Shack Attack

Just a short resource list of links to articles and audio exposing just some of the heretical errors found in the book "The Shack" by Paul Young. No, I didn't read it, but I do respect the people that these resources come from and have listen to or read each and I am convinced this is a book that Christians need to avoid and warn others about.

Uncovering The Shack - Sermon by Dr. Michael Youssef
Re-imagining God in the Shack - by Mary Kassian
The Sham - Book Review by Greg McGuigan
Challies Review - Book Review by Tim Challies
A Look at “The Shack” - Radio Program by Dr. R. Albert Mohler
The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment - by Dr. R. Albert Mohler
What’s Wrong with “The Shack”? - Sermon by Paul Edwards
The Shack - Impressions - by Tim Keller

Videos

Stay Out of The Shack

Don't Read The Shack

The Shack in light of the Bible

Prodigal God Plug

Wednesday morning I had the pleasure of hearing Tim Keller preach a message at LifeWay headquarters in Nashville and then got to meet him and get my free copy of his latest book "The Prodigal God" signed. I won't go into detail about the sermon but will leave you with a link to a interview that followed the sermon by LifeWays own Chris Turner on a special edition of Inside LifeWay.

"One of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do." —Tim Keller

The Sham (Shack)

Gal 1:6-9 "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed."

I recently finished reading "The Shack" or as I like to call it The Sham. I normally devour books of this size in about 2 days. This book took me closer to 3 weeks. It was tough to swallow when it got to the main character's weekend with his fictional triune God.

A young lady in my Sunday school class told me she had purchased the book and asked my opinion of it. I immediately told her I thought it wasn't a very good book based on what I had read about it. I have said this about several books in the past without having read them myself, only reviews by people whose opinions I trust. But, as if by Divine Providence, a friend of mine brought a copy of it for me to read the week after I had the discussion with the girl in my class. I begrudgingly submitted myself to the task of reading it, so I could completely defend or change my stance of it.

I attempted to read it with no preconceived notions. By the third page of the first chapter my thoughts of what this book was had surfaced. The main character Mackenzie or Mac for short received a letter from "Papa" telling him he missed him and would like to meet with him if Mac was willing. WHAT?! The Potter asking the clay to meet with Him, through a letter nonetheless.

For more information on the heresies in this book I would refer you to the earlier post with the link to the free download by Dr. Michael Youssef who expounds greatly on this book. I would like to spend a little of your time speaking of this growing trend in the so-called "Christian" book industry. Books such as The Secret, Your Best Life Now, and so on are all on the best-sellers lists and yet full of heresies and blasphemous statements. They attack the very nature of God and just about everything He has revealed about Himself in Scripture. Then again "papa" dismisses Scripture in The Sham anyway.

These authors have the audacity to play on readers emotions and tickle their ears to push their own agendas. The Shack even uses quotes from C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer and others. This book has even been compared to John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress". Although Lewis and Bunyan would never depict the Almighty in humanly form as William P. Young does.

Friends this is an extremely popular book; as well as all the new fad "Christian" books that come out every couple of months and downplay the legitimacy of Scripture. It's not that we should purpose to be hated, spit on, and unpopular as Christians; but that is the natural consequence of preaching and expounding on God's true Word. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a condemning and yet loving Gospel. It is about God's grace on undeserving sinners. Yet it is an unpopular, hated and rejected message when presented correctly in light of Scripture.

So with that said I will give this book 2 thumbs down. I fear it will lead many down the wide path that says Heaven, only to realize that wasn't the case. The Lord will not lose any of His sheep, but I fear many will be self-deceived and swept up into the emotion surrounding this book. Possibly doubting everything they have ever heard about God that was taught to them by Christian parents and laypeople. His sheep know His voice and cannot ultimately deny Him, but reading a book like this could lead to much pain and hurt in a young Christian's walk.

The Lord of all creation does not need me to defend Him. But we are called to make a defense of our faith. Jude1:3-4 "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."

I could write so much more, but it would be easier for you to download the free message from Dr. Michael Youssef in the earlier post by my brother John and listen and share it with others. Beloved, I pray that you let not your ears by tickled or your emotions played upon.

New Books

Sorry for the lack of post lately but I have just been real busy, and have been spending more time reading of late. Here is a list of the latest round of books I have purchased.

Jude by Thomas Manton, I have found this book to be clear, precise and a deep treasure trove of Christian exposition.

The Loveliness of Christ by Samuel Rutherfod, It is said that this book is ‘a small casket stored with many jewels’.

Christ Is All, by Horatius Bonar, This is a book of excerpts from the Scottish Presbyterian preacher with a view into the real Christian life.

A Defence of Calvinism by C. H. Spurgeon, I will most likely end up giving this little gem away at some point to help a fellow brother see the parallel truths.

Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur, I have had this book in digital format for several years I just want to be able to hold a copy.

God-fearing Men?

As I come near to the end of this great book by A. W. Pink titled The Sovereignty of God, several things have really impacted my thinking of God while reading this book, first and foremost is a clearer view of His absolute sovereignty over all of His creation including salvation, reprobation, the human will and how all these great truths should impact our prayer life have been a real eye opener. Pink takes it even further as he talks about the attitude of fear we should always have towards God and the dangerous effects of not having a healthy fear of the Lord. I know there are some in Christendom who say that God doesn't want us to fear Him, and this seems to be a pious statement, but Mr. Pink begs to differ and I whole heartily agree.

"Why is it that even among those who profess to be the Lord's people there is so little real subjection to His Word, and that its precepts are so lightly esteemed and so readily set aside? Ah! what needs to be stressed to-day is that God is a God to be feared. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7). Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God's majesty, that has had a vision of God's awful greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His sovereign grace. Does someone say, "But it is only the unsaved, those outside of Christ, who need to fear God"? Then the sufficient answer is that the saved, those who are in Christ, are admonished to work out their own salvation with "fear and trembling." Time was, when it was the general custom to speak of a believer as a "God-fearing man"—that such an appellation has become nearly extinct only serves to show whither we have drifted. Nevertheless, it still stands written, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him" (Psalms 103:13)! —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Quote taken from The Sovereignty of God by A. W. Pink, first published 1930 republished 1984 by Baker Books p. 181

Redemption Secured

I want to thank Tony Reinke over at the Shepherds Scrapbook for recommending the book The Apostles’ Doctrine of the Atonement by George Smeaton. I have found it to be a very easy read and a very in depth exposition of Scripture. I just wanted to share a quote I came across in chapter 2, section VII titled Epistle To The Galatians where Mr. Smeaton explains Galatians 3:13-14a "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;" saying quote:

The price or ransom paid for us was nothing else but the personal Redeemer, the Son of God condescending to be made a CURSE for us; a thought so vast and unfathomable, that though our minds grow familiar with the phraseology, we are for ever incapable of comprehending or fully surveying it. The ransom which liberated us was not His divine doctrine, nor His bright example of holiness left us to follow; for that would but throw humanity back upon its own resources, and could never be disjoined from dependence on works, or inner holiness. The apostle thinks of the ransom in a far other way: he identifies it with the Lord's abasement and ignominious death as a vicarious satisfaction. He affirms that the price by which He discharged us from temporal and eternal penalty was His being made a curse for us by entering into our position before God. That is the meaning of the participial clause (compare 2 Cor. v. 19): He was made the accumulated curse of His people, as if it were embodied in Him. God treated the sin-bearer as if He had been the sinner: that is, what the law awarded to us was visited upon Him; and by that substitution our redemption was secured.

Excerpt taken from The Apostles’ Doctrine of the Atonement by George Smeaton (1870; reprint, Banner of Truth, 1991) p.246

The Gospel of You?

Dr. Michael Horton of Westminster Seminary California and host of the White Horse Inn has written an excellent review of the new book Become a Better You by Joel Osteen. This is a must read for anyone who believes that Joel is a preacher of the Gospel. (Read Full Review)

Once upon a time, conservative Protestants imagined that theological liberalism was the greatest threat to authentic Christianity in our time. With liberalism almost completely irrelevant as an active school or movement, Osteen's success confirms my suspicions that evangelicalism itself is becoming a more serious obstacle to evangelical faith and practice today.

Hagee's Slip of The Pen

Richard McGough over at the Bible Wheel has posted a review of John Hagee's new book In Defense of Israel, you should take the time to read the entire article here.

"In his book In Defense of Israel (2007), beginning in the section called "The Jews did not Reject Jesus as Messiah" (p. 132) John Hagee relentlessly twisted Scripture in his attempt to prove that Jesus Christ did not come "to be Messiah to the Jews." His denial of Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) cannot be overlooked as a mere "slip of his pen" because he repeated his assertion "seven ways from Sunday" as seen in this sample of seven quotes from his book:"

If God intended for Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, why didn't he authorize Jesus to use supernatural signs to prove he was God's Messiah, just as Moses had done? (p. 137)

Jesus refused to produce a sign ... because it was not the Father's will, nor his, to be Messiah. (p 138)

If Jesus wanted to be Messiah, why did he repeatedly tell his disciples and followers to "tell no one" about his supernatural accomplishments? (p. 139)

The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews. (p. 140)

They wanted him to be their Messiah, but he flatly refused. (p. 141)

He refused to be their Messiah, choosing instead to be the Savior of the world (p. 143)

Jesus rejected to the last detail the role of Messiah in word or deed. (p. 145)

Become a Better You?

Tim Challies has posted a review of Joel Osteen's new book Become a Better You which hit the book stores today. If you have bought into this smiling charlatan then please take the time and read Tim's review.

"the secret to Osteen's success is this: he teaches self-help but wraps it in a thin guise of Christian terminology. Thus people believe they are being taught the Bible when the reality is that they are learning mere human wisdom rather than divine wisdom. Osteen cunningly blends the wisdom of this age with language that sounds biblical. He blends the most popular aspects of New Age and self-help teaching with Christianity. And his audience is eagerly drinking this in.

And this raises an important and related question. What is Osteen's authority? On what authority does he base what he teaches? Christians have long understood that the only authority we have when it comes to spiritual matters is authority given to us by God through the Bible. We are committed to teaching only things that are consistent with God's revelation of Himself in the Bible. Without the Bible we have no authority. A pastor has no right to stand in front of a congregation and teach people what he believes. Rather, the pastor is to stand in front of the congregation and teaches people what God says about Himself. He bases all he does and says on this standard. In reading Joel Osteen we do not see this manner of authority. In reading Osteen we see a man who appeals to himself and to his own understanding and experience as authority. Rarely does he appeal to the Bible (66 times in 380 pages). Never will the discerning reader feel that Osteen has sought to understand the Bible first. Rather, it seems that he looks to the Bible to prove what he has already written or what he already believes. He uses the Bible, but not as a source of authority." Tim Challies

Mysterious and Glorious

I am reading The Glory of Christ by John Owen and I am finding it a wonderful study of the depths of Christ and His Glory. Here is what I read this morning in chapter six.

The glory of his obedience becomes more wonderful when we realize who he was who thus obeyed God. He was none other than the Son of God made man. He who was in heaven, above all, Lord of all, lived in the world, having no earthly glory or reputation, obliged to obey the whole law of God perfectly. He, to whom prayer was made, prayed himself night and day. He, whom all the angels of heaven and all creatures worshipped, fulfilled all the duties which the worship of God required. He who was Lord and master of the house became the lowliest servant in the house, performing all menial duties. He that made all men in whose hand they are all as clay is in the hand of the potter, observed among them the strictest rules of justice, in giving to everyone his due, and out of love giving good things to the undeserving. This is what makes the obedience of Christ so mysterious and glorious. —John Owen (1616-1683)

Quote taken from The Glory of Christ by John Owen, The Banner of Truth Trust; 1994 p. 54

People Pleasers

Are you a People Pleaser? Do you know how to spot one? Here is a list of 10 character traits of a People Pleaser taken from Lou Priolo's book titled Pleasing People: How Not to Be an Approval Junkie.

01. He fears the displeasure of man more than the displeasure of God.
02. He desires the praise of man above the praise of God.
03. He studies what it takes to please man as much or more as what it takes to please God.
04. His speech is designed to entice others to think well of him.
05. He is a respecter of persons.
06. He is over sensitive to correction or the dissatisfaction or disapproval of others.
07. He outwardly renders eye service to man instead of sincere service to the Lord.
08. He selfishly uses the gifts and the abilities God has given him for God's glory for his own personal benefit.
09. He spends more resources in establishing his honor instead of the honor of God.
10. He is discontent with the proportion God has given him, always wanting more.

MacArthur's Million

This month marks the tenth anniversary of The MacArthur Study Bible since it was first published, over one million copies of the Study Bible have been distributed worldwide. The Study Bible is not only having a profound impact in my life, but also on believers around the globe. With French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish versions already complete, and Chinese and Arabic translations planned for the future. Congratulations to John MacArthur and Grace Community Church. You can buy your own copy at Monergism Books.com. ( More+ )

FYI

I was not aware until today that the famed search engine Google now has a book search, I know so what right? Well to my amazement it is chalked full of old Puritan books in their entirety. Books by such men of God like Horatius Bonar, Jonathan Edwards, C. H. Spurgeon, John Owen, Richard Sibbs and just about anyone else you can think of, for example they have the complete works of John Flavel right at your finger tips. This is a great resource for any serious reader who would like to preview books before you purchase. Anyway; I think its a great resource. Google Book Search

Justification & Regeneration

I picked up a copy of Charles Leiter's newest book titled "Justification and Regeneration" and I know I am not one to give a book review in detail but after reading the first two chapters I highly recommend this book to every believer in understanding these two fundamental Christian doctrines that seem to be an enigma to Modern Christianity. Paul Washer has written the forward and you can pick up a copy at HeartCry Missionary Society for only $9.00.

"In this work, Pastor Charles Leiter has done a great service to the Church in that he has taken two of the greatest doctrines of Scripture and two of the greatest miracles in the Christian life and explained them in simple language without loss of content. As I read through the manuscript of this book I was amazed at its simplicity and scope…Of particular interest to me was the setting forth of a proper view of regeneration…" - Paul Washer