A TRUE AND FAITHFUL WITNESS
Are you committed to being a true and faithful witness to the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament Gospel?
A Review of Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell, Zondervan, Grand Rapids,
MI., 2005
Part 1
My guess is that if you like “your faith” and “your discipleship” to be as
nebulous as possible then this is the book for you! Sometimes it seems that
some are more in love with some “mystical” and “feel-good in my little group”
journey than the Biblical treasure to be found which is Jesus Christ. The
problem is that the Holy Scriptures relate to us categories like: COMMON
SALVATION followed by THE faith and ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common
salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the
faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 3, ESV (English
Standard Version)
Notice that the text says we have a common or shared salvation but it is in
the faith and that this faith has been once for all delivered to the saints
(articulated in Holy Scripture). It is not unfolding like a new painting of Elvis.
(Nor is the truth of the Scriptures "outdated" or "cheesy" like an old painting
of Velvet Elvis.) If you would ask Rob Bell he would probably say; No, you
have it all wrong, my Christian life and my church experience is becoming the
portrait of Velvet Elvis and is thus somehow a painting of the real thing. But
what happens in the wash is that the “experience” of deity in an individual
and subsequent to that the community is what becomes the guiding authority
for the life of the church. This instead of His Life defined and His Spirit
illumining our minds and hearts as to who He is as we go to THE authority
which is the Holy Scriptures to share together in that common salvation. In a
very subtle way his Velvet Elvis is repainting the real Elvis to look quite
different.
Unfortunately, this entire book, and many recent books that label themselves
Christian have a great tendency toward a new-age world view disguised as
an unfolding of The Kingdom of God upon the earth which starts in the
church. (And many of these books are coming through Zondervan, which
when you go up through their corporate ladder you come to a man by the
name of Rupert Murdoch.) And there are many former new-agers or those
very familiar with mysticism who have become true believers in Jesus Christ
who very clearly see the deceptions in books like these. (For example, go
here to buy and read books by Brian Flynn and Warren Smith or Ray
Yungen.)
To underscore my point about new-age mysticism being disguised as
Christianity simply realize that Rob Bell's speaking tour for the summer of
2006 is titled: “Everything is Spiritual.” And what could the logical end of this
kind of thinking be but nothing other than the melding of deity and humanity!
Everything is spiritual. Yea - everything is spiritual and some of it is spiritual
truth but much of it is spiritual deception! They are from the world; therefore
they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God.
Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen
to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. ESV I John 4:
5, 6
And why does the Apostle John speak like this? Because the truth has been
clearly articulated to His own through the Holy Scriptures! Spiritual truth is
understandable by the renewed mind of one who has the Spirit! And the
Spirit has made this spiritual truth clear to them and not vague! And the
apostles heard and understood that truth (both proposition and incarnation)
through Jesus Himself and articulated it as they were moved by the Spirit to
write and speak.
"these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit
searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's
thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one
comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have
received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we
might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in
words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting
spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not
accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not
able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual
person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has
understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind
of Christ.
I Corinthians 2:10-16 ESV (English Standard Version)
There it is: spiritual truth is made plain and clear in the mind of those who
have the Spirit! And it doesn't come in vague categories or mystical
experiences but in spiritual words laid down for us in Holy Scripture. And we
interpret and understand these text of Scripture as we would other human
writings except for the fact that they are ultimately breathed out by the Holy
Spirit through the authors. That same Spirit illumines these truths to our
minds! It is articulated in human words and language but because it is God's
revelation via God's inspiration then it is God's TRUTH! (You may find
several instances in the book were Bell clearly downplays the role of God in
revelation as Scripture is written.)
So what does Rob Bell bring to the table to help us understand the
difference between spiritual truth and spiritual error? Let me answer the
question with one rather irrational (sorry Rob) and mystical moment from the
book. On page 40 he relates a mystical experience he had after college
while he was working at a youth camp and asked to speak in their chapel. He
had this “experience” which was quite “Moses like” in that he took off his
sandals because he knew the ground he was standing upon was holy. He
relates that a voice communicated with him. An internal voice. And he relates
that the words spoken by this voice were very clear and very concise. The
words: Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else. (He relates
that in those moments his entire life changed and that it was like a rebirth.)
And yet he spends this entire book (and I do mean entire) articulating how
vague and unknowable and mysterious and questioning and difficult is THE
HOLY SCRIPTURES! How is it that one can hear a “clear and concise” voice
(with accompanying words) to teach what he hammers at over and over
again as ultimately unknowable in Biblical Words? So - it is somehow okay if
this inner mystical voice is clear but it is not okay that the Spirit could
breathe out clear and concise words through the Scriptures for all the
saints? But at least he's clear about his mission - I guess. (If you want to
understand the “spirit” of the emerging church - this may be by far the best
and only book you will need to read. But go to your public library and check
it out - don't buy it.)
Copyright 2006, David Sheldon, all right reserved. Can be photocopied for
non-profit use only.
For More Articles Like This Go To: www.atrueandfaithfulwitness.com
MI., 2005
Part 1
My guess is that if you like “your faith” and “your discipleship” to be as
nebulous as possible then this is the book for you! Sometimes it seems that
some are more in love with some “mystical” and “feel-good in my little group”
journey than the Biblical treasure to be found which is Jesus Christ. The
problem is that the Holy Scriptures relate to us categories like: COMMON
SALVATION followed by THE faith and ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common
salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the
faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 3, ESV (English
Standard Version)
Notice that the text says we have a common or shared salvation but it is in
the faith and that this faith has been once for all delivered to the saints
(articulated in Holy Scripture). It is not unfolding like a new painting of Elvis.
(Nor is the truth of the Scriptures "outdated" or "cheesy" like an old painting
of Velvet Elvis.) If you would ask Rob Bell he would probably say; No, you
have it all wrong, my Christian life and my church experience is becoming the
portrait of Velvet Elvis and is thus somehow a painting of the real thing. But
what happens in the wash is that the “experience” of deity in an individual
and subsequent to that the community is what becomes the guiding authority
for the life of the church. This instead of His Life defined and His Spirit
illumining our minds and hearts as to who He is as we go to THE authority
which is the Holy Scriptures to share together in that common salvation. In a
very subtle way his Velvet Elvis is repainting the real Elvis to look quite
different.
Unfortunately, this entire book, and many recent books that label themselves
Christian have a great tendency toward a new-age world view disguised as
an unfolding of The Kingdom of God upon the earth which starts in the
church. (And many of these books are coming through Zondervan, which
when you go up through their corporate ladder you come to a man by the
name of Rupert Murdoch.) And there are many former new-agers or those
very familiar with mysticism who have become true believers in Jesus Christ
who very clearly see the deceptions in books like these. (For example, go
here to buy and read books by Brian Flynn and Warren Smith or Ray
Yungen.)
To underscore my point about new-age mysticism being disguised as
Christianity simply realize that Rob Bell's speaking tour for the summer of
2006 is titled: “Everything is Spiritual.” And what could the logical end of this
kind of thinking be but nothing other than the melding of deity and humanity!
Everything is spiritual. Yea - everything is spiritual and some of it is spiritual
truth but much of it is spiritual deception! They are from the world; therefore
they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God.
Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen
to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. ESV I John 4:
5, 6
And why does the Apostle John speak like this? Because the truth has been
clearly articulated to His own through the Holy Scriptures! Spiritual truth is
understandable by the renewed mind of one who has the Spirit! And the
Spirit has made this spiritual truth clear to them and not vague! And the
apostles heard and understood that truth (both proposition and incarnation)
through Jesus Himself and articulated it as they were moved by the Spirit to
write and speak.
"these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit
searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's
thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one
comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have
received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we
might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in
words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting
spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not
accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not
able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual
person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has
understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind
of Christ.
I Corinthians 2:10-16 ESV (English Standard Version)
There it is: spiritual truth is made plain and clear in the mind of those who
have the Spirit! And it doesn't come in vague categories or mystical
experiences but in spiritual words laid down for us in Holy Scripture. And we
interpret and understand these text of Scripture as we would other human
writings except for the fact that they are ultimately breathed out by the Holy
Spirit through the authors. That same Spirit illumines these truths to our
minds! It is articulated in human words and language but because it is God's
revelation via God's inspiration then it is God's TRUTH! (You may find
several instances in the book were Bell clearly downplays the role of God in
revelation as Scripture is written.)
So what does Rob Bell bring to the table to help us understand the
difference between spiritual truth and spiritual error? Let me answer the
question with one rather irrational (sorry Rob) and mystical moment from the
book. On page 40 he relates a mystical experience he had after college
while he was working at a youth camp and asked to speak in their chapel. He
had this “experience” which was quite “Moses like” in that he took off his
sandals because he knew the ground he was standing upon was holy. He
relates that a voice communicated with him. An internal voice. And he relates
that the words spoken by this voice were very clear and very concise. The
words: Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else. (He relates
that in those moments his entire life changed and that it was like a rebirth.)
And yet he spends this entire book (and I do mean entire) articulating how
vague and unknowable and mysterious and questioning and difficult is THE
HOLY SCRIPTURES! How is it that one can hear a “clear and concise” voice
(with accompanying words) to teach what he hammers at over and over
again as ultimately unknowable in Biblical Words? So - it is somehow okay if
this inner mystical voice is clear but it is not okay that the Spirit could
breathe out clear and concise words through the Scriptures for all the
saints? But at least he's clear about his mission - I guess. (If you want to
understand the “spirit” of the emerging church - this may be by far the best
and only book you will need to read. But go to your public library and check
it out - don't buy it.)
Copyright 2006, David Sheldon, all right reserved. Can be photocopied for
non-profit use only.
For More Articles Like This Go To: www.atrueandfaithfulwitness.com
HOME
Rick Warren
Forty Days: False Gospel
Forty Days: A Closer Look
Forty Days: Which Jesus?
PDL: God's Wisdom
PDL: Exalting the Fallen Creation
PDL: A Purpose-Shaped
Worldview
Antichrist
Will Antichrist Be Revealed
Before the Tribulation?
The Great Harlot
"Mystery" Babylon
"Emerging" Church
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 1
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 2
Church Growth Movement
Schuller, Hybels & Warren
Review of Schuller's "Self-Esteem"
False Apostles, False
Prophets, False Revival
River of Seducing Spirits
Spiritual Warfare Script
Deception of Spiritual Warfare
Flags & Banners...Spiritual Power
Tools?
Davidic Warfare/Worship?
Jesus of the "Signs" Now the
"Christ" of Apostolic Government
Mystical Christianity?
Tenney's Mystical Deity Chase
Richard Foster: Quaker Mystic?
Willard and "The Way of Jesus"
What Oswald Chambers
Might Have Thought About
Todays "Christianity"
Rick Warren
Forty Days: False Gospel
Forty Days: A Closer Look
Forty Days: Which Jesus?
PDL: God's Wisdom
PDL: Exalting the Fallen Creation
PDL: A Purpose-Shaped
Worldview
Antichrist
Will Antichrist Be Revealed
Before the Tribulation?
The Great Harlot
"Mystery" Babylon
"Emerging" Church
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 1
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 2
Church Growth Movement
Schuller, Hybels & Warren
Review of Schuller's "Self-Esteem"
False Apostles, False
Prophets, False Revival
River of Seducing Spirits
Spiritual Warfare Script
Deception of Spiritual Warfare
Flags & Banners...Spiritual Power
Tools?
Davidic Warfare/Worship?
Jesus of the "Signs" Now the
"Christ" of Apostolic Government
Mystical Christianity?
Tenney's Mystical Deity Chase
Richard Foster: Quaker Mystic?
Willard and "The Way of Jesus"
What Oswald Chambers
Might Have Thought About
Todays "Christianity"