Find Rest in Christ Alone, Not the god of the Shack
The Shack presents a different God than both Scripture and Jesus did
Speaking in parables and imagery and fiction is a helpful way to get a true point across, and God often used this literary tool in Scripture to do just that. However, speaking in parables and imagery is also a helpful way to get a false point across. For instance, if I were leaving for the weekend and I wanted to encourage my kids to take comfort in their mother’s love, I would likely list her qualities and even use imagery to describe the person in which I want them to take comfort in. I might say, for instance, that mom is like a mother lion who ferociously protects her cubs. That would be both true and helpful, even though it is clearly just imagery. I would be encouraging them to take comfort in something that is true about their mother.
However, I could also use imagery to encourage my children to take comfort in something that is not true about their mother. I could tell them not to worry because their mother is like a snake who’ll help them sin and get away with it. If that aspect of their mother is what calms their heart, they are in fact taking comfort in someone other than their mother, and I am encouraging them to do so. If the things about God that you take comfort in aren't true, these things are describing a different God. The more two different people describe someone, the more it may be clear that they are talking about two different people.
There are a number of troubling examples of this very thing in The Shack. There are many beneficial reviews available for The Shack written by believers who love the Gospel and take all of God's Word as true, and I would encourage you to read them here, here, here, and here. Each will point out a significant way in which the Shack describes a different God than Scripture - in important ways. What is most troubling is the depiction of a different gospel than Jesus’ Gospel. The Gospel is to be the ultimate comfort to a Christian, and on the cross, we are given the most clear revelation of the character of the God in whom we take comfort. This is why a book that presents a different Gospel is particularly harmful when it is a book that is geared to be a way to take comfort in Jesus, which The Shack has repeatedly been billed to be.
"The more two different people describe someone, the more it may be clear that they are talking about two different people"
Gospel-Delighting Art
It is a wonderful thing to enjoy art and friendship from people who do not trust in Jesus. These are good gifts from a good God. However, the Word of God teaches us that we’re required to warn people when someone who claims to know Jesus teaches lies about Him.
All Gospel-delighting art is not simply a recitation of Scripture. Not at all. But of art that claims to help us understand the God of the Gospel, we should have a different expectation. There are many wonderful examples of believers who have done this masterfully. What Gospel-delighting art does, is to take the promises and character and God’s great works of salvation that Scripture communicates and delights in these. Many different forms of art have been instrumental for many to creatively delight in the things about God which He revealed in Christ and testified to in Scripture.
"What Gospel-delighting art does, is to take the promises and character and God’s great works of salvation that Scripture communicates and delights in these."
The Shack rejects the Heart of the Gospel
The Gospel is, plainly, that Christ died for sinners, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. To believe in the Gospel is also to believe what was accomplished by Christ’s death and resurrection. The Gospel is the News of the richest possible love - the love of Christ that would cause Him to receive even the damnation of His people. The Shack rejects that Christ was punished for our sin or needed to be. The author of The Shack denies this glorious promise of the Gospel.
“I am not who you think I am, Mackenzie. I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It’s not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it.” (p. 119-120).
Christ and Scripture (which is His voice) call out to us to take comfort in the God who forgives sin by taking it upon Himself and then receiving all of the punishment that we deserve for it on the cross.
Therefore, if anyone is iin Christ, he is ja new creation.2 kThe old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, lwho through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us mthe ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling3 the world to himself, nnot counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us mthe message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, owe are ambassadors for Christ, pGod making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 qFor our sake he made him to be sin rwho knew no sin, so that in him we might become sthe righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
This is what Christ calls us to take comfort in:
31 What then shall we say to these things? pIf God is for us, who can be9 against us? 32 qHe who did not spare his own Son but rgave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? sIt is God who justifies. 34 tWho is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—uwho is at the right hand of God, vwho indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:31-34)
The Shack encourages sinners to take comfort in a God who doesn't punish sin. However, Jesus encourages sinners to repent and believe and then take comfort because, although God the Father does punish sin, Christ offered up His life for yours and the Father has instead punished Christ for your sin. Two different hopes, two different comforts, two different comforters. To be comforted by the Shack is not to be comforted by the God of the Bible; it is not to be comforted by Jesus. This explains why The Shack’s descriptions of God are different than the God described in the Bible - the God who became flesh and who was seen by hundreds of thousands of eyewitnesses when He took on flesh, lived, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven in human history at the turn of the first century.
"The Gospel is the News of the richest possible love - the love of Christ that would cause Him to receive even the damnation of His people."
Gospel treasures repudiated by The Shack:
At TAC one of the sweetest things we together take comfort in is the phrase: “Christ suffered what we deserved from God on the cross so that we who believe can eternally enjoy what Christ deserves from God”. You should know that the authors of The Shack believe that statement to be false.
Another TAC-treasured phrase is: “The Son of God received the relationship with God that enemies deserved on the cross so that enemies of God could enjoy the relationship with God that Jesus deserved - to be beloved children of God.” Dear brothers and sisters, you should also know that the authors of The Shack also believe that statement to be appalling.
The Shack presents the idea of submission and authority as ungodly and antithetical to true relationship.
“Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect. In fact, we [“God”] are submitted to you [humans] in the same way.”(p. 155)
However, God’s Word assures us that God is completely sovereign and in His love, He never submits to His children, He loves them by leading, commanding, serving, and offering Himself as sacrifice for them.
The Shack teaches that all are already children of God simply living independently from Him, and conversion is simply choosing to live in that relationship -not being adopted into that relationship
“Honey, you asked me what Jesus accomplished on the cross, so now listen to me carefully: through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world.” “The whole world? You mean those who believe in you, right?” “The whole world, Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two-way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally. It is not the nature of love to force a relationship, but it is the nature of love to open the way.” (p. 210)
Referring to a murderer who does not trust in Jesus: “But he too is my son. I want to redeem him.”(p. 247).
However, God’s Word teaches that a call for people to repent and believe in the Gospel is for people to be forgiven and be reconciled into a relationship with God as His children. This is adoption into God’s family - seated at Christ’s seat at the table.
Does The Shack Portray a More Delightful and Comforting God Than Jesus?
Some have said that this God is much more appealing than the God they’ve been taught about. Something needed to be added to their understanding of God in order to make God more desirable and comforting than He had previously been. The God as revealed in Jesus Christ which scripture perfectly testifies to, leaves us lacking, or at least, to be improved. Scarier words could hardly have been said. It shouldn't surprise us when we find ourselves preferring someone else’s descriptions of God rather than the way He has described Himself - this is because we are all idolaters at heart - who are drawn to worship and take divine comfort in anything other than God - like moths are to a flame. We can all relate to finding more comfort in other things than in God - such as money, a stable job, good health, strong family, and the comfort of many friends. It shouldn't surprise us, but it should alarm us when we are drawn to take divine comfort in someone or something other than God. He has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people to help us to stand in what will be an internal battle of our hearts until we stand in His presence; to find rest in God alone - and for the rest that we find in Him to be based on what is true about Him.
"It shouldn't surprise us, but it should alarm us when we are drawn to take divine comfort in someone or something other than God."
Find Rest in God Alone
The Shack’s problem is not that it merely makes a few mistakes, but seeing that the Gospel of the god that it portrays is different, it follows that the god the author wishes you to take comfort in is not Jesus of Nazareth. If the Shack comforts you, you should know that it is not the Gospel that is comforting you. Neither is it the God of the Gospel in which you are finding comfort.
Better to find rest and comfort for your soul in the true and living God who became one of us to die for our sins and rose from the dead to conquer death and give us eternal life as beloved children.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:5-12
Quotes from the book: Young, William P. The Shack, Windblown Media.