|
|
|
Pt.2 mystical stories Referring to heretical fiction, “If you recall the story of The Shack, I could relate to Mack before encountering God. Yes, the Great Sadness was already part of my daily life. And, though often surrounded by other believers, I felt isolated and alone.” Reading the Shack is not recommended as a healthy book, as God is presented as a she and it teaches that all of the Trinity spoke itself into human existence ( www.letusreason.org/bookR21htm ; www.letusreason.org/current145.htm ) redefining the nature of God The “Shack” book has so much theological confusion on Gods nature that anyone not trained in scriptural discernment has little chance to survive its falsehoods. I summarize The Shack as a creative work of fiction that can change ones thinking on certain Bible teachings by challenging and reinterpreting the biblical held beliefs of Christianity with the characters in the story. As Jesus tells Mack (the main character) I have no desire to make them Christians, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my beloved. ” This is distinctly universalism, and Jesus is speaking to Mack says what Lovett says “God, who is the ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things” (p. 112 the Shack) Lovett states, “It was very hard for me to believe God loved me.” He then goes on to explain some of the traumatic things occurred in his life At the time he was struggling, desperate and depressed he went to see a pastor who seems to say what is right, but it did not help. He “ Spoke about all the things I was feeling and struggling with and about how desperate and depressed I felt. He encouraged me with a Scripture in John chapter three about how those who come to the light love the truth, while those who hate the truth avoid the light. He said, "Daniel, you are coming to the light. This is good." And then, he prayed for me. Honestly, I didn't feel any better at the time. I left still feeling depressed. As I “prayed in tongues” something amazing and miraculous started happening. The praying suddenly grew more intense and forceful and soon became so loud that I thought for sure I would wake my mom and brothers! I knew this was real! And then, the most awesome thing happened. The Lord Jesus in His glorious presence came right through the wall and into my room ! I cannot express to you how tangible this was. Brimming and radiating with effervescent glory and holiness, the very Being of God was in my room! All my burdens lifted in a moment as Perfect Peace enveloped me. The Lord's Presence, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, coursed through my body starting at the top of my head and moving to my toes and back again. It was like a whole body energy scan. Every cell in my body was quickened and made alive as I was anointed with liquid love. It was in that moment that Jesus commissioned me and gave me my calling: "to proclaim his Name." “I would be conveying his essence and nature, his heart and character to others. I would represent Jesus and show others what he is truly like.” So we need an experience, not the Word to have deliverance. Instead of him coming to the light, the light came to him. Which is similarly described by those in New Age/ occultism. Apparently his tongues was the axis for his change, which crescendo by Jesus personal appearing in glory. He then describes what is known as a kundalini awakening which he interpreted as the anointing; from top of my head and moving to my toes and back again. It was like a whole body energy scan.” The Word of God was not sufficient, it is by his experience that he is able show us what Jesus is truly like? Which implies that others are not showing us the real Jesus. Who these others are is not stated. Lovett also says of his past, God first appeared to me in my tree house when I was 12 and I've had many more encounters with Jesus since and many mystical adventures. Jesus is a WAY bigger deal than any of us imagined... and so are you!” https://www.pastemagazine.com/noisetr... He then says “ I have since come to see that the fabric of the universe is love and faithfulness.” Exactly what does this mean, the fabric of the universe are molecules, atoms; love and faithfulness are not contained in them. Maybe this what he means by the Spirit fills all things everywhere? He then describes having visions: and the next day the man from my vision stood there leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette just as the Lord had showed me. His name was Jacob. I said to him, "You will probably think I'm crazy, but I am a Christian and last night God came to me and told me to tell you that He loves you." Jacob seemed to take it seriously and I truly do hope it made a difference in his life. I then walked inside the building feeling a bit silly but also knowing that something quite amazing was happening here.” This is what his message is, and it lacks what Christians have taught from the beginning. Jn.3:16-18 from the Bible tells us Gods love was shown by sending his Son to die for sin. Also that one must acknowledge their sin to receive him as savior and no longer be condemned, this what Jesus means by coming to the light in the ensuing verses. The mystic’s gospel eliminates the true content and is just a shell of words. God not only wants us to know what He did to love us but that we are to love him back. That is what makes a relationship. This what Jesus means when he says for us to believe, to repent. To go around and tell people Jesus loves them without a qualification is just negligent and false. Lovett then gives a number of other experiences… “It took me many more years to come to the perspective that God doesn’t “use” anyone. God isn’t interested in “using” us. Would any loving father want to “use” their children?4 Does a father need a baby to do something to earn their love? Are parents not pleased with their children until they are of an age to be useful? No not when they are a baby, but when grown up they are to be choosing what is right or their father will punish them (Heb. 12:7) Heb 12:6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, v.8 only those illegitimate are not chastened The psalmist understood this,Ps 6:1 LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Rev 3:19-20 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Lovett inserts his own Scriptural reinterpretation of God using us to further His will. “What if God is already pleased? What if there is nothing to earn? What if our starting point is the same as Jesus when the Father said, “My son, whom I love, in whom I am well pleased ”? Where does it say this of the all believers, If God is well please with us as he is with Jesus why are we instructed not to do certain things which are called sins. Why are the letters written filled with how we are to conduct ourselves in the world if he is pleased with all we do? Again the sin concept is eliminated in our walk by the mystic gospel. The Bible speaks of our doing works, that he prepared these beforehand (Eph.2:10-12). It depends how you view the word “use” which is our modern vernacular for having us submitting to do his will. We are living epistles to be read, to be seen. That is being used for his purposes. Is that not God using you for his purposes, to fulfill his will? (Titus 1:9; Col.1:29) Phil 2:13 “ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Titus 2:7 “showing yourself to be a pattern of good works” v.14 “zealous for good works” Titus 3:8 “careful to maintain good works.” V.14 “ learn to maintain good works.” Heb. 10:24 “ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” James 2:18 says “show me your faith without your works.” In other words, our works are done in Christ, we submit and allow him to use us for his purposes to accomplish His will. Did not God use Moses to free Israel from Egypt? Is our starting point the same as Jesus when the Father said, “My son, whom I love, in whom I am well pleased”? When the Father said this to Jesus, he is pointing to the ONLY one who was perfectly obedient in all things, His only begotten Son. Jesus says in John 17:26 “ I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them . Here Jesus explains the same love that the Father has for him is to be in us, and we are to love each other in the same manner he loved us. Lovett claims “the Scripture reveals that the Father loves you as much as he loves Jesus !” Does it say this? Much of this can become difficult to explain, to convey the differences. there are different views on this topic. As we will see there is a caveat accompanying His love toward us. Lest look at where this is quoted, John 17:23-24 “ that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” We are recipients of his love by Jesus being sent by the Father into the world to rescue us from sin. That is how God (the Father) loved us as He does the Son. As it says in Titus 3:4-5 “ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared.” It was an action the Father took on our behalf. This is not the same as the constant active love between the Father and the Son. The love the Father has toward Jesus is reciprocal. Which means, Jesus the Son of God has love toward the Father in the same as He is loved. And this where this concept of God loving us the same as his Son falls short. 1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.” This cannot be said of Jesus, there was always a perfect love between them. We on the other hand had God initiate His love for us to respond. John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father” Let me point out some other differences. Jesus says "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love .” Notice how Jesus further explains it, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:9-10). We are to abide in him to receive his love. We are told to abide and keep his commandments. “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (Jn.14:15). Obeying Christ’s commands means doing his will (John 13:15–16). Loving Jesus is not merely a feeling; it is an active abiding, an ongoing relationship of following and obeying. “ We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands” (1 John 2:3). Eph. 1:6-7 “ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. ” This was accomplished by Jesus’ crucifixion and making it available by grace through faith. This shows Gods love toward us. Eph. 2:4-7 “ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus .” 1 John 4:15-16 “ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” We find the fruit of the Spirit is love (Gal 5:22). 1 John 3:1 “ Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Jesus is not a child of God but the only begotten Son of God, He is God. We are adopted because we obeyed by repenting/believing. Lovett: John 1:12 “ But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. He then says, The Scriptures declare that “ as he is, so also are we in this world” .10 You are already glorified ! Don’t believe me? Read what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter eight! Again, all that needs healing is our sight .” What needs healing is his interpretation. It does not say anywhere we are like him “in this world,” and no, we are not already glorified. That would mean we are sinless, immortal in our bodies already. Rom 8:30 and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” There is a connection between justification (past) and glorification (future) which is still to take place in the future. From God’s perspective this is viewed as done; He sees it as both assured and completed. As explained prior we who are called are also justified, to also be glorified. These stages are held as one; a completed salvation. Here’s what Paul wrote in Rom. 8:17-18 “ if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us .” Paul explains we have suffering now, the glory comes later. With interpretations like this from Lovett can any of his spiritual experience be considered trustworthy? Lovett’s view sees us glorified already which Biblically means the resurrection and rapture must have occurred. For this is the ONLY event that transforms our lowly body, to a glorified state; to be immortal and to be sinless. 1 Cor.15:52 tells us it occurs with the whole church, not as individuals. Lovett is saying this already occurred! On the contrary Scripture says in 1 John 1:7-8 “ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” To say we are just like him in nature means we have no sin. At this point one can throw out half the New Testament that corrects and instructs us in our walk because we still sin. We are not judged for the sin as the world is, but this does not makes us pure and just like Jesus.
|
|
