Give Jesus a 60-day trial..

Didn't Jesus say "I am the Way"? I think now it's a matter of semantics.

WARREN: We're all created in the image of God. There's no doubt about that. There's not a person on earth that God doesn't love, but God wants us to learn to love him back.
And to me, God says, "I've given you this gift of grace, which means you don't earn your way to heaven. You don't work your way to heaven. You simply receive my gift."
And — and that means we need to unwrap the gift that God has given us, and your past can be forgiven. You can have a purpose for living, and you can have a home in heaven.
COLMES: Can you do all those things in other religions, too?
WARREN: I don't know how you would possibly do that. God didn't send 100 Jesuses; he didn't send 1,000. He sent one.

I would think an unbeliever would understand exactly what he is saying...

 

I have read enough of what you write here to know you are a smart guy. You know what I mean, Sure Jesus said that but by leaving out the rest of the passage it loses much of the point Jesus was making.

Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I have talked with many people who believe that there are many ways to heaven, and believe me there is an entirely different reaction from them if you tell them that for you personally you believe Jesus is the way, then if you tell them that the Bible makes it clear Jesus is the only way. If you haven't had that discussion with people that believe that try it you will understand what I am saying, the difference in reactions of people is remarkably different stating unequivocally Jesus as the only way.


That is what I would expect of any Christian to answer, let alone a pastor.

 

I have no problem with the interview that was posted.

I'm not sure I know who RW is, though. I guess I'm stuck in my own little bubble over here. LOL!

 

Then I would have a problem with you having no problem with that interview.

In Wd's circuit Warren is considered a solid theologian.BTW,I don't travel in his circuit.

Things have come to a sorry pass.Gill,Owen,Warfield, Machen and others of that same biblical cast of mind were solid theologians.But now Rick Warren is the current standard of a solid theologian in the mind of some.Talk of a devaluation!

 

Theologically, RW is solid? How can a Buddist, Jew, Muslim, unbeliever etc.., hear that statement without coming to the conclusion that RW believes that it doesn't matter what you believe and that there are many ways to heaven?

Jesus came only for Christians! By definition, Christians are suppose to be those that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, i.e. only Christians are saved! Or rather, only the saved are Christians. Either way, RW's statement is baffling. Christians are different. They have received the Grace of God poured out upon their lives. They didn't take a "60 day trial". The didn't "unwrap" the gift. They repented and believed.

I know he half quoted Jesus concerning being the "way". At best, he obscures the truth of the gospel with this kind of language.

peace to youraying:

 

Then explain to me exactly what I'm supposed to have a problem with. I see (read) a man who is having a kind conversation with another, yet not backing down from truth. Would you prefer he cram it down the throat?

 

He came for sinners. It was He who said the sick need a Dr., not the healthy. You twist what he says for your own agenda apparently, as he has never said anyone but christians are saved.

 

I posted his statment of faith...point out what you disagree with, as you haven't yet.

 

Are you saying that there are people who are saved that are not Christians?

peace to youraying:

 

Jesus said that the one who hears His words and does them will be like a wise man building a house upon the rock.

The "and does them" means that they follow His teachings. I.E. they are
"Christians" because they follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

I don't have an agenda other than proclaiming the truth about what Jesus taught.

BTW, it would be nice if RW would say Jesus came to save sinners instead of saying Jesus "sent a gift to everyone....and please, please, please, pretty please unwrap the gift of salvation...."

It just isn't biblical.

peace to youraying:

 

I've never said that, nor have I heard RW say that.

 

...yet John basically said the exact same thing in John 3:16 (minus the extra stuff you added here, all the "pretty please" garbage) "God so loved the world He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life"

 

Apparently, I misunderstood your post #47.

You must have been accusing me of twisting the words of RW, not our Lord Jesus Christ.

Neither is true, but I must have misunderstood your post.

peace to youraying:

 

No, John does not say "basically the exact same thing" in 3:16.

John speaks of those who reject the Son (i.e, they are not Christians) of being condemned already. John speaks of people who love evil. John speaks of those practicing evil staying in darkness but those who practice the truth coming to the light so that it would be manisfested that their deeds were wrought of God.

Nothing about "unwrapping a gift" in John 3. Nothing about a "60 day trial" in John 3.

The only one talking trash in RW. He is trashing the clear truth of scripture with a watered down, wishywashy, half gospel of garbage that will confuse sinners into believing there is many ways to heaven.

BTW, you didn't answer my question. How can a Buddist, Jew, Muslim, unbeliever etc.., hear RW's statement without coming to the conclusion that RW believes that it doesn't matter what you believe and that there are many ways to heaven?


peace to youraying:

 

There are a number of youtube videos on Rick Warren.They run several minutes each so no complaint of "You're taking him out of context!"He's not being biblically direct with people to put it charitably.

___________________________________________________

It's not about me.It's about making the world a better place.

The bottom line is:God gets pleasure watching you be you.

___________________________________________________

What it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ is to say :I give as much of myself as I understand, to as much of Jesus Christ as I understand, at that moment --and that you keep growing in it.

__________________________________________________

[God talking according to RW] "I'm going to see how you use responsibility that I've put into your life."

Life is a test.

Your responsibilities in heaven will be determined by how well you managed what God put in your hands here on earth.

 

I've answered your question already. I provided the direct quote from RW himself in this thread. He stated quite clearly Christ said "I am the Way", he put his trust in him, and that God didn't send 1000 Jesus'. That pretty clear cut for me.

The entire point of John 3:16 is God loving the world so much that He gave His one and only Son...gave...gift....that whoever believes (opens this gift) will not perish, but live eternally. God present the gift to us, He doesn't accept it for us and unwrap it for us. If you dont' see anything about "unwrapping a gift" in John 3:16, per se, I would suggest quit interpreting Scripture through the lens of TULIP.

 

I don't know specifically who you are referencing;but I don't envy Rick Warren.I do pity him because as a teacher of the Word he's held to a higher level of accountability.

I have no hatred for the man.And I am not ignorant of his teachings.

The issues involved are not trivial.The very heart of the Gospel is being discussed.Rick Warren is not the kind of man that explains the Law and Gospel biblically for the unregenerate.I have seen him on Larry King.I know how little substance of the truth he utters.

He's a friend of yours.Naturally, anything we might say in the way of criticism you might take offence.

Perhaps the things which impressed you with Rick Warren in his classes and so forth are not the kind of things he tells in public.Does he have two different messages?Does he go Gospel-lite publically -- and then switches gears to more meaty discourses on other occasions?

I have heard him speak at length with no splicing.I wasn't hearing an imaginary monologues.

Rick Warren is not the type of minister I would point people to for a grounding in the Word of God.And I certainly wouldn't direct unregenerate folks to hear Mr.Warren.John MacArthur,on the other hand,is like a laser beam.He's very direct and biblically clear.He tells people what the Bible says about the plight of their souls.And he lifts up Christ as the Savior and Lord in whom lies their only hope of rescue from sin.

I have tried to picture what an unsaved person would understand from Warren's words.He would make them feel comfortable for one thing.The Law and Gospel are hard to detect from his messages.Do you think the Apostle Paul would recognize the Gospel in Warren's sermons?

 

I don't think it is unreasonable that many of us wished that being blessed with the wonderful opportunity to witness to millions of people on television, he would just go that little extra step of making it crystal clear that Jesus it the only way. Sure he nibbles around it which obviously satisfies many here, but I would love to see him being more bold and speak the Gospel truth clear enough that any layman would have no choice but to understand the message.

People want to believe that there are many ways to heaven. They want to be left comfortable with that belief. They look at things from that perspective, and what RW said in his interview unfortunately to many would not be all that clear that they are entirly wrong in their beliefs.

Just the fact that he qualified his statement with I am not an authority on that weakens it. I ask how can a pastor not be an authority of the fact that Jesus it the only way to the Father, the only way to heaven?

I find it sad that brothers and sisters get accused of hate and envy just for wanting Jesus clearly proclaimed.

 

Indicative of the difficulty in the economy some car dealers will let you try out a car for 30 days now. Is the 60 days of Warren a sign of desperation in the Church?