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You should read this article from Pulpit Magazine, especially if the ambiguity and obscurity of the heresy that Rob Bell teaches has influenced your church.I confess that I found the first twenty minutes or so quite helpful. Bell connected dots for me about how sacrifices develop in a culture, and he showed how these false gods impoverish entire cultures. He gave me a new appreciation for how the Levitical Law is an act of mercy from God, because God ended the ambiguity of sacrifice. He also stressed the utter uniqueness of Yahweh in a way that was encouraging, and even gave me hope that he was about to preach.
But Bell went from there into what can only be described as careful and planned ambiguity. It was obvious that he is a smart person. When he rattled off the Mesopotamian and Sumerian gods by memory, he established that he is no dummy. So when he ended the night without explaining why the sacrifice of Christ appeased God’s anger, without explaining atonement, without even touching substitution, I can’t help but note the effort that took. He spoke for over 90 minutes on the sacrifice of Christ without explaining sin, or the resurrection—which is the same as not speaking about the sacrifice of Christ.
http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/11/21/rob-bell-the-gods-should-be-angry/
Sin’s Effect on Man’s Mind
2 days ago
6 Comments:
Welcome Didymus,
I am always open to discussion on this topic. The Emergent Church is HUGE in Salt Lake, see my prior post about Mormons loving Rob Bell. There are tons of Emergent Churches out here and even the ones who are not Emergent yet, have incorporated some of that bad theology. Rob Bell's NOOMA videos have been played in over a dozen churches that I know of. The problem didymus is that Rob Bell is a heretic, he is obscure about it and it is hard to pinpoint him because he is slippery in what he says. However we did a review on his book and he denies:
The Virgin Birth
The authority of the Bible
The doctrines in the Bible
Salvation by Grace alone
Salvation through Christ alone
Sounds like.... MORMONS! So the Churches want to be more relevant so they try to become like those they are trying to reach? You cannot pin Rob on saying anything directly as I said before he is obscure.
So I would say that it is bigger than you think, even a big horrible parachurch ministry here likes Emergent Theology.
What Church do you attend Didymus?
What do you like about what is coming out of the Emergent Village?
Why?
Looking forward to discussing this more, also see my post on BullWhip Guy a response to Bullhorn guy.
Didymus aka Thomas,
Mormons and Emergents actually have a lot in common. As stated before what Rob Bell and many Emergents deny the Mormons also do the same. In fact they use the same irrational arguments to prove their points. Most of the evidence from both their camps is based upon subjective feelings and presuppositions that they bring to the table.
The Emergent Church is making an impact in Salt Lake and the rest of the country because their goal (I believe unknowingly) is to bring about heresy into the Christian Church. They begin this by blurring the lines between 2000 years of Christianity and a 180 year old cult. They use terms to try and dissuade actual seeking of the truth and instead would like to compromise the truths for something that it believes is more relevant. Why do I say it is huge, because as of right now there are at least a dozen Emergent "like" Churches and I know of 3 others moving that direction. They are based upon ill defined pragmatism and they lack true accountability to the scriptures.
I see no reason to name the big para church ministry on my blog as that would not be edifying to the body, however if you would like to discuss that issue further you may email me at andy@heartforthelost.com and I would be happy to indulge in that conversation.
Finally Didymus, where are you, I must tell you that I am vastly confused by the separation of your two blogs in theological concepts. Are you Mormon? Atheist? Agnostic? Open Theist?
Didymus,
I think the Emergent Churches problem is they obscure known "truth" and act like Latter Day Revisionists with History. As far as the biggest problem in Utah I think that is the fact that they are a horrible witness for the Gospel and for Jesus Christ. Their theology not to mention their behavior is not indicative of a Christ Follower. Their postmodern mindset is a presuppostion that is not progressive but it is regressive, and frankly has been dealt with over the course of Christian History repeatedly.
Most of these guys like Rob Bell and MaClaren are self professing theologians and truly cannot back up their information with anything that is objective. They misuse scripture very often, and more so have tried to reinvent how we do "church". This has entailed a bringing in of psychological sermons that really fall short of the truth of God. They mix sin and their self proclaimed righteousness, and yes they try to include (at varying degrees) Mormons and other religions as Christian.
They fight against all that Christ stood and died for, they attack the very thing that brought our savior to the cross. And I think they are a threat everywhere, here in Utah they seek to demean the Gospel. Their churches are filled with leaders who are growth driven regardless of the cost.
The reality is, souls are at stake. Their is a truth war going on and the Emergents have taken the side against the Christ of the Bible.
Didymus, do you mean that you are a heretic because you deny the saving work of Jesus Christ. If so then remember that He will be just to send you to Hell in your sins. Most postmoderns I know have created a god to suit themselves, one that they can rationalize with so that they can continue on in their lifestyle of sin. They use excuses about translations and text(although they themselves have never done the research). All for what to make themselves a god they can live with.
Sorry that is not the God of the Bible. So wherever you are on the scale Thomas, REPENT and TRUST in Christ alone to save you.
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