The Hogwash Shack

Friends, This is something I wrote last December, 2008:

*********

“Wake me up when it’s all over.” That’s what I feel like saying. Or, “Let me move to a part of the planet where I don’t need to see this demise.”

Why?

Oh, you know, Christmas parties. No, not just any; this was one with a bunch of “servants of Christ.” Oh, it really wasn’t the party –that part was wonderful… It was actually the encounter I had –once again– with… yep, none other than that very irksome thorn I keep running up against: ……….–“DECEPTION”. Good grief. It seems to find me on almost a DAILY basis!

I mean, I’d think that this lovely party –which it was– was a safe and innocent place for me to just enjoy the fellowship of others who are also in full-time service for the Kingdom of God. I didn’t anticipate that I would be smacked in that environment with the need to “stay alert” (1 Peter 5:8), “contend for the faith” (Jude v. 3), and “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1).

I know I sound a bit perturbed. Uh… –yeaaahhh… slightly. Why? Because this “wandering away from the truth” (2 Tim. 2:18) seems to be everywhere. I can’t escape meeting it! (Can YOU?) (And truly, it so saddens me that my eyes hurt from weeping. –Weeping over deceived souls…)

Okay. So this is what happened: I asked someone how a family member is doing… Any closer to coming back to the Lord…? Answer: “Um, not really. But…” And she proceeded to tell me that she had recommended the book “The Shack” to him. “Wow,” I said, “Why that book?”

“Why?! It’s a marvelous book! ….”

Trying not to turn white with shock, I said as casually as I could, “Oh, I heard bad things about it.”

Guffaw– “Have you read it?”

–I hate that question. It is often meant to intimidate. I get it from Muslims about their Koran, and from Mormons about their Book of Mormon, from Calvinists about their “Institutes”, and from atheists concerning one of their many pet writings… “No,” was all I said; but I was thinking– “I don’t have to read all the books in the world to find the truth. I need read only ………… –The Truth.” Yea, I mean, if we know that 2 plus 2 equals 4, then we never have to reconsider if someone comes to us telling us something different. We already know adultery causes grief, so we don’t need to listen if someone says, “Oh, but you haven’t tried it. It’s actually really great.” It’s the same logic. God’s Word does NOT lie. So if I KNOW what IT says, I don’t get swayed by falsehoods now, do I? (Do YOU? –Or do you not know what God’s Word truly says……..? Or have you read so much junk about what the truth of God’s Word “actually means”, that you really can’t now tell truth from error?)

Anyway, two others came over and joined the conversation… ALSO encouraging me to read the glorious thing. (That’s sarcasm.) One of them said that her daughter was leading a Bible Study based on it. “Oh, wow,” was about all I could choke out.

Whatever. It wasn’t the time or place to debate, so I just “let it go.”

But I shall NOW address it, for I realize it has definitely infiltrated many of our Christian circles and been one of the causes redefining God, His ways, and His plan of salvation.

First of all, let me encourage you to “google” any stuff that is questionable. There is a wealth of information out there. None of us need stay in the dark. None of us need be deceived. Many discerning people have done our homework for us and we can research what they have found and documented, compare one with the other, test it against the objective Word of God, and make our judgements with the mind of Christ that 1 Cor. 2:16 says we (who are born of Him) have. Of course, if we don’t know the Scriptures for ourselves, then our minds are dull and diluted, and we will have a much harder time figuring out who is actually telling the truth…

So… –this Shack book… Some are calling it heretical. I’ll go further and call it blasphemy. It is sick to think that there are so-called “Christians” deriving their view of the Trinity –the Godhead –from some book that evolved from the vain imaginations of a mere man’s puny brain! To get all excited and study God –or promote God– through THAT???!!! Uh-huh — portraying God our Heavenly Father as an African-American woman called “Papa”; Jesus, our Redeemer, portrayed as an unattractive, somewhat clumsy Jewish man with a “big nose”; and the Holy Spirit portrayed as a wispy Asian lady named “Sayaru” (meaning “wind”). –What’s the Bride of Christ coming to? She is coming down the slippery slope of an ADULTEROUS bride –that’s what!

Eph. 1:19-23 tells us that God “seated Him [Christ Jesus] at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet…” It is pathetic that so-called “servants of Christ” could ever imagine our Majestic King as anything like what William P. Young portrays of Him in his obnoxious book! –What a filthy joke! Besides, our Savior is no longer a mild lamb destined for slaughter on a cross. He’s already done that! He right NOW reigns! –and He is coming soon “in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do NOT KNOW GOD and do NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.” (2 Thes. 1:7-10)

And riding a white horse, He “is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns… He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. [See also John 1:1,14] The armies of heaven were following Him… Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev. 19:11-16) Huh! –the disrespect unregenerate man gives The KING!

Let me assure you also, that for Mack, the main character in the novel, to talk face to face with “God” as he does –even cursing, so that supposedly God cries– is abominable and irreverent heresy. Not only does John 1:18 tell us that “No one has ever seen God”, but if we did, we’d fall flat on our faces! ! ! 1 Tim. 6:15,16 says, He is “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen.” Yes, we should be giving Him honor now by choice, because on “That Day” everyone WILL bow!

Okay, so the world falls for this book’s hogwash… –but Christians??? Unbelievable! When people fall for deceptions this blatant –an outright mockery of the Godhead– they show they are ignorant of who God is as He proclaims Himself in His inerrant Word. And if they don’t believe THAT revelation (Scripture), then they should just admit that they are not Christian.

So, this Shack book is not a benign book of fiction. No, unfortunately it is affecting people’s theology. “Theology” comes from the Greek, meaning “the study of God.” And if even “Christians” are using it in “Bible Studies” and trying to evangelize their unsaved family members through it, then it IS to be treated as a spiritually dangerous book.

Sincerely,

Rachel