Why you shouldn't look for God in "The Shack"

There is probably not one of us who has either seen the movie The Shack, or read the book, or at the very least, knows of someone who has, and thought The Shack was the best movie or book they have ever read.  Now, while I can believe such a book or film can be entertaining, and insightful; even plant seeds of faith in a non-believer; we have to be able to discern what is truth, and what is fiction.  The Shack is fiction, and dangerous fiction in that while it feels good on the surface, it has some false premises that can damage or even destroy ones relationship with Christ.  Below are just a couple of key points:

• In "The Shack", God the Father Himself comes to the shack...as a woman?  God has always referred to himself as masculine (sorry, ladies; but please stay, with me for a bit longer!) and never in the flesh.  That was Jesus's job, to be God in the flesh.  Jesus walked and talked with us on earth.  God the Father on earth could not be directly viewed by sinful man without dying (Exodus 33:20; Isaiah 6).   What The Shack does is recreate god in man's image; or, in other words, promote idolatry.

• What? No Hell?  The Shack implies through an underlying theme that all of mankind and even Satan and his fallen angels can and will be reconciled to God, enter Heaven, thus eliminate the need for Hell and the Lake of Fire.  Very appealing, but not very biblically Sound.  (Revelation 20:10-15)  Satan will not be let back into the heavenly realm, so he can try to overthrow God again.  Those who choose to reject God and his offer of love will not be forced to repent and be thrown into Heaven, as The Shack suggests.  That's not love, love respects freedom of choice.  (Ladies, you know that guy you had no interest in who kept pursuing you?  Would that be love if he forced you to love him??  God is not just a God of love, but a God of justice as well.

While The Shack can be treated as good, secular fiction, with a lot of biblical truths; one must be careful in regard to the half truths and falsehoods that are laced throughout the book and film.  This story paints a universal message, that all religions lead to God; while Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)  So while all religions do lead to God, most lead to a God, sitting on a throne of judgment, seperating himself from those who chose not to have any relationship with Him while they were on earth.  The only place for an eternal human being to go who does not want fellowship with God is the lake of fire; the second death, that truly lasts for eternity.

Christianity is not a religion where you need to appease a god; it's about God's love for us, that He (Christ) died for us (Romans 5:8).  God has done all that needs to be done to reconcile the relationship between mankind and Himself, that will we have left to do is say, "Thank you, Lord Jesus", and spend time with Him; in prayer, in reading His word, the Bible, and sharing this good news with others.

Why does God allow suffering, injustice and oppression on Earth?

In having a conversation with an atheist some time ago, he cited all the reasons why he and others like him refuse to believe in any kind of a deity.  Most of them claim science will eventually be able to prove the universe was not created but evolved, but one of their "evidences" comes from the notion that God cannot be all that powerful; or if He is, he must not be all that good of a god since there are so many injustices in the world, so many diseases, so much oppression, pain, suffering and misery taking place.  A good god should not permit such things to happen.

Those of us in Christ know that God actually permits such evil to exist on the earth.  When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they chose not just to rebel from God, they chose to learn what good and evil truly are.  As a result, we live in a beautiful world that also has earthquakes, tornados, plagues, and a host of maladies the make life difficult at times.  God from the beginning cursed the ground for our sake (Genesis 3:17, NKJV). So we can enjoy the appearance and the fragrance of a rose, while getting pricked by its thorns.  Good and evil.

Albert Einstein described evil as a lack of good.  Just as cold is actually an absence of heat, and darkness is an absence of light.  And if every good thing comes from our creator God, then the absence of God is in effect, pure evil.  The realm of Lucifer, aka Satan.

We as humans get to choose whether or not to do good or evil; to ourselves as well as to one another.  The Bible gives us lessons on how to do good, as well as examples of doing evil.  It also gives consequences; good and bad, for doing either good or evil respectively.  And we get to choose whether or not we follow God's good rules; or our own rules, which by God's standards, are truly evil.

This is what Heaven and Hell are all about.  Heaven is eternity with God; Hell, on the other hand, is eternity separated from God.  And everyone gets to choose where they spend eternity.  In this day and age, that choice is based on one's faith that Jesus Christ is their Lord and King; and because of that, we seek a complete, perfect relationship with Him.  (Prior to Christ, or for those who die without ever hearing this good news, those with the heart that seeks God will find him, and His eternal Salvation (Romans 1:20).)  I believe God's grace will give such a person a place in heaven.  But God will not send anyone to Hell; the individual chooses Hell because he or she wants to avoid having a relationship with God.

How do I know this?  Seriously, I'm not anyone's judge, jury and executioner.  I'm just a messenger; and as such, I may get the message wrong.  Yet, when asked the question, "If there became scientific evidence that removed any and all doubt that God is real, and that Jesus is real; would you become a Christian?", most atheists would either refuse to answer the question or flat out say, "No".  The honest ones who say no would state they like their lifestyle just as it is, and refuse to answer to any higher power.  Others would insist on debating the point further.

The bottom line is, God cannot make any of us love him.  As much as He loves His creation, we as individuals get to choose to love Him back.  And Heaven and Hell are the places we go; based on who we choose to love.

Christians, Take a Stand

The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience has been signed and released to the public. This document declares that the Christian community will no longer tolerate social and lifestyle behavior that is anti Judeo - Christian; including gay marriage and infidelity, abortion, and the right to publicly display and choose your own religion without any government interference.


While this decralation acknowledges Christian shortcomings over its 2000 year history, the usual opponents are spitting out their usual venom, condemning Christianity over these same topics. We must stand up to these people; First, because this is a spiritual war we are fighting (and yes, the victory is the Lord's).

Click on the link above. Check this document out. I believe it may be the best document written since the Decralation of Independance. If you agree with it, sign your name on the signature page. Over 105,000 signatures have been collected over the last five days. If you disagree with it, let me know. You are free to comment below, or on the website itself.
 
It's time that Christians push sin back into the closet, if not the dumpster; and state what we not only believe, but what we know about God and Jesus.  Put on the full armor of God.  Politics and this evil culture have been invading our faith far too long.  We need to drive it back out if America is to survive.

Have You Prayed for your Country Today? 5

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; New King James

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment 1, US Constitution.

Perhaps the two greatest sentences written by God and man. One commanding us to spread God’s word to the world, the other commanding one nation (ours) not to silence or control the actions of any religion (or anyone for that matter). We cannot proclaim the good news of Jesus if the government outlaws it…unless we violate the laws of Man in order to honor the command of God

Unfortunately, the world that hates Jesus first has convinced our government God’s’ words must be silenced or confined to places of worship only, and public displays of religion must be taken down. The 10 commandments and nativity scenes at Christmas time are being protested more and more, by anti religious organizations that support not just a secular/ progressive view, they support the elimination of all displays of faith in a Creator in public places. And municipalities are cowering in fear from the well funded legal staff of these organizations.

But Americans are fighting back. With assistance from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), these municipalities are fighting back - and winning! The standards our founding fathers had when they prayed over and drafted this constitution (53 of the 55 founders were believers in God, and 24 of them had bible or seminary degrees) are finally being defended.

The right to choose which God you will serve (or no God at all) can be traced back to Joshua 24:16. But no individual, politician, bureaucrat or government has the right to control what God you or I will worship or how we will worship, or that you cannot publicly worship any God at all. We need to encorage other Christians in their walk with God, encourage those who are not followers of Jesus to join us, and accept the decisions some will make who simply choose not to follow our God.

But their choice is not our choice, and they most not be allowed to force their choice upon us.  This is where politics is invading Christianity, and politics will win if Christianity does not fight back.

Pray for these Christian organizations above in their fight for our religious freedom in America. Consider giving to these organizations. Pray that our judges do not use their bench to outlaw this basic right. Finally, pray that you will have the emotional and spiritual strength to proclaim these basic rights in public, and encourage those who are already proclaiming these rights, doing all you can to support them. Let’s show these atheists our God is real!

© 2009 David Etenburn.

Jesus is a Choice

Your choice.  No one, including God, will make you choose one way or the other.  You have your entire life to make that choice.  You even get to change your mind at the last minute!

Numerous criminals, including death row inmates, have chosen Jesus in their final days on earth.  It makes little difference whether you choose Jesus as a six year old child or a 106 year old on your deathbed.  Choosing Jesus is choosing eternal life, life where there is no more fear, pain, suffering, sorrow, hate, disease, or death; no more bad stuff.  No evil.

The Bible teaches us that eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil gave us just that:  knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 3:17)  The ground was cursed “for our benefit”, that we know both good and evil.  God allows these evil things to occur to teach us what is good, and what is evil.  And that there is both, good and evil, not only in the world, but in the entire universe.   And we get to learn this, first hand.

The choice Adam and Eve made subjected the human race to this fate.  The good news is, Jesus (God) chose to come down to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, then he chose to die for us and our sins.  And as God (in heaven) resurrected Jesus from this death, he too will resurrect us, in His time.  Jesus, as a result of His sacrifice, gave us this choice.

God is doing this because He loves us.  God chooses to love you, but you don’t have to love Him back.  You can choose to reject Him, and His Son, Jesus.  God will permit that, and allow you to spend eternity apart from Him, if you choose.  You may not like the choice you make, but you get to make it!

Being a good person on earth will not get you anywhere with God.  God does not measure earthly works.  He only measures your heart and your spirit.  He doesn’t want a bunch of humans in heaven gloating over those who “didn’t make it” (we would probably do that, too!).  He wants your loyalty, your respect, your love; unconditionally, like His love is for you.  God cannot make you love Him; you have to choose to love Him.  The death of Jesus is, was and will be God’s gift to the human race, that all sins, violations, trespasses, and criminal acts any of us have committed, past, present and future, will not be counted against those who choose Jesus.  A free gift, at no cost to anyone.  A gift so great you cannot buy it.

But it is too late to choose Jesus after you die.  That is why you should choose Jesus today.  Death can strike you in the next minute, the next day, or in 100 years, no one knows.  Death with Jesus will mean eternal life with Jesus; death without Jesus will mean a second, permanent death, separated from God and Jesus, without end.  Choose Jesus. 

To choose Jesus, pray the following:

Call out to God,

Acknowledge that God is the Creator of the entire universe.

Thank Him for your life, and for Jesus.

Thank Jesus for dying for your sins and for everyone’s sins, from the beginning to the end of time. Thank Jesus for the free gift of eternal life He has provided you. 

Pray for forgiveness.  We all have wronged others, and we all have wronged God.  Pray that you can learn to forgive others, just as Jesus has forgiven you.

Pray in the name of Jesus.

Once finished, contact other Christians you know, or send me an e-mail.  I can refer you to others in your area.


©2008 David Etenburn