum has been created primarily for Christians who love to read (though everyone is welcome), whether it be fiction or non-fiction… or even just the Bible. If you love books half as much as I do then you should come join. You can head straight over to the forum by clicking here, or you can get to it from the blog’s menu. I’m also open to suggestions, as I’d like this to become a community for all to enjoy.

Hope to see you there!

Who Loves Bible Study? I DO!

Professor Rob Plummer has declared the month of May  “Read a Historical Theology text month.” What is historical theology? Plummer describes it as, “the academic discipline that looks at the development and articulation of Christian doctrine throughout church history.” He has decided to read about 30 pages a day from Gregg Allison’s “Historical Theology.” This book has been on my radar for a few months now, so I’ve decided to read along with Prof. Plummer. I ordered the book from CBD, which has it on sale for $28.99. I should get it next Thursday, and I’ll probably start it right away to give myself a little extra time as I am also using other textbooks right now to help in my Bible study.

Today I will finish the last assignment in Chapter 3 of “Grasping God’s Word,” a textbook that helps you learn how to really dig into the Biblical text, drawing out the meaning that was actually intended instead of reading meaning into the text. I also plan to read through Chapter 4 and do at least one assignment from that chapter. I’m using the second edition (which I also purchased from CBD), mostly because I got impatient and couldn’t wait for the third edition that is being released in May. There is also a workbook that goes along with it, which I highly suggest to you get if you use the textbook. So far, the material has been about practice, practice, practice… but I’m loving it, and I can’t wait to get to the deeper stuff.

I’ve also started over with Greek. I’m actually pleasantly surprised that I have retained even a little bit of what I had learned before. I am using Bill Mounce’s Greek Grammar and workbook (second edition… there is also a third edition available now) which I purchased a couple of years ago. I really want to learn this, but it’s very hard doing it alone. One of my goals for this year was to pick this up again, and I have… and I’m determined to stick with it.

I’m all-in right now. I purchased a few other resources as well, but I may not get to those for a while as I’m still doing other reading as well. Busy, busy, busy. But loving it!

The Cross of Christ by John R. W. Stott

     Simply read the title… that’s exactly what this book is about. In “The Cross of Christ” Stott discusses the purpose of the Cross, its effects, and how it should affect our lives today. He explains how the Cross worked to satisfy both God’s love and justice. The depth of this book is amazing. Stott discusses theological theories that have come up through the years as to exactly what was done at the Cross. Were we truly justified? Or are we supposed to be moved to justify ourselves by our behavior? Did Jesus really take our punishment? Did He die to defeat Satan? How does any of this apply to me today? This book has it all.

I can’t even begin to fully process this one after just one reading. This is a book I will read again and again. I think I’ll see something new each time. There’s just that much information. This is not a light read, though it is easily understandable. I think my favorite thing about this book is that the Conclusion actually summarizes (and even clarifies) the entire book very nicely. It’s a great refresher of what you’ve been reading.

Tim Challies suggested this book last year, and again this year, as one of his Easter reads. I’m glad I chose this one, and the others he suggested are on my wish list.

I give this one 5 out of 5.

Where to buy the book: CBD | Amazon | B&N

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

     The prequel to Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “The Hobbit” follows Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo leads the quiet life of a hobbit until the wizard Gandalf arrives at his door with a band of dwarves setting out on an adventure to reclaim a long-lost treasure. Bilbo finds himself swept up into their dangerous journey, and must find courage he didn’t know he had, especially when facing the great dragon Smaug alone in the dark.

“The Hobbit” is probably one of the top-five best fantasy novels ever written. It is one of my favorites. Tolkien created a world that few can match. It’s a world that is very familiar, but exotic and magical at the same time. The story, for entertainment purposes alone, is wonderful and will keep the pages turning, but there are also many lessons that can be learned if you’re paying attention. This will always be a favorite of mine. And I can’t wait for the movie coming this December. It’s such a long way off, but it looks like it’s going to be great. The only part I’m not to thrilled about is seeing all the huge spiders. Hopefully I can keep my eyes open, and remember not to call them Attercop. Here’s the trailer for the movie:

From here on I will be going over some things pertaining to my Middle-earth reading goal. There may be spoilers for those who have never read “The Hobbit.” Proceed at your own risk .

Hateful Christianity?

Why is it that so many non-Christians see Christians as hateful and judgmental? We have to ask ourselves this question. The world of the internet, especially, opens up a large variety of views, but one that seems to be at the forefront is that Christians are hateful. Why is that? My answer may not be easily taken, but I believe it’s the truth: the most vocal people of the Christian world are the people who are hateful and judgmental. There are certain organizations that give all Christians a bad name. I won’t call out anyone in particular. I am not judging them. I don’t know why they act the way they do. I don’t know what causes the hatred they feel. All I know is it is not scriptural. It saddens me that Christians are so hated, not because people hate us, but because it causes them to hate Jesus, hate God, and close their ears and hearts to anything we might have to say.

The problem with organizations like the ones I mentioned above, and the people who share their thinking, is that they tend to focus on one sin as more sinful than others. Sin is sin. Anything that separates us from God is sin. This comes across as hatred of a particular group of people.  Another problem that arises is that instead of sharing the Gospel with love, they spew hatred and judgment. Judgment is not ours to hand out, and Christ called us to love everyone, even our enemies.

Does God hate sin? Yes! Why? Because sin separates us from Him and we were created for fellowship with Him. Does God punish sin? Yes. He forever separates us from Himself and, in the end, we go to Hell. I’m not going to focus on sin and Hell too much here, because this is not a call to the unsaved. It’s a plea to anyone who calls themselves “Christian.”

The Bible does NOT say “Go and tell the world I hate them.” No, the Bible says “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Cor 5:18-21). If we are speaking for Christ we need to ask ourselves, would Jesus have said what I am going to say?