Brian McLaren Refuses To Unequivocally Say Osama Bin Laden Is In Hell
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Probably the most disturbing part about Brian McLaren’s evasive non-response response to a reader’s question is that he drops a “love wins” reference. You would think a Christian would have no problem answering the question about whether or not Osama bin Laden is in Hell. Not if you are an Emergent/Liberal/Progressive like Brian McLaren. From McLaren’s blog:
Before replying, I think it’s worthwhile for us to ask ourselves why this question matters to us. Do we fear that God will be excessively merciful or excessively harsh? Or do we want to use an extreme case to bolster one of our own theories? Do we want to use this as a test question to expose others’ bad (from our perspective) ideas? Or do we simply want to hold up to the light of God this part of our experience – as witnesses (from a very limited vantage point) of OBL’s life, misdeeds, and death?
Assuming, by the tone of your note, that it’s the latter, I can offer a few reflections – again, from my limited perspective only. I think OBL’s destiny is to face the living God who is ultimately and absolutely and beautifully just and loving. I believe God’s justice and love are perfectly integrated so as not to be, at heart, two separate things, but one beautiful, holy, awesome reality. I also believe that God sees and understands everything, from every angle, in ways that we do not and can not, which is why judgment from our limited perspective is so wrong. Whatever is wrong and evil in OBL will, I believe, be named, exposed, revealed, and dealt with appropriately, in the perfect light of God’s justice and love. Whatever remains of God’s good image inside OBL will be distinguished from the rest and dealt with appropriately, again in the perfect light of God’s justice and love. Whatever from his story can be healed will be healed. Whatever cannot will be dealt with in some other appropriate way. Somehow, grace will have the final word. Somehow (as they say), love will win – not at the expense of justice, but through and with and in justice. Beyond that, I have no desire to speculate … only to live my life in harmony with God’s justice and love.
Um, what was that? Makes me think of Jared Wilson’s thought experiment where Brian McLaren is asked if he wants a glass of milk. This is the same Brian McLaren who hopes for a gay awakening in our churches, who thinks debating the death of Jesus for our sins is a fruitless endeavor, who has fasted with Muslims during Ramadan, and who supports President Obama.
Let me answer the question since McLaren is not qualified to answer since it is doubtful he knows what the true Gospel is. Yes, Osama bin Laden is in Hell. Anyone who rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ will suffer the consequences for their sins. One must repent and confess Jesus Christ as Savior in order to be forgiven and there is no other name by which we can be saved.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
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One Response and Counting...
I visit McLaren's blog from time to time and saw the post you reference above yesterday. This man never ceases to amaze me with his nonsensical "answers" that are couched in Christianese. I read his book "A New Kind of Christianity" last year as reviews of it suggested that McLaren had FINALLY stated what it is he really believes. It was an excruciating experience. However, I can say without a doubt that McLaren needs to drop his evangelical Christian moniker. He is a universalist/New Ager and he preaches a "different Gospel." Paul had something to say about that in Galatians 1:8,9.
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