|
|
From: The Berean Call Updates Digest 6 Apr 2005, Issue 67
Re: The March 2005 Ladies' Home Journal (LHJ) column by Rick Warren
The March title, "Learn to Love Yourself!," is the opposite of what
the Bible teaches and is a far cry from "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart," which Christ said is the first and great commandment
(Mt 22:37-38).
Rick advises his readers, "To truly love yourself, you need to know the
five truths that form the basis of a healthy self-image." That's humanistic
language, not biblical, and hardly fits with what men of God have said about
themselves: "Now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5, 6); "Woe is me! for I am undone!"
(Is 6:5); "Of whom [sinners] I am chief...less than the least of all saints"
(1 Tm 1:15; Eph 3:8), etc.
Rick lists "five truths," none of which is either a "truth"
or biblical: 1) Accept yourself; 2) Love yourself; 3) Be true to yourself; 4)
Forgive yourself; and 5) Believe in yourself. He begins The Purpose-Driven Life
by saying, "It's not about you." In fact, that book turns out to be
all about you -- and we see the same in his columns in LHJ.
He says, "God accepts us unconditionally . . . . " This is the humanistic
plea of a homosexual, lesbian, fornicator, or one living in sin unmarried with
a "partner," who says to parents and concerned friends, "Just
accept me as I am, love me unconditionally." In fact, God wants to save
us from sin and self and make us new creatures in Christ -- but one would never
get that idea from Rick's LHJ columns.
Rick says we should love ourselves -- just the opposite of the Bible's command
to love God and neighbor. Never does Scripture exhort us to love ourselves!
"Be true to yourself," is more humanistic doubletalk. He advises,
"Get to know yourself." The Bible says I need to turn from myself
to God. My passion should be to know Him. These columns are shallow, false,
unbiblical, and lead readers astray.
"Forgive yourself" is again totally humanistic. He talks about God
forgiving us, but doesn't explain that He can only do so because Christ paid
the penalty for our sins. Rick makes it sound as though God is so magnanimous
that He will forgive anything we think, say, or do -- no big deal, nothing to
be concerned about. Yet Scripture says, "Fear God, and keep his commandments...for
God will bring every work into judgment..." (Ecc 12:13, 14).
There is no reason to fear the "God" Rick talks about -- He simply
accepts us no matter what we do. Rick gives the impression that everyone has
a "good buddy" relationship with God, there is no separation from
Him by sin, and certainly no need for Christ as mediator with God, dying for
our sins. Rick hides the truth behind sweet words from those who need it most.
We need to pray for Rick that he will rise to the opportunities God has given
him, and present the truth instead of warmed-over pop psychology, of which the
world already has too much -- they certainly don't need more from those who
are supposed to preach the Word!
[see also: Robert Schuller]
| Map Graph Drawing |
Original Source Document
Focus on Facts Biography |
|
Doc.
Based Questions |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Copyright © 2000-2007 www.hyperhistory.net, all rights reserved