God, Love, and Sushi

Today I realized how easy it is to just let God's Love pour out of me. This, for your information, has really nothing to do with me except for the part where I'm available.

When our upstairs neighbors moved in, about 6 months ago, I felt like we should take them a house warming gift. So my wife made some cookies, and with a little prodding, my whole family took them up to them. They said thank you, and that was that.

Fast forward about five months when my wife and kids were out back playing. Our neighbor, along with her new baby son, came outside and began a conversation with my wife. This turned into a time where my wife and this woman became friends.

Fast forward about one month. Our neighbors are moving and my wife asked if she needed help packing. The lady accepted and my wife helped and brought her and her son some enchiladas. They were going to pack but that ended up on the back burner while Tonya and her sat and talked for a couple of hours.

Fast forward to today. I got a knock at the door while Tonya and Sidney were gone, I was here alone with the boys, it was our neighbor. She asked if Tonya was home and I had to tell her no. She then handed me a plate of home made sushi. I thanked her because we LOVE sushi at our house and then we began to talk right there at the door.

She had some questions about some Bible stuff and I got to share with her about Jesus. She then told me that she would like for me and Tonya to get together with her and her husband when he gets back from his Navy Seal training. She told me she would like for him to spend some time with me because he could use "a mentor". I don't know about the "mentor" part but I'm hoping this works out.

Things come so naturally when we just love people with God's love. We don't even have to work at anything really. When you just start with a simple act of kindness and genuinely just want to build relationships with people, God takes that and runs with it. You don't have to be special just available.

Rob Bell in His Own Words (Part One)

"Several years ago we had an art show at our church. I had been giving a series of teachings on peacemaking, and we invited artists to display their paintings, poems, and sculptures that reflected their understanding of what it means to be a peacemaker. One woman included in her work a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, which a number of people found quite compelling.

But not everyone.

Someone attached a piece of paper to it.

On the piece of paper was written: "Reality check: He's in hell."

Really?

Gandhi's in hell?

He is?

We have confirmation of this?

Somebody knows this?

Without a doubt?

And that somebody decided to take on the responsibility of letting the rest of us know?

Of all the billions of people who have ever lived, will only a select number 'make it to a better place' and every single other person suffer in torment and punishment forever? Is this acceptable to God? Has God created millions of people over tens of thousands of years who are going to spend eternity in anguish? Can God do this, or even allow this, and still claim to be a loving God?" (Excerpt from "Love Wins" Chapter One)

This is the beginning of Love Wins by Mr. Bell. I'm confused about this opening. Acts 4:12 says, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

I know Mr. Bell likes to ask questions, and in the light of the scripture let me answer them for him, or should I say I will let God's words answer them:

Q #1 "Really?" Yes, really, considering that Gandhi was a life long Hindu, if Gandhi repented and confessed with his mouth that Jesus was his Lord before his death, then no he's not in hell he's with God in heaven. Gandhi believed that all religions were roads that led to God. This is contrary to the path of salvation talked about in the Bible.

Q #2 "We have confirmation of this?" If you call the Bible confirmation, then yes, we do have confirmation of this. Again, if he repented and believed that Jesus was his Lord he found salvation.

Q #3 "Somebody knows this?" Yes, I do, I don't like the fact that Gandhi's in hell, but I do know that if he was Hindu and didn't believe that salvation comes from Christ then he is in hell.

Q #4 "Without a doubt?" Yes, to be clear, I believe what Acts 4:12 says. I could also back it up with various other whole sections of scripture.

Q #5 "And that somebody decided to take on the responsibility of letting the rest of us know?" I guess somebody did decide to let the rest of us know. Like I am now. Do I think this was the appropriate response to a peacemaking art show, no. Do I think the person who posted this on the art piece was vindictive, offensive, and maybe even not saved themselves, yes I do. But if someone is going to pose some questions to me, even in a book, I'm going to answer them truthfully and honestly.

Q #6 "Of all the billions of people who have ever lived, will only a select number 'make it to a better place' and every single other person suffer in torment and punishment forever?" Yes, only a select number, "make it to a better place". Only those who find salvation in Christ.

Q #7 "Is this acceptable to God?" Yes, it is. He is Just. Does He want all to come repent and be saved through faith in Christ, yes. Do all repent, no.

Q #8 "Has God created millions of people over tens of thousands of years who are going to spend eternity in anguish?" Simply put, yes. If they don't repent and go God's way.

Q #9 "Can God do this, or even allow this, and still claim to be a loving God?" Yes. There are many things I don't understand about God. But God is loving and just. I don't think it works without both (Although I do think God can do whatever He wants). If He is love and not just is it really love at all. If He is just without love He would just be a judge and not God.

So there are some answers. Before you go dismissing them please understand that I am just using a very clear piece of scripture that Mr. Bell seems to want to ignore. If you are thinking, these are just questions he is posing to make us think. Understand that teachers use questions to teach with, which is what Mr. Bell is doing here. Then ask yourself, what is he trying to teach you?

Love vs. Hate

These are turbulent times to be a pastor. There is a lot of stuff going around about pastors who are or aren't speaking the truth. One thing that has dawned on me today is that it's not my job to decide what someone says or writes, it is my job, however, as a shepherd to point people to the truth. This does not mean that I hate anyone. It means I'm Biblical.

Jesus denounced false teachers all the time in the New Testament. He did this so that they heard that they were false and so that others heard Him call these false teachers false. A Good Shepherd does that. He let's his flock know when something is fake, false, distorted, wrong, messed up, etc. This was not hate, it was Love.

There were some of these false teachers Jesus spoke to who came to repentance through the teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is my hope that people who are teaching false doctrines today find what the Truth really is. It is plain, hard to miss, black, white, and red in the Bible. I'm not hating, I'm believing, in Love, the source of all Truth, that people come to know who God is, not who He is not. By the way, this is true, Love Wins, because God is Love