Examples are extremely helpful.
Recently, a friend repaired our washing machine by looking at an example of the repair on Youtube, saving us hundreds of dollars. Seeing an actual example of the repair was easier than simply reading instructions.
This is one reason I enjoy Christian biographies. Biblical principles come alive in the lives of God's faithful saints, giving us examples to follow.
Christian friends can also be godly examples, just as ungodly friends can be corrupting examples (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Of course, our perfect example is Christ.
In John 13:15, Jesus said: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children.”
Philippians 2:5 tells us to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” in our relationships with each other, and 1 Thessalonians 1:6 encourages us to become “imitators” of the Lord.
There’s no doubt about it, examples in our lives matter. Let’s choose the best ones (1 John 2:6).
I am concerned that so many Christians are claiming that The Shack has helped them better understand God. On page 149 of The Shack, The Shack’s jesus says, “Seriously, my life was not meant to be an example to copy. Being my follower is not trying to ‘be like Jesus’...”
This and other errors in The Shack give a false view of Jesus. If you feel this book has helped you better understand the Lord, you are actually misunderstanding the Lord.
Christians should be offended by books which corrupt God's character. If we want to genuinely understand God, we must read His Word and reject anything that contradicts it.
See The Shack’s Errors.
-----------------
I saw the movie and it was a wonderful inspiration to me. I am a Christian and I know that I should not (and do not)take books or movies literally. I understand a person needs to be discerning. That does not mean that some movies/books do not have value. In this one, the part about casting blame (on a parent) because of how that person was affected by his upbringing, and that goes generation by generation back to Adam. We have to take responsibility for our own actions and change the cycle. A valuable lesson. I didn't even notice the reference that Jesus should not be our example............of course He is an example to everyone. I think if we have a good grounding in scripture other sources can be valuable. Just my opinion..............Janice
ReplyDeleteHi Janice,
DeleteI agree with you that it is a good message not to blame-shift everything on others but to take responsibility for our sins.
And I'm glad that you have the wisdom and knowledge to discern the errors in The Shack.
Unfortunately, there are many millions of people who are using The Shack to define who God is, and many now believe that God saves all men, whether they trust Christ or not. That is the belief of the author.
I would not recommend the book even though it has some good messages in it. I think it is like hunting for healthy food in the garbage can. We might find some, but it will be contaminated by rotten things.
There are many good Christian books that convey Biblical messages. We should stick to those and judge everything with Scripture.
God bless you, and thanks for sharing your opinion.