All posts by L.L. Shelton

About L.L. Shelton

Bonnie is a Jesus Lover, and in light of the fact, loves His wonderful church. She is interested in many things and enjoys sharing her view of some of them on this blog. She is a poet and a singer of songs. She resides in Memphis, Tennessee, where she is a dedicated wife and the mother of seven children- five of whom she educates at home, as the eldest two have graduated homeschool and are pursuing their own interests. In her spare moments she may be found in her home office with a client, as she is a practicing Biblical Counselor and a Life Coach. She welcomes you to print and share her articles and poetry, and to quote freely from them with the understanding that she is to be acknowledged as the author. Mrs. Shelton does NOT OWN the copyright to the majority of the photos and other types of illustration used on this site!

How I Did It All

Family Life,

For Stacey, with love…

When she is a wife, the mother of several children, each of whom she home schools- and everything is accomplished on a shoestring budget… the question is bound to come up… How do you do it all?

And so I’ve been asked this question many times. There were those early days when I wasn’t sure how to answer. Then came those days when I’d learned to parrot the obvious reply with beaming smile- God and God alone. This was absolutely true, albeit a less practical answer than most may have anticipated. Eventually, I began to offer this brief and lighthearted summary: I enjoy it! I never could stand boring!

I am compelled to admit that all along the journey, I have wondered at how presumptuous people are to assume that because I am roaming the wholesale club with a long trail of children behind me and two over-loaded carts, during regular school hours- I am fair game for their unremitting interference.

I have often been cornered by complete strangers who are curious as to my educational level concerning birth control. Many have taken it upon themselves to remind me that we have a perfectly good public school system that will allow me a huge break from these tremendously draining responsibilities.

Of course, this line of reasoning inevitably leads to the well-intentioned warnings that my children will never be normal socially if I persist in this probably illegal lifestyle.

One of my outstanding memories of the days when I would often venture out of the house with the entire young family in tow, is of a visit to our local movie rental store. I planned our little excursion because I had absolutely had it with my probably illegal lifestyle of personally instructing, entertaining, and conversing with my little charges day in and day out. And they had absolutely had it with me. Furthermore, I was pretty sure that if we continued in our chosen lifestyle with no reprieve, I would be socially abnormal.

We arrived at the store and I released the children to each find a family-friendly movie that we might all enjoy. This meant five movies, as the baby was too young to participate. I was contemplating some serious down time. The children scurried around the store exclaiming over first one title and then another, while I (in a moment of stricken conscience) searched for something educational. The children were not loud, but they were as usual extremely busy.

I heard the shelf fall- but really it was no biggie as I was able to restore all to right in a matter of moments. Nonetheless, as I paid the young -maybe twenty year old- store clerk, I was stunned by his question. “Lady,” he boldly asserted, “why do you keep doing this to yourself?” (Oh, yes, I was conspicuously expecting a new blessing any day.  Still, one would have thought I had appeared with twenty-two piercings and ninety percent of my body tattooed!)

Of course there have been other moments of a wholly positive nature along the way… Once, while we were having the rare meal at a sit-down restaurant, following a Sunday service, a well dressed woman and her equally dapper husband stopped by our table to compliment us on our beautiful group, to remark that they had been observing us throughout the meal, that it appeared obvious that we were a “godly” family, and to wish us continued success.

The encounter inspired a truly lovely feeling in me for some time. In fact, in review, I began to wonder if maybe they had been angels sent to encourage me, as two ordinary mortals surely could not observe our family throughout an entire meal and come to such a consensus. On further reflection, I hoped they were angels, as the thought of being so closely examined by mere human beings was really kind of creepy…

But, guess what… We who love Jesus are called to be witnesses. We are to welcome close inspection. Sobering, isn’t it?

Of course, I’m rambling now, but you can forgive a bit of digression in light of my circumstance as a mother of multiple children… Back to the question at hand: How do I do it all?

Well, honestly, I have only ‘done it all’ on one day. It remains an exceptional day in my memory. It was such an extraordinary experience that I called my dear friend, Jill, on the following day to share with her that I had discovered the secret to success.

Excitedly, I told her of how I had, with great affection sent my husband on his way for the day, prepared a hot breakfast for my large family, taught the children Bible, Math, History, and the Language Arts. I regaled her with tales of my homemade cookies at snack time, the piano lesson across town that I drove my daughter to- managing to arrive early! The amazing dinner prepared from scratch with loving hands for my family to enjoy…

She was impressed and anxiously awaited my revelation of the formula. I almost hated to tell her… I sat down at the end of the perfect day- list in hand, every item thrillingly checked off… in the bathrobe and slippers that I had put on the night before and had failed to remove over the course of the entire day. My hair had not been combed, my face had not been washed, nor my teeth brushed… I think I answered the phone and told someone I’d never heard of myself.

Suffice it to say, I don’t do it all. I do my best to accomplish what I believe my God would have me to do each day. Sometimes those things are things that I would like to do, or that I am purposing to do. Other times they are of a nature entirely His own, and have never entered my mind prior to His announcement. However, any day is a great day if I can lay my head upon my pillow at its close, and know that I have kept my mind on Christ and have, to the best of my ability as a flawed clay pot, carried out His orders.

©2010, L.L. Shelton

Yoga or Human Cloning? How Do I Choose?

Church Culture, Living the Word, Politics, , ,

Yesterday, a couple of things were intriguing enough to inspire me to type. First, a good friend sent me a link to a story on yoga and Christianity, which calls to account a man for whom I have the greatest respect, Dr. Albert Mohler. And so I was off in the direction of spiritual and physical connection- will, intellect, emotion, body- distinct and yet one…

Oops! Suddenly called away from this train of thought as when on my lunch break I am made aware (thanks to a tweet) of Mississippi’s Initiative No. 26 and the highly interesting language used therein: “…from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof.” Awesome! Maybe Dr. Seuss is right- A person is a person no matter how small!

Now what was it that I was thinking over… that I was going to blog over? Oh, yeah! Dr. Mohler’s aggravated assault on yoga… Never mind that, now! What about human cloning?!

Wait just a minute here… Are these two things truly so unrelated? Is anything truly unrelated? Think. Think. Think.

We humans are definitely a combination of will, intellect, emotion, and according to faith- spirit, all housed within and inextricably intertwined with a physical body- until that moment in which the physical body dies… And even should teleportation become possible we would still be simply a collection of physical particles soon to be reassembled (hopefully), in the proper order (again, hopefully). This means that we would still maintain physical property.

And isn’t an embryo, or a newly made fully developed human body, according to Holy Scripture, the physical house of will, intellect, emotion and spirit for someone? Where is the evidence, Scriptural or otherwise to support the theory that the house has to be developed to a certain point before it contains these other elements common to a human? Or that the house must go through a certain order of development to become the house of the man? And we thought abortion was an ethically tough issue to wade through! For our children and our grandchildren: I hope we’ve been thinking on this cloning stuff…

And Dr. Mohler, surely we must admit that yoga does not present a real threat for a True Christian, as he is, according to much Scriptural evidence, currently and for eternity possessed by the Holy Spirit of God and therefore is undergoing a transformation that will not fail- a transformation that will result in His own likeness.

I know that when I practice yoga… okay… I don’t really practice yoga, but I know that if I practiced yoga… I would be terrible at it… but that’s not the point. The point is this: I would not connect in a spiritual sense. It could not possibly be anything but a physical exercise for me, as I belong to One who governs my spirit with His own, and should my will decide to participate in yoga, or whatever- my spirit remains yoked with the Spirit of God. This is the primary reason that I hate my own sin.

Those who participate in yoga without His indwelling presence, those who do not know Him, are risking a spiritual connection, but not to The One True God. They may get connected to something … I mean- have you seen Poltergeist? Wandering around spiritually without Jesus is definitely risky!

But, back to this cloning thing and MS Initiative 26… what is the functional equivalent thereof anyway?

As the church, we need to be ready with some hard Scriptural evidence to support the ethical stance we will take as the church on the primary issue of human cloning and on all of the secondary issues which will flow from it. God has given us everything that we need in His Holy Word and we should be a step or two ahead of the world- not a mile behind it.

From Playing Church to Loving God

Church Culture, Living the Word, , , , , , ,

Part One

I grew up Southern Baptist and remained a member of the denomination until a few years ago.  In fact, Trafalgar Village Southern Baptist, in the suburbs of Memphis, was the first place I ever walked the aisle. I was nine years of age. I remember being emotionally disturbed by the time of the invitation, as I felt certain that my behavior wasn’t altogether good, and that there did exist a God, a heaven, and a hell- and I was as sure as rain just after you water the garden that I wanted to miss the latter.

My grandfather, my mother’s daddy, was a Southern Baptist minister from Texarkana, Arkansas. He preached in his own pulpit, and occasionally in the pulpits in the rural area surrounding Texarkana. We were a close-knit extended family, and this meant that I spent a great deal of time, especially in the summers, running in and out of pews with my brother and usually a cousin or three, in an empty sanctuary. Every now and again, we’d stop some other trivial sport to play church. Some of us would gather on the pews and listen to my brother preach, while another would lead the singin’. Once in a while, there was even a solo- and some of us could boast a truly pleasant voice, which meant it wasn’t a painful experience every time.

Sometimes, when we were feeling especially bold, we would hold a baptismal service. These moments were of course more extraordinary than those when we had no new converts, and often times there would be quite a lot of discussion surrounding whose turn it was to dunk the neophyte … though we never dared to fill up the baptistry… so a healthy imagination was required to participate.

It was a different story when we got together for our family camp. This event, held each year on a crystal clear lake in Arkansas, when the weather was about as hot as weather could get, was ruled and presided over by my four foot ten and a half inch, Irish-American, Granny. She cooked three meals every day in the camp kitchen for she and her husband, their four daughters and their husbands, fourteen grandkids, and eventually a whole slew of greats. She served the goodies up buffet style in the dining hall, just following the blessing; which was most regularly delivered by my Uncle George, a Southern Baptist minister himself, who had a voluminous bass voice which reverberated such, that most of us were pretty sure the fish were prayin’ for ears just so they could plug ’em up.

As soon as the amen was sounded there went up myriad cheers and grateful comments, as each one dove into the piles of steaming hot biscuits, eggs, and pork bacon if it was breakfast; or fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and slaw, or some other mouth-watering combination if it was supper. Much of the bounty upon which we feasted was collected from my grandparent’s large garden- seeming to enhance the flavor ever further.  Nothing seemed to please my Granny more than watching her large family enjoy the work of her hands.

Each morning, we took off for the lake as soon as we swallowed the last mouthful of Granny’s (and God’s) wonderful provision, and we swam like turtles in the cool, shimmering water until hunger claimed us for a second time. Now, these swimming sessions were when our mock church services would get easier for those who were less able to employ a flight of fancy when we played. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, we dunked one another until we were either silly with lake water, or fussin’ to beat the band. We were enjoying being young and alive in those days and we didn’t give much thought to anything else.

Eventually adolescence arrived, as it has a habit of doing, even in those of us who put up the greatest struggle. I was a member of the youth group at Berclair in those days, and my most interesting memory- next to the time we experienced the earth tremors from the New Madrid fault which runs just underneath west Tennessee, and pretty much felt like it ran directly below the church fellowship hall- is one in which our brand spanking new youth minister, fresh out of seminary, elected to teach us to practice meditation and centering. We didn’t talk too much about The Bible, more about social injustices and getting in touch with ourselves.

I was fourteen years old when I attended the Billy Graham Crusade in Memphis, and I had never felt more out of touch with myself. It was nineteen seventy-eight and a tumultuous time in the life of my family, as my parents were beginning to fight the final battle for their highly complicated marriage. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I walked the aisle in that stadium with hundreds of other people. I don’t remember what were my thoughts when I collected my packet of information, which included a phone number that I was told I could call for further counseling and prayer. I only know that I was overwhelmed with the sense of how big was the world, with all its joy and suffering, and how small was I.

As time moved forward, my family moved to rural Arkansas. I attended my last two years of high school in a tiny town of three hundred, while my parents proceeded to divorce. And as there are fine people everywhere, if a person cares to look, I made some truly good friends. Still, I remember those years as the most emotionally difficult of my life, and often joke that Bill Gates himself couldn’t offer me enough money to return to them.

By the time I was twenty-two I had piled up enough personal trouble to frustrate St. Peter, and soon was compelled to walk a third aisle-and this time the motivations of my heart, present and witnessed therein, were different indeed.  Though again in a Southern Baptist church, this third experience proved to be unique. I walked the aisle because I was exhausted with myself. I was begging The Lord God to save me from my sin, from my self. I had a new and proper understanding of His position, as well as of my own in relation to Him. I needed saving- not from hell (though that would certainly be a benefit) but from me. I needed a ruler to tell the fool what to do every minute. Certainly, I didn’t immediately understand all things or even some things… more like a little something new everyday. It has been and continues to be a process. But I did immediately begin to want to understand. I desired to please this new found Love.

Today, I am a dedicated wife, mother of seven wonderful children, daughter, sister- and friend to many; but He, Jesus, The Redeemer of My Soul, remains my First Love. I do not please Him perfectly, but He is faithful, forgiving, and loving, and restores me to right relationship with every slip. At this point, I have studied through The Holy Bible a few times, a bit each day, prayerfully pondering each word and wondering at my Savior. And I remember my childhood with particular fondness, as well as with great sadness, as I have realized over the years that in all of our sincerely church-focused moments, we were subscribing to a convoluted view of The Scriptures that was bound to unravel our faith- if we ever got to thinkin’ very hard.

Part Two

The view I am referring to is the view of a man by the name of Joseph Arminius (1560-1609), whose followers published his teachings in a paper titled The Five Articles of Remonstrance. A close inspection of The Scriptures reveals that it is in error, and has I fear been a culprit behind many turnings from Truth ipossibly including the apparent change in perspective surrounding Islam which we have witnessed in the Reverend Billy Graham. This explanation of The Holy Scriptures fails to consider the entire Word in context, and as a conceptual whole.

The Arminian view states that man is a creature created with and always in possession of a free will, and who if he chooses to believe in Christ, is therefore granted election into the kingdom as a result of that choice; and also teaches that man is unable to do any truly good thing with his free will. It supposes that the creation is therefore able to resist the grace (the supernatural call) of his Creator God and choose his own way, and so that some men will not choose God and will remain forever under His wrath, and yet also that every man’s sin is forgiven. It teaches that a man in the Faith may not continue in the Faith, but may fall away and not return, and yet sites the very verse which states that none of whom Christ has been given will be lost; and that God has forgiven every man’s sin. Obviously all of these things cannot at once be true. For instance, I am sure all would agree that God in Christ alone may forgive sin, and that if one is forgiven his sin, then he is released from the eternal or supernatural consequences of his sin. (However not always from the natural or earthly consequences of his sin.) Now, if one is released from the eternal consequences of one’s sin, it is necessarily implied that one’s sin is forgiven. If one is forgiven then God has forgiven him in Christ. This is salvation: To be rescued by God in Christ from sin, and therefore released from its eternal consequences. Thus, it can be clearly seen that these arminian ideas will continue to lend support to the rise of the heretical teachings of open theism and universalism in the church.

Man has a free will and yet cannot exercise that will for good? Then that will is not free. Either the will is restrained or it is free- it cannot at once be both! Either one is capable of good (as defined by God-pure motive) apart from God, or he is incapable of it. Either man elects himself for salvation by his own good works as he sees fit to do, or God elects him by HIS own good works as God sees fit to do. Either repentance and the forgiveness of sins is necessary for one to inherit salvation, or it is not. Either one is transformed and made a new creation with salvation, or one is not. Either God is Supreme Ruler of All, subordinate to no one and to no thing, or He is not. Either God’s Word is true or it is not.

The Arminian view of Scripture is dangerous in that it diminishes God and magnifies man. This is the antithesis of what God’s Word is most intended to do, as its greatest purpose is to identify God and so to exalt God and to humble man, which will serve to bring man into right relationship with God.  If at any moment, I hold in my core the opinion that God is small and that I am large- then I am in a state of confounded spirituality due to pride; here I am utterly useless to the kingdom of God- be it for a moment, for an hour, or for a lifetime.

Of course, many men of the reformation era of history did take into account the entire Word in context, and did consider It as a conceptual whole. Their explanation of The Holy Scriptures is quite different, and is logical, as it permits for Scripture’s interpretation of Scripture- therefore allowing It to prove Itself.  The view of these men, including John Calvin (1509-1564) and his followers, states that man was created with a free will, but that he lost that gift in the garden when he chose evil with his free will and fell from grace. They taught that man then became a slave to his sin nature, thus was totally incapable of anything purely good, and so needed a Savior to restore to him through Salvation his free will, that he may be capable of what God considers good, and so may volunteer for it. Therefore, they taught that God chose whom He would have mercy upon and rested His grace upon those, and that they, unable to resist His supernatural call, responded and followed Him; and were therefore forgiven of their sin. (As is stated in The Scriptures, repeatedly, God in Christ grants to His followers both repentance and the forgiveness of sins.) It was also taught that they would never again be in that fallen state from which they had been redeemed, due to His ability to save and keep souls perfectly. Also, that whomever was not chosen for mercy would be under the wrath of God forever, and that this is according to the Sovereignty, to the supreme authority of God. These things can all at once be true.  Also,  these teachings do not lend to the errors of open theism or universalism.

However, many people are confused about what it means to be reformed, or to be a Calvinist, today. This is understandable, as it actually means different things to different people in this postmodern period. Personally, I would not profess to be a Calvinist, unless I had read his giant thesis put forth in his institutes and had agreed with it. It is enough to have read and studied every word in The Holy Scriptures and to have agreed with all put forth there, and to call oneself a Christian. However, I do occasionally refer to myself as reformed, because I agree with the five solas of the The Reformation, as well as with the five spine doctrines of Calvinism, sometimes referred to as The Doctrines of Grace .

There are, also, those who agree with Luther’s soteriological thought (teachings regarding salvation), which differs a bit from Calvin’s, who may also label themselves reformed, as well as reformed Presbyterians and those Presbyterians whom I’m sure Brother Knox would consider to be running amuck. Contemplating all of this, we may be tempted to ask ourselves- why does it matter?

I do believe it is a matter of great importance, because next to being assured of one’s own salvation by faith, nothing fires the passionate love of God in a man, or establishes a man more firmly and aids him in his stance more fully when the trials of this life are at their most difficult, as does knowing what he believes to be true about The God who has saved him, and why according to The Holy Scriptures, he believes it is true.

For those of us who exist in the western world today, extremely harsh treatment and physical persecution due to our faith are unheard of- thanks be to God! But our freedom from this particular brand of suffering is not guaranteed.  We must be ready should our time of grave persecution present itself..  Those who stay true to The Word in such circumstance are those in  whom passion for God burns the brightest.  Our right to freely assemble and to worship as is pleasing to us, has been hard-earned in the past and continues to be a state of being which we must work to preserve. I pray that we will never become comfortable to a fault.

These things being stated, most importantly in light of all that we know of God from His Holy Word is the sure mandate that as Christians we are to love and to be a blessing to all, within the church and outside of it; and we are to be discerning of  evil that we may either flee or resist it.

Today, I am a thankful member of a non-denominational evangelical church where The Word of God is faithfully and carefully preached Sunday by Sunday, and heresy does not mar the pulpit. However, I am forever tied- if only by mere sentiment- to the largest protestant denomination in the United States, the precious Southern Baptist, and I long for her continual reformation around pure and sound doctrine.

©2010, L.L. Shelton

Numbering Days and Counting Blessings

Living the Word

For Don Elliott, in Christ’s Love, as he is practicing being thankful in all things:

Today, I am thankful for the life that I was granted in Massachusetts and Ankara. I am glad that I was born in that place which is known for being the location where those who loved Him gave us the name Christian. I am delighted to have been born to a faithful soldier, that I might be transported back across the sea to the land that I love in the arms of my mother.

Today, I am glad that I was brought to the southern United States, to Texarkana, to experience the ups and downs of close-knit living among extended family- both my mother’s relatives and those of my father- all in one stew. I am a person of greater depth for having lived clannishly among those colorful members whose blood stirs in my own veins.

Today, I am thankful that we moved to Memphis when I was six, and strangely grateful for the move to Arkansas that I thought had surely ended my life, when I was three days shy of my sixteenth birthday. I am happy to have experienced the fragmented formal education that was my own as I bounced between county, city, protestant, and catholic schools during those years in Shelby County, Tennessee.

Today, I am glad to have been delivered into the hands of those in a tiny rural county school in Poyen, Arkansas for the final two years of my learning as a child, and to have been the President of our largest campus club- The Future Homemaker’s of America!

Today, I am thankful for the perilous years closely preceding and nearly following the final breakdown of our home, and for the emotionally chaotic years that ensued. I am grateful for each event that transpired during those turbulent and often sad times, as even those most regrettable are part of who I am now- a fierce God-lover.

Today, I am grateful to be married to one who loves me, and who is learning to be the person that God has created him to be, as I love him and am learning to be the person God has created me to be; and I’m happy- again oddly as the many moves involved many hardships- to have followed him around the country for more than twenty years- from Foley, Alabama to Little Rock, to Houston, to Liberty, Missouri. I learned, studied, and grew under each pastor to whom we were given during the course of the journey, and I was privileged to be able to home school our children- allowing me to place great focus and quantity of time on the study of The Word of God, and on many of the great minds of our faith.

Today, it appears that I have come nearly full-circle, as I am currently living in Memphis. I am delighted to be the mother of seven wonderful children, and to continue in home education of the younger ones. I am loving and learning here, as I have in each place I have traversed. I am glad to have pieces of my heart strown from here to yonder, planted- I hope- in the hearts of friends collected at every bend and turn in the road. I am enjoying my God, and I am confident that He is continuing to mold and to make me into the one that He intends for His heavenly purpose.

And I am most thankful because it is becoming increasingly obvious to me that He has used every incident in my life for this present moment, and for those to come in which I will see more of His likeness and less my own; and so I understand as Joseph did, that whether a fellow traveler meant it for evil or for good, or though my own hand was the evil, was of no matter to my Savior, for He has meant it all for good.

©2010, L.L. Shelton

The Separation of Church and State, Part 2

Politics, , ,

While listening to Ken Ham, of Answers in Genesis, give his lecture entitled “Why Won’t They Listen?”; I was reminded of Proverb 16:26- The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on. In this case, Ken Ham is hungering and thirsting for righteousness, not only for his own personal righteousness, but for that of many. Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness in a corporate sense? Do we long to free the oppressed? Do we pine for justice for the people?

Since we know from Scripture that authority is a good thing, and we understand that it is the abuse of authority that is a bad thing; we Christ-lovers should seek to fill positions of leadership on this earth, and to propel one another into positions of authority in every arena of this life, with the idea of Christianity dominating this world- though we will not fully succeed until that day. Then, we must surround our fellows in leadership with every form of encouragement!

The system of government presently in place in America, courtesy of our nation’s founding fathers, allows for our involvement in and use of authority. Since we know that we are in possession of The Truth and Real Love, we must certainly and joyfully participate in the governing of both church and state, as well as in the leadership of the arts, the sciences, and all of education; seeking His dominion over all things and using these systems, to the best of our abilities, in the hope of accomplishing truth and justice for all.

We Christians must do our best to participate in the world while not participating in sin, dominate where ever possible, and use the system to accomplish the greater good. This is our privilege.

©2010, L.L. Shelton

The Separation of Church and State, Part 1

Politics, ,

Do we want our state to run our church? Do we want our church to govern our state? I submit to you that without the guaranteed separation of the two, either is possible.

I once thought that a church directed society would be good, but what is church? Is church a building, or a series of edifices, where people worship Christ? Is church an organized gathering of people who profess to believe in the existence of Christ? Is church a group of human beings who believe that Christ Jesus is the Son of The One True God and knowingly submit to His Lordship- to The Living Word of God? Is church a place where, or a group of people who, have something to do with Christ?

The separation of church and state is actually meant to imply the separation of religion and state, and is meant to impede any religion (including those of Secular Humanism and Atheism) from taking over the state, as well as to aid in the prohibition of the state taking over any religion.

The separation of church and state is reportedly first mentioned in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists concerned over their religious liberty. History assures us that at the time of Mr. Jefferson’s use of the phrase, Christianity was the only religion openly practiced in this country.

Interestingly, the religion of Christianity is unique in that it was never meant to be another religion separate from the core of a man, but rather ‘The Way of the Followers of Christ Jesus, The Lord of All’: It is meant to be a way of life actually lived. The directions for the way of the followers of Christ are of course contained in The Holy Bible.

I am especially concerned, today, that we, the True Church- The Followers of Christ Jesus, The Lord of All- will be made to submit to the governance of the state should we fail to recognize the importance of our binary state of being. Now, this is not a matter of urgency if the true Christians are permeating the institutions of man, as well as the institutions of God, but if we have failed to maintain our influence through leadership in these institutions, then we must take joy in the establishment of the first amendment to the great constitution of The United States of America, in that we know it protects our right to assemble together and to live out God’s Truth openly and without fear.

Oh, that we might be a country, in which the influence of the True Church is felt in every area- no, not simply felt, but acknowledged as the greater persuasion!

At this present moment, it appears that we have lost much of our influence in the institution of the state, and we must seek to regain it through active participation in our government – local, state, and federal levels. I am so grateful for those followers of The Way of Christ Jesus, The Lord of All, continuing to stay involved in the political arena, as I am for those working in the institution of our military- pledging to protect, to defend, and to honor this great and imperfect nation.

©2010, L.L. Shelton

Gay Marriage Ban Overturned

Politics, ,

Is the effort surrounding California’s Proposition Eight, banning gay marriage, and the fact that CA Proposition Eight has been recently overturned- as well as many other similar efforts concerning gay marriage- necessary? In 1989, Denmark was the first country to recognize civil unions. A civil union or similarly titled act, is one which recognizes the physical unions that the true church will not recognize; because of their failure to meet the standards clearly outlined by God, in The Word of God, which is The Holy Scriptures, the Truth which governs the true church.

Civil unions, and the like, permit these couples to exist in relative peace; being allowed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness- or whatever are the rights protected by a particular society for its citizens- as  these unions define for them the same political legal rights as are extended to those couples who are recognized as married by the church. These unions also allow those couples, who recognize fully that they do not wish to include a God to which they show no allegiance in their own alliance with one another, to exist as a couple, with political legal rights equal to those afforded legitimately married couples.

At this point in time, the debate encircling California’s Proposition Eight, banning gay marriage, and other similar legislation is centered around the question:  Is marriage an institution which should encompass two consenting adults? Soon, the question may be:  Is marriage an institution which should encompass two human beings? Then:  Is marriage truly an institution that should encompass only two beings? The alarming trend is evident.

It appears that the institution of marriage originates with the Hebrew God, Yahweh, and that the definition of marriage is clearly stated by that God in His Word in the second chapter of Genesis.  The problem then is largely one of semantics.

Let those outside the church, our neighbors, be treated civilly, humanely.  May it be that we, as a church, treat them better than we treat ourselves- loving our neighbors as we love ourselves, as our King has ordered us to do in the twenty-second chapter of Matthew, verses 37-40.  Let us invite our neighbors into our homes and into our gathering places, and there let us love them.   However, let our neighbors not demand the rights of membership in the body, unless they have complied with the standard set forth in our Governing Body of Truth.  Let us not wittingly include (in church membership) those who do not agree with our constitution.

Lastly, if the world at large insists upon commandeering the term ‘marriage’ and its derivatives, maybe we must consider a new term to label and define the unions which we as a church are willing to recognize.

 

The Shack by William P. Young – Book Review

Bible Talk, Books, , ,

On the Shack…

“Do not come any closer; take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

-God, Exodus 3:5

By way of introduction:

Because several Christians have recommended to me this “wonderful book,” The Shack, because there are over 5,000,000 copies in circulation and because it is my understanding that one of my personal heroes, Dr. John MacArthur, elected not to formally review the book in the interest of preserving his time for other useful endeavors, and lastly due to the fact that in searching, I failed to turn up my own idea of a suitable review- I decided to undertake the venture myself.

It is not my intent here to question Mr. William Paul Young’s personal relationship with Our Lord, nor his motives for writing his story. Neither is it my intent to defend The Gospel- and it is most certainly not my objective to defend GOD ALMIGHTY as He needs no defense.

I wish only to illuminate the moments in the story of The Shack in which God is portrayed as one opposed to who He has declared Himself to be in His Holy Word. Of course, I may have missed one or more, in which case I invite you to add your observations to my own.

Now allow me to state- there is Truth mixed with the lies put forth in this story, creating deception, which in my estimation poses a greater danger than a lie served straight up. (Eve was deceived, as you will remember.)

I will here refute the falsehoods put forth in the story not from my own point of view, but from that of God Himself as He has revealed Himself to be in His Holy Scriptures.

Furthermore, The Shack may be a work of fiction but it is most assuredly didactic in nature. In fact, the lessons that it desires to teach are very thinly veiled, and while this story may do some good; it will do some harm.  All must depend on the reader’s ability to discern accurately the Truth of Scripture, and this ability comes with applying oneself with a pure heart to the study of God’s Word; with a willingness to understand and the sincere desire to conform to It, coupled with the careful examination of each word in its proper context, while seeing the conceptual whole- all this because The Holy Scriptures are the will of God. It is my concern that many who will read The Shack may not read and prayerfully as well as carefully, study their Bibles.

In addition, Mr. Young’s decision to write God into the story as a predominant character was a bold move at best and a highly presumptuous one at worst. It is possible that he has over-played his hand.

Finally, it is distressing to me that Mr. Eugene Peterson, professor emeritus of spiritual theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C., compared The Shack to Pilgrim’s Progress; and I do believe that Kathie Lee Gifford, co-host of NBC’s Today Show, will be proved correct in her prediction that the way the reader (of The Shack) thinks about God will be forever changed.

The Review:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

 

1. LessThe Shack by Willliam P. Youngon from The Shack, p. 122: God does not punish 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.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Sin is most certainly its own punishment, as the consequences of sin are most likely to go unrelieved even in the presence of genuine forgiveness, however sin is definitely and finally punished. We condemn ourselves through our persistence in sin, and He finally punishes our persistence in sin. (See Num. 14:18, Ecc. 11:9-10, Jer. 12:17, Jer. 34:17-20, Ezekiel 38:17-23, Isaiah 33:13-16, Isaiah 53:5-6, Micah 1:13-15, Hos. 8:11-14, Hos. 9:7-9, Nahum 1:3, Matt. 10:28, Matt. 13:49-50, Matt. 18: 7-9, Matt. 24:50-51, Matt. 25:33, Matt. 25:41, Matt. 25:46, Mark 9:42-48, Luke 3:9, 16-17, Luke 10: 13-15, Luke 13:28, Luke 16:23-24, John 3:18, John 5:28-29, John 12:48, Romans 4:25, Romans 6:23, 2 Cor. 11:15, James 2:12-13, James 4:19-20, 2 Peter 2:1-10)

2. Lesson from The Shack, p.124: There is no absolute authority present in The Trinity. (“Mackenzie, we have no concept of final authority among us, only unity.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: All must submit to Our Great Father, Christ included, though He does not have to be made to submit, as in His sinless perfection, He does so willingly; and submission implies authority, though you may be volunteering to allow that authority. (Matt. 26:39,42, Matt. 14:35-36, Luke 22:41-43, John 6:38, John 8:28-29, John 10:18, John 12:49-50, John 14:30-31, John 15:10, John 17:1-4, 1 Cor. 15:28, Philip. 2:5-8, Heb. 5:1-7)

3. Lesson from The Shack, p. 121: It is not okay for God to hate. (“I don’t like a lot of the choices they (my kids) make, but that anger-especially for me- is an expression of love all the same. I love the ones I am angry with just as much as those I’m not.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God allows Himself to hate, and He is sinless in it. He is pure as He hates. The fact that God is Love does not imply that He can not hate. We are not allowed to hate anything but sin, because we are not perfect. We can not remain pure in our hatred of anything other than sin; our own sin, as well as that of others. We must accept our own limitations, and we must refrain from re-designing God into a being of our own desiring. We must remember: It is not God’s character that is on trial- it is our own. (Psalm 5:5, Malachi 1:1-5, Romans 9:6-21, Ps. 11:4-5, Ps. 45:7, Ps. 97:10, Amos 5:15, Rom. 7:15, Rev. 2:6)

4. Lesson from The Shack, p. 124-125: Authority is bad. Authority destroys relationship. (“Once you have a hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some kind of chain of command or a system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it.” “Don’t confuse adaptation with intention…”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Authority is good. The presence of authority is not the evil. The abuse of authority is the evil. Furthermore, lack of submission to the authority of God is the ultimate evil which will send many to hell.
It is true that we should not confuse adaptation with intention. We must intentionally submit to the authority of God, through Christ, and in The Holy Spirit. We must intentionally submit to all authority placed over us that is not sin; however we must not submit to sin for any cause! Therefore, we certainly must not merely adapt to our position. We must readily evaluate all authority in The Light of God’s Holy Scripture; we must submit to that which is not sinful, and we must resist or flee that which is sinful. While we will not be perfect in this, and God stands ready to forgive in the face of confession and genuine repentance, still it is a mandate. (2 Chron. 30:8, Jer. 42:6, Matt. 8:5-13, 27, Matt. 10:28, Matt. 12:30-32, Matt. 14:40-43, 49-50, Mark 1:27, Luke 4:36, Luke 7:1-10, Luke 9:1-2, John 3:30-31, Rom. 13:1-7, John 5:27, John 10:18, John 14:30-31, John 17:2, Eph. 1:18-23, Eph. 2:1-2, Eph. 6:5-6, Eph. 1:15-23, Philip. 2:5-8, Titus 2:15, 1Peter 3:10-17, 1 Peter 5:8-9)

5. Lesson from The Shack, p. 126-127: God does not exercise His power over human will. (“As difficult as it will be for you to understand, everything that has taken place is occurring exactly according to this purpose without violating choice or will.” “If you could only see how all of this ends and what we will achieve without the violation of one human will- then you would understand.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God does exercise His power and authority over human will. He chooses us, and He saves us from our sin, not only the inherited condition of being born in sin, but also the condition of our slavery to sin. God frees the one who is a slave to sin that he may volunteer to become a slave to righteousness! Oh, and we can see the way it all ends- Revelation- Jesus wins! (Exodus 9:15-16, Ex. 10:1-2, Ex. 11:9-10, 1 Chron. 1:13, Daniel 4:28-37, Ps. 14: 2-3, Ps. 51:5, Ps. 58:3-5, Ps. Ps. 65:4, 105:43, Ps. 106:4-5, Is. 44:1-2, Jer. 7:24, Jer. 11:8, Jer. 17:9, Jer. 32:33-34, 39-40, Ezek. 36:26-27, Matt. 1:21, Matt. 4:19-22, Matt. 11:27, Matt. 22:14, Mark 3:13-14, Luke10:22, Luke 24: 32, 45, John 5:6-9, John 5:21, John 6:39, 44, 55, 65, John 8: 34-36, 44, John 13:18, 26-27, John 15:16, John 17:2, John 17:6, 9, John 18:9, Acts 1:1-2, 24 Acts 10:41, Acts 13:48, Acts 16:14, Rom. 2:4, Rom. 6:5-7, 16-18, Rom. 7:14-15, Rom. 7:25, Rom. 8:6-7, Rom. 9:15-18, Rom. 11:1-6, Gal. 3:22, Eph. 1:4-12, Philip. 2:5-13, 1 Peter 2:4-10, 2 Peter 2:19)

6. Lesson from The Shack, p. 128-129: It is not necessary to please God. (“For now I just want you to be with me and discover that our relationship is not about performance or your having to please me.” “Mackenzie, you cannot produce trust, just as you cannot ‘do’ humility.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: It is all about our having to please God. As slaves to sin, we are incapable of pleasing a Holy God, and as slaves to righteousness, but not yet made perfect, we are unable to please God perfectly. Therefore, Christ willingly laid down His life in perfect submission to God as an atoning sacrifice for our sin- past, present, and future sin. His act of perfect obedience satisfied God’s requirement for justice. Now, this is why faith is absolutely necessary, because without it, it is impossible to please God; as without faith there is no salvation -no mercy- and God requires mercy as well as justice. Trust begins with faith- that is our believing in His ability and willingness to save. Humility begins with our understanding of who we are in relation to a Holy God; it begins with our comprehension of our need for rescue. Humility is the catalyst urging the plea for saving faith, without which it is impossible to please God! (Psalm 69:31, Job 42:5-6, Dan. 10:12, Luke 2:52, Luke 11:28, John 3:36, John 5:44, John 8:29, Acts 13:22, Rom. 3:10, Rom. 6:14, Rom. 8:1-8, Rom. 12:1-2, Rom. 14:17-18, 1 Cor. Gal. 1:10, Gal. 6:7-8, Phillip. 2:12-13, Col. 1:10, 1 Thes. 2:4, 1 Thes. 2:14-16, 1 Thes. 4:1, Heb. 11:6, Heb. 13:16, Heb. 13:20-21, 1 Peter 5:6, 1 John 4:10)

7. Possible Lesson from The Shack, p. 129: God is not justifying His own; He is only redeeming the earth and humanity in general. (“We are not justifying it. We are redeeming it.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God is both justifying His own and redeeming His own, as it is His plan to save His creation in this way. (Is. 44:24, Is. 53:11, Acts 13:39, Rom. 5:1, Rom. 8:30, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, Titus 3:4-7)

8. Lesson from The Shack, p. 147: God is submissive to humanity. (“To force my will on you, is exactly what love does not do. Genuine relationships are marked by submission even when your choices are not helpful or healthy.” “In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God is submissive to no one. He is Sovereign Lord of All. {If you will permit me a bit of fun here- I was beginning to feel really sorry for poor Mack at this point. He is perfectly clear on the fact that he needs a HIGHER POWER to RULE him, but God just refuses to be it.} (Isaiah 44-45, Job 38-41, ENOUGH SAID!)

Also on p. 147: In this scene, “Jesus” seems to contradict himself as he states “Well, this blue-green ball in black space belongs to me.” Mack then asks, “So why don’t you fix it?” To which “Jesus” replies, “Because we gave it to you.”

9. Lesson from The Shack, p. 148: Men turned to the work of their hands. Women turned to men. Men and women have chosen to declare what’s good and evil. (“Most men have expressed it by turning to the work of their hands and the sweat of their brows to find their identity, value, and security.” “…so the woman’s turning was not to the works of her hands but to the man, and his response was to rule ‘over’ her, to take power over her, to become the ruler.” “By choosing to declare what’s good and evil, you seek to declare your own destiny.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Men were forced, as a consequence of their sin, to do work with their hands to eat, and to feed their families, and the earth would not be cooperative toward men (Man and woman may have worked in the garden before, but it would not have been in order to stay physically alive. Physical death was ushered in at this point.). Women were forced, as a consequence of their sin, to long for relationship with their husbands (whose nature it would be to deny relationship and to abuse their authority) and to bear the children of their marital unions in a state of pain. Also, we were made aware of good and evil- its existence, and which is the one and which is the other. Therefore, we became accountable for that knowledge, accountable for our sin; which is anything that displeases God, and is therefore evil. (Genesis 3, John 9:41, Rom. 1:18-20, Rom. 7:7-13)

Also on p. 150: A contradiction is apparent here as ‘Jesus’ states “We want male and female to be counterparts, face-to-face equals, each unique and different, distinctive in gender but complementary, and each empowered uniquely by Sarayu (The Holy Spirit), from whom all true power and authority originate.” Please see #4.

10. Lesson from The Shack, p. 151: Jesus did not intend to be an example for us to follow. (“Seriously, my life was not meant to be an example to copy.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Jesus meant to be an example for us to follow. (Matt. 10:37-39, Mark 1:16-17, John 12:26, Eph. 5:1-2, Heb. 13:7-8, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 John 2:6)

11. Lesson from The Shack, p. 166, 192: Man and woman, in eating the forbidden fruit, demanded their independence from God and He granted it. (“Your world is severely broken. You demanded your independence, and now you are angry with the One who loved you enough to give it to you.” “All evil flows from independence and independence is your choice.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Man and woman, in eating the forbidden fruit, earned humanity’s enslaving to sin and God granted it. God did grant our independence from relationship with Him, but it did not result in free will, but rather in our becoming slaves to our flesh- to our sinful nature. ( John 8:34-36, Rom. 6:6,14,18, Rom. 7:14-18, 1 Peter 2:19)

12. Lesson from The Shack, p. 166: Justice and mercy are competitive, with the one over-ruling the other. (“She (God) chose the way of the cross, where mercy triumphs over justice because of love.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Jesus satisfied God’s wrath in His perfect sacrifice. He satisfied God’s justice, and earned God’s mercy for us, and so God’s mercy was also satisfied. Mercy triumphs over judgment, which is different than justice. Judgment is the process of determining justice and is not always just; particularly in the hands of sinful men. (Nahum 1:2, Jer. 13:14, Eph. 2:3, Rev. 14:9-10, Deut. 16:20,Is. 42: 1-4, Is. 56:1, Is. 59:9, Is. 61:8, Ps. 89:14, Ps. 99:4, Hos. 2:19-20, Hab. 1:4, Matt. 12:15-21, Deut.4:31, Luke 6:36, Heb. 2:17, 1 Peter 2:10, James 2:13)

The scene on p. 178 of “Jesus” and Mack fishing together is cute and I’m convinced that it could play out just the way Mr. Williams has described it, however I would hope that it will not be lost on the reader that Jesus did in fact command the fish to fill the nets of Simon Peter, James, and John; as well as on a separate occasion, commanding a fish that had in ‘some strange manner’ obtained a coin- to hold it in its mouth, until the the proper time for Peter to take the four-drachma (coin) from it. Now that’s awesome! It’s in The Bible with many other beautiful and consistent, non-contradictory Truths of our Amazing God!

13. Lesson from The Shack, p. 183: God requires only that we love Him and others. (“It’s not your job to change them or to convince them. You are free to love without an agenda. “Remember the people who know me are the ones who are free to live and love without any agenda.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God requires that we love Him above all others, and that we love Him with our entire being. Next, He requires that we love ourselves in an appropriate manner, and that we love others likewise. He then requires that we express that love by obeying His commands; one more time- we will not be perfect until we are glorified, but the mandate is to make an honest attempt at it!
We are instructed, also, to examine ourselves for evidence of His ownership of us, and to inspect for that same evidence (fruit) in others; not for the purpose of judgment or hostility, as this right belongs ultimately to God alone, but for the purpose of reassurance that we are saved and for the purpose of knowing to the best of our ability, who is our brother with whom we should share fellowship, and who is outside the faith that our primary focus will be our witness to that one.
His agenda is to be our agenda, just as His agenda was Christ’s agenda- which is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. While I agree that God will do the changing and the convincing through His Spirit in us, and through His Word, we are not free from the responsibility to be available to Him for His use. (Matt. 22:36-40, Matt. 28:18-20, Matt. 7:13-20, Matt. 13:22-23, Gal. 5:22-23, Mark12:29-31, Luke 8:21, Luke 10:26-27, Luke 11:28, 1 John 2:17, John14:15, John 15:2, 10-11, 16, Mark 11:12-14, 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 3:10, 18-24, 1 John 5:2-3, 2 Cor. 4:11, 2 Cor. 13:5-6, Gal. 6:1-4, Is. 4:2, Eph. 5:8-17, Heb. 13:15)

14. Lesson from The Shack, p. 184: The term ‘Christian’ is one with which Jesus does not associate Himself. (“Who said anything about being a Christian? I’m not a Christian.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: The first church-goers were proud to be identified with Christ in spite of the terrible persecution that they would undergo for that identity. This famous and beautiful group, portrayed so vividly in the book of Acts, named the disciples of Jesus, therefore us- Christian, literally ‘little Christ’. While I agree that the term is used much too loosely these days, I am persuaded that the label is not the problem, but rather those of us wearing the label who do not spend enough time examining ourselves, confessing and repenting of our sin, and therefore becoming right with God, then others. This is known as our sanctification and is an on-going process, not a one time event. (Acts 11: 25-26)

15. Lesson from The Shack, p. 186: There is no need to grieve over our sin. (“But that is in the past now, where it belongs. I don’t even want your sorrow for it , Mack.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Blessed are those who mourn over their sin. We are blessed, meaning favored, or selected out for something altogether good, when we are sorry for our sin. We are not only instructed to grieve over our past and present sin, but to take care not to grieve the Holy Spirit with future sin. Though we will be imperfect in this, it is nonetheless a mandate. (Ps. 38:8, Matt.5:4, Eph. 4:30, 2 Cor. 7:8-13)

16. Lesson from The Shack, p. 192: God’s love for His creation, including humanity in general, is the same as His love for His own children. (“Just because you make horrendous and destructive choices does not mean you deserve less respect for what you inherently are- the pinnacle of my creation and the center of my affection.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God’s love for His creation, as in the world and all of humanity, is different than the love that He has for His own children. A parent may love all the children of the world, but he will love his own differently, in a way that is reserved especially for them; and His expectations of them will vary from his expectations of the whole group. Humankind are the pinnacle of God’s creation; but it is the elect, God’s own children, who are the center of His affection. This is not to say that God does not love His creation; but it is to say that there are varying degrees of love that differ in origin, intensity and result. (John 1:12-13, Rom. 8:12-17, Rom. 9 :6-18, 2 Tim. 3:8, 1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 4:4-5, 1 John 5:19, Jude 1:1-2, Heb. 3)

17. Possible Lesson from The Shack, p.194: God is reconciled to all of humanity, through Christ. (“The whole world, Mack.)

Lesson from God’s Word: God is reconciled to His creation which includes a portion of humanity, through Christ. (John 3:16- Obviously not everyone will believe.)

18. Lesson from The Shack, p.194: It would be unloving of God to over-ride our free will to bring us into relationship with Him. (“It is not the nature of love to force a relationship…”)

Lesson from God’s Word: It is the nature of Love to pursue the object of Its affection, and Perfect Love does not return empty from that pursuit. Love finds its home in the relationship that can not be forced, but will instead develop as a result of Its perfect labor. (What free will? Please see Scripture references for #5.)

19. Possible Lesson from The Shack, p. 199: The principles in the Bible are not important. (“Just don’t look for rules and principles; look for relationship- a way of coming to be with us.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: Relationship with God, through Christ, is the definite point, however the principles found in The Bible are to be sought after as well, and to be highly valued. Christ is seen in the principles found in The Scriptures, and the “rules” or the law is an arrow to point us to Christ, as our inability to keep the law illustrates beautifully our great need for a Savior. Christ explained that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the law, but that through Him we will understand why the law exists. It is for the best good of the world, as is, ultimately, everything else. (Psalm 119:45, 129-136, Rom. 15:4, 2 Tim. 1:2, 15, 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21)

20. Lesson from The Shack, p. 205: The law no longer has the power to accuse or command. (“The law no longer has the power to accuse or command.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: The law is perfect, and does still command. Christ, in His sinless perfection, fulfilled the law in the sense that He is willing and able to free one to keep it, however imperfect one may be in the attempt. We are unable to keep the first and greatest commandment and the second which is like it, without being saved from our sin; also, the original ten, when kept perfectly, are simply a fulfillment of the two greatest commandments spoken of by Christ in the New Testament. (Matt.5:17-19, Mark 7-9, Rom. 8:1-4, Rom. 13:8-10)

21. Lesson from The Shack, p. 207-208: We are free from any responsibility in any relationship, as well as being free from expectations in any relationship. (“Responsibilities and expectations are the basis for guilt and shame and judgment, and they provide the essential framework that promotes performance as the basis for identity and value.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: We are certainly not free from responsibility in relationship, or from expectations in relationship. God does not free us from these things; He empowers us in these things! He enables us to carry out our responsibilities and to meet the expectations that He has of us- and at the risk of beating a dead horse, of course we will not be perfect in our attempts but we are forgiven when we fail, are again reminded of our need to subdue the flesh and walk in the Spirit, and are restored to right relationship. Also, an expectation is not a demand, and the fulfilling of an expectation does not mean that one is not free (A close consideration of the Scriptures may indicate that freedom in Christ is not freedom- as in what we normally think of as free will.). In fact, if one practices the meeting of God-given responsibility and living up to the expectations of God consistently, that one has the potential to become a servant-leader, as was Christ, Himself. Furthermore, God is a loving Father and is fully aware of each of our individual limitations and never expects more than we are capable of giving; thus guilt and shame occur for us only when we fail to live up to our God-given responsibilities. (Please see #6.)

22. Lesson from The Shack, p. 217: Repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation can occur after physical death. (“Daddy!” yelled Mack…)

Lesson from God’s Word: God does not allow or endorse necromancy, in fact it is strictly forbidden; and this scene from The Shack may reinforce the unfounded idea that people may be pardoned after physical death. Reconciliation between humans requires confession and true repentance of the offender, and forgiveness by the offended, while both parties are living on the earth. (Lev. 19:31, Deut.18:10, 11, 14, 2 Kings 21:6, Is. 8:19–20, Acts 19:19, Rev.9:21, Rev. 18:23)

23. Lesson from The Shack, p. 225: God is not involved in the humiliation (humbling), guilt, or condemnation of anyone. (Son, I don’t do humiliation, or guilt, or condemnation. They don’t produce one speck of wholeness or righteousness…”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God is involved in producing humiliation, guilt and condemnation, as well as conviction in the form of The Holy Spirit. However, it appears from Scripture that He prefers that we humble ourselves before Him; and also from The Bible, it appears that we condemn ourselves when we stand against Him, as well as the fact that at judgment, many will rise and stand to condemn those who have finally opposed God. (Lev. 14:25, Lev. 26:41-42, Deut. 8:3-4, Deut. 19:13, Ps. 44:9, Ps 107:39, 2 Chron. 28:19, 2 Chron. 33:23, Jer. 51:5, Is. 2:12, Hos. 5:15, Hos. 13-16, Malachi 2:7-9, Luke 14:11)

24. Lesson from The Shack, p. 226: God needs for us to forgive those who have offended us for Him to be able to redeem them. (Mack, for you to forgive this man is for you to release him to me and allow me to redeem him.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: God redeems His elect, ultimately, without any help from us. God does not need for us to forgive another person for that person to be saved. He wants us to forgive so that we will know the joy of it and we will be released from the bitterness that grips us when we are unforgiving; however whether or not we forgive someone does not determine that one’s final destiny, though there is some evidence to suggest that the decision may affect our own. (Luke 17:1-4)

25. Lesson from The Shack, p. 227: Jesus has forgiven all humans for their sin, but only some choose relationship with Him. (“I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship.”)

Lesson from God’s Word: All humans are not forgiven for their sin; precisely because not all humans choose relationship, because not all are drawn and persuaded to choose Him, or are chosen by Him. (Please see #5 and #6.)

26. Possible lesson from The Shack, pp. 131, 140, 166, 193: Chaos Theory, the existence of fractals, and time-dimensional coupling (a term I am assuming Mr. Williams is associating with String Theory), present new and different truths about God.

Lesson from God’s Word: These theories and discoveries in the realm of physical science being presented, considered, and discussed among modern physicists can not and will not change The God of Scripture into someone other than He has so perfectly, carefully and consistently revealed Himself to be in Holy Scripture. We must never believe or fear that The Creator and Designer of All while being dynamic and unlimited, will be undermined by the discoveries and accumulating knowledge of His created beings. The discoveries of new Truths in any scientific realm will ultimately and finally agree with The Holy Scriptures. (Ecc. 12:9-14, Is. 40:8, John 1:1, Hebrews 13:7-8, 2 Timothy 3:16, Jude 1:3-4)

In Conclusion:

” God’s Word has not been tried and found wanting-it has been found demanding and not tried.” Dr. Bob Agee (paraphrasing G.K. Chesterton, What’s Wrong With the World)

Within The Shack, Mr. Young has created a God quite different in many respects from The God of The Bible- thankfully, he does not claim to be a prophet or claim his book to be Truth; for we are to love The God of The Bible as He has there revealed Himself to be, and we are never to attempt to re-design Him according to our own desires and preferences. As is beautifully illustrated in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and as I have previously pointed out, it is not the character of God that is on trial- it is our own.

©2010, L.L. Shelton