Originally posted by ronthedisciple:
Say all you like about Rick Warren's contribution through the Purpose Driven Church, the Purpose Driven Life, and 40 Days of Purpose. I'll testify this: I thank God for his work, for it has helped me and my church a great deal in getting to know our Lord Jesus better; and after all is said and done - THAT's what matters - knowing Jesus Christ. You can even know your Bible, word for word, memorized - and that won't be enough if you don't know the One of whom it speaks. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their searching the law for life, and not finding out that the law does not give life, but only tells of the One who does. Anyone who wants to can find fault with any of God's human servants. We are ALL fractured clay vessels. We ought to ALL remember that.
It's not about being fractured, it's about teaching another gospel.
From a commentary on the PDL:
"The Bible shows that it is hearing the gospel of Christ that reveals the righteousness of God, and the wrath of God. Without the revelation of God’s righteousness and wrath, there is no fear of the Lord. Without the fear of the Lord there is no conviction of sin. Without the conviction of sin, there’s no recognition of the need for a Savior. Without the recognition of the need for a Savior there is no repentance. The gospel of Christ must be heard before it can be acted upon. Without it, sinners don’t know who Jesus is, and they cannot believe in him. Without it they have no knowledge of the price Jesus paid when he sacrificed his life on the Cross, or of his resurrection from the dead. Without it there is no knowledge of grace, no knowledge that there’s nothing we can do in and of ourselves that can save us, and that only Jesus can save us. Without it there is no faith. Without hearing the gospel of Christ, there is no hope of Salvation.
Romans 10:9-10: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
But having heard the gospel of Christ, believed it, and acted upon it by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, therein is the hope of Salvation.
"another gospel of another Jesus"
Galatians 1:6-9: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another gospel; Which is not another ; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so I say now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
Both 2nd Corinthians and Galatians warn of “another gospel”, and “another Jesus”.
In the “40 Days of Purpose” video tape with goes along with the “The Purpose Driven Life” Rick Warren has people pray a prayer at the end of the first session that goes like this: "Dear God, I want to know your purpose for my life. I don't want to base the rest of my life on wrong things. I want to take the first step in preparing for eternity by getting to know you. Jesus Christ, I don't understand how but as much as I know how I want to open up my life to you. Make yourself real to me. And use this series in my life to help me know what you made me for"
Then Rick Warren goes on to say: "Now if you've just prayed that prayer for the very first time I want to congratulate you. You've just become a part of the family of God."
In Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life” he invites people to do the following:
“First, believe. Believe God loves you and made you for his purposes. Believe you’re not an accident. Believer you were made to last forever. Believe God has chosen you to have a relationship with Jesus, who died on the cross for you. Believe that no matter what you’ve done, God wants to forgive you.”
“Second, receive. Receive Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior. Receive his forgiveness for your sins. Receive his Spirit, who will give you the power to fulfill your life purpose. Wherever you are reading this., I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity: ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.’ Go ahead, “If you sincerely meant that prayer congratulations! Welcome to the family of God!” (Pages 58 and 59)
At the point in the book where these prayers are introduced, there has been very little spoken about the gospel; a mention here and there about Jesus, but nothing nearly sufficient to be called “the gospel of Christ”.
Both of these prayers are lacking one thing, the gospel of Christ. Prior to the prayers there is no mention of the righteousness of God; the wrath of God; hell, repentance, the crucifixion, the resurrection, no mention of the Biblical Jesus at all.
Romans 10:13-14 has been ignored. They haven’t believed, because they haven’t heard. The gospel of Christ wasn’t heard because it wasn’t preached.
Then there is “The Salvation Message” from Saddleback Church website: “Our disobedient nature has eternally separated us from our Creator. No matter how hard we try, we can never earn our way back into God’s presence. Our only hope is to trust Jesus as God’s provision for our disobedience. Whenever you make that decision, you step into the eternal and abundant life Jesus promises for all believers.”
Where is the gospel of Christ? Jesus name is mentioned, but where is the gospel? Disobedient nature has replaced SIN, because it is less offensive. Trusting Jesus makes us believers? What happened to “confess with your mouth” and “believe with your heart”? The believe part can’t happen unless the gospel of Christ has been heard."
http://www.erwm.com/Christ_or_another.htm