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Bill Keller of Liveprayer: "The Shack" is NOT a Christian novel, but simply more New Age heresy
this is a repeat LP devotional for today but it is worth mentioning:
http://liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=3473
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables." (1 Timothy 4:4)
"The Shack" is NOT a Christian novel, but simply more New Age heresy. Things
have not really changed since the first days of the church over 2,000 years
ago. One of the problems Paul dealt with often were those who perverted the
Absolute Truth of the Bible with writings that purported to be Christian.
All throughout these past 2,000 years men have written books about the
Christian faith that compromised the Truth of the Bible. We have never been
so ripe for these types of heretical books as in the year 2009, with the
better part of 2 generations having never even gone to church and the large
percentage of those who do, being Biblically illiterate. So it is no wonder
that a huge best selling "Christian novel," "The Shack," is the latest in a
long line of heretical books promoting anti-Biblical ideas.
William P. Young, the author of "The Shack," is the son of missionaries
whose dad also pastored churches in Canada. He went to Bible College and
later graduated with an undergraduate degree in Religion from Warner Pacific
College in Portland, Oregon. However, there is absolutely no information
available on his theology. "The Shack" is an allegorical fictional novel. It
conveys postmodern spiritual ideas and teachings that challenge Biblical
Christianity, all in the name of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Much like New Age author James Redfield's book "The Celestine Prophecy,"
"The Shack" is a fictional vehicle for upending certain Biblical concepts
and presenting contrary spiritual scenarios. Young's book moves through a
very engaging and emotional story to eventually present the New Age teaching
that God is "in" everything. God is not "in" everyone and everything. The
Bible makes it clear that man is not divine and that man is not God!
"The Shack" presents many of the same New Age concepts and ideas that plague
the controversial Bible paraphrase The Message, written by Eugene Peterson
who enthusiastically endorsed "The Shack," as well as Rhonda Byrne's "The
Secret" that I warned you about years ago and was heavily promoted by the
queen of the New Age gurus Oprah, New Age leader Benjamin Cr�me's, "The
Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom," and New Age matriarch
Alice Bailey, in her book "The Reappearance of the Christ."
This "God in everything" immanence is why The Shack is such a deceptive
book. It teaches this same heresy. This is most apparent when he uses the
person of "Jesus" to suddenly introduce the foundational teaching of the New
Spirituality, God is "in" everything. Using the New Age term "ground of
being" to describe "God," the "Jesus" of The Shack states: "God, who is the
ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things.." (p. 112)
This false teaching about a "God" who "dwells in, around, and through all
things" is the kind of New Age leaven that Paul warned about. Clearly, the
"Jesus" of The Shack is not Jesus Christ of the Bible. The apostle Paul
warned the Corinthians that they were vulnerable and extremely susceptible
to "another Jesus" and "another gospel" and "another spirit" that were not
from God (2 Corinthians 2:11).
In the Bible, Jesus warned that spiritual deception would be a sign before
His return. He further warned that there would be those who would even come
in His name, pretending to be Him (Matthew 24:3-5;24). William Young's
mixing of truth and error can become very confusing to readers, and God is
not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33).
We are living in such perilous times and satan is busy using tools like "The
Shack" to lead people astray, many searching for real truth in their lives.
This is why I am like a broken record every day to challenge people to get
out into the world and take the REAL TRUTH of the Bible to people. They are
hurting, looking for answers. Why do you think books like this are so
popular? It doesn't help when you have people like Pat Robertson featuring
Young on The 700 Club, not to rebuke or chastise his New Age concepts, but
to promote his book.
This is why I come down so hard on cotton candy preachers like Osteen,
expose Masonic cult member Robert Schuller who promotes many of these same
New Age concepts and even sells New Age garbage in his crystal church's
bookstore, warn you about these watered down, compromised seeker/purpose
driven/emergent church movements geared to attract bodies and not souls.
People are looking for life changing answers, and the ONLY place they will
find those answers are in the Bible!!!
Listen, there is SO much material out there. My word of wisdom for you today
is this. First, know who the author is. Research them and find out what
their theology is. If you can't find it, STAY AWAY! You wouldn't go to a
stranger for open heart surgery, why look for Biblical Truth from someone
you don't even know. If the book isn't tied to Scripture, have any sort of
Scriptural references (from credible translations and not these perverted
paraphrase Bibles), STAY AWAY! I don't care how clever man thinks he is,
there is no substitution for the Word of God!!! It is the ONLY Truth there
is that can truly change hearts and lives.
I love you and care about you so much. "The Shack" has touched the hearts
and emotions of many people. While there are many other examples of the
author's unbiblical teachings, the heretical New Age concept that "God
dwells in, and around, and through all things" is in and by itself enough to
make this book dangerous. To allow yourself to get carried away by this
story, while disregarding the book's New Age concepts, is the kind of
compromise that has invaded the church today.
I have learned over these many years of ministry to be very leery of
anything that is embraced by the world and becomes wildly popular by the
masses. The fact is, the pure Truth of the Bible is NOT something this lost
world gravitates to. They want something that feels good, makes them happy
for a moment, helps them through a difficult time, without making any real
commitment or sacrifice in return. That is why the spiritual crack of our
day, these New Age teachings are so popular. Sacrifice and service don't
sell, success and satisfaction does!!!
I will be praying for those who are caught up in "The Shack," that the Lord
will put the right people in their lives to help guide them to the real
Truth of His Word. That they will come to know the God of the Bible, the
Jesus of the Bible, the Holy Spirit of the Bible, and not the perverted
creations from men's minds. Young's created trinity is no different than
Joseph Smith's or those of any other false prophet. Now more than ever, men
need to be led to faith in Jesus Christ and to the Truth of His Word
alone!!!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
http://liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=3473
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Originally Posted by sandy
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