IS.... The Purpose Driven Life... BIBLICAL ?

Question

The WORD OF GOD.... Says.....

(Matthew 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

There is a Book... by Rick Warren called .... The Purpose Driven LIFE !"

HE Avoids.... Biblical Obedience... and ... Biblical Authority... all in the Name of PURPOSE....?

Never ONCE... does he say what JESUS... Said...

(Luke 6:46) And why do you call Me [ JESUS ] Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?

AND....

(John 15:7-to-10) If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.

(Joh 15:8) In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.

(Joh 15:9) As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; continue in My love.

(Joh 15:10) If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Which ONE... SOULD ... I... Believe... Jesus or RW?

Thanks, RR

Answer 1

The advertising dose not tell you that a LOT of study groups have started that book and never finished it... it is basically a waist of time as is most all of the stuff that guy puts out... our Men's study group only got through about a fourth of it... and that after some gave up the first couple of meetings....ALL material by that guy is out of our library and the Education committee will not approve any of his work for study purposes... Stick with The Bible and only The Bible is my motto

Answer 2

Some of his thoughts are good, but many are absolutely not Biblical at all. HE refrains from taking strong positions so as not to offend, called Seeker Friendly Religion, and NO he dosent get into the topic of obedience, Bibl e authority. Many pastors are liek this today. IF they speak the full truths of God, ppl get offended often and leave. But better for one to go and hear truth, all of it , than ten thousand to go and hear half truths, which are still LIES.
Most I know of read Ricks books and love them and think its great, its calling having itchy ears. Jesus did not tiptoe with the gospel. HE spoke truth and lived it, without fear or compromise, just as we are commanded to do.
Obeying God is abiding in God, and its our protection. God says IF YOU LOVE ME< OBEY ME> so there you go. When pastors say it could offend somene. OK.
GEt them offended, and then maybe a few will get it and run to God. If they dont hear truth, we are responsible. God says to teach them. It isnt up to us to worry if they are offended. PPl will always be offended at Gods truths if they are rebelliou, but if we dont tell them, how will they know?
I hear pastors say today, I cant speak against homosexuality, or adultry, as someone here may be guilt of it and get hurt and leave. LEt them feel hurt, God wants to convict them of it, and lead to change, not shame. We do them no favor by not holding them accountible.
I have serious issues with Rick Warrens book and I am not alone. I hear there are websites now that talk about this. Check them out..
Unless one preaches all of the word of GOd they arent telling truth, cuz any half truth is still a lie.
But ppl have itchy ears, and they dont want to hear about obedience and sin and hell. But notice, it didnt keep Jesus from talking about any of it. HE just said to stop it and turn away from it and run to Him. Say Yes to Jesus and No to sin, isnt that the point??????? G reat question.

Answer 3

Jesus

Answer 4

I read the book and have no issue with it. The author's postulations are scriptually based. I'd include the Amazon link but that would be spam... :>


P.S. Whenever you're confronted with a choice such as this, always go with Jesus. He wrote a best seller, too.

God bless.

Answer 5

I'm sorry, but you have obviously NOT read Warren's book. It is quite orthodox in its teaching, as far as it goes. It's just very 'light duty' stuff, and I can't think of a place where it could possibly be used to build a stronger church (larger, yes, but 'stronger'? Definitely not!!!).

I simply detest the 'seeker sensitive' model!

Answer 6

Not familiar with Rick Warren, but it sounds like you're judging him by arbitrary standards. Not everyone places importance (or even the same level) on second- or third-hand interpretations of what Jesus might have said.

Nor does everyone insist on setting up arbitrary either/or scenarios.

Answer 7

I saw nothing wrong with that book.. I read some of it... never got a chance to read the whole thing... but a lot of it is biblical base... Now that you mentioned it. I reasearch it and come back to you with the answer...

Answer 8

Well, heres an answer that will blow your socks off. It happens to be true, however, according TO the very words of Jesus.

All the scripture you quoted IS true, and Jesus DID say it, but to whom? Was it really to you? Christ in His own words tells us that in His EARTHLY Ministry He "came to the lost sheep of the House of Israel". YOU , at that time, were a gentile that scripture tells us were "aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants, without God and without hope."

If you want to believe Jesus, and His Words to YOU specifically, then you must know to whom He gave those words. Mt, Mk, Lk and Jn do NOT contain the words for YOUR obedience in this age of GRACE. They contain Jesus words to a NATION in times PAST, and they have to do with the law of MOSES, which God clearly states is NOT what we are under today.

Jesus RISEN from the dead is who we follow today. His words specifically written to and ABOUT us are found ONLY in Romans thru Philemon. Paul is your apostle...NOT Peter. Peter preached the law of Moses to the Nation Israel. They were told to go to "none but the Jew ONLY"

So...while you think you are being very "spiritual" with your answer...you are actually as wrong as RW.

YOU were never intended to follow Christs earthly ministry. HE came to preach the law of Moses and to live it, and you and I arent included in that law.

Christ RISEN from the dead gave NEW instructions to a NEW CREATION, the church which IS His Body, thru a NEW apostle...Paul.

YOU, my friend, are following the wrong program. God isnt saving anyone thru Israels program today, but thru "the preaching of Jesus Christ ACCORDING to the REVELATION of the MYSTERY..." Romans 16:25