A book that can change,,EVERYTHING "The Shack"

[soblessed53]

IMHO this book was written as an attack on Orthodox Christianity,full of outright lies and blasphemy.

#1 that The Shack denies ....
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

God is Truth and He most certainly 'does' care about false doctrine,how many times does Jesus warn in scripture to beware of false preachers?

Matt. 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Eph 4:14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
1Tim 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

2Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Cor 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2oCr 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Cor 11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

# 2 contrary to what The Shack portrays, not everyone will be saved!

Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matt 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; 'but he that doeth the will of my Father' which is in heaven.
7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Books such as The Shack portray a 'cheap grace'!There is more required to enter Christ's Kingdom,than just saying a formula 'gospel tract prayer' and going on living one's life as before. It requires confession of our sins, true repentance for those sins, and a genuinely contrite heart. Repentance means 'turning away' from sin. Refusing to continue living a sinful lifestyle.
If there is no evident change on the outside,then there has not been a change on the inside,and that person has not been born-again. There is a true miracle of regeneration in the life of a truly saved believer. I doubt the possibility that anyone lost will get the gist of the seriousness of that from a false-doctrine 'Christianity-Lite' book,such as The Shack.

Hebr 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him];

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Everyone one of us will one day have to give account for the lives we led.

Rom 14:11 For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Matt 25:31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Matt 25:32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats:
Matt 25:33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Matt 25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Matt 25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Considering what Jesus went through for us,the help we receive through today's trials,and our future reward,I do not think too much is asked of us,that I would feel the need for a man-made, 'New-Age',totally irreverent,and blasphemous false theology!

All anyone has to do is read the reviews at Amazon,to see how many are embracing this 'fiction' book as 'Gospel',to see the danger and success of this devil's tool!

Dear Heavenly Father,I ask that you open the eyes of any who read this book that are truly seeking knowledge of you.That the Holy Spirit will incline their hearts towards Your truth in your holy word.I also ask that you silence all the false preachers and all those who are out to deceive. I ask it and I thank you in the most precious ,powerful and holy name of your beloved son Jesus,Amen.

 

[thunderbyrd]

excellent post, Soblessed53.

 

[soblessed53]

Thank You,God Bless.

 

[keith99]

Just a comment on Soblessed53's post.

The word translated repent (and I think the original meaning off the English word) is to turn around or away. It has nothing to do with weaping or being sorry, it has everythign to do with changed actions.

Cheap (and worthless) grace does seem to be an oldie but a goodie.

 

[Tamara224]

I loved The Shack. It definitely got me to thinking. More importantly, God used it to draw me closer to Him. God used it to shake up some of my preconceived notions, to see things in a new light, and to see Him more clearly.



There are a lot of criticisms against the book... but, well, some people will criticize anything. Christians have criticized C.S. Lewis of being anti-Christ for writing fiction with magic in it even though Lewis is one of the greatest Christian apologists of all time.

Some people will attack anything that threatens their status quo - no matter the source. And they don't employ honest tactics in doing so. Case in point, The Shack attackers usually havn't read the book and most of their criticisms are based on statements twisted completely out of context.


The Shack is a beautiful story of God's unfailing love and His desire for a real and personal relationship with each one of us. It is also a compelling and dynamic new look at the nature of the Trinity - one which brings more clarity than any analogy I've ever heard.

But, as Lavar Burton always said "Don't take my word for it..."

 

[johnno777]

Dear Soblessed53,
You are absolutely right about the shack.
Keith99
Repentence has nothing to do with being sorry? Think again.
Tamara224
Do you know anything about C.S. Lewis? Obviously not. Do some research. He was one of the inspirational writers that Paul Young drew from for the shack.
"The Shack is a beautiful story of God's unfailing love and His desire for a real and personal relationship with each one of us. It is also a compelling and dynamic new look at the nature of the Trinity - one which brings more clarity than any analogy I've ever heard."

So its not a fictional book after all? Yeah, the old look at the Trinity in the Bible is so boring. Who needs the Bible to teach us about God when we've got the wisdom and the authority of the shack right? Because the two books give us a totally different picture of who God is.

 

[lalalauren24]

I thought that this was a great book. It really makes you think about how you judge people. No matter how bad a person is, someone still loves them. I heard it was very controversial, but never found anyone that didn't like it until I read this thread. I enjoyed it, and I would recommend it to anyone who has trouble understanding how so many terrible things happen to innocent people. But, like anything else, its not for everyone.

 

[Tamara224]

Tamara224
Do you know anything about C.S. Lewis? Obviously not. Do some research. He was one of the inspirational writers that Paul Young drew from for the shack.

Yeah, I love C.S. Lewis. LOL, as it so happens, I'm listening to The Horse and His Boy at the moment. I have read everything written by Lewis and I quote him often.

What that I said would cause you to believe that I don't know anything about him?

You have something against Lewis, too? (That's not surprising, and it only goes to prove my point).

"The Shack is a beautiful story of God's unfailing love and His desire for a real and personal relationship with each one of us. It is also a compelling and dynamic new look at the nature of the Trinity - one which brings more clarity than any analogy I've ever heard."

So its not a fictional book after all? Yeah, the old look at the Trinity in the Bible is so boring. Who needs the Bible to teach us about God when we've got the wisdom and the authority of the shack right? Because the two books give us a totally different picture of who God is.

Okay, first, your attitude is not conducive to dialogue and is not likely to convince anyone that your opinion is worth listening to. Your implication that I'm easily bored with Scripture is laughable.

Second, the Bible doesn't describe the nature of the Trinity, actually. The very concept of the Trinity is build from a continuing revelation throughout Scripture - brick built on brick, so to speak, throughout the Bible. But there is not a portion of Scripture that says something to the effect of "the Trinity can be understood as...." or "The Trinity is like..." or even "The Trinity = three persons in one."

Are you opposed to all attempts to describe the nature of the Trinity? Or just this one?

 

[Butch4HIM]

[FONT=&quot]I enjoy books which build my faith in a way that is fully compatible with what the Word of God says.
I did not appreciate The Shack at all! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My reading emphasis is primarily related to growing in Christ and living the Christian life -- books which present sound doctrine (based on the historic Christian faith). [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It is rare for me to read Christian fiction or Christian fables. (In fact, I cannot recall reading Christian fiction—I just don’t see the point in it.) On the other hand, “Pilgrim’s Progress” is an example of a Christian fable which I heartily endorse (and there are others). When I read, I want truth and correctness of doctrine. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My suspicion is that those who enjoy The Shack are more casual readers who read for fun and enjoyment rather than critically for truth and learning - perhaps that is a wrong suspicion. What do you think? [/FONT]

 

[talitha]

It's a wrong suspicion. There are deeeeeeeeep truths expressed in The Shack that shoot straight at the heart of people who are looking for them wherever they go, whatever they read. I don't think that is casual reading; it's more devotional reading.

 

[keith99]

Yeah, I love C.S. Lewis. LOL, as it so happens, I'm listening to The Horse and His Boy at the moment. I have read everything written by Lewis and I quote him often.

Really? Where did you find a copy of 'Fernseed and Elephant'? I never was able to locate a copy. What did you think about 'English Literature in the Sixteenth Century: Excluding Drama'?

 

[Tamara224]

Really? Where did you find a copy of 'Fernseed and Elephant'? I never was able to locate a copy. What did you think about 'English Literature in the Sixteenth Century: Excluding Drama'?

LOL, okay snarky-pants. I've read everything by him that is available.

I remember thinking that 'English Literature in the Sixteenth Century: Excluding Drama' was boring. It's been since I was an English lit major in college that I read it and I'm sure I probably didn't get as much out of it as I could have.

 

[jpcedotal]

Well, I have read The Shack and just go through listening to it via audio book.

I "teared up" both times when Missy hugged Mack with the waterfall in-between. The story part of The Shack was sweet and touched my heart.

And what better way to push one's own theology on the masses than to tug at the heart first and often. All I want to say is BE CAREFUL. The Shack is not the Bible and whenever The Shack disagrees with the Bible (and it does alot), make sure you recognize it and don't let your emotions for "poor Mack" get in the way.

The post from both sides of this book here are scary. The ones who "love" this book were swept up by the emotion without any regard to Biblical Doctrine....while the opposition seems to spew hatred and try to demonize this book which of course just pushes the others closer to this book (and farther away from the Bible).

Where is sin in The Shack? Sin which is repeatedly talked about and defined over and over and over in the Bible is almost non-existent here. So...is sin really that unimportant to God? Really?

Relationships come before doing God's Will?

BE CAREFUL....God is not in The Shack and just because good works may come from reading it does not make this the "Good Book" or even a good commentary. One poster stated she was going to reread The Shack with pen and paper....please stop. What will happen is that you will start to make the Bible agree with The Shack, and when it doesn't, you will begin to question the wrong book.

If the same ideas of The Shack's God where presented to you without the "story", would we be so open to just accepted it? The author is using our own "compassion" to change Christian views...heck it even belittles Christianity and the Bible as a whole by allowing Mack to talk to God and Jesus and the Holy Ghost like he would talk to his best friend with no regard to the Holiness that surrounds them.

 

[b.hopeful]

I kept one copy for myself and I've bought 3 others...one for my mother, my sister and my dh's cousin. It's going viral,lol. I loved it...great book, to quote the Quakers, it spoke to my condition.

 

[jpcedotal]

Where is Satan in this book? Why wasn't he at least mentioned since there were so many "deep" questions answered?

 

[soblessed53]

The Shack is a sad "counterfeit" as has been pointed out.

 

[b.hopeful]

I'm pretty sure your views on the Shack will be based on where you sit theologically. More conservative/orthodox, you probably won't care for it...other end of the spectrum, you'll be more likely to enjoy it.

It isn't a theological text book...so I guess there's no Satan because it didn't fit into the story...and it was a story afterall.

 

[b.hopeful]

Found my original review:



I think it paints a beautiful picture of the Trinity...the essence of God and his plan for humankind....the relationship a person can have with God....and the awesome depth of God's love for us. Depending on where you are in your journey...it could be exactly what you need. My mom is in a rough spot right now and I know she is hungering for something more in her life. I gave her this book because I believe it could be what she needs to hear right now.

One thing mentioned in The Shack was not every road leads to God but that doesn't mean God can't or won't come down any road to get to you. Too often it seems as though we don't give God enough credit. God can't be thwarted by a book. God also knows each of us well enough to know how to reach us.(does that make God the ultimate phone directory?)

When I envision my mom's soul right now I bet it's like a mess of yarn. And it might seem futile to do something as simply as pull the red yarn out of this small knot....but ultimately all those small moves will loosen the knot until the yarn is free and able to be used freely. Who says God can't use something like a silly book to begin to untangle the mess in the soul of a person so God can then work freely within her?

Not everyone's journey is on a bullet train with a dedicated line....some of us are taking bad public transportation with numerous transfers.

 

[jpcedotal]

I'm pretty sure your views on the Shack will be based on where you sit theologically. More conservative/orthodox, you probably won't care for it...other end of the spectrum, you'll be more likely to enjoy it.

It isn't a theological text book...so I guess there's no Satan because it didn't fit into the story...and it was a story afterall.

But you see, Satan is in this story, whether he is stated in print or not. Anything that is not of God is of Satan...period. There are no gray areas.

This book written to change people's prospective of God. The word "fiction" is just to hide this purpose. It is kind of like saying "no offense" right before offending someone.

 

[b.hopeful]

Well...I live in gray areas...so there you go.

Did this book change your perspective of God? Probably not. For people that already envision a God like this...it's just adding more colors to the picture they have. For those that can't fathom a God like this...it's an abomination. So I stand by my statement that where you are on that great big Christian spectrum is likely to determing how you feel about this book.