Rob Bell- What???

By Dale Van Dyke
Rob Bell's View of God’s Faith in Man?????
The self-ward bent of Bell’s teaching continues when he speaks of God’s faith in man. Bell adopts his self-professed rabbi Ray Vander Laan’s teaching that Jesus chose his disciples just like every other rabbi of his day—because he believed in their innate abilities. In one of the most painful parts of the book, Bell reminds us of the story found in Matthew 14:22ff. where Peter rushed out of the boat to meet Jesus walking on the water. Peter began to sink and Jesus rebuked him for his lack of faith.
Who does Peter lose faith in? Not Jesus; he is doing fine. Peter loses faith in himself. Peter loses faith that he can do what his rabbi is doing. If the rabbi calls you to be his disciple, then he believes that you can actually be like him. As we read the stories of Jesus’ life with his talmidim, his disciples, what do we find frustrates him to no end? When his disciples lose faith in themselves . . . Notice how many places in the accounts of Jesus life he gets frustrated with his disciples. Because they are
incapable? No, because of how capable they are. He sees what they could be and could do, and when they fall short if provokes him to no end. It isn’t their failure that’s the problem, it’s their greatness. They don’t realize what they are capable of . . . God has an amazingly high view of people. God believes that people are capable of amazing things. I’ve been told I need to believe in Jesus. Which is a good thing. But what I’m learning is that Jesus believes in me. . . . God has faith in me.20
In fact, according to Bell, God has such great faith in the abilities of men that Jesus "left the future of the movement (the church) in their hands. And he doesn’t stick around to make sure they don’t screw it up. He’s gone. He trusts that they can actually do it."21 This is a shocking reinterpretation of the Christian faith. When the gospel becomes the message of God coming to earth and dying on a cross to help men believe how great they really are—something is horribly amiss. This has the stench of blasphemy.
Even a cursory review of what the Bible actually says shows the utter fallacy of this teaching. When Peter heard Jesus’ words and was rescued by him he didn’t apologize for failing to realize his full potential. He worshiped Christ with the other men saying, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matt. 14:33). When Jesus ascended into heaven he clearly instructed them to remain in Jerusalem and "wait for the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4) and reminded them, "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20)." This is the same Jesus who told his disciples, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). This "new teaching" simply fails the Berean Scripture test (Acts 17:11).
Whenever the Bible speaks of why God chooses people to follow him, it never suggests that it’s because God believes in us. Just listen to a familiar verse re-interpreted according to Bell’s teaching.
And God said to Joshua, be strong and very courageous because I know you can do this. You’ve had great military training, you have a keen mind, and you are a great commander. Go in and take the land. Do not be afraid. I chose you because I believe you are capable of amazing things.
Does that sound right? What does the text actually say? "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Josh. 1:9, emphasis added). And Joshua got the point. As the people came to the Jordan, we read: "Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you’ " (Josh. 3:5, emphasis added).
The whole story of the Exodus from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan is intended to highlight God’s amazing abilities, not man’s. In fact, whenever the Bible speaks of why God chooses people it always highlights the inabilities of man so that God’s receives all the glory!

It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples (Deut. 7:7).
Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people (Deut. 9:5–6, emphasis added).
Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:26–31, emphasis added).
Bell has erred in taking a practice of the Jewish Rabbi’s and ascribing it to God who says, "My ways are not your ways." Bell’s view is not only misleading, it is directly contrary to what God himself actually says. This teaching robs God of the glory of his condescending grace in salvation and actually ascribes glory to the sinner. This is a tragic and serious misstep, for the Living God takes his glory very seriously. "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another" (Isa. 48:11).