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Purpose Driven or Christ Driven?
Rick Warren’s bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life” has had a huge impact on the
Christian community. I can only imagine that many lives have been changed for
the good, and that studying his text has vitalized many churches. On the other
hand there are some of us who struggled with the concept of being purpose
driven. So sit with me on the “porch” and let me discuss what is on my mind. I
can only hope that some of my readers will identify with my thoughts and that by
reviewing and clarifying some of Warren’s concepts we can arrive at some
important truths about Christ and his church. I will be as brief as I can, for I
know your time is valuable. Only God can be the final judge as to the results,
but at least we can “talk it over.”
There are three major areas of concern that I have: Are we purpose driven or
Christ driven? Is the way to salvation clearly explained? What is the goal of
the Christian life?
Are we purpose driven or Christ driven? Warren lists five purposes that
originate in God. Of course I do not find any fault with the purposes. They are:
1. You were planned for God’s pleasure.
2. You were formed for God’s family.
3. You were created to become like Christ.
4. You were shaped for serving God.
5. You were made for a mission.
Although we could think of other purposes, the above list will suffice for our
discussion.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the noun ‘purpose’ as something one
intends to get or do, intention, aim, resolution, determination, or an end in
view. My difficulty in being purpose driven is that there is no power provided
by a purpose. It is just a goal or intention. I will have to make a choice:
either I will provide the power to achieve the purpose, or I will turn to some
other power to achieve it.
Those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior will have no power to fulfill
these purposes. Our old nature in Adam is totally opposed to these goals—it is
primarily interested in self-glorification without any recognition of God’s
wishes. Only by accepting Christ as our Savior can we obtain God’s power within
our life. Warren recognizes the need for Christ early on as he states on page
20, “If you don’t have such a relationship (with Jesus Christ), I will later
explain how to begin one.” Hopefully the readers of Warren’s text will learn
that God is going to provide the power—but only to a believer. In fact Warren
finally reveals the way of salvation on page 58, which brings me to my next
concern.
Is the way to salvation clearly explained? As Warren correctly says, “real life
begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ.” Certainly we can not
add to that statement. My concern is found in defining the commitment. Warren
explains that we are to believe and receive. He explains that we are to believe
that Jesus died on the cross for us, and that God wants to forgive us. We are to
receive Jesus into our life as Lord and savior. We are to receive his
forgiveness for our sins. “We are to receive the Holy Spirit, who will give us
the power to fulfill your life purpose,” he says. “Amen” to all of this, I say.
But there is something vital that is missing in all of this: admission of sin
and repentance.
I realize that the Bible has several passages that explain the path to
salvation. Some are listed below, all from the NASB.
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in
the gospel. (Mark 1:15).
And they went out and preached that men should repent. (Mark 6:12).
I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke
13:3).
And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).
Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that
times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send
Jesus, the Christ appointed for you. (Acts 3:19,20).
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man
believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting
in salvation. (Romans 10:9,10).
Am I in the “old school” when it comes to repentance? Yes, I am afraid so. I
realize that much of modern-day theology believes that man is inherently good
and that bad reactions (sin?) are not basic to our behavior. On the contrary I
cling to the basic theme that man in Adam is fallen, that we have a sin nature
inherited from Adam, and that it must be nailed to the cross with Jesus so that
it can be rendered powerless over our lives. (Romans 6:6).
So why not mention our sin as we approach God in surrender to His will? True
commitment begins when we realize our need and our total inadequacy before Him.
Then we can turn to God in full faith. It seems so basic, and I only hope that
many are not being misled by Warren’s omission of repentance.
What is the goal of the Christian life? In Chapter 22, entitled “Created to
Become Like Christ”, Warren has a puzzling quotation: “God knew what he was
doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of
those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son….We see the
original and intended shape of our lives there in him.” (Romans 8:29, The
Message, Navpress, 1993).
Now, being of the old school, I quote Romans 8:29 as follows: For whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His son, that
He might be the first-born among many brethren. (NASB).
I am uncomfortable with being “shaped along the same lines as Jesus”, as opposed
to “being conformed to His image.” I am re-born into brotherhood with Jesus. I
feel this makes a huge difference, and I pray that the readers of Warren’s text
will see this clearly.
Every person may have a different view of what it means to be “like Jesus”. To
me the issue is settled by Paul who said, “I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered
Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20). This verse is nowhere in Warren’s
discussion, yet for us to fulfill our faith in Jesus we are to ultimately make
this same claim—Jesus is our life—it is not enough to be simply shaped along the
same lines.
Further support for my point is found in the First Epistle of John, where we
read, “We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see
Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2). This seems to be a much stronger, much more
definitive description, of how we are like Jesus.
I would add another point that I believe is important. Warren repeatedly uses
the verse in 2 Corinthians 5:18, namely, “Christ changed us from enemies into
his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also.” (Today’s
English Version). With no other explanation it might be assumed by some that all
of us, believers as well as unbelievers, are equipped for His ministry. Yet, if
we would only read the previous verse, one that is never quoted by Warren,
“Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed
away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the heart of
the gospel—we are a new creature, created by God as a result of our acceptance
of Jesus Christ, and this new creature is the only one equipped by God to
fulfill His purposes.
Again, I ask any and all of you, who may visit my “porch”, to share your
thoughts on all of this. I welcome any criticism or heart-felt suggestion. We
can strive together to reach as many as we can with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
May He reveal His purposes and power to us!
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