Rather than the biblical definition of "hell," Rick makes up a definition for his readers of what his definition of hell, "would be." Note: His idea of hell is something YOU, his reader, should be afraid of too. And what is hell?
"Let me tell you what my definition of hell would be. Hell would be if God were to show me all the blessings in life that I’ve missed because I was selfish or afraid. To me that would be hell. I missed that just because I was afraid, just because I was insecure.” ~ Rick Warren
Making a difference with Your life
40 Days of Peace Sermon, Sept 17-18 2005
To Rick, "hell" is the result of being insecure....
missing blessings of God because you
were "insecure" and "afraid."
When listening to Rick, you can bet he will tell you
that some things are simply more important than other things....
like money, for example.
He says, God uses money to test you
and that how you manage your money
affects how much God can bless your life.
He would have you think that money
is really important to God...
more important than hell.
For example, he says,
Jesus "talked more about money than heaven or hell."
"The Bible is very clear: God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant. That is why Jesus talked more about money than he did about either heaven or hell. He said, "If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" How you manage your money affects how much God can bless your life. "
Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life, Pg. 267
What Rick says is a great exaggeration.
Actually, Jesus Christ talked a lot about heaven and hell,
much more than he talked about money.
Now which do you suppose is a more important message to give men..
from God's perspective,
HELL or MONEY?
Jesus Christ did not die to save us from money, or to give us money.
Jesus gave his life in order to deliver us from hell and give us new life,
not to make us richer in this life or teach us how to handle our personal finances.
Do you really believe he talked more about money?
Can you show that in the scriptures?
everlasting fire — Matthew18:8, 25:41
everlasting punishment — Matthew 25:46
everlasting chains — Jude 1:6
eternal damnation — Mark 3:29
eternal judgment — Hebrews 6:2
eternal fire — Jude 1:7
unquenchable fire — Matthew 3:12
the fire that never shall be quenched — Mark 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48
fire unquenchable — Luke 3:17
mist of darkness is reserved for ever — 2 Peter 2:17
the blackness of darkness for ever — Jude 1:13
But then, here is Rick again, on the topic of hell"
"Let me tell you what my definition of hell would be. Hell would be if God were to show me all the blessings in life that I’ve missed because I was selfish or afraid. To me that would be hell. I missed that just because I was afraid, just because I was insecure.” ~ Rick Warren
Making a difference with Your life
40 Days of Peace Sermon, Sept 17-18 2005
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