Rob Bell is a Universalist
I just heard him say it on the ‘Live Stream‘ (recorded) of his ‘Love Wins’ interview. When asked if he was a universalist, BELL said, “No, if you mean by universalist there is a giant cosmic arm that sweeps you in (to heaven) whether you want to be there or not…(but) if you mean…all sorts of people (religion/beliefs) who want to be there, (then) yes.”
Bell then manipulates the words of Christ to say that Jesus would agree with his preposterous statement, saying, “This was central to His (Jesus’) teaching.”
Towards the end of the interview Bell alludes to a Bible passage regarding a gate (to heaven) that has been left open and, “Wink, wink, nudge, nudge,” there’s another way to get into Heaven besides absolute faith in Christ Jesus.
What Bible is Rob Bell reading?
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9
There you have it folks, Rob Bell is a false teacher — wildly popular, but nevertheless, a false teacher. The Bible could not be any clearer — only those who believe and follow Jesus the Christ get to Heaven. To make matters worse, Bell claims the reality of a hell ‘right now’ on earth saying, “We see hell on earth all around us all the time.” Later on in the interview he adds, “Hell is real…we see it (on earth) everyday.”
Things might be awful (at times) Mr. Bell, but this is NOT hell.
Later on, an audience member (a pastor) was confused if Bell meant there was no real hell (not on earth, but a place of condemnation), and Bell completely side-stepped the question, only making a reference to his ‘hell on earth’ conception (Bell took a moment to talk about a group at his church where people can freely discuss their stories of the earthly hell that they have gone through).
The interviewer then puts to Bell the hypothetical scenario that she is an atheist, albeit a ‘good person;’ “Am I going to heaven?” she asks.
Bell answers the question by proclaiming, “The essence of His (Jesus) Gospel is, ‘Trust Me, I’ll take care of it.'”
He adds, “Jesus is exclusive,” citing John 14:6, where Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,’ but then says that Jesus is also inclusive (speaking for Jesus now), “Be careful, I’m doing something for everybody.”
That’s heresy folks — he essentially just called Jesus a liar.
The interviewer, a Jew, shares that she is offended by the concept of Jesus being the only way (the mechanism, as she puts it), to which Bell responds that there is a lot of ‘space’ in the Bible (unsaid things) where (the implication is) we can fill in the blanks.
It seems apparent that Bell spends more time reading the white parts of the Bible then the black parts.
Bell is then asked if it is works or grace that gets a person to Heaven. Amazingly (and inaccurately) Bell responds, “Ultimately, we’re all okay.”
When asked why others thinks his latest book is so controversial, Bell says, “As soon as you say to this little club, the orthodox ones, ‘I think it (the path to salvation) might be a little wider than that,’ you’re threatening whole systems…the Christian (path) is wide and leaves lots of room for variant perspectives…it’s very diverse and wide.”
Not according to my Bible…
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Bell then said that the way the Christian thinks and the way that he lives, that’s the good news (the Gospel). No it’s not. The Gospel message is all about Jesus, His dying on a cross for our sins and His resurrection–it has nothing whatsoever to do with what we do and everything to do with what He did!
Finally, another member of the audience raised yet another question about hell. Bell puts forth a scenario where a person (at an altar call) rejects an offer to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and then leaves church and gets run over by a car. Bell says that its a common belief that God would then condemn that person. He adds that if this were true and if God were a man, “We would have Him arrested,” implying that a loving God would never do such a thing.
Folks, I didn’t want to watch this interview. I already sensed that Rob Bell was a liar and a false teacher, but in fairness, I had based my opinion on what other scholars had said about him. I thought it was best that I check it out for myself. So I did.
Bell’s own words condemn him.
Don’t take my word for it, watch the interview yourself HERE.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
I would recommend that we shun Rob Bell. His teachings and his books have no place whatsoever in the Christian realm or the body of Christ, His church. Ignore him and pray for him.
He Dwells -- The B'log in My Eye 