The Shack - False Jesus Misleading Many

DANGER!

With The Shack in theaters it will be no surprise if it's a highly popular movie due to the major hit of the book of the same name which was written by William P Young. God has provided the way to life, but you won't find the way by watching the movie or reading the book. With this information I find it impossible to remain silent in light of it's many problems and direct contradiction to Scripture.

People must be made aware of it's subversive nature; namely it's false gospel message. In no way does it represent the God of the Bible, but rather a universal god with no power to save or send to hell. This impotent god makes everything all right just by being "loving". In that sense is that all God is...... is loving? Does not love also encompass judgment and wrath? You cannot love a thing without hating it's opposite. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." God loved the world enough to send His Son to die, but He also hates sin. And sin is serious enough that it sends people who sin to hell.

God loved His Son and gave Him to be the propitiation for our sins. Because He laid the sin of the whole world upon Him and poured out His wrath in an incredible display of holy retribution and turned His back on His only Son, if only but for a moment, is why it is so important to understand what exactly His death on the cross represents. 1 John 2:2, "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Isaiah 53:5, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Because of the preciousness of this sacrifice it is short-sighted to believe that minimizing the cross somehow makes His love just as meaningful. To say that God doesn't punish sin because sin is it's own punishment (what the movie/book says) is as if to say Jesus Himself did not die on the cross and suffer the accompanying agony. But, in fact He agonized, He was punished for our sin, He was separated from His Father, He who knew no sin died in our place. But no matter because everyone, whether they repent and believe or not will be in heaven according to the message that this movie sends. That is flat-out Universalism. The Shack states that, "In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship.” A large, black woman whose name is Papa is supposed to be God the Father. Why would a book portray God as woman? I know, God is supposedly trying to make Himself appear more approachable because the subject character can't take God as a man, apparently. God does not change to suit us humans, sorry. And going to a place where you portray God in human form is just plain wrong. In the words of theologian Bruce Waltke, "It is inexcusable hubris and idolatry on the part of mortals to change the images by which the eternal God chooses to represent Himself." (Old Testament Theology 244). This so-called Papa says at one point, "Honey, I've never placed an expectation on you or anyone else.  The idea behind expectations requires that someone does not know the future or outcome and is trying to control behavior to get the desired result." He can't be serious!? God doesn't put expectations on us? Let's look at a few scriptures to disprove this...1 Peter 1:16, "Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy." Luke 13:5, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

To call this a Christian movie is blasphemy. It takes Christ off the cross and puts man on his own supposed cross of suffering in this world as his own payment for sin. Cross be gone. Christ be gone.

So take my advice and don't waste your money on this deceptive and beguiling movie that paints Jesus in the wrong light; a light which is darkness. Luke 11:35, "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

See also: https://ilikemycoffeeblack.com/2017/02/24/the-shack-is-messed-up/

Defeating Discouragement and Doubt

How often it is that worldly concerns for us believers seem to overtake and consume us! I must confess I have struggled with this throughout my life. I am growing, however, in this area and find that it is grievous to God if I don't trust Him and His ability to provide for me; God desires that we trust/believe and not doubt, for it discredits His promises to us. He delights in our belief and trust! He would rather our thoughts be concerned with doing His will and reaching the lost. How much precious time we waste in our cares of this current life which lasts only as long as a flower -- here today, gone tomorrow. In light of eternity this helps put it in focus.

In Matt 16:6, Jesus said unto them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." The disciples were perplexed and thought Jesus was rebuking them for not bringing bread with them for the journey. But Jesus meant something entirely different - He rebuked them for not remembering that He had performed the miracles of the bread and fish for the multitudes that He had mercy on, thus reminding them that if He can feed thousands with only a few fish and loaves, how much more can he take care of them? Jesus was warning them of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. It had nothing to do with having no bread!

For further insight we find an excellent commentary on trusting the Lord in Matthew Henry's clear terms:

"O ye of little faith, why are ye disquieted for want of bread?’’ Note, To distrust Christ, and to disturb ourselves when we are in straits and difficulties, is an evidence of the weakness of our faith, which, if it were in exercise as it should be, would ease us of the burden of care, by casting it on the Lord, who careth for us."

"The aggravation of their distrust was the experience they had so lately had of the power and goodness of Christ in providing for them, v. 9, 10. Though they had no bread with them, they had him with them who could provide bread for them. If they had not the cistern, they had the Fountain. Do ye not yet understand, neither remember? Note, Christ’s disciples are often to be blamed for the shallowness of their understandings, and the slipperiness of their memories. "Have ye forgot those repeated instances of merciful and miraculous supplies; five thousand fed with five loaves, and four thousand with seven loaves, and yet they had enough and to spare? Remember how many baskets ye took up.’’

For more encouragement in trusting God for all of life, below is a wonderful message from none other than Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher from the 17th century:

"Only be thou strong and very courageous." — Joshua 1:7. Our God's tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonor his God. Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Savior, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, labor is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou strong, and very courageous."

In closing may I mention a verse out of John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Keep trusting our Lord! He loves you with an everlasting love!

Growing in Him,

Mountain Girl