A Response to
The Purpose Driven Life

From SSC Hot Springs
Uncopyright 2006

To read a response to chapters 1 - 11 of the book, view or download this PDF file.

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[YOU CAN READ A RESPONSE TO JUST CHAPTERS 7,8 AND 9 BELOW.]

Chapter 7

Page 53: “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God.” Let me try replacing this with another word: “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the grace of God.” “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the righteousness of God.” “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the love of God.” Because I could replace glory with so many other words and still seem correct, Mr. Warren is wrong about the ultimate goal of the universe. What text has he used to prove his point?

Page 53: “What is the glory of God? It is who God is.” Mr. Warren is wrong; no attribute of God is God.

Page 54: Mr. Warren asserted that God revealed his glory “now through the church.” He cited the following texts:

Ephesians 2:21-22 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord ²²in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Mr. Warren assumed that us refers to all Christians, never considering that it might refer to another group that differs from you and ye. The error of assumption leads to false conclusions.

Giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is not the same as revealing God’s glory.

Page 54: “In heaven, God’s glory provides all the light needed. The Bible Says, ‘The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the gory of God gives it light.’” Mr. Warren apparently either does not believe in the New Earth or thinks that the New Earth and heaven are identical. What a profound series of errors this will produce! Will the Saints come back to earth from heaven to rule with Christ for a thousand years, then turn around and go back to heaven? What would be the purpose of coming in the first place?

Page 54: “Jesus came to earth so we could fully understand God’s glory.” So, tell me: who fully understands God’s glory now?

Page 55: Mr. Warren inadvertently condemned all Christians of the worst possible sin (which means that it exceeds blasphemy of the Holy Spirit): “None of us have given God the full glory he deserves from our lives. This is the worst sin and the biggest mistake we can make.”

Mr. Warren writes in superlatives much too often, and without warrant from the Bible.

“On the other hand, living for God’s glory is the greatest achievement we can accomplish with our lives.” Tell this to Pharaoh:

Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, “Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

Page 55: “God says, ‘They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory,’ so it ought to be the supreme goal of our lives.”

Isaiah 43:1 And now thus saith Yehovah Who created thee, Jacob, and He Who formed thee, Israel, Fear not! For I have redeemed thee! I have called thee by thy name! Thou art mine. ²When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. And the flame shall not kindle upon thee. ³For I am Yehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour! I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. ⁴Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been important. And I have loved thee. Therefore I will give a man for thee and citizenries for thy life. ⁵Fear not. For I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the east and gather thee from the west. ⁶I will say to the north, “Give up!” and to the south, “Keep not back!” Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth—⁷every one that is called by my name. For I have created him for my glory. I have formed him. Indeed, I have made him.

This is misusage of a text dealing directly with Jacob. It refers to the Tribulation, and has nothing to do with Mr. Warren’s hypothesis. He makes the Word of God so boring! No wonder so many are leaving churches, dissatisfied with the contemptibly low standards of preachers! Folks are drawn by these types of ‘Christian Psychological’ teachings, but they will then seek another new ‘high’ when this one wears down, never being satisfied with the Word of God itself. “I can only imagine” how exciting would be the preaching and writing of one who exposed texts according to their contents!

Page 55: “St. Irenaeus said, ‘The glory of God is a human being fully alive!’” Mr. Irenaeus had no concept of the glory of God. The Bible speaks when He will come in all of His glory, and it won’t be equivalent to a human being fully alive.

Page 55: “Worship is our first responsibility to God.” I thought glorifying God was! We have another case of extraneous superlatives.

I suspect that Mr. Warren does not know the definition of worship. He wrote, “We worship God by enjoying him.” Since worship always means prostrating one’s self before another, the concept of enjoyment is not part of the picture.

Page 56: “Paul said, ‘Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.’” The text states,

Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

The perversion gives the impression that ‘accepting’ each other is Biblical, and this could include folks who are practicing sin. After all, whose to judge? Wording is everything, else the ‘Word of God’ becomes the opinions of translators, paraphrasers and perverters.

Page 56: “Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus in the way we think, feel, and act.” Most pop-Christians already figure that Jesus thinks, feels and acts like them! They are just like their Jesuses already! Who will mature to the point of thinking like Jesus, or feeling like Jesus? This really lowers their Jesuses down. Being Christlike is not the same thing. This is maintaining righteousness, doing justice, loving grace and selflessly walking with God; and it is being obedient to Yehovah’s command when and if He commands something. It is not presumptive in nature.

Page 56: “The Bible says, ‘As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.’” The text states,

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord with open face as in a glass, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Is becoming “more and more like him” the same as being “changed into the same image”? The perversion makes it sound like an individual occurrence, whereas the text has we being changed into the same image (‘face’ is singular, as well as ‘image’). This is a group phenomenon, and it has a timing. This we are distinct from you (to whom the letter is written) as the following text shows:

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Messiah Yeshua the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Yeshua’s sake.

Page 57: “The Bible says, ‘As God’s grace brings more and more people to Christ,… God will receive more and more glory.’” The text actually states,

2 Corinthians 4:13 We, having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, ‘I believed, and therefore have I spoken’—we also believe and therefore speak ¹⁴knowing that He Who raised up the Lord Yeshua shall also raise us up by Yeshua, and shall present us with you. ¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might redound to the glory of God through the thanksgiving of many ¹⁶for which cause we faint not. But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

The Numbers Theology so popular in pop-Christianity is backed by “as God’s grace brings more and more people to Christ” when the original text does not say this. Assuming that the “abundant grace might redound to the glory of God through the thanksgiving of many” means that these folks will be brought to Christ is without merit, unless thanksgiving and salvation are equivalent.

Page 57: Mr. Warren asserts that Jesus struggled with choosing a difficult path instead of an easy one. Such is Mr. Warren’s Jesus, who decides at the last minute whether to “fulfill his purpose and bring glory to God” or to “shrink back and live a comfortable, self-centered life.” What a cheap, undecided, undetermined Jesus! How low can this Jesus descend before he is just another liberal Christian?

Page 58: “The Bible says, ‘Anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go,… you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.’” The Bible actually says,

John 12:25 He who loveth his life shall lose it, and he who hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Is ‘holding on to life just as it is’ the same as ‘loving his life’? Is ‘destroying that life’ the same as ‘losing it’? Is ‘letting it go’ the same as ‘hating his life in this world’? Is ‘having it forever, real and eternal’ the same as ‘keeping it unto life eternal’ [another way of stating the guarantee of Salvation]?

No wonder Mr. Warren has sold so many books! He has constructed a formula that deletes the Word of God from Christianity, making it appear as if it were the real essence of the Christian faith!

Page 58: “God will give you what you need if you will just make the choice to live for him.” Besides the strong Arminian thrust, as if God is begging the person to make this choice, the construction ‘living for him’ is not at all equivalent to turning to God from idols, to repentance from sin and dead works, to humbling one’s self before God. Mr. Warren’s formula is more like what one does with a menu at a restaurant. There is no fear of God.

Page 58: “The Bible says, ‘Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God.’” The text reads,

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him Who hath called us to glory and virtue.

Since when is being ‘invited’ to God the same as being called by God? Since when is this the same as being called to glory and virtue? Call has an intrinsic command aspect.

Page 58: “Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ.” Is this Mr. Warren’s formula for salvation? Commitment is not inherently a salvific act; Judas Iscariot was committed to Jesus Christ; he made his money that way. Some others do the same today.

Page 58: “The Bible promises, ‘To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.’” Texts taken in pieces rather than being quoted in full with consideration of the pronouns, timing and context will always be useful for teaching error. Consider this text:

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, He gave power to them to become the sons of God—to them who believe on His name ¹³who were born—not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

He gave power to them who were born of God. Please observe that the erroneous rendering Mr. Warren used has believed and received in the same tense, whereas a proper rendering has received in a past tense derived from the second Aorist form, and believe in a present tense form. This type of sloppiness in translation and paraphrase completely changes outcomes, as if the Word of God is not infallible, but completely mutable according to man’s whims. These paraphrases, and books based on them, are perfect for liberal churches and liberal pastors whose concerns are not for rightly dividing the Word of Truth, but for popular appeal and acceptability.

Page 58: “Believe God loves you…” What if He doesn’t?

Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity! ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing! Yehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man!

Perhaps you believe that this text doesn’t mean what is says, or that God was somehow exaggerating. The Hebrew corroborates its strength. God does not love everyone; He hates and abhors some. Is the Truth hard to teach?

Page 58: “Believe that no matter what you’ve done, God wants to forgive you.” Suppose the person has blasphemed the Holy Spirit; does God ‘want’ to forgive him? Not if the text is true. Generalizations are great ways to tell lies.

Page 58: Mr. Warren gives the crowning example of ‘easy believism’ that is always devoid of a new birth, a new creation: “Receive Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior. Receive his forgiveness for your sins. Receive his Spirit, who will give you the power to fulfill your life purpose.” Had Mr. Warren been considering the new birth, ‘your life’ would never have been the center. A much better wording would be “Turn to the Biblical Jesus Who is Lord and Savior. Call upon Him for forgiveness of your sins. He will give you the power to obey.” Even this would be inferior, however, because unless one has the ability to hearken, which alone comes by the Word of God, faith will not be present. Very few take the time to read or hear the Word of God in its entirety (directly from a proper translation) so that they might hear. Most rely on some oversimplified ‘easy believism’ message that makes the Bible superfluous to their faiths.

Mr. Warren then quoted from his heresy: “The Bible says, ‘Whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!’” The text states,

John 3:36 He who believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And he who believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

If the wrath of God abides on this person, does the love of God also abide on him? If so, let us say that God loves everyone in the Lake of Fire and Sulfur. If we say this, let’s also admit that the love of God doesn’t mean anything, since God loves the folks being forever tormented in the flame just as he loves the folks that occupy the New Earth.

Since when is accepting and trusting the same as believing? Since when is getting in on everything, life complete and forever the same as having everlasting life? What does ‘getting in on everything’ mean? Does this mean that non-Jewish believers will inherit the Land of Israel promised to Avraham? Does it mean that non-Jewish Saints become ‘God’s chosen people’, replacing Israel? What does this mean?

Page 58: If a person does what Mr. Warren proposes by asking him to pray, “Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you,” does this mean that this “will change [the person’s] eternity”? Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in their Jesus. Seventh Day Adventists believe in their Jesus. Mormons believe in their Jesus. Shriners and Free Masons believe in their Jesus. If they pray this prayer after reading Mr. Warren’s writings, continuing with their Jesuses, will they have a different eternity? If it isn’t the case, why say that it is? Is this the book that so many pastors have found so helpful to their congregations, a book that teaches the pop-Christian false salvation?

Page 59: “If you sincerely meant that prayer, congratulations!” Suppose the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Shriners and Free Masons sincerely mean that prayer, are they to be congratulated?

Page 59, Question to Consider: “Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God’s glory?” It is always focused on I, me, my! Mr. Warren said it would be centered on his Jesus! He just can’t break away from the self-centered gospel!

Page 61, Purpose #1: “You were planned for God’s pleasure” “For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3 (LB)”

The text actually reads (modified from the King James),

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Yehovah is upon me, for Yehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, ²to proclaim the acceptable year of Yehovah and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn, ³to appoint unto them who mourn in Zion—to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so that they will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yehovah, so that He will be glorified. ⁴And they shall build the old wastes. They shall raise up the former desolations. And they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

If it isn’t abundantly clear about whom He is speaking, I will say it: the Israelis and all who have helped them during the Tribulation. They have come back to Zion during the last part of the Tribulation (as many other texts testify). This is no general text to apply to Christians in every time period.

Chapter 8

Page 63: “The moment you were born into the world, God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth.” Yes, I am sure that Adolph Hitler will find that very consoling. Who is Mr. Warren, that he feels the right and the authority to declare when God smiles? Is he not only a prophet of God, but greater than a prophet? Does he speak infallibly? If he does, the renderings of Biblical texts that he uses must also be infallible! But if he writes what is false prophecy (saying that God smiles at an event is false prophecy), who will propagate such a damnable heresy, and claim that this book is a ‘Godsend’?

Page 63: “Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life.” I thought it was living for God’s glory.

Page 63: “When you fully understand this truth, you will never again have a problem with feeling insignificant. It proves your worth.” Thus, pop-psychology again has popped up its head! Never mind humility; let’s all bask in our own importance! Where is being a slave? “You are a child of God, and you bring pleasure to God like nothing else he has every created.” I guess that means that you bring God more pleasure than the person next to you, since each person is an individual creation! This is ruthlessly self-absorbed, self-centered megalomania!

Page 64: “Bringing pleasure to God is called ‘worship.’” No, it isn’t. Worship means prostrating one’s self before something or someone. Mr. Warren didn’t do his homework.

Page 64: “The Bible says, ‘The LORD is pleased only with those who worship him and trust his love.’” No, it doesn’t. It states,

Psalm 147:11 Yehovah taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His Grace.

When some ethereal concept of worship replaces the fear of Yehovah, the religion has nothing to do with the Biblical God.

When love replaces Grace, Salvation has been removed.

Page 65: “Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, baptism, communion, signing a commitment card, and even greeting other worshipers.” He didn’t mention building the biggest church building on a high place near the expressway, or putting a Starbuck’s in; great acts of worship! The greatest would be putting in a Krispy Kreme! You can see the foolishness in these last offerings, but the first items do not seem foolish. Yet disconnecting worship from its Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek definitions is indeed foolish! Try replacing worship in the Bible with any in the following list:

1. praying
2. Scripture reading
3. singing
4. confession
5. silence
6. being still
7. listening to a sermon
8. taking notes
9. giving an offering
10. baptism
11. communion
12. signing a commitment card
13. greeting other worshipers

You will see how poor a substitute they are.

Page 65: “Adam worshiped in the Garden of Eden.” Oh, did he? Prove it.

Page 66: “We are told to ‘worship him continually’”. The text says to “seek His Faces continually”. If everything means worship (in these perversions), using all the different terms was a waste and foolishness on Yehovah’s part. Will you stand before Him with this theology?

Mr. Warren subtly switches from worship to praise, as if these are also the same! He has Bible readings that have no distinctions!

Chapter 9

Page 69: “May the LORD smile on you…. Numbers 6:25 (NLT)”

“Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live. Psalm 119:135 (Msg)”

Numbers 6:25, literally from the Hebrew: Speak unto Aharon and unto his sons to say, “So ye shall bless the children of Israel to say to them, ²⁶ ‘Yehovah shall bless thee, and He has guarded thee. ²⁷Yehovah will illuminate His faces unto thee and He has favoured thee. Yehovah will carry His faces unto thee and He has put to thee shalom.’ ²⁸And they shall put my Name upon the children of Israel. And I, I will bless them.”

Psalm 119:135 states literally from the Hebrew: Illuminate Thy faces via Thy servant. And teach me Thy statutes.

Since when is the illuminated faces of Yehovah the same as God’s smile? Didn’t Moshe come from Mount Sinai with an illuminated face? Why not take God’s word literally? Is it because it is too wonderful to believe?

Page 69: “Since pleasing God is the firt purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that.” This assumes that the person is born of God. If the far more likely is true, the person is not born of God, and

1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Telling one who is not born of God to discover how to ‘please’ God is like telling one not trained in bridge construction that his most important task is to help in cable winding over the open expanse of water.

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please, for he who cometh to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Establishing what constitutes the Biblical faith is far more important than determining how to please God.

Page 69: Mr. Warren continued, “The Bible says, ‘Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.’” There is some damnable advice! Since when is the person responsible to figure out the mind of Christ?

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we [identify this we!] have the mind of Christ.

The text from which Mr. Warren obtained his perversion actually states,

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—⁹for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth—¹⁰proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

These folks are Saints; they are not out to ‘find their purpose’, but to do righteousness and truth, and by that means they will ‘prove’ (demonstrate as genuine) what is acceptable unto Yehovah. Readers of The Purpose Driven Life will rarely be Saints (and if they are, they will be outraged by Biblical perversions enunciated in this volume).

Page 69: “The Bible says, ‘Noah was a pleasure to the Lord.’” Actually, it says,

Genesis 6:8 Noah found favour in the eyes of Yehovah.

Finding favour and being a pleasure to anyone are not the same. Words have meaning!

Page 70: “The Bible tells us that for his entire life, ‘Noah consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with Him.’” It actually states,

Genesis 6:9 Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Following God’s will and doing right before God sound like the same thing, but they are not. The word following is not the same as doing. Righteousness has to do with doing, not just following. Enjoying a close relationship with God can be said of the angels; it is not the same as walking with God.

Page 70: “God made you to love you, and he longs for you to love him back.” Aw, that’s sweet! Now, prove it! Show where God longs for folks to love him back! I see where it is commanded; since when is God such a lonely, love-hungry being? The Bible does not portray Him that way.

Page 70: “He says, ‘I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me.’” It actually says,

Hosea 6:6 For I desired Grace and not a sacrifice and knowledge of Elohim from ascendings.

Should ‘For by Grace are ye saved through faith’ be changed to ‘For by love are ye saved through faith’? Are the two synonymous? If they are, many teachings are false!

The actual Hosea 6:6 text does not state that Yehovah did not want the ascendings, but that He desires knowledge of Elohim more than the ascendings. Perversions are glad to abolish the Word of God (the ‘law’) in favour of their views.

Page 70: “This is why learning to love God and be loved by him should be the greatest objective of your life. Nothing else comes close in importance.” I thought worshiping him was the most important thing. I thought glorifying him was the most important thing. Is Mr. Warren stating that doing all these things are each the most important? If this is the case, most makes no sense.

“Page 70: The Bible says, ‘By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told…. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.’” No, it doesn’t. It says,

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah moved with fear, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Why did Mr. Warren cut out the part about Noah’s condemning the world by his obedience? Is there really no difference between becoming heir of the righteousness that is by faith, and becoming intimate with God?

Page 71: “The Bible says, ‘He takes pleasure in those that honor Him; in those who trust in His constant love.’” No, it doesn’t! It says,

Psalm 147:11 Yehovah taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His Grace.

Honoring God (whatever that means) and fearing Him (whatever that means) are not the same; trusting in his constant love is not the same as hoping in His Grace.

Page 71: “With no sign of rain year after year, he was ruthlessly criticized as a ‘crazy man who things God speaks to him.’” Oh? Prove it! The Greeks made stories (Greek Tragedies) of their gods to entertain each other; so is Mr. Warren and others like him. He never read these things in any Bible; they are fairy tales. The text speaks of Noah, but never mentions anyone speaking against his work. Noah preached righteousness.

How interesting I find such books as Mr. Warren’s! Somewhere in the middle, these writers write the truth, and do it very well, telling me they knew the truth all along. Then they get back to their errors. Mr. Warren wrote, “God doesn’t owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can’t.” I would only find fault with one aspect. Yehovah will often give a command that has a timing for fulfillment. Were the person being commanded to begin to act at the time of being told, the results would be wrong. Yehovah always has a command and a timing for the command. If He has determined that it must be done immediately, He will give that as part of the command. Otherwise, the person must wait for the ‘Go!’ order. Joshua found that out the hard way when the Israelis and he proceeded to Ai. Joshua knew that Yehovah commanded to take the city, but Israel was not ready because of Achan. At least Mr. Warren knows that one does not have to know God’s purposes for anyone in order for that person to be obedient! But he will get back to the claim that one must.

Page 72: While Mr. Warren was giving examples of partial obedience, he said, “I’ll attend church but I won’t tithe.” He, like so many in the clergy, is unaware of Biblical tithing, its form, purpose and command. He is unaware that it is always in the form of an eating and drinking party, as described in the text below:

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year. ²³And thou shalt eat the tithe of thy grain, of thy wine and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks before Yehovah thy God in the place that He shall choose to place His name there that thou mayest learn to always fear Yehovah thy God. ²⁴And if the way be too long for thee so that thou art not able to carry it, or if the place be too far from thee that Yehovah thy God shall choose to set His name there, when Yehovah thy God hath blessed thee, ²⁵then thou shalt turn it into money. And thou shalt bind up the money in thine hand and shalt go unto the place that Yehovah thy God shall choose. ²⁶And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after—for oxen or for sheep or for wine or for strong drink or for whatsoever thy soul desireth. And thou shalt eat there before Yehovah thy God. And thou shalt rejoice—thou and thine household ²⁷and the Levite that is within thy gates—thou shalt not forsake him, for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. ²⁸At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates. ²⁹And the Levite (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee) and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow that are within thy gates shall come and shall eat and be satisfied that Yehovah thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand that thou doest.

No other form of commanded tithing is found in the Bible. Avraham tithed what he obtained in war, and Jacob promised to tithe all that he obtained, fulfilling (or partly fulfilling) this by the tribe of Levi being Yehovah’s property. Tithing was only commanded to Israelis, never to non-Jewish Saints. Mr. Warren does not know this.

Page 72: “James, speaking to Christians, said…” James never wrote to Christians; he wrote to Jewish folks, some who were born of God and most who were not:

James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, with respect of persons.

James 4.1 From whence are wars and fightings among you? Not hence of your lusts that war in your members? ²Ye lust, and have not. Ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain. ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. ³Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume upon your lusts. ⁴Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. ⁵Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, ‘The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy’? ⁶But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, ‘God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.’ ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse hands, sinners! And purify hearts, double minded!

Page 71: Another pop-
Christian theological dictum is that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross abolished animal sacrifices. “Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we don’t offer animal sacrifices as Noah did.” The following text has never been fulfilled, and will be fulfilled:

Isaiah 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger who join themselves to Yehovah to serve Him and to love the name Yehovah, to be His servants, every one who keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant, ⁷even them will I bring to my holy Mountain. And I will make them joyful in my House of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar, for my House shall be called a House of prayer for all peoples.

Animal sacrifices were for instructional and typical purposes only, and will be the same in the future.

Page 75: “The Bible says, ‘He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.’” Besides being an erroneous translation, the context of this text should have given Mr. Warren pause. The following is a proposed literal rendering from the Hebrew:

Psalm 33:13 Yehovah peered from the heavens. He saw all the sons of the Adam. ¹⁴From the establishment of His dwelling He gazed unto all inhabitants of the land. ¹⁵Did the Understander unto all their doings form their heart unified?

If this rendering is correct, it is far from what the ‘Msg’ folks thought.

Page 75: “You only bring him enjoyment by being you. Anytime you reject any part of yourself, you are rejecting God’s wisdom and sovereignty in creating you.” What about the wicked uncircumcision of heart? Isn’t that part of a person? Should not that foreskin be cut away, and thus be rejected?

Page 75: Mr. Warren made a profound statement for which I give him credit. He stated, “There are no unspiritual abilities, just misused ones.” I start by referring to the excellent ability some have to lie, and be undetected; this could be used in spying. Spies must be able to lie, cheat, steal, slaughter, cuss, sexually compromise others, and do other things that can indeed be used for God’s pleasure. On the other hand, I don’t know how Mr. Warren would classify the misused spiritual abilities of folks who are expert in witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, etc. Once they come to faith, can they still use their God-given abilities (since, according to Mr. Warren, all abilities are God-given) for the service of the Kingdom of God? My, what a powerful point Mr. Warren has!

Page 75: “Every act of enjoyment becomes an act of worship when you thank God for it.” He previously stated something about this not being the case when it came to sin, but I failed to find the text again. Without underscoring this, Mr. Warren is giving the rapist a very good spiritual response: “I thanked God for it!”

Page 75: Mr. Warren wrote, “In fact, the Bible says, ‘God … generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.’” The following is this text in its frame:

1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not highminded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy ¹⁸that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, ¹⁹laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

In case you may have missed the pronoun change, verse 17 has us. This pronoun should seem unnecessary if us actually referred to they and them. How you identify us in a text will make all the difference in the world concerning its meaning. Being sloppy when identifying pronouns shows contempt for them. They are placed in the Bible for a purpose. Assuming us refers to Christians is a great error and very presumptive. Readers can identify most Biblical pronouns without too much difficulty. Some take thought, however.

The above text shows the purposes of the enjoyment of the things richly given:

• 1. that they be rich in good works;
• 2. that they be ready to distribute;
• 3. that they be willing to communicate;
• 4. and by so doing, they are laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come;
• 5. and curiously, that they may lay hold on everlasting life.

Unless the timing of this text and the events going on are determined, this text would make it sound like everlasting life is a function of these good works. Once the timing and events are rightly determined, this theological error is dissipated.

Page 75: “When you are sleeping, God gazes at you with love, because you were his idea. He loves you as if you were the only person on earth.” This sentimentalism has no evidence in the Scriptures (that I have found). Mr. Warren has a Santa Claus conception of his god. The Bible shows God in a different light:

Psalms 7:11 God judgeth the righteous. And God is angry every day.

Why didn’t the text read that God is in love with the righteous every day? Couldn’t God bring Himself to say what Mr. Warren seems to know to be true?

Mr. Warren’s error is evident. He sees how he looks at his own children, then he assumes that God looks at all his children (meaning everybody) the same way. Thus, Mr. Warren has determined that God is like himself.

Page 76: “Parents do not require their children to be perfect, or even mature, in order to enjoy them. They enjoy them at every stage of development. In the same way, God doesn’t wait for you to reach maturity before he starts liking you. He loves and enjoys you at every stage of your spiritual development.” I congratulate Mr. Warren on knowing a difference between perfect and mature. He seems to be unaware of Biblical perfection, however, erroneously assuming it is part of spiritual development. When Yehovah commanded Avraham,

Genesis 17:1  “Walk before me and be thou perfect”

He wasn’t saying, “Walk before me and be developing into a perfect person”, but was commanding Avraham to be perfect while Avraham walked before Yehovah. If anyone finds fault with such a command from God, it is because that person has no conception of the power of God. Biblical perfection is not hard to achieve or maintain, but if it is misunderstood, it is impossible! Noah and Job did not find it difficult.

Would Yehovah have enjoyed Avraham had Avraham walked before Him without being perfect? Mr. Warren is not speaking from the Word of God, but from his own opinions.

Page 76: “You may have had unpleasable teachers or parents as you were growing up. Please don’t assume God feels that way about you. He knows you are incapable of being perfect or sinless.” Mr. Warren then quotes a text supposedly in support: “He certainly knows what we are made of. He bears in mind that we are dust.” What does being dust have to do with being perfect or not? Was not Messiah’s body made of dust? Was He therefore incapable of being perfect or sinless? Anyone who is incapable of being perfect needs a change of gods. Anyone who is incapable of consistently refusing to sin needs to be born of God. As I earlier stated, if a person cannot obey, even being aided by the power of God, the problem is with the power of God, not with the person. This does not describe the God of Avraham; He has no trouble empowering folks to be perfect if they desire to be.

Page 76: “What God looks at is the attitude of your heart: Is pleasing him your deepest desire?” I have never seen a Biblical judgment of God in which attitude played a role. Every person is always judged for what was done, as Paul states:

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things in the Body according to what he hath done, whether good or bad.

Paul desired to please God when he sought to slay Jewish followers of Yeshua. Messiah asked him, “Why persecutest thou me?” He didn’t say, “Paul, I know thine attitude was one of pleasing me, but behold, thou wast in error; turn, follow me; I will show thee what great things thou wilt accomplish.”

Page 76: “When you live in light of eternity, your focus changes from ‘How much pleasure am I getting out of life?’ to ‘How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?’” This is an arrogant question with a fictional answer. Who will determine how much pleasure God is getting out of his life? This is a very self-focused question. A better question might be, “Do my life, works, righteousness, justice, Hope for the restoration of Israel and love of Grace fit the pattern of all Biblical Saints?” One must know the Bible in order to answer this question, however.

Page 76: A ludicrous quote supposedly from the Bible is given after stating, “God is looking for a people… willing to live for the pleasure of God”: “The Lord looks down form heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who are wise, who want to please God.” Why didn’t Mr. Warren finish the quote? It continues,

Psalm 14:3 They are all gone aside! They are together become filthy! None is who doeth good!--no, not one!

Thus, if Mr. Warren is using this text correctly, what he is asking is hopeless! God never finds anyone wise or who desires to please God!

Page 76: “Will you make pleasing God the goal of your life? There is nothing that God won’t do for the person totally absorbed with this goal.” Nonsense! There are many things God won’t do! Paul desired to please God, and God refused to remove his thorn in the flesh! Mr. Warren is making the promises of a dishonest used-car salesman!

Page 76, Question to Consider: “Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust him most?” No one who sectionalizes his life in this manner belongs to God. Ownership is either complete or it is not present. The person who thinks in terms of ‘my life’ shows who owns!