It is rare to find a story that can, with the mear words our communication limits us to, portray a revelation of God that fills your heart, soul and mind with peaceful understanding and a passionate desire to know Him more. This is such a story. The author of The Shack may have just been a janitor barely scraping by, but God revealed to him a story that HAD to be shared, a story he would allow him to write that could open the eyes of our hearts. For those of us who think we understand/know God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit sufficiently, this story will blow your mind, it will open your heart wider than you thought possible, and it will forever change your soul.It is hard to begin to describe how this book has made me feel. I could not stop wanting more, I read all 248 pages in under 5 hours!! All the best things I have ever believed about the trinity are just a small taste of the way they are revealed in The Shack, brought to life so vividly I feel like I was the one conversing with Them, laughing with Them, crying with Them. I have never before read something that transported me into Their presence like this book, a glimpse of heaven, more beautiful than my mind has ever imagined.
One thing that stood out the most to me is what I learned about forgiveness, or more accurately, what was finally articulated for me, but something my heart always seemed to know. Here is a portion of what I read that really rang true (slightly paraphrased as to not give too much away).
" 'For you to forgive is for you to release them to me and allow me to redeem them. Forgiveness is not about forgetting. They too are my child, I want to redeem them.'
'So what then? I just forgive and everything is okay? And we become buddies?'
'Forgiveness does not establish a relationship. In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose a relationship. Forgiveness is an incredible power...Jesus gives to all whom He indwells so that reconciliation can grow. In my relationship with men, I will never bring up what they did, or shame them or embaress them. I don't do humiliation, or guilt, or condemnation. They don't produce one speck of wholeness or righteousness.
Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind and behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from judgement, but without true change, no real relationshp can be established.'
'I think I understand what you are saying. But it feels like if I forgive them then they get off free. How do I excuse what they did?'
'Forgiveness does not excuse anything. Believe me, the last thing they are is free. And you have no duty to do justice in this, I will handle that.' "
This is exactly what I've been trying to communicate to Richard for nearly 2 years now, but he has no desire to be redeemed, he says.
Anyway, for fear of giving too much information and spoiling it for any future readers of The Shack (which I hope you ALL do!), I will end my rave review here, but I hope one day I can talk to many of you about the discoveries you make about God and yourself through the experience of this wonderful story.
5 comments:
I kinda wondered about some of the things he wrote, but overall ~ seeing as how it's a work of fiction ~ I thought it was an awesome book, too. A little tough for me to read in some parts, but an incredible look at forgiveness, grace, and redemption.
I found this book to be a mixed bag - some parts were theologically sound and some parts were definitely not. I loved parts, and felt very uneasy in other parts. After reading it, I read Tim Challies review of this book, and understood my reservations more clearly. (His review is fair, imo, he points out both the positives and negatives)
Here is his "shorter" review... http://www.challies.com/theology/the-shack-by-william-p-young
And here is his longer one....
http://www.challies.com/sites/all/files/files/The_Shack.pdf
Thanks for sharing, everyone is entitled to dislike the book even if I loved it. I'm not ignorant of some theological liberties but I still mostly disagree with this review. Even though the story is supposed to be reality based, it is not canonized, nor is it trying to be. It's not a book about finding salvation, it's about discovering a very personal relationship with God that far too many Churches overlook teaching about. It's about taking God out of our first-world 'box'.
I can't even believe Tim's stance on forgiveness, everything I've ever known or been taught about forgiveness in every Church I've been in is that it is ours unconditionally and we should give it unconditionally. Jesus forgave people who didn't repent, the adultress woman didn't repent. To make it part of the repentance/ salvation equation makes no sense to me because how can I forgive others 70X7 when most people never repent.
I'm not at all about watering down the truth for people, but some people will not seek out the truth if they first experience lack of grace. God is all about grace first, love first, then once you know how loving He is He works on your perception of truth, even until our dying day we never fully grasp His truth, but what will keep us seeking it is knowing full His love, and knowing God in a personal way. It's hearing from God personally, mostly outside of Scripture, that drives me back to Scripture yearning to know more. I think this book's intent is to show people the love first, especially those Christians who already know His truth pretty well.
But that's just my opinion :)
God's LOVE is unconditional - but His forgiveness is actually conditional. If was unconditional, then everyone would go to heaven.
Here's an article you may find interesting....
http://www.equip.org/articles/forgiveness-in-the-bible-and-in-pop-psychology/
Back to "The Shack" - I do think the intent is good. There's just too much bad theology in it for my personal comfort level. Unfortunately, even works of fiction can influence our theology. In fact, it can influence us relatively easily, especially when we are emotionally drawn in to the story.
That said, there is much positive in it as well.
There is also more than one theology, not the 'all paths lead to God' type but the differences like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and apparently forgiveness :) I have come from an entire life time of theology (not my own alone-vetted by reliable pastors and myself) that says Jesus's blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins, releasing of the debt humans were required to make a sacrifice to earn. That forgiveness is not salvation until we repent and accept that gift.
Luke 23:34 "And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." I don't think they repented, and I don't think he was granting them salvation. Personally, I don't think my salvation hangs in the balance so I don't intend to do anymore research. We can just agree to disagree :)
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