Several years ago I wrote a very detailed article showing how the “god” portrayed in The Shack is a false god because William P. Young’s gospel was contrary to the truth of God continued in the scriptures. One fellow who embraced The Shack decided to write a post on his site in which he portrayed me as having a relationship with a book, rather than Jesus. He took an excerpt from my article and completely misrepresented my position and my entire article. I’m not sure he even read the article. Here is the excerpt he attempted to deconstruct:

In The Shack, Mack ( the main character) finds true relationship with God in contrast to those who have traditional Christian beliefs based on the Bible. This subtle message qualifies as a wind of doctrine as mentioned in Ephesians 4. There is an undertone within The Shack, that relationship with God is something independent of the written word of God, and nothing could be further from the truth. There is no sweeter, no more assuring, no more real and living relationship with God than knowing him through his Word, especially when the Word is mixed with a prayerful heart. Earnest and heartfelt time in the Word of God, is time spent with God. Relationship with “the god of The Shack” is not true relationship with the Living God, because it is relationship with someone other than the true God we fellowship with in the scriptures. It is through the knowledge of God revealed in his holy written word that we grow in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and as we grow in the Lord we embrace sound doctrine and good biblical theology which makes us spiritually healthy.

Now, I meant every word of that statement, and I hold to it firmly. The Holy Scriptures are the record of God’s faithful word (Titus 1:9). In the scriptures we have the record of God’s revelation of himself (his nature, character, and acts). In scripture, we find that Jesus is the fullness of the revelation of God. Both Jesus and the apostles appealed to the scriptures to prove that Jesus is the testimony of God.

This does not mean that God only speaks to us through the scriptures. God can speak to us in a variety of ways (directly, in visions, dreams, etc) about anything he wants to communicate to us. However, when God truly speaks to us, it is the God who is revealed in the scriptures, who is speaking. If we hear something that is contrary to scripture we are hearing the voice of another and not God. God’s words are always consistent with the truth he has revealed about himself in the scriptures.

People tend to get into the ditch on one side or the other. They either claim that God only speaks through the Bible, or hold the position that the scriptures are not the final authority for doctrine, reprove, correction and instructions in righteousness. Both positions are wrong.

The scriptures are the final authority and the God of scripture wants to be involved in our lives and have fellowship with us and speak to us.

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THE FALSE GOD OF THE SHACK

https://rootedandgroundedinchrist.com/2016/12/29/the-false-god-of-the-shack/


DOES GOD SPEAK ONLY THROUGH THE BIBLE?

https://rootedandgroundedinchrist.com/2023/01/18/does-god-speak-only-through-the-bible/