Chapter 6: There are Rocks Everywhere

Rob’s main theme or idea in chapter 6 is that God / Jesus / the Holy Spirit is at work in all the world, in all sorts of ways and through all sorts of means, drawing people to himself. That God always has been and always will be wooing and that people are bound to bump into Jesus in all sorts of ways and places.

Rob makes it clear that Jesus is the only way; that Jesus alone is saving everyone. But that there are all sorts of possibilities in regards to how Jesus is doing things in the world, reaching people, meeting people interrupting the time frames and schedules of humanity. 


In Exodus 17 the Israelites are in need of water and God tells Moses to strike a rock with his staff, he does and water comes from the rock. In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul refers to this ‘rock’ encounter and paints a picture of the always existing Jesus playing a role in the sustaining of God’s people in the wilderness.  Rob paints a picture of Jesus at work all over the place through ‘rocks that are everywhere.’

I really liked this chapter, it describes God as active and present in all of creation, discoverable to all. It also makes space for God to work in all sorts of unique and wonderful ways and that there is a mystery to that.

Some are critical saying that in this chapter Rob deems all religions as the same with Jesus in and at work in all of them, and thus it doesn’t matter what religion you are. I don’t think he is suggesting this at all. Ben Witherington 3 is concerned that Rob is pushing things too far when he says that some coming to the Father may not even know they are coming exclusively through him and it is well worth reading Ben’s critique.

I’m not so sure.

I’ve grown up all my life imagining people in heaven, because of Jesus, though they may not have known Jesus in the sense that I do, but are judged accurately by Jesus. People in the back blocks of the Amazon who  never meet a Christian, read a bible, hear of Jesus etc, alive today, and obviously throughout history. That’s the answer we’re often given as kids or in Sunday school. It still resonates with me, though I know it’s up for debate.

There is no chapter and verse (that I know of) for the idea of an age of accountability. The idea that children who die will find grace, forgiveness and eternal life. Yet it is commonly accepted across the spectrum of Christianity. I endorse it whole heartedly! The argument goes that children do not have the ability to reason, process, think, and make an informed decision. Obviously children have not matured to be able to do this and hence the idea of an age of accountability.

Is there not a second issue though; access to the accurate data that needs to be reasoned through, process and thought through out of which faith and repentance is entered into? Accountability surely requires the ability to be accountable and an understanding of what you are accountable for? Though it is not lack of data that condemns and makes one guilty before God but rather sin, the Good News of the Gospel is a helpful piece of information in sorting the sin issue out. Hence perhaps again, the degree of mystery in which we can simply trust God and join with the multitude of heaven who cry, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments?"

Chapter 5: Dying to Live

Chapter 5 is to do with the cross with Rob highlighting the reality that the work of the cross is described and explained with all sorts of different metaphors. Some people hold certain metaphors to be more important than other metaphors. Rob perspective however...

The point, then, isn’t to narrow it to one particular metaphor, image, explanation, or mechanism. To elevate one over others, to insist that there’s a ‘correct’ or ‘right’ one, is to miss the brilliant, creative work these first Christians were doing when they used these images and metaphors. They were reading their world, looking for ways to communicate this epic event in ways their listens could grasp.

The point then, as it is now, is Jesus. The divine in flesh
and blood. He is where the life is.

Jesus is the way to God.

Rob then discusses the resurrection as the beginning of the new, the old has gone and the new has come and also highlights the need for us to understand the Gospel as far wider and more cosmic in scope than simply a message about how to avoid hell or not sin.

I really enjoyed this chapter, probably the best in the book so far. The exact way, formula, transaction, in which the cross made a way forward for humanity was never set in any of the church creeds. Rather the church is left to explore all the different metaphors as a celebration that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is transforming and life change news with cosmic implications. I think this helps us to keep a broad perspective on the cross and what it means. This will rankle some people, especially those that pretty much only talk about the cross in terms of penal substitution atonement theory, but I find it refreshing. Overall a reasonably solid chapter.

Favourite paragraph...

When people say that Jesus came to die on the cross so that we can have a relationship with God, yes, that is true. But that explanation as the first explanation puts us at the centre. For the first Christians, the story was, first and foremost, bigger, grander. More massive. When Jesus is presented only as the answer that saves individuals from their sin and death, we run the risk of shrinking the Gospel down to something just for humans, when God has inaugurated a movement in Jesus’ resurrection to renew, restore, and reconcile everything ‘ on earth or in heaven’ (Col 1), just as God originally intended it. The powers of death and destruction have been defeated on the most epic scale imaginable. Individuals are then invited to see their story in the context of a far larger story, one that includes all of creation.

Love Wins: Chapter Two

Chapter 2: Here is the New There

Rob’s main point in this chapter is to do with heaven. Basically eternity won’t be spent in a giant city with mansions and golden streets that exists somewhere out there somewhere in a galaxy far far away.  Rather eternity will be spent on a restored earth, the new creation, in the New Jerusalem where heaven and earth are one. This is where we will enjoy eternal life. Rob points out that eternal life is also a type of life, a type of living, and that this sort of life can be experienced and tasted here on earth. He correctly points out that this will only ever be tasted in part until Jesus returns and indeed restores all things. He concludes by saying...

There’s heaven now, somewhere else.
There’s heaven here, sometime else.
And then there’s Jesus’ invitation to heaven
here
and
now,
in this moment,
in this place.

Essentially I think he’s on the money here though a little clarity could be offered.

There’s heaven now, somewhere else = Non material part of the universe where God’s will reigns.

There’s heaven here, sometime else = When Jesus returns and makes all things new, the new heaven and earth (read renewed heaven and earth). Eternity will be spent here, heaven and earth will be one, and the dwelling place of God will be with humanity.

There is heaven here and now = Better stated this is eternal life (technically not heaven). Eternal life or  ‘eternity type of life and living’ that can be tasted in part now but will one day be experienced in full.

I know for some who have grown up understanding heaven to be a large golden city of mansions, paradise somewhere out there somewhere that exits now, this chapter might cause you to pause. Personally I think if you do a bit of exploring you’ll discover that Rob is pretty much on the money.

Some further reading that has helped me understand these issues...

The Gospel of the Kingdom – George E Ladd
Surprised by Hope – Tom Wright
Theology for the Community of God – Stanley Grenz

On page 46, Rob makes the comments...

Our eschatology shapes our ethics.
Eschatology is about last things.
Ethics are about how you live.

What you believe about the future shapes, informs, and determines how you live now.

This is a great challenge that needs serious consideration...

Love Wins Hoopla

If you haven’t heard all about the hoopla surrounding Rob Bell’s latest contribution, Love Wins, then you’ve obviously just returned from a pilgrimage to the South Pole. Did it go well for you?

Personally I’ve lost count of how many times someone has asked me what I thought of the book, and funnily enough, how many times that question has been asked in a nervous whisper. What the heck!?! Since when could we not openly and honestly discuss a book, be challenged by some serious questions, be forced to look afresh at what we believe and why? I haven’t heard of a book being black listed since Tommy Tenny’s The God Chasers and that was at the turn of last century! Yet in regards to Love Wins; I’ve heard of interns being banned from reading it, that it asks questions that just don’t need to be asked, and even of someone being fired for supporting some of the ideas that Bell floats. Fun times!

Knowing that so many have read the book and knowing that the next book most interns are going to buy will be the one they’ve just been banned from reading, perhaps there is a better response to Love Wins than simply denouncing and banning it. In a Pastoral context perhaps a Love Wins Connect Group could be put together and an appropriate leader found to walk young people through the book chapter by chapter, critiquing and exploring rather than running from it. You could perhaps call it a ‘teaching opportunity.’ Just a thought...


Anyway, I thought we’d go through the book chapter by chapter. I’ve never met Rob Bell, never been to his church. I’ve only read two of his books, and only watched a couple of Nooma DVD’s. However for about the last three years I’ve been listening to the weekly pod casts from his church Mars Hill Bible Church. Through these I have continually been challenged and inspired to put my faith and trust in the resurrected Jesus and his saving work at the cross. I’ve continually been encouraged in my faith, inspired to love Jesus and to love others more. Continually I have been reminded of the need to turn away from my own selfish way of living and to embrace the way of Jesus which has radical implications to ever area of my life.

So with that in mind, what’s the deal with Love Wins?


We’ll tackle chapter one What About The Flat Tire? next time.