Yes, regardless of what the Shack says, I’m with Deborah.
I too have looked afresh at the idea of universal (or ultimate) reconciliation and have found it quite intriguing and Scriptural.
Bobby- As far as I can tell, there is fire and suffering in Hades. Whether or not it is an eternal/fruitless fire or a time-based/purging fire seems the question to me. Even death itself is destined to end up in the lake of fire, maybe at the same moment the mystery of time is no more?
]]>There was a certain man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to be fed the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table, moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good tidings, and likewise Lazarus evil things: But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” Then he said, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren: that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” Abraham said unto him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” And he said, “Nay, father Abraham: But if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” And he said unto him, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:19-31
]]>Great interview. I read “The Shack” and recognized the Universalism but enjoyed the book for other reasons. My view of God was not altered but enhanced (however much) within the framework of an already secure (to some degree) theology. If however one has little or no theological framework and “The Shack” becomes a building block, the resulting building will tend toward peculiarity. If one knows only a judgmental God and not a loving God, then maybe they receive some welcome balance from “Shack” but that balance is better received from proper study of God’s word and not man’s fiction.
The book’s success has an unnatural element to it. Many Christians ascribe supernatural success to God only, probably due to the prosperity gospel. We forget the other side of supernatural. Derek had a good point, “when everyone is speaking well of you …”.
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