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RICK WARREN ON HANNITY AND COLMES
"...I dare you to try trusting Jesus for 60 days. or your money guaranteed back."
As much as I appreciated what Rick Warren did in his faith presidential forum several months ago, his appearance last evening on one of my favorite programs, Hannity and Colmes, was disappointing. What Pastor Warren responded with to some of host's Allan Colmes simple yet important questions was not the biblical gospel of salvation or even a reasonable defense of the gospel.
One of his responses? "Try Jesus...?" As Colmes sarcastically quipped in response: "Like the book of the month club..."
Beloved, why can't evangelical leaders just speak the truth in love and give the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ without the sidebar fodder of feeling like they have to be funny; relate; be relevant; or make Jesus likable. Try Jesus? How disrespectful to the Lord. Heaven's dread Sovereign doesn't ask to be tried out like a new kind of food or gadget; He doesn't ask to be sampled - He demands to be worshiped, followed, obeyed and submitted to as Lord!
Now some might wonder: "Campi, is this kind of stuff really important today with our economy failing, people really hurting and feeling the pinch, wars still occurring, etc.?" Yes it is - and here is why. The gospel IS the key issue above all others. Not to diminish those other things for they are real concerns, but the eternal state of another's soul is the preeminent weight of all. Even if all around fails and we face some very difficult and trying times financially in our nation, the one true hope of all can never be depreciated or bankrupted - the hope of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen? We are privileged, beloved, to go to a lost world with the hope of salvation and the forgiveness of sins in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And this is our hope as believers too. We need to encourage one another with this hope daily. We need to pray for each other like never before. We need to comfort one another with the words of Christ these days and to provoke one another with love and good works. So when a well-known pastor gets on a national news talk show and doesn't really present the true gospel when asked plainly - then it should matter.
Here is part of the transcript.
I will post the actual video when it becomes available.
COLMES: All right. Let me ask you: you talk about, OK, so you think everybody needs a savior.
WARREN: I do.
COLMES: Well, what about those people who don't - you know, I happen to be Jewish. Not everybody - and Jesus, by the way, I have a lot in common with. Same religion.
WARREN: Absolutely.
COLMES: So not everybody necessarily goes that route.
WARREN: The thing is, Alan, I believe Jesus Christ came for everybody. I don't think he came for Christians. The Bible says take this good news to the whole world.
I don't care whether you're Baptist, Buddhist, Mormon, Methodist, Jewish, Muslim, or no religion at all. Jesus Christ still loves you. You still matter to God.
COLMES: True, and I think that's a wonderful message. But if you don't accept Jesus, if you're not something who goes that route religiously...
WARREN: Yes.
COLMES: ... can you find your way to heaven? Can you still be - go to the same place when it's all said and done?
WARREN: I'm not the authority on that, but I believe Jesus is. And everybody's betting their life on something. Jesus said, "I am the way." I'm betting that he's not a liar. I'm betting that he told the truth.
COLMES: What about - what does it say for all those people who do not accept Christ as their personal savior?
WARREN: I'm saying that this is the perfect time to open their life, to give it a chance. I'd say give him a 60-day trial.
(CROSSTALK)
COLMES: Like the Book of the Month Club.
WARREN: Give him a trial. See if he'll change your life. I dare you to try trusting Jesus for 60 days. Or your money guaranteed back.
COLMES: Really? You're going to give me the money back?
WARREN: Absolutely. Direct to me, Sean Hannity, FOX News Channel.
COLMES: But seriously, because I wonder. I mean, do you look differently upon those people like me who are not Christians but still don't believe...?
WARREN: I do not look differently on them. I think God...
HANNITY: He likes you more than I like you. He loves you. He tells you every time he's here.
COLMES: He's a good American.
HANNITY: Exactly.
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.
Distributed by www.worldviewweekend.com
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Tire-Kicker Gospel
| Posted On: 12/08/08 11:44:58 AM |
Age 51, GA |
The whole "60 day trial basis" reminded me of a used car salesman pitch from the get-go. I used to sell cars. One of the biggest no-no's was to NEVER let a potential buyer take a car home overnight to see how he or she liked it. It is highly unlikely that you'll sell that car. By the time they bring it back they've found everything wrong and very little, if anything, right. Ricky is completely motivated, captivated, influenced, hood-winked, bank-rolled, hypnotized...by the whole self-potential (flesh worship) false doctrine. If Colmes "thinks" about anything, it WILL NOT be a blood-stained cross or an empty tomb. He will approach it and "think" about it in the same way it was offered to him. Mr. Warren sells a KIA with a Mercedes hood ornament. Paul warned us about "another Jesus". Rick Warren is a very dangerous man and is teaching listeners to open doors to demonic lies. Jesus is the Rock of offense and we're not going to find a way to Him that doesn't cramp our style...especially if our sin is our style. And Warren is considered to be "America's pastor"?! There is something deep about him but it's not his understanding of Gods precious Sacrifice.
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He Gave Colmes An Easy Way Out...
| Posted On: 12/08/08 08:05:58 AM |
Age 51, GA |
...and causes maybe millions of watchers to stumble. Do you not see the problem with always trying to figure out a way to make Ricky W's goofy statements sound biblically correct? You defenders make it easier and easier for him to let his SELF-promoting diarreha of the mouth flow through the airwaves. I'd like to buy Rick Warren for what he's worth and sell him for what he THINKS he's worth! WWPD? (What would Paul do?) But, preaching repentance just doesn't sell books.
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Do you have worship time with others?
| Posted On: 12/06/08 12:22:28 PM |
Age 40, NH |
In order to not be disobedient to God's word, you must get together regularly with His children to worship and be instructed by the appointed elders (appointed by other elders). If you do that, you are obedient. If you aren't doing that, you are disobedient.
Although your thoughts on churches in general is a very broad brush that is quite inaccurate for much of the church but you are entitled to your opinion. Not all or even close to all act in such a way as you admit that you did.
Paul's lists of virtues and character qualities of Christians and Christian leaders (1 Timothy 3, Titus, Galatians, etc)include (but is not limited to) being temperate and gentle. Your accusation of all 501c3 churches and the leaders of those churches is untrue and false accusations are intemperate and quarrelsome.
Please consider the fact that you aer not correct about all 501c3 churches and your need of repenting of your sin of making false statements of others. All our journeys are long and arduous brother, one thing we need to do is remember that all are not the same sinners that we are although we are all sinners.
And by the way, Warren is correct if not not complete in his answer on Jesus being the expert. Of course his offer of a 60 day trial offer is cheesy and degrades the sacrifice of Jesus and the righteous grace of our Father.
Grace and Peace,
Jim
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Seeker sensitive
| Posted On: 12/06/08 10:04:08 AM |
Age 57, CA |
Warren has exchanged the real Gospel for the soft sell, gospel lite of the seeker sensitive movement and has also joined hands with the emergent church movement. Neither of these movements believes in the inerrancy of Scripture and they don't like to speak of sin, hell, or the devil. Anything negative they want to ignore because just like Osteen and the rest of these numbskulls, they want to accommodate the world because they think the world won't listen to them if they talk about any of these "negative" items.
I rather believe that we NEED to tell them the truth with passion. The world is looking for reality, something they can truly and honestly hold onto in the world of shifting sands. They can tell when guys like Warren are lying to them and when they are fakers. Warren, Hybels, Osteen and most of the rest are phonies. Any Christian who reads and studies the Bible will recognize these losers in a heartbeat and run the other way!
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Hanegraaf presents the Gospel in a straightforward manner
| Posted On: 12/05/08 10:27:09 PM |
Age 48, MO |
I am glad to hear that Steve Camp cruised with Hank Hanegraaf. Who does Age 45 Canada want Steve Camp to cruise with? Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, Joel Osteen, Peter Popoff, Robert Tilton, Jack Van Impe, and Creflo Dollar??!!
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Don't necessarily agree with Rick on some things....
| Posted On: 12/05/08 09:53:50 PM |
Age 56, CO |
BUT...he did say that HE believes Jesus is the way "I'm not the authority on that, but I believe Jesus is. And everybody's betting their life on something. Jesus said, "I am the way." I'm betting that he's not a liar. I'm betting that he told the truth"
I like that he says the name JESUS - a very powerful name indeed.
There are just many, many who are deceived and have veils over their eyes.
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rick warren on hannity and colmes
| Posted On: 12/05/08 05:25:59 PM |
Age 54, IN |
It's only light if it's true light, otherwise it leads to conterfeit light which is blackness. Go to wayofthemaster.com to learn the true gospel.
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rick warren on Hannity and Colmes
| Posted On: 12/05/08 05:22:52 PM |
Age 54, IN |
Yeah, to make him a false convert.
Did you ever read, "Repent!" anywhere? Go to wayofthemaster.com and learn the gospel Jesus taught, then go out and share your faith the way Jesus did in order to produce regenerated people.
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rick warren is gospel ignorant and so are most Christians
| Posted On: 12/05/08 05:16:49 PM |
Age 54, IN |
This is gospel ignorance. We can't try Jesus. When we become contrite, broken, dispaired over our sin, God looks down and says, now you are fit for the kindgom. Then, and only then, HE chooses US. We do not choose him. You must come to him with nothing to offer him but our sin. You can't come for any other reason, e.g., to get heaven, to get a purposeful life, to improve this or that, etc., but for righteousness. Come on Christians, learn to the gospel the way Jesus taught it. Log onto to Way of the Master .com and it this knowledge will improve you gospel wisdom and discernment. (Thank God you don't have to be gospel-wise to get saved, but you must be to keep from producing false converts. Sit up and take notice NOW!)
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You're being a little hard on Rick Warren
| Posted On: 12/05/08 02:47:43 PM |
Age 53, IL |
While I found the concept of "Try Jesus for 60 days" and the comment about "your money back" very much on the cheesy side, I think you are being a little hard on Rick Warren. I don't see evidence that he is compromising the gospel. He's not putting Jesus forward as one of many ways to God.
As far as "Try Jesus", Psalm 34:8 tell us to
"Taste and see that the Lord is good!"
John chapter 1 has several instances that could be translated today as - "Come check it out!" (See John 1:39 & 46)
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