{"id":2505,"date":"2007-10-29T06:45:55","date_gmt":"2007-10-29T10:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/?p=2505"},"modified":"2026-07-19T14:13:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T21:13:43","slug":"things-not-always-as-they-seem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/things-not-always-as-they-seem\/","title":{"rendered":"Things Not Always as They Seem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The following letter we received on October 26th is a typical one. The man, Chris, is not aware of Rob Bell&#8217;s &#8220;fruit&#8221; and sees only the deeds of righteousness that appear to be godly. But the Bible gives warning even about such deeds if the author of them is Satan rather than God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To Lighthouse Trails:<\/strong><br \/>\nI find it comical that there is a site that pits Christians against Christians. A person shall be known by his fruit. What is Rob Bell&#8217;s fruit? Only thousands of people who have reconnected to their faith and represent Christ more like those of the &#8220;traditional&#8221; church.<\/p>\n<p>What is the Lighthouse Trails Research Project&#8217;s fruit? It spends countless hours demanding that their religion is a one size fits all.<\/p>\n<p>Repent you modern day Pharisees! Stop being so legalistic and represent the true Christ.<\/p>\n<p>Chris H.<br \/>\nCalifornia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our reply:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Dear Chris,<br \/>\nThank you for writing. We cannot always just look to righteous works (remember, the Bible says that Satan&#8217;s ministers come as ministers of righteousness). The fruit of Rob Bell is that he points people to the spirituality of Ken Wilber. I don&#8217;t know how much you know about Wilber, but check out his website and see if it lines up with what the Bible teaches. Here is a link to his site: <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220627051156\/http:\/\/www.kenwilber.com\/\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">http:\/\/www.kenwilber.com<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and one particular page you might want to look at: <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210513184059\/http:\/\/www.kenwilber.com\/personal\/ILP\/MyILP.html\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">http:\/\/www.kenwilber.com\/personal\/ILP\/MyILP.html<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Chris, things are not always as they seem. While you see us as legalistic, we only desire to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the only means of salvation, according to the Bible.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>What Chris (and so many others) may not realize is that Rob Bell&#8217;s &#8220;fruit&#8221; is leading people away from the Jesus Christ of the Bible. In <em>Velvet Elvis<\/em>, Bell tells readers to spend three months reading a book by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/kenwilber.htm\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Ken Wilber<\/span><\/strong><\/a> (and says it will be a &#8220;mindblowing&#8221; experience). Check out Wilber&#8217;s site and see if you would want a friend or family member to spend three months studying his teachings. The book that Bell recommends in <em>Velvet Elvis <\/em>is called <em>A Brief History of Everything<\/em>, which is similar to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/leonardsweet.htm\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Leonard Sweet&#8217;s<\/span><\/strong><\/a> <em>Theory of Everything <\/em>in which God dwells in all humans and all creation. This is not what the Bible teaches &#8211; on the contrary. We must be born again through Jesus Christ &#8211; He is the only path to the Father.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. II Corinthians 11: 13-15<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Related Article:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20071009231137\/http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/index.php?p=809&amp;more=1&amp;c=1\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Many Pastors Promoting Rob Bell<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following letter we received&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-progressive-emerging-church","wpcat-25-id"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.4 (Yoast SEO v28.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Things Not Always as They Seem - 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