Beacon2Light

Rob Bell and the Controversy over Hell - Blog - Eternal Perspective Ministries Those who have read from my blog for a while know that I absolutely love Randy Alcorn's book, If God is Good. On his blog, Randy Alcorn links to some of the best reactions on Bell that I have read up to this point. I love that it is all conveniently in one place while I have chased them around a bit before this. Enjoy. Waterbrook Multnomah posted this quote and the link above on Facebook: ‎"We may pride ourselves in thinking we are too loving to believe in Hell. But in saying this, we blaspheme, for we claim to be more loving than Jesus—more loving than the One who with outrageous love took upon himself the full penalty for our sin." - Randy Alcorn, "If God Is Good"

One of my all-time favorite songs sung by the original artist. "In 1985 Benny Hester recorded Benny From Here. It was this album that produced one of the top ten singles in the history of Christian music, “When God Ran”. This song made an immediate impact on radio and quickly became a number one hit. “When God Ran” went on to become the longest running number one song of all time." http://www.cbn.com/cbnmusic/Artists/Hester_Benny.aspx

Chapter five begins very oddly . . . with Eminem. I guess when an author plays fast and loose with Scripture, references to pop culture to prove one’s point shouldn’t be all that surprising. Bell recalls that around 2005, Eminem disappeared off of the public radar. His comeback tour began in 2010 in his native Detroit and Rob Bell was there (I will resist the urge to comment on the incongruity of a minister at an Eminem concert). Perhaps it was the intoxication of being in a place packed with 40,000 fans but Bell was taken in by the image on the big screen of Eminem wearing . . . wait for it . . . a cross! I guess you know where this is going. He then writes at some length on the ubiquitous nature of the cross in modern culture. It is everywhere. Then reminiscent of his Gandhi in hell comments earlier, Bell theorizes that perhaps Eminem found out something (p. 136). I guess this something is the Bell version of an epiphany or a salvation experience. “Did Eminem stumbl...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42248810/ns/us_news-life/

Note: I AM Second erred in crediting Bethany with winning the NSSA World Championship. She won the 2005 National Championship. No small feat for a young teen, esp. one with a missing arm after such a trauma.

Before I start, I want to make clear something from an earlier blogpost. I wrote of future events from a premillennial, dispensational perspective. By no means am I implying that is the only orthodox position. I will leave it to others who comment to give other orthodox perspectives, if they wish. My issue with Bell is not orthodoxy but what I view as error and obviously many godly, conservative Christian scholars agree with that assessment. Our differences over orthodox doctrine are within the family. We believe that Bell’s is outside of orthodoxy. The title of chapter four reveals the depth of Rob Bell’s misunderstanding. God would love for everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved by faith in Jesus. However, even as Bell acknowledges, a loving God will not force anyone. Therefore, He provided the natural revelation of who He is and special revelation through the transmission of the Bible, visions, dreams, miracles and ultimately and most spectacularly t...