So What Was the Purpose of Christmas?

In my attempt to actually watch the "Purpose of Christmas" special that aired on Fox News Channel, i have yet to find the video anywhere on the web. It's as if the presentation has vanished from cyberspace.

However, i did manage to hear a few clips of it via Way of the Master Radio the other day, and what i heard put my eyes to the Bible, my pen to the paper, and my heart to the floor. Simply put, the "special" was devoid of the true Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ, was the typical Rick Warren man-centered "feel good" talk, and left many a believer wondering which Bible he had been reading.

So, in an attempt to get the word out about what Rick Warren says is the "purpose" of Christmas, below is my critique of what i heard in light of Scripture. The quotations are direct from the audio of the sermon. [click here to hear it: Way of the Master Radio] The Scripture references come from the NASB and i have added emphasis where it is appropriate.

Rick Warren: The Purpose of Christmas

"God likes to party...Angels throw a party in heaven when someone accepts Christ...when someone turns from their self-centeredness..."

• "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10 (NASB)
• First of all, the phrase "God likes to party" doesn't sit well with me, simply because America's view of "party" is mostly equated to a drunken frat boy acting like an idiot. Secondly, notice that there is no mention of "partying" in heaven in this verse [as i was also taught at a young age] and that there is joy over the one who repents!

"You exist because God loves you...On the cross, Jesus stretched out His hands and said, 'I love you this much.' And it's for all people...God says, 'I love you.'"

• "Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made." Isaiah 43:7 (NASB)

• "For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man." 1 Cor 11:7 (NASB)
• Can someone please tell me where it is written [in Scripture!] that man was created so that God could love him? Man exists so that he will glorify God! God seeks His own glory above all else. He is jealous and zealous for it. See Exodus 20:3-5, 34:14; Isaiah 42, 48:11. God will get the glory due His name!

• Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:34, 43, 46; John 19:26-30
• On the cross, Jesus never spoke the words "I love you." [i know, i'm being too "literal", but just go with me...i do have a point] In fact, He never said those words to any human being, unless you count the times He said to His Apostles "I have loved you." The context of Christ saying that He loved anyone is when it is directed to God the Father or to believers!
• If you search the Scriptures, you will find that the phrase "God loves you" does not appear, especially not in an evangelistic sense. The only times the love of God for men is mentioned is in reference to His love for believers, i.e. - the Church. Seriously, look it up for yourself. Nowhere in the book of Acts do any of the Apostles tell anyone, "God loves you" when preaching the Gospel.
  
• Someone might say, "But God does love everyone and they need to hear that." Two things i have to say in response to that: 1. Scripture never makes the claim that God loves everyone, at least not in the same way...just ask Esau, and 2. the lost will never understand the cross [i.e. - the love of God] unless they first fear Him and realize their utter wickedness.
• Rom. 8:28-39, 9:13; 2 Cor. 5:18; Gal. 1:4, 2:20; Eph. 2:4, 5:2; Titus 2:14; 1 John 4:10-11, 19; all of these passages, and there are many more, speak of God's love for the Church; they do not speak of God's love [that is, in and through Christ] being given or spoken of to unbelievers.

"The Bible says God made you to love you...God is love...God is so full of love and love isn't worth anything unless you bestow it on something."

[In a nutshell, Warren also claims that the universe itself was created for us, so that God could make us, so that He could love us]

• John 1:1-14, 3:35, 15:9, 17:23-26
• "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 (NASB)
• To claim that God had to create the universe, so that He could create man, so that He could have someone to love ultimately denies the preexistence and deity of Christ.
• God the Father loved and had perfect fellowship with God the Son before He spoke anything into existence! Repeat: GOD DID NOT MAKE MAN SO THAT HE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE, TALK TO, FELLOWSHIP WITH, ENJOY, WATCH, ETC.!!!

"God is not mad at you...He's mad about you."

• 4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. 6 You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit. Psalm 5:4-6 (NASB)
• "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36 (NASB)
• Deut. 28:58-63; Psalm 11:5; Rom. 1:18, 2:5, 3:5-6, 5:9, 9:22, 13:4; Eph. 2:3, 5:6; Col. 3:6; 1 Thess. 1:10, 2:16; Heb. 3:11, 4:3; Rev. 6:16-17, 11:18, 14:10, 19, 15:17, 19:15
• All of these verses [and i'm sure there are several more] speak of God's hatred, anger, and wrath toward...sinners. He not only hates sin, but the Bible says He hates sinners.
• Christ died to assuage the wrath of God for those who believe. That's what the word "propitiation" means [1 John 4:10]. It literally means an appeasement. And, 1 Thess. 1:10 speaks of Christ saving us [the Church] from the wrath to come.
• Wrath is a term used for "burning hate" that abides on all the sons of disobedience, the unrighteous, and the unbelievers [see above verses].

"[the angel's message begins with] don't be afraid...God's message to people is 'don't be afraid of Me.'"

Warren also mentions "over 365 'fear-nots'" in the Bible without reference to their context. Usually, it is either the LORD telling a person not to fear an earthly enemy, or it is an angel telling the person not to fear him [the angel]. Why, probably because angels are not to be worshiped and they [like God] desire that men fear the LORD instead [Rev. 14:7, 19:10].

• Lev. 25:17; Deut. 6:2, 13,24, 8:6, 10:12, 20, 13:4, 14:23, 17:19, 28:58, 31:12-13; Josh. 4:24, 24:14; 1 Sam. 12:14, 24; 2 Kings 17:25, 28, 34, 39; 2 Chr. 19:7, 9; Job 1:9, 28:28; Psalm 9:20, 15:4, 19:9, 22:23, 25:14, 33:8, 18, 34:7, 9, 11, 40:3, 102:15, 103:13, 17, 111:10, 115:11, 13, 118:4, 128:1, 147:11; Prov. 1:7, 29, 2:5, 3:7, 8:13, 9:10, 10:27, 14:26-27, 15:16, 33, 16:6, 19:23, 22:4, 23:17, 24:21; Is. 8:13, 11:2-3, 33:6; Jer. 5:22, 24; Jonah 1:9; Mal. 3:16; Matt. 10:28; Luke 1:50, 12:5, 23:40; Acts 5:5, 11, 13:16, 26, 9:31, 10:2, 19:17; Rom. 3:18, 11:20; 2 Cor. 5:11, 7:1, 11, 15; Eph. 5:21; Phil. 2:12-13; Heb. 4:1; 1 Pet. 1:17, 2:17 [and many more]
• Ok, so we see there are a lot of passages in Scripture that clearly state that we are to fear God. He desires if not demands that we fear Him. And if you actually study the Hebrew and Greek terms for "fear," you will find that it is not just "respect." It is not mere "reverence." It means real, actual, cowering, fear.
  
• We are supposed to know the LORD well enough to fear Him. We must fear His awesome power, His awesome grace, and if you are an unbeliever, you must fear His holy wrath against you!
• Fear of the LORD is always presented as a good thing! Warren's claim here is in obvious denial of what Scripture really says.

"What is sin? Sin is an attitude that says, 'I'm gonna be my own god...I know better than God does'...It's saying, 'I know better what's best for me.' It causes guilt, fear, worry, boredom, fear of death, worry about what others think of me. Salvation is God saying, 'I want to set you free from fear of death, guilt; I never meant for you to live with those negative emotions."

• "Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness." 1 John 3:4 (NASB)
• "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin." Romans 14:23 (NASB)
• Sin is not "bad feelings" or "negative emotions!" For the full treatise of what sin is, what it did to us, what a sinner is, and why we are sinners, read all of Romans. There, Paul deals with the nature of sin: rebellion against God [not just an "attitude" of being self-centered], he deals with the cause of sin: our sinfulness inherited through Adam's rebellion, and he deals with the punishment of sinners: the fiery wrath of God which is just in condemning us because we sin with the knowledge of doing wrong and are rightly condemned by His holy Law!
• The Beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, did not suffer humiliation, torture, and a bloody death so that we could be set free from "negative emotions!!!!!" What kind of "good news" is this? It's telling people that God loves you enough to make you happy? Or at least feel that way? This is not good news at all, it is simply a pep talk that most businesses give their employees so that they will feel better about themselves and be more productive.

Warren also claimed that the "good news" of Christ is threefold: "1. God loves you, 2. God is with you, 3. God is for you."

• i have already dealt with the "God loves you" aspect above, so it doesn't need to be repeated. However, i will deal with the latter two promises that Warren claims to be for all men.
• Matt. 1:23, 28:20; Acts 18:9-10; Heb. 13:5
• All of these verses must be taken in their proper context. The quotation from Isaiah in Matt. 1:23 refers to the physical presence of the LORD on the earth in the physical person of Jesus Christ. It can also mean that God is with us in the favorable sense. However, one must realize that the New Testament teaches that God is only with a person if he is a believer.
• The other "with you" passages are clearly written to those who believe and are called and chosen of God: Matt. 28:20, Jesus is speaking to His disciples who had repented and put their trust in Him; Acts 18:9-10, Jesus is again speaking to His Apostle Paul [a repentant believer]; Heb. 13:5, the author clearly has the elect of God in Christ in mind [see Heb. 1:1-2, 2:1-4, 3:1, 4:1-3, 6:1-12, 10:19-25, 12:1-8].

• "31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised , who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39 (NASB)
• Warren again takes a promise delivered to the Church and assumes that it applies to all men everywhere. This passage in Romans may seem to be a general declaration that God is in favor of all men everywhere. However, if you read that one little phrase in this very passage, you will see who Paul is talking about when he says the word "us." It is God's elect [v.33].
• And, even if that term could be twisted to mean all men everywhere, there is still a serious problem with that interpretation. Romans 8:28-30 describe in detail this same group [God's elect] as being "those who love God...are called according to His purpose [yay purpose!]...whom He foreknew...He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son...He also called...He also justified...He also glorified."
  
• Does that sound like every man who ever lived or is living now? If so, you have a very twisted view of the character of Christ Jesus and the nature of the atonement. Those who have God's favor, whom God says He is "for," are those whom He has saved! That would be the Church. It appears that one of the problems with Warren's "gospel" is that it sees very little [if any] difference between those who are "Christians" and those who are not. The Bible disagrees profoundly!

And finally, the PEACE outline of what Christ did while He ministered on earth:

"Provide Hope"

• What kind of hope if not the hope of salvation from the very wrath of God against us which Warren did not mention [1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Pet. 1:3-22, 3:14-15]?

"Equip Servant Leaders"

• The apostles and the men appointed thereafter were indeed servant leaders, empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. The "equipping" Jesus did was sending the Holy Spirit upon them to do His work [Acts 2].
  

"Assist the Poor"

• While Jesus "assisted" the poor, and as should we, it was by means of preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God and what He requires of man [Matt. 5-7]. Also note the situation of giving money to the poor vs. worshiping Christ in Matt. 26:6-13. There is a priority. One cannot minister to the needs of the poor when he does not rightly know the One in Whose name he does such things.
  
• While i will not say there is a direct relation, it's interesting to note that it was Judas Iscariot who was constantly concerned with caring for the poor as opposed to rightly knowing and worshiping the Lord [John 12:1-8, 13:29].
  

"Care for the Sick"

• While caring for those who are sick is a noble thing, when Jesus did so [miraculously, might i add] it was not simply to show compassion, but rather to prove who He is. These were signs to the unbelieving crowd that affirmed His message of being the Messiah and Savior [Matt. 9:1-8, 10:1-15; 14:14; John 9:3, 11:3-4].
  

"Educate the Next Generation"

• The only "education" that the next generation received from Christ was the knowledge of the Gospel: who Christ is [the holy, sinless Son of God - Matt. 16:13-17; John 20:31; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:14-22], what He came to do [save sinners from God's wrath by dying on the cross and rising from the dead - Rom. 3:23-25, 5:10-11; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 4:10], and what we must do as the result [repent and believe - Mark 1:15; Luke 24:46-47; John 3:18, 36].
• And as an additional note, it is parents who are to raise their children in the knowledge and fear of the LORD [see my previous post: "Where Are All the Grownups?"]

i write this not to condemn Rick Warren, but rather to defend what the Scriptures say and compare [or rather, contrast] with what Warren has presented as the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ. What he says is very man-centered and man-pleasing. Without mentioning the holiness of God [not just saying "nobody's perfect," but really establishing the high holiness of God], without mentioning His wrath against sinners [yes, the Bible is very clear that God hates sin and sinners] and their need for a Savior, and without commanding the hearers to repent and believe so that they can be forgiven [not just have a "changed life" but so that they can have the righteousness of Christ presented to God on their behalf so that His wrath against them is quenched], Warren has presented a false gospel that is foreign to the New Testament [Gal. 1:8]. Please take this to heart and search out the things which i have written. Seek for yourself the truth of the Word of God and you will find that Warren's message does not match up well enough with Christ's message.