06. Chapter 5: The Plan Of Salvation According To Rick Warren

Chapter 5 The Plan Of Salvation According To Rick Warren

When you want real sugar in your coffee, you do not want sugar substitutes because they simply won’t suffice. You want the real thing. Natural cane sugar is the choice of sweetener for most people who drink coffee. Too much sugar is a bad thing, of course, but those artificial, chemical-based sweeteners such as Aspartame, in particular, can literally wreak havoc upon your health and worsen existing health conditions. Similarly, it is common knowledge among bible scholars that Satan and his legions of demons are able to perform tremendous, albeit limited, miracles and wonders in order to deceive people from ever knowing the truth about salvation. Essentially, Satan provides “sugar substitutes” whereas God only provides the “real thing.” Let us consider the account of when Moses appeared before Pharaoh. While these passages from the bible are a bit lengthy, I want you to read them carefully, for they will greatly enhance your understanding of the wonders Satan is capable of performing through the use of human beings as well as to show you outright that Satan is, in fact, limited in his power and in the miracles that he can perform through men or women who are unknowingly in his service. While this section is a bit scripturally intense, it will help you to understand the larger picture of what is happening today in the Christian business by drawing a parallel from the past via these scriptures:

We will begin with Exodus 7:8-13, which says, “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” When Aaron threw down his stick and it turned into a snake, it was God who performed that miracle. But when those other men threw down their sticks, it was the power of the devil that changed those sticks into snakes. But look what happened! The bad ones got eaten by the good one!

I want to continue in this chapter of Exodus. Exodus 7:20-24 says, “And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.”

While not as impressive as the first example, we see that demonic powers are also capable of polluting God’s creations, such as rivers. But as I will show you later in this chapter, demonic forces are also responsible for polluting the most wonderful thing of all: the plan of salvation. In Exodus 8:16-19, we see how limited satanic power is when the magicians try to create something from the dust of the ground. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” No man can turn a river of water into a river of blood, and no man can turn a stick into a snake. These magicians understood that they were accomplishing their deeds by channeling “other powers” to do it for them; however, because they said “This is the finger of God...” it is my sincere belief that these magicians ended up getting saved by God’s grace through faith in the Messiah who would one day come to pay for the sins of the world, that is, if any of the Israelites bothered to tell these magicians the gospel message of the Messiah who was to come. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

These two magicians, known as Jannes and Jambres, whom you have just read about in the book of Exodus, are the same magicians whom Paul mentions thousands of years later in 2 Timothy 3:1-8, which says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” The miracles that have been done by “other powers” through popular Christian author and personality Rick Warren include the creation of a substitute gospel message as well as the imprisonment of entire churches around the world that have been chained by the ideologies contained within his book, “The Purpose Driven Life.” Warren is a good, moral man who possesses many admirable qualities and in no way is this chapter meant to put him in a negative light; rather, I am calling attention to the “abilities” that Satan and his demons have in polluting the gospel message of Christ the same way those demons polluted the water through Jannes and Jambres in that passage from Exodus that you read a moment ago. Warren, like all of the other pastors and teachers I mention in this book, is an unknowing player in the constant struggle of what Paul describes as, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Warren is not the problem. The powers behind Warren are the problem. Personally, I like Rick Warren, but I am at eternal odds with his plan of salvation because it does not match the plan of salvation according to Jesus Christ.

If you will visit his Saddleback Church Website, and click upon the link entitled “Begin A Relationship With Jesus,” you will be taken to a page with three different videos (at the time this chapter was written). Choose the video entitled “What Does It Mean To Follow Christ?” In this lengthy video, Warren talks about disappointments in life and that knowing your purpose in life and having a relationship with Jesus are the keys to happiness. Most everything he says is “real world” and virtually no fault can be found in his masterful delivery of popular psychology mixed with secular humanism and semi-biblical principles. It’s all very warm and it will make you feel wonderful about God and about yourself. Warren provides you with exactly what you want to hear. The plan of salvation according to Rick Warren’s video will be paraphrased to avoid potential copyright infringement.

Rick Warren says that Jesus died for you. Jesus came to give you a better life here and now and in the future. All you need to get into heaven is to realize that you can’t earn your way into heaven, that heaven is a perfect place and no sin can enter it. Warren says you have to be perfect to get into heaven. He says that Jesus died for us, that He lived a perfect life as an example for us to follow, to show us how to live our lives, essentially. Warren says that we must believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life just like He said He was. Warren says that you have to believe in Jesus and you have to receive Jesus (believe and receive). To do this, Warren says you must admit to Jesus that you need Him, that you must admit your mistakes to Him, and that you must tell Him that you want to turn from your way of life and live a brand new life. Warren says that repent means “a change of mind” from your way of living to the way Jesus wants you to live. Warren says you must determine to follow Christ. Warren says you must pray and invite Jesus into your heart. In his sample prayer, he tells you to admit to God that you don’t understand it all, but that you realize something is missing from your life, that you want a better life, that you want a relationship with Christ. Warren says to tell Jesus that, as best you know how to do, that you open your life to Him. Warren says to ask Jesus to forgive you, to come into your life, to have Jesus make Himself real to you, and to give you a purpose in life. Warren says that if you meant this with all of your heart, that angels are now rejoicing over the fact that you have just accepted Christ in to your life. Warren then tells you to join a church, that you need help to grow, and that you need to make your decision to follow Jesus public. That is the paraphrased version of the plan of salvation according to Rick Warren. Now, in a previous video that Warren had on the Internet, he said that in order to remain in a relationship with Christ, you have to keep striving to live according to biblical principles. Warren, in fact, states this very thing in his best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life,” yet, he neglects to mention this aspect in clear terms during this particular video. As children, most of us were told the tale of the Pied Piper, a story about a man who played a type of flute who led little children away from the care of their families and ended up drowning in the river.

Like the Pied Piper, Warren plays an irresistible tune that no one can ignore. Once people hear what he has to say, they are hooked. Warren digs down into the cores of our individual beings, down into our deepest desires of wanting to forget our pasts, our mistakes and failures, of wanting to make our present lives the best that they can be, and by telling us that if we invite Christ into our hearts and give ourselves to Him that we will go to heaven; however, like the fictional Pied Piper, Warren leads every mesmerized believer of this false gospel to a place of drowning, but not in a river of water; instead, it is the eternal lake of fire, according to the bible.

Jesus Christ offers a very different plan of salvation. Jesus said that the will of the Father was for everyone to recognize Christ as the Messiah and to believe on Him alone for the gift of everlasting life. “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). To make it ever more succinct, Jesus then said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). The gospel message is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we believe that Jesus died for us and came back to life three days later, He knows it — He knows all of your thoughts — and He knows the very instant that you believe His gospel message. The instant you believe His message, Jesus saves you. Time and time again we see in the bible that when people heard this message, they “believed.” When they believed, they were saved that very same instant. They did not pray prayers of salvation asking Jesus into their hearts. They did not commit their lives to the Lordship of Christ. They did not determine to follow Him all the days of their lives in obedience to His Lordship or to the practice of discipleship. They simply believed on Christ alone as their savior.

It doesn’t matter how successful a ministry is, or how beautiful and satisfying their particular plan of salvation may be. If what they say about salvation does not match with what Christ said about salvation, their plan is counterfeit and falls under the label of an “accursed message.” Galatians 1:8-9 says, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

If you were to have asked Paul how to be saved, he would have told you the same thing he told the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31 : “...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...” And if you were to ask Jesus Christ how to be saved, He would tell you the same thing that He told Nicodemus in John 3:16 : “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jesus said “believe.” Believe means to “trust.” The object of this trust is His gospel message. Reader, please understand that you must be “as righteous as” Christ is righteous, that you must be cleansed of your sins in order to enter heaven, that you must “change your mind” about Christ and trust in Him alone to save you. It’s not about committing your life to Him. It’s not about doing anything for Him. It’s about what He did for you by His death and subsequent resurrection from the dead. Christ alone paid for your sins, and the instant you believe His plan of salvation, He saves you, forever and forever. It is your choice. If you believe Jesus Christ ALONE as your savior, you will be saved. If you choose to believe a counterfeit version of the gospel message that includes any works or behavioral changes on your part, you will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgement and this will be your fate:

Revelation 20:11-15 : “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”