Rick Warren Is Not the Problem Now: Its Reformers Who Claim To Be Solid and Discerning Yet Are Anything But

Joh 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous

wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs

from thistles? Mat 7:17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

I acknowledge the legitmacy of the concern over Rick Warren using the Reformed circle to gain credibility. I have stated this as one of my concerns as well. However, I have also stated, and think its worth repeating again, that the real issue isn't Rick Warren. Warren has not changed. He is what he is and has always been: a fake Christian, a wolf in sheep's clothing, a huckster dying for popularity.

The issue is why anyone who considers himself mature in the faith, educated, knowledgeable, and discerning would even consider that Rick Warren is one of us? The dellusion of these Reformers is what is the problem, because they have gained a wide acceptance in the last several years as being biblically solid. The reality is, they are liberal. They are the problem now. While claiming TULIP and the 5 Solas, they embrace men who reject these things, therefore proving that they see these as merely an option, not actual biblical truth.

If Justification is by faith alone, then any other claim (that is, adding works to it) is damnable.Therefore the man who brings another gospel himself is accursed by God. He is not to be greeted, let alone paraded about as a brother in the Lord, and used as someone to whom you should listen to, as Piper did at the Q&A after Warren's teaching at DGC.

If Justification is by faith alone, not of works, as Romans 4 clearly states, then Rome and Luther were both wrong when they said baptism saves:

Luther’s Larger Catechism

#24] Therefore state it most simply thus, that the power, work, profit, fruit, and end of Baptism is this, namely,TO SAVE. For no one is baptized in order that he may become a prince, but, as the words declare, that he be SAVED. 25] But to be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil, and to enter into the kingdom of Christ, and to live with Him forever.

# 83] Thus it appears what a great, excellent thing Baptism is, which delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, suppresses and takes away sin, and then daily strengthens the new man; and is and remains ever efficacious until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.

RCC Catechism:

#978 "When we made our first profession of faith while receiving the holy Baptism that cleansed us, the forgiveness we received then was so full and complete that there remained in us absolutely nothing left to efface, neither original sin nor offenses committed by our own will, nor was there left any penalty to suffer in order to expiate them.

#1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. RCC #1213 Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."

This salvation by works is no different than what Rick Warren teaches. Works is works. Grace is opposed to works. That is why salvation is by grace NOT works, so NO ONE can boast; it is a GIFT of God (Eph. 2:8-10). If someone sees the Doctrine of Justification as optional on any level with any one, then they will embrace someone like Rick Warren. To see legitimacy in Rome will lead to seeing legitimacy with Warren or Paul Tripp or Mark Driscoll for that matter.

We need to be biblically consistant. Whoever brings a false gospel should be rejected entirely for that man is accursed by God (Gal. 1:7-9). That may mean we reject a dead man we thought was a Christian teacher or it might mean we reject a teacher who is living among us today, or it might mean we reject an entire church or movement if its based upon the validity of a false gospel and illegitimate authority like the RCC.

Is. 8 ^20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

2Jo 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not

have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

2Jo 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Mat 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and THEN you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

1Jo 2:21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.