Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.
- 1 John 2:18-19, 22
What I want to do here is I compare what people say to the Word of God. To put as little of my own interpretation as possible, and let the Bible speak for itself. The thing about the antichrist spirit is that it poses as Christianity, yet there are things about it that deny Jesus Christ. It's so subtle sometimes and maybe 95% is right, but it's that 5% that changes truth to heresy.
What Rick Warren says:
"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 I keep growing in it"
- Rick Warren interview with Fox News on what we need to do to get to Heaven
(link to video and source of verses)
Compare it to the Bible:
John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Acts 2:37-39
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.
What I say:
Look at the responses in the Bible to the question asked, never is there anything that says "give as much of yourself as you understand to as much as Jesus as you understand." It's not Biblical and it doesn't make much sense. Salvation has always come through faith, which is preceded by and produces repentance.
What Rick Warren says:
It's the five things Jesus did when He was here on earth. What did Jesus do when He was here on earth?
The first thing He did was He planted a church...
The second thing He did is He equipped leaders. He spent three years training these disciples.
The third thing He did is He cared for the poor. In fact, in his very first sermon, he says, "I am here to preach the gospel–the good news–to the poor”... He cared about the poor.
Fourth, He healed the sick...one-third of His ministry was a health ministry.
And then the fifth thing was He taught... He was an educator... And particularly He cared about the next generation. And He said, “Let the little children come unto Me for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Source)
What does the Bible say?
Why He came
John 17:2-3
For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Titus 2:12-14
while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
His real first sermon
Mark 1:14-15
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
What I say:
So in all the five things that Pastor Warren says that Jesus did on earth, he never once talks about salvation, bringing people from death to life, or even knowing God. Look at where his focus is. It's not on God. Why did Jesus come? To plant churches? To equip leaders? Are those really the first things you think of when you ask about what Jesus did on this earth?
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Rick Warren Says:
partnerships between government and industry can't succeed in solving social problems unless they include faith groups, with their large volunteer forces and their worldwide networks.
"People are so worried churches are going to be about conversion," he said, "but everyone has a motive. Everyone has a world view. Christianity is a world view. . . . I don't care why you do good as long as you do good." (source)
What does the Bible say?
What is good?
Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Just a worldview?
John 6:47
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
What I say:
Christianity is just another worldview?! I dare you to say that to God and see what He does to you. Christianity is truth or it's nothing! This is everlasting life, a peace that transcends all understanding, this is the knowledge of the one true God. And what does Micah say about what is good? To act just, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. How can you walk with someone you don't know? What is good, but things that are pleasing to God? You can't please God if you don't believe He exists.
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Rick Warren Says:
"Billions of people live without Jesus Christ. Billions of people don't know God has a purpose for their life," he said. (source)
What does the Bible say?
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Ephesians 2:4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
What I say:
Billions of people don't know God has a purpose for them... How about a billion people are going to die and go to hell. A billion people are slaves to sin and they don't know it. A billion people don't know a love that transcends anything this world offers. A billion people dishonor and deny their creator. Sure they don't know about God's purpose for them, but that is so far off from the things that are really important.
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Rick Warren Says:
"Most of the problems in our world would be solved right now if we had leaders who thought more about others than about themselves," Warren said. "The problem is a severe shortage of servant leaders -- leaders who lead like Jesus." (source)
What does the Bible say?
Isaiah 2:22
Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?
Jeremiah 17:5-7
This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
What I say:
What we lack isn't a shortage of leaders. What we lack is a knowledge of God. Most of the problems in the world would be solved if we had Christians who knew God. Pastor Warren focuses on the people and not on God. Sure we want leaders like Jesus, how do we get there? When we get God into the people, they will become like Jesus.
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Rick Warren Says:
Warren told Wolfson his interest is in helping all houses of worship, not in converting Jews. He said there are more than enough Christian souls to deal with for starters. (source)
What does the Bible say?
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
John 12:47
"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.
What I say:
Interested in helping all houses of worship. Christianity is a theology that says if you don't have Jesus, you don't know God. When you help other houses of worship, you are keeping people away from God. Not interested in converting Jews? Then what are you interested in? Sending them to hell? Keeping them dead in their transgressions? Keeping them away from a joy that surpasses all knowledge?
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