Rob Bell

Matt:7:13,14 "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. "

This really is a sad verse. Jesus is telling his guys that there are two options…two gates to walk through. One gate leads to life and the other gate leads to destruction. When you look up the word life in the Greek it means: "life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever." (Strongs) When you look up the word destruction it means: "utter destruction, ruin, perishing, the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell." (Strongs) Now we have to remember that the One who is preaching this sermon is Jesus…the eternal God. The One who made it all. The One who knows everything. And the fact is this: There is eternal life and there is eternal destruction. The sad part is that there is eternal destruction and that it is going to be the majority of people who walk through that gate. Only a few are going to find the narrow gate that leads to life. This really makes me appreciate what God has done for me. Why am I one of the individuals who was able to find the narrow gate? Why am I not included in with the majority? The amazing grace and mercy of God in my life.

Now, I know that there are many who have a difficult time with what Jesus is saying here. The thing is, there are alleged evangelical leaders who doubt Jesus' words. I say alleged because these guys are not evangelical at all. They are not Biblical at all. I read this week about Rob Bell, the pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids) who just wrote a book called Love Wins. The premise of the book is that love wins out…that there is no way that a great number of people will find themselves in a place of eternal destruction. His thought is that some may even find their way to heaven and not even trust Christ. The idea that only those who have put their faith in Christ will be in heaven he calls:"misguided and toxic". In other words, Rob Bell knows more than Jesus does. Even though Jesus said that there is a place of destruction and many will go that way, Rob Bell says: "No, this is wrong." He is saying that Jesus is wrong. He is saying the Bible is wrong. He thinks that Gandhi will be in heaven even though he may never have trusted in Christ as his rescuer. Frankly, it is not those who preach what Jesus preached who are misguided, it is those who embrace the pabulum of this teaching.

The weird thing is this. The words that Jesus spoke after He gave this warning are: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." V15 The teaching that Rob Bell is espousing is false teaching. It is unbiblical. It directly contradicts what Jesus said and it ignores the fact that Jesus had to die for something…and that something was the eternal destruction that Jesus warned about. If there are other ways to heaven and I don't have to put my personal faith in Christ, then Jesus would not have had to die. His death was a stupid move on His part if this is the case. I mean, go the way of Gandhi or some other good works effort. Jesus did not have to suffer and die on a cross if there is another way to get to heaven and avoid hell.

What did Paul say about this? "...if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." Gal. 2:21 No. The reality is this: Jesus had to die and only those who put their trust in Him for their salvation will be in heaven...the narrow way, not the Rob Bell way.

I thank God that He chose me. That he bought me with His blood. That I have the assurance of eternal life. Now my heart has to beat for more people to find the narrow gate.