'We Have to Learn to Love the Church' ~Rick Warren
"Too many Christians use the church, but don't love it.
"Too many Christians use the church, but don't love it.
This is a hard message for many of us to hear. We've been deeply hurt by members of the church, we've been disappointed, we can be discouraged. But the Church is the Bride of Christ. It's the Hope of the world, the vessel
through which God works out his plan. We have to learn
to love the church. For some of us that means there's
people we need to forgive, for others it means we need to get involved in service, and for others it means
we need to change how we talk of the church. Jesus
loves his church. If for no other reason than that-
we must love the church also"
~Rick Warren, Facebook page, Dec. 9th, 2015
Did you ever notice how some people talk bad about the church and "Christians" all the time.? And while you might think that it's a "pastors" place to correct the flock of it's folly, to tell Christians how awful they are, you might want to think again. And think about it... As Rick whines and complains and talk about changing the way Christians are and are not, is he encouraging Christians to love the Lord their God with all their hearts? No. He is actually attempting to replace that concept. According to Rick Christians have it all wrong. They "must love "the church."
It's tricky business being a change agent. You got to be pretty sly, and Rick Warren has repeatedly referred to "pastors" as change agents, including himself. Here he is telling those who listen to him, (Christian or not,) how unforgiving, lazy, and unlike Jesus "Christians" are. In fact, his message is probably one that is hard for most Christians to hear. (Is it hard for you?) Riddled with the problem of unforgiveness towards others, neglecting to serve and wrongly thinking church is for them to become equipped and mature, Christians have things all wrong. Rick has a message for Christiand though.... one that will help them change.
Christians "must love the church."
To this, any discerning ear should wonder, "Does he means Rome?"
Discerning ears know the thing Christians are commanded to love is God. (See the first commandment) However Rick will happily employ people with the notion of loving "the church" first and foremost, even in place of God, if people let him do this; and they do. He would help someone discover their "purpose" instead of Jesus and working hard to please God, instead of entering into God's rest by relying upon the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Oh, Jesus is often mentioned... but only to lend credence to Rick's divulged "secrets" he will teach you if you only extend to him that "itchy" ear.
It's tricky business being a change agent. You got to be pretty sly, and Rick Warren has repeatedly referred to "pastors" as change agents, including himself. Here he is telling those who listen to him, (Christian or not,) how unforgiving, lazy, and unlike Jesus "Christians" are. In fact, his message is probably one that is hard for most Christians to hear. (Is it hard for you?) Riddled with the problem of unforgiveness towards others, neglecting to serve and wrongly thinking church is for them to become equipped and mature, Christians have things all wrong. Rick has a message for Christiand though.... one that will help them change.
Christians "must love the church."
To this, any discerning ear should wonder, "Does he means Rome?"
Discerning ears know the thing Christians are commanded to love is God. (See the first commandment) However Rick will happily employ people with the notion of loving "the church" first and foremost, even in place of God, if people let him do this; and they do. He would help someone discover their "purpose" instead of Jesus and working hard to please God, instead of entering into God's rest by relying upon the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Oh, Jesus is often mentioned... but only to lend credence to Rick's divulged "secrets" he will teach you if you only extend to him that "itchy" ear.
Rick offers people the "secrets" of a healthy church, the "secrets" of successful weight loss through his "Daniel Plan,"as well as all the "secrets" of a fruitful ministry, like his. He offers hearers the "secret" to finding happiness and the "secret" of how to get yourself some answered prayer, and stresses the importance of knowing, not what Jesus did for you, so much as just how much YOu are worth, a the while saying, in case your listening to him speak, that really, it's not about "you. "
"There isn't a better thing you can do to raise your confidence level than to start believing what God says about you. As I read through the Bible, chapter by chapter, and find a verse that speaks to me, I write it down on a card, memorize it, and then I affirm it back to God: "Father, thank you that I am valuable; I am significant; I am forgivable; I am capable."
~Rick Warren, Eliminate Negative Self Talk by Rick Warren, May 21, 2014, rickwarren,org
"...... But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Jesus, Revelation 3:17
"...... But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Jesus, Revelation 3:17
After all, Rick doesn't really mind too much if you are thinking that you are somehow worthy of God's love, just like Jesus; and that you were created for serving others and doing your "fair share," if not more.
"You weren’t created just to consume resources—to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. You were created to add to life on Earth, not just take from it. God wants
you to give something back. "
~ Rick Warren
So much for for the free "gift" of God. You Christians better get busy and make a contribution to society.
, Rick does not hold "Christians" in high esteem. In fact, the very thing he suggests "Christians" are guitly of, (talking bad about the church,) he himself does. There is a word for this. It is called hypocrisy. Matthew 23 tells us all about it.
, Rick does not hold "Christians" in high esteem. In fact, the very thing he suggests "Christians" are guitly of, (talking bad about the church,) he himself does. There is a word for this. It is called hypocrisy. Matthew 23 tells us all about it.
And while Rick suggests that Jesus loves the church and you should too, Jesus himself told his disciples that love of God was the most important thing...( not the love of "church." as Rick suggests.) In fact, Jesus used some strong language (see Luke 14:26) to insure his disciples put God first, and love the Lord God with all their heart.
It's a sad day when truth is abandoned and replaced with fine sounding human notions. Little does Rick know, but Christians are actually knit together in love. Its a fine sounding argument to say that Christians must learn to love the church, and it's sounds profound to suggest that the church is the hope of the world... but church is not the answer to the ills of man. Jesus is. Jesus is the hope of the world.... and John tells us clearly, God "so loved the world" that he gave us his Son, that who soever believes on him would have eternal life. Believing in Jesus is one thing. Believing in the church is something else.
Jesus is the hope of the world and we who belong to Jesus are called to love God and others. Christians do love God and others, not because we do everything perfect all the time, but because Jesus did and not because we MUST learn to love, as Rick suggests, but because of who Jesus is and what he did; and because, God first loved us.
It's a sad day when truth is abandoned and replaced with fine sounding human notions. Little does Rick know, but Christians are actually knit together in love. Its a fine sounding argument to say that Christians must learn to love the church, and it's sounds profound to suggest that the church is the hope of the world... but church is not the answer to the ills of man. Jesus is. Jesus is the hope of the world.... and John tells us clearly, God "so loved the world" that he gave us his Son, that who soever believes on him would have eternal life. Believing in Jesus is one thing. Believing in the church is something else.
Jesus is the hope of the world and we who belong to Jesus are called to love God and others. Christians do love God and others, not because we do everything perfect all the time, but because Jesus did and not because we MUST learn to love, as Rick suggests, but because of who Jesus is and what he did; and because, God first loved us.
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