But is it really important?

I write quite a bit about what I see as problematic and false teachings in some evangelical Christian circles. I hope that I am not sounding self righteous when I do it. Self righteousness is the problem, any righteousness outside of that provided by Christ is the problem. I am utterly sinful, incapable of even wanting to good except in Christ. So when I see something that is presented as being Christian that ignores the perfect, sinless life, death and resurrection of Jesus I worry that something else might be taking the place that belongs to Him alone. Our Lord Himself says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So yes, I really do think it is important to get it right, not all of the details of theology and liturgy, those are important, but ultimately if you get this one thing wrong nothing else matters.

I've been trying to work this out in my head and explain it here but somehow I can't quite express it the way I want to. But while I was working on it I did find a well written explanation by Tod Wilken that he wrote in response to Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life."

Purpose-Driven or Forgiveness-Given?

by Todd Wilken

One day God is going to reward you for everything you’ve done. But on that day, when God hands out heavenly rewards, Jesus isn’t going to do you one bit of good.

Oh yes, if you trust Jesus, God will let you into heaven. But when it comes to those heavenly rewards, you have to earn them yourself. Jesus may have earned heaven for you, but not heaven’s rewards. When it comes to salvation God may be gracious, but when it comes to rewards He’s purely quid pro quo.

This is the message of The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.¹

It’s Not About You…Or Maybe It Is.
Ironically, Warren begins The Purpose-Driven Life (TPDL) with great promise, by saying, “It’s not about you.” ² However, he spends the rest of the book explaining that it is up to you to earn rewards from God. This is typical of what the reader will find in TPDL. In one section Warren rightly affirms,

God is not just the starting point of your life; he is the source of it. God…planned the days of your life in advance, choosing the exact time of your birth and death…. God left no detail to chance. He planned it all for his purpose…. God was thinking of you even before he made the world…. there is a God who made you for a reason, and your life has profound meaning. ³

But in another section he writes, “God will give you what you need if you will just make the choice to live for him.” ⁴

So, which is it? Is the starting point and source of my life God, or my choice to live for God?

Warren does know the Gospel. He knows that we are sinners saved only by the perfect life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But what little Gospel Warren does give the reader of TPDL, he ultimately takes away. All the assurance of the Gospel is siphoned off by Warren’s relentless emphasis on earning rewards from God. Instead of directing his readers to the perfect life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for them, he misdirects them to their own choices, decisions and deeds done for God. Warren must do this. The very premise of his book demands it.

In the first half of this review, I will let Warren lay out his premise with minimal commentary. In the second half, I will offer a critique and response to TPDL. Read the full review here.