Artist of "The Shack" book cover regrets promoting book. That's good. However, he still has some issues:
Many will still say that the book was intended as just a work of fiction, but the author himself, William Paul Young, is quoted as saying, “The Shack is theology. But it is a theology wrapped in a story.”
Embracing The Shack, as I did, led me to other books, other authors who had started out on the straight and narrow, having solid Biblical beliefs, but strayed off into apostasy land. Rob Bell, Jim Palmer, Brian McLaren, to name a few of those by whom I was inspired. That "inspiration" led me to the edge of this Universalist belief. I thank the Lord that He pulled me back from that edge.The Shack’s story wonderfully painted this picture to me of an incredibly knowable and loving God, one full of forgiveness, but without being judgmental. The fact is that there are two inseparable sides to God. He is both love and judge.
Again, this thing called “free will” has given us the ability to willfully accept God’s gracious gift of His Son, Jesus, who died on a cross to save us from our sins, or willfully reject His gracious gift. Jesus did die for the sins of the whole world, but tragically most of the world has and will refuse Him.
End quote.
Bell and McLaren were never ever solid. Also, there is no such thing as "free will" since Scripture clearly and adamantly states that we are all slaves either to sin or righteousness (Rom. 6:16-22). If we are not redeemed and adopted by God to God, then we remain as children of the devil, under his reign. There is no neutrality toward God and sin for anyone. Basically the "free will" doctrine denies the sound doctrine of total depravity.
Rom 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Rom 8:7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Rom 8:8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1Co 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Rom 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Eph 2:2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Eph 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Php 3:18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,
Universal atonement is blasphemous as it portrays a helpless god who's will is thwarted, although filled with good intentions. It's pushed by those who don't want to offend sinners, but instead assure the wicked God loves them and thus Jesus died for them all. To say Jesus died for all sinners and yet many won't go to Heaven is a FALSE GOSPEL.
Joh 10:26 but you do not
believe because you are not part of My flock.
Acts 13: 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they
were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for
eternal life believed.
Rom. 8: 30 And
those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those
he justified, he also glorified
Rom 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it
was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that
would not hear, down to this very day."
Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
Eph 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Is. 14: 24 The
LORD Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I
have purposed, so it will stand… 26
This is the plan
determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all
nations. 27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart
him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
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