The Shack

My Observations

Imagine that you were asked to write a fiction novel. It will be about a man named Mack whose 6 year old daughter was killed by a kidnapper. Mack and his family are completely devastated by this senseless killing. Still struggling with the death, a few years later Mack receives a note from Papa (God) asking him to meet with God at this particular shack in the mountains. Mack actually goes and yes, Papa shows up. Not only does Papa show up, so does Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Your goal in this fiction novel is to use your biblical knowledge of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and write a dialogue between the four of them. The questions on Mack’s heart are obvious. Why did Missy (6 year old daughter) die? God, what was Your role in her death? “If you couldn’t take care of Missy, how can I trust you to take care of Me?” p.92. Good question…Welcome to “The Shack..”

Obviously your understanding of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be the key to this story. The theology of author William P. Young certainly shines through in this fictional novel. Yes, its fiction, but he is teaching about the Christian God. I have to admit, as I was reading, I was brought to tears several times as I identified with Mack's loss of his daughter. But I also found within his teaching doctrinal error which is pervasive in the Christian church in our day. I would not be concerned except for the unusual acceptance by many believers today. As a shepherd of God's flock, I have the responsibility to oversee, to watch for myself and for all the flock the Holy Spirit has made me overseer. I must warn and bring to light the not-so-subtle error in this book.

My blog would simply be too long if I cited each biblical error, but here’s a few.

1. God (Papa) is actually portrayed as a “big black woman.” p. 88-89.

2. In the book Papa says, “I’m neither male nor female.” But in Scripture God is called Father.

3. “When we three spoke ourself into human existence as the Son of God we became fully human…we now became flesh and blood.” p. 99.
God the Father and God the Spirit did not become human flesh, only God the Son. There are three distinct Persons in the Godhead.

4. “Do you understand,” she (God) continued, “that unless I had an object to love – or, more accurately, a someone to love…then I would not be capable of love at all?” p. 102.
This is error. God is love. He doesn’t need a person to love to be capable of love.

5. “The God who is – the I am who I am – cannot act apart from love!” p. 102.
Yes He certainly can. Read the Old Testament. The author does not see the wrath of God, or the hatred of God.

6. The writer paints a picture of only a loving God. Mack asks a good question of the Three. “Are there any (people) who you are not especially fond of?”
“She (God) lifted her head and rolled her eyes as if she were mentally going through the catalog of every being ever created. “Nope, I haven’t been able to find any. Guess that’s jes’ the way I is.” p. 118-119.
I know of many in Scripture that God was not especially fond of. God hated Esau (Rom 9).

7. The writer portrays the Christian God as follows. “I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment…It’s not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it.” p. 120.
If you are a believer, I hope you understand that God will certainly punish people for sin (Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6).

8. p. 122-123; undermines biblical authority.

9. p. 147-148; If women ruled, the world would be a much calmer and gentler place.

10. p. 148; In the answer of why Jesus became a man, the writer quotes Jesus as saying, “I came as a man to complete a wonderful picture in how we made you.” What’s wrong with just getting biblical and saying I became a man to take upon myself God’s wrath, to become sin. To pay the penalty for the sin of the many. But the writer doesn’t see God as a God of wrath.

11. The writer pushes throughout the book the doctrine of salvation by man’s choice. “We will never force that union on you.” p. 149.

12. p. 192 Here’s a very popular teaching today. The author writes, “Through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world.” Mack answers, “The whole world? You mean those who believe in you, right?” “The whole world, Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally. It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way.”

According to Young, the way was opened 2000 years ago. This view believes Jesus’ work is completely done. He’s now in heaven watching and hoping for you. It is now up to each man, woman, and child to choose Jesus. He’s out of the picture. Each person must make the decision “on their own” to receive Jesus or not. In this view, each person must now search for Him. As the song says, “wise men still seek Him.” Are men, in their depraved, sinful state, wise enough to seek Him? R.C. Sproul writes,

We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We’re found by him. The search for God does not end in conversion; it begins at conversion. It is the converted person who genuinely and sincerely seeks after God. Jonathan Edwards remarked that seeking after God is the main business of the Christian life.

Those who believe this view have a difficult time with the following: We who have believed in Jesus are all drawn, chosen, elected, enabled, appointed, called, predestined, given mercy, made alive, and granted salvation by God’s sovereign purpose and power. The Spirit of God must DRAW every person to salvation. To say the Godhead is no longer involved in salvation is heresy.

13. Another troubling heresy is the teaching that God is not involved in bad things that happen. Missy’s death was not God’s idea. p. 165; “But I still don’t understand why Missy had to die.” “She didn’t have to, Mackenzie (Mack). This was no plan of Papa’s. Papa has never needed evil to accomplish his good purposes.” p. 222; “I did not purpose Missy’s death, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use it for good.”

My question is how can one take comfort in a God who is not in control? Can someone take my life, or my grand children's lives outside of God's will? This is heretical teaching. Can thousands of people die in a 9/11 outside of God's will? This heretical teaching is called dualism. God and Satan are battling it out. Two equal powers battling it out for the souls of mankind. This teaching describes an unbiblical, weak, god. This god is one who cannot control the destiny of mankind.

Matt 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

If a sparrow can’t die outside of God’s will, certainly a human being can’t.

14. p. 185; “Mack, just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead to a false notion about me.”

Quite the contrary:
Isaiah 45:6-7
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

Job certainly did not believe in the author's god.
Job 1:21
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."


15. Let me close with the following quote from the book.
p. 225; “In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me”

If all humans sins are forgiven, all humans will go to heaven. Can somebody be sent to hell with their sins forgiven?

Ok. Your assignment is to now re-write this fictional novel. How will you write the dialogue between Mack and God? How will you respond to Mack's questions? I believe the author's, biblical understanding is greatly lacking. Therefore, I do not recommend this book.

Why the Providence of God is Critical For Every Believer to Understand

While in Valencia last week we finished the details that must be done after a death in the family. The funeral service was to be held on Saturday, at 1: pm. We got up that morning knowing we had all morning to prepare, pack and drive the 30 minutes to the funeral home in Glendale. But God had other plans that day. A fire had burned all night and Interstate 5 was was closed. We now had to go back to the coast and take 101 to Glendale. It took us over 5 hours to make that drive. Everyone else from Interstate 5 was also on the detour to 101. God altered our plans. We had a choice to panic, or trust God's providence. We called the funeral establishment and told them our predicament. They waited over an hour and we finally arrived. I walked directly from the car to the front and began the funeral service for my uncle in my blue jeans and golf shirt. No one minded. Uncle Bob would have liked it that way.

God's Appointments

Tuesday we were to move Donna's uncle Bob up north to Vacaville. There he would be closer to family. But he took a turn for the worse. The previous Saturday I could not understand anything he mumbled. Sadly, he was no longer physically able to make the move. He was looking forward to it. The one thing he said that could be understood was, "I'm sorry."

Tuesday morning I received a call from the Care Facility and was told he would not make it through the day. We packed and before we left home he had died. I'm doing the memorial service for him Saturday, here at Glendale, and the graveside service at Rose Hills directly after that. Donna and I have been here with her sister and her husband since Tuesday. We've cleaned and prepared his house and listed it for sale. In one day we had an offer on the house. We've accepted it. Uncle Bob's 100 day Medicare payments for his care ran out the very day he died. When we were at the Funeral home yesterday, I looked at his discharge papers from the Army. He served during WWII. But something I didn't know...He was awarded for heroism, 4 Bronze Stars. He never spoke about it. He died on Veterans Day. We'll be back Saturday night. Can't wait to go to church Sunday.

1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven
2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted (Eccl. 3:1-2).

True - False Test

You know how I love True-False statements. Answer them and then answer the question, "Why?"

1. T F The righteousness of Christ that is transferred to us is the righteousness He achieved by living under the Law for thirty-three years without once sinning.

2. T F The righteousness of Christ that the believer receives is the righteousness Christ had from eternity past.

3. T F Jesus had to live a life of obedience before His death could mean anything.

4. T F Jesus did not have to acquire merit through His sinless life for His atonement to have effect.

5. T F Without His life of sinless obedience, Jesus' atonement would have had no value at all.

6. T F We need to see that not only did Jesus die for us, He lived for us.

Duties to Government & God

In light of the recent election results, Scripture teaches that our duties to government are actually duties to God.

Romans 13:1-2
1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

1 Peter 2:13-15
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Guess who was the king when Peter wrote this letter? Yes, the most wicked, anti-Christ king... possibly of all time...Caesar Nero

1 Timothy 2:1-3
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

Q. When are our duties to government stopped by our duties to God?