Why Christians should not read 'The Shack'

I’ve posted before about the heresies in The Shack here, and here. Today I’d like to discuss The Shack in terms of the End Time.

In order to seek His face, and to stay on His path, Christians should always ask these questions in daily life,
--“Does what I am thinking glorify Jesus?”
--“Does what I am saying glorify Jesus?”
--“Does what I am doing glorify Jesus?”

These are questions we ask all the time, end time or not. We have to, Christian life is hard. We are told in John 16:33 that the Christian life is hard and it's easy to stray. We face mocking, (Isaiah 28:15; Isaiah 28:22; 2 Peter 3:3) persecution, trials and tribulations. (1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 11:24-26). Because of our enemies, we have to do all we can to stay on the straight path and not stray. (Psalm 27:11) We struggle against the supernatural realms, all the powers, principalities, and powers of darkness, so much so that we are given spiritual armor to wear in the battle. (Ephesians 6:12). It’s war, you know, and the enemy sets mines.

Enter the end time, a ramped up period of increased everything. Add to the war we are already in, increased deception, apostasy, and false doctrine. (Matthew 24:11) We are told that in the end time men will not put up with sound doctrine, instead, they’ll seek doctrines that tickle the ears and match their own thoughts and desires. (2Tim 4:3). We are warned that men will be godless, susceptible, hypocritical liars teaching false doctrine sent by deceiving demons (1 Tim 4:1-3). There will be destructive heresies secretly introduced even denying the sovereignty of the LORD; and false teachers (2 Peter 2:1). Even the elect will not be immune to deception (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).

The Lord was good and kind to tell us, warn us, and equip us. Now comes The Shack, a heartwarming, innocuous- looking book that makes readers across the world feel good. They feel good about Jesus. They feel good about God. They feel good because they released from the strict doctrine they hated all along. How? The Shack tells its readers that Jesus is not the only way to heaven, but the best way. The Shack tells its readers that church is old fashioned and the bible is dusty. The Shack tells readers that there is no such a thing as eternal judgment or torment in hell. The Shack tells readers God will never judge people for their sins. (If that is so, then Jesus died for NOTHING!) Even one of those principles in The Shack should be enough to stop a Christain from spending God-given time reading it.

When you read a book like The Shack, or if you consider recommending it to someone, ask yourself the three questions as usual: does what I am thinking, saying, or doing glorify God? And add this one: at the Bema Seat, when I face Jesus, will he accept my excuses for having read or recommended The Shack? The time I used in reading heresy I could have spent in Godly pursuits instead, will that be pleasing to Him?

In light of all the end-time warnings we are given, why spend even a moment spending time in an activity that denies Jesus' sacrifice for sin? Why risk it? Are we smarter than the bible? No. Mark Driscoll said “doctrine is essential, like a fence the Almighty erects to safeguard the saved from error.” Straying from that fence exposes us to the wolves we were promised would appear (Matthew 7:15) and makes us vulnerable to the prowling lion seeking to devour us. (1 Peter 5:8) If you were inside a fence and actually saw the wolves and the lion out there, would you wander out? Of course not. Just because the powers and principalities are invisible does not mean they are not there. We are told they are, and if you have faith in Jesus’ swords then you believe that. Don’t stray outside of the fence of solid doctrine! Especially not in these end times when we’ve been warned the risk is all the greater!

There is no label on The Shack that says, “Warning, heresy inside!” The destructive heresies that will come in The End Time are introduced “secretly” meaning, slyly, in a sweet package like The Shack. Christian, don’t go over the fence where the lion prowls, and the wolves wait. Frankly, none of us is smarter than the bible, and the bible warned us we are at risk from false doctrines in the end time. O, why displease the merciful God who saved you from the pit of eternal hell by putting in your mind the notion that His Son died for nothing?

“I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.” Rev 10:10