Guess what about Bell???

[B. W.]

Guess what about Rob Bell...

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03 ... dorsement/

It also appears he has flipped over into universalism as well too...

Reminds me of the Church doctrines held at Pergamos at the end time Church era...

Rev 2:14, 15, 16, 17, "....those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality....15 you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate...." NKJV

How sad but still a sign for the times. Some minister telling the Church to change its ways to the world's ways - is not good nor does it line up biblicaly either. Great shades of the doctrine of the Nicolaitions - the very thing God hates - Rob Bell endorses and uses! --- shame...

He started out alright but woe and shame....
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Note the LITV

Rev 2:12 LITV, And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos, write: These things says the One having the sharp, two-edged sword:
Rev 2:13 LITV, I know your works, and where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is. And you hold My name, and did not deny My Faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful witness; who was killed alongside you, where Satan dwells.
Rev 2:14 LITV, But I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 LITV, So you also have those holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Rev 2:16 LITV, Repent! But if not, I will come to you quickly, and I will make war with them by the sword of My mouth.
Rev 2:17 LITV, The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To the one overcoming, I will give him to eat from the hidden manna. And I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name having been written, which no one knows except the one receiving it.

[RickD]

B. W. wrote:
Reminds me of the Church doctrines held at Pergamos at the end time Church era...

You remember that? Gosh, I didn't think you were that old.

[B. W.]

B. W. wrote:
Reminds me of the Church doctrines held at Pergamos at the end time Church era...

You remember that? Gosh, I didn't think you were that old.

Soon you'll be a grandpa too

How's the little clowns grow'n?

Back to the topic, Rob Bell is popular and now this - what are we to conclude and pray for?
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[B. W.]

Interesting post...

http://www.christianpost.com/news/rob-b ... -is-92327/

Should Christianity get hip and change to the world's identity?

Can someone tell me if homosexuals are immune to putting people on trial, mocking,or scrounging anyone? Are they immune to bearing false witness, jealousy, rage, envy, lust? Are they purer than all others because they - just wanna love? Are Homosexuals impervious to scheming against another, dishonest gain, or slander, or bitterness?

Oh – the way the argument goes, homosexuality is perfect because its love’s and immune to being defined as sin. However, all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God and homosexuals are not immune to putting Christ or others upon the public cross of crucifixion. They are just as guilty as anyone else is on this planet. It’s not about sentimentality but about the sin in the heart of all human beings that makes sin - sin.

When Christian Leadership openly defies the bible, by pitting the word against itself to redefine sin as acceptable – Houston, we have a problem. Homosexuals sin just as everyone else does on this earth and are therefore excluded from the Kingdom of God for the sins and idols within the heart just as anyone else is. Only though Christ can one be saved from continuing this way and receiving God’s future wrath and saved from the idols one has made greater than God. In some folks eyes, homosexuality is greater than God.

Here is a Link from Albert Mohler regarding Bell...

http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/16/ ... -theology/
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[Rob]

A friend of mine went to see Mr. Bell when he was in town.

A section of his email to me:

I went to see Rob Bell speak at the Sherman Theatre a couple of years ago (sort of as recon). People were totally mesmerized with him. He is very good at manipulating people's emotions with the way he presents his message (style of speech, the way he dresses, etc.) and the use of music. After it was over, I saw people lining up outside his "tour bus" hoping to meet him.

I posted another thread in this sub-forum a couple months ago with a link to a documentary called "The Real Roots of the Emergent Church" featuring our best buddy Mr. Bell and others like him including Brian Mclaren.
It's a long video, but it really opened my eyes to the emergent movement.

[B. W.]

A friend of mine went to see Mr. Bell when he was in town.

A section of his email to me:

I went to see Rob Bell speak at the Sherman Theatre a couple of years ago (sort of as recon). People were totally mesmerized with him. He is very good at manipulating people's emotions with the way he presents his message (style of speech, the way he dresses, etc.) and the use of music. After it was over, I saw people lining up outside his "tour bus" hoping to meet him.

I posted another thread in this sub-forum a couple months ago with a link to a documentary called "The Real Roots of the Emergent Church" featuring our best buddy Mr. Bell and others like him including Brian Mclaren.

It's a long video, but it really opened my eyes to the emergent movement.

There is a new video from Bell arguing that the bible is like a old car that needs to be replaced to one that fits the modern age used promo a new book of his. He is definitely advocating a form of the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans and that it is okay to do things God deems as sexual immoral.

Below are three main references on the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans but when you dig more, you discover these folks did primarily three things as follows:

1- Synthesized other religious systems/thought into Christianity

2- Synthesized Gnostic concepts as well as antagonistic worldly philosophies into the Church

3- Synthesized norms and customs of the world into the Church

I can see why God hates this kind of thing as it perverts the Gospel so that it leads others into a sort of human justified licentiousness by using the Gospel in a manner that rubberstamps approval of this abuse. Bell may have started out okay – but for now – he is straying by justifying the things God hates. He is a master of hypnotic hyperbole and using film that dulls the brain of the unwary. There is even a bass like pressure that is embedded in his videos that are known and used for subliminal communication. Listen to the background of a Bell video and you’ll hear what I mean.

Subliminal techniques

As for Bell - be aware and best to stay away from all his works...

Fausset’s Bible Dictionary

Nicolaitans

Rev 2:6; Rev 2:14-15. Irenaeus (Haer. 1:26, section 3) and Tertullian (Praescr. Haeret. 46) explain, followers of Nicolas one of the seven (Acts 6:3; Acts 6:5) as there was a Judas among the twelve; confounding the later Gnostic Nicolaitans with those of Michaelis explains Nicolas (conqueror of the people) is the Greek for the Hebrew Balsam ("destroyer of the people," bela' 'am); as we find both the Hebrew and Greek names, Abaddon, Apollyon; Satan, devil. A symbolical name. Lightfoot suggests a Hebrew interpretation, nikola, "let us eat"; compare 1Co15:32. Not a sect, but professing Christians who, Balsam like, introduce a false freedom, i.e. licentiousness. A reaction from Judaism, the first danger of the church.

The Jerusalem council (Acts 15:20; Acts 15:29), while releasing Gentile converts from legalism, required their abstinence from idol meats and concomitant fornication. The Nicolaitans abused Paul's doctrine of the grace of God into lasciviousness; such seducers are described as followers of Balsam, also in 2Pe2:12-13; 2Pe2:15-19; Jude1:4; Jude1:7-8; Jude1:11 ("the son of Bosor" for Beor, to characterize him as "son of carnality": bosor "flesh"). They persuaded many to escape obloquy by yielding as to "eating idol meats," which was then a test of faithfulness (compare 1 Corinthians 8 and 1Co10:25-33); they even joined in the "fornication" of the idol feasts, as though permitted by Christ's "law of liberty." The "lovefeasts" (Jude1:12) thus became pagan orgies. The Nicolaitans combined evil "deeds" which Jesus "hates" with evil "doctrine."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Nicolaitans

nik-ṓ-lā´i-tanz Νικολαΐταί, Nikolaitaı́):

1. The Sect:
A sect or party of evil influence in early Christianity, especially in the 7 churches of Asia. Their doctrine was similar to that of Balaam, “who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication” (Rev2:14, Rev2:15). Their practices were strongly condemned by John, who praised the church in Ephesus for “hating their works” (Rev2:6), and blamed the church in Pergamum for accepting in some measure their teaching (Rev2:15). Except that reference is probably made to their influence in the church at Thyatira also, where their leader was “the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess” (Rev2:20; compare Rev2:14), no further direct information regarding them is given in Scripture.

2. References:
Reference to them is frequent in post-apostolic literature. According to Irenaeus (Adv. Haer., i. 26, 3; iii. 10, 7), followed by Hippolytus (Philos., vii. 36), they were founded by Nicolaus, the proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the seven chosen to serve at the tables (Acts 6:5). Irenaeus, as also Clement of Alexandria (Strom., ii. 20), Tertullian and others, unite in condemning their practices in terms similar to those of John; and reference is also made to their Gnostic tendencies. In explanation of the apparent incongruity of such an immoral sect being founded by one of “good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (compare Acts 6:3), Simcox argues that their lapse may have been due to reaction from original principles of a too rigid asceticism. A theory, started in comparatively modern times, and based in part on the similarity of meaning of the Greek “Nikolaus,” and the Hebrew “Balaam,” puts forward the view that the two sects referred to under these names were in reality identical. Yet if this were so, it would not have been necessary for John to designate them separately.

3. Nicolaitan Controversy:
The problem underlying the Nicolaitan controversy, though so little direct mention is made of it in Scripture, was in reality most important, and concerned the whole relation of Christianity to paganism and its usages. The Nicolaitans disobeyed the command issued to the Gentilechurches, by the apostolic council held at Jerusalem in 49-50 AD, that they should refrain from the eating of “things sacrificed to idols” (Act15:29). Such a restriction, though seemingly hard, in that it prevented the Christian communities from joining in public festivals, and so brought upon them suspicion and dislike, was yet necessary to prevent a return to a pagan laxity of morals. To this danger the Nicolaitans were themselves a glaring witness, and therefore John was justified in condemning them. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul gives warning against the same evil practices, basing his arguments on consideration for the weaker brethren (compare 1Co8:1-13).

Literature.
Simcox, “Revelation” in the Cambridge Bible; H. Cowan in Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes), article “Nicolaitans”; H.B. Swete, The Apocalypse of John, lxx ff, 27, 28, 37.

AMG Complete Word Study

3531 Stongs

Νικολαιτης

Nikolaḯtēs, gen. Nikolaḯtou, masc. proper noun. An adherent of Nikolaos, or a Nicolaitan. An ancient sect whose deeds were expressly and strongly reprobate (Rev2:6, Rev2:15). Some have supposed that they were the followers of Nicolas (Act6:5), one of the first deacons of the church, whom they regard as having apostatized from the true faith. For this view, however, there is no authority. Others regard the term "Nicolaitans" as a symbolic expression. Since Nicolaos means victor of the people and Balaam means devourer of the people, the two in symbolic unity signify religious seducers of the people. It is more probable that the Nicolaitans were identical with those who held the doctrine of Balaam, mentioned in Rev2:14 (cf. 2Pe2:15), so that likely the Nicolaitans practiced fornication and the eating of things sacrificed to idols while outwardly professing Christianity.

[B. W.]

Here is a link to a review on Bell's new book:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tre ... -rob-bell/

And another link regarding his video trailer for this book:

http://apprising.org/2013/03/06/rob-bel ... ldsmobile/


Be warned...
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[jlay]

I'd be just as worried about the Gospel Coalition who reviewed his book. In fact, I'm far more concerned with those neo-Calvin, neo-fundementalists in that group than I am with Bell.

Regarding Bell, I just never took the guy seriously. Probably because I don't value that touchy feely stuff, which is his M.O. But I do see how some get drawn in to his little thing. That said, I think he seems to have lost any pop he had, which is good, IMO. Not that certain ideas in the church shouldn't be challegned. They should. But Bell does it without actually saying much.