By Peter Merz
Rob Bell's newly released book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, has created quite an uproar in Christian circles and even in the world at large. The uproar began even before the official release with critics like John Piper and others taking shots at Rob Bell over his book. Now with the book's release the maelstrom of sharp criticism and personal attacks on Rob Bell have gone nuclear. My question is: is attacking Rob Bell in this manner healthy for the Body of Christ? I would strongly contend that it is not. How many of the many people, out there attacking Rob Bell and his book, have actually sat down and read the book? And how many have gone off half-cocked armed with information disseminated by John Piper and other Christian pastors and leaders? Christians everywhere caught in this heretic hunt would do well to just take a deep breath and take the time to actually read Bell's book first hand. Too many Christians have the anemic mentality of being spoon-fed their Christian doctrine and theology and rarely if ever at all take the time to search these matters out diligently themselves to see if these things be true or not.
"Now these [the Bereans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).The example we are given from the New Testament is to search and examine the Sacred Scriptures to discern whether a certain doctrine or theology is true. Somehow we have lost that. We have let laziness creep into the Church. Christians sit back in the pews being spoon-fed whatever comes out of the pastor or priest's mouth (or even some Christian personality on TV or radio). But how many truly check what's being said against the backdrop of the Canon of Scripture? Far too few.
What has this spectacle that's getting plenty of attention in the media and the press doing for Christianity as a whole? When the world watches us behaving this way do they see us loving one another or do they see us as some modern age Crusader striking down the infidel with written and verbal attacks? This does nothing to draw all people to Christ. If anything it will work to turn people off to the message of the Gospel. If we cannot speak the truth in love and show love for one another -- even for someone who is perhaps erring in their Christian doctrine and theology – why should the world believe us?
Now if Rob Bell has truly lost his way and is erring in what he is teaching in his new book what should the Christian response be?
"Brothers, if a person is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should restore that person gently. Watch out for yourself so that you are not tempted as well" (Galatians 6:1).I have yet to see this being played out.
I have not yet read Rob Bell's book and as such I will not make a comment yea or nay until I have read it entirely. But even if I should disagree with all of it or a portion of it my response is not to attack Rob Bell, but to merely point out where he may have gone amiss.
There is a certain irony to all of this. Because of the barrage of attacks on Rob Bell and his book many more people will end up reading it than had the "nosiest authorities" of Christendom had said nothing at all.
