I thought I'd heard enough of Rick Warren and his antics when I got an eyeful of his book, "The Purpose-Driven Life" and an earful of his purpose-driven rap, but no such luck.
I recently clicked on a Christian news site and found out that one of his most prominent church members is none other than Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox network. Murdoch is also responsible for building a hard-core porn network of which he is profiting greatly.
Murdoch's pastor is Rick Warren of Saddleback church in California.
Now this is where it gets touchy because Murdoch is the one who published Warren's book, "Purpose Driven Life". You see, Murdoch owns Zondervan Publishing Company.
Folks, you couldn't dream this scenario up in a million years. I've always said that the love of money causes Christians to turn their backs on God and ruin their witness to this world in one fell swoop. Greedy gain has proven to be the downfall of many Christians. They get their eyes off the Lord and his word in favor of focusing on prosperity and financial gain in this life.
Warren is fond of speaking out against pornography and now he finds himself with a church member who profits greatly from televising it! Murdoch himself is responsible for making it possible for men and women to stay steeped in the sin of lust and lasciviousness!
Now keep in mind that Murdoch claims to be a born-again Christian.
What of Warren and this situation he now finds himself in?
Should he treat brother Murdoch any differently than he would another member of his mega-church?
Should he take him aside and set him straight on the fact that born again Christians do not produce and profit off of pornography?
Warren would do well to take Murdoch on a bible tour and the first stop would be to1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Then he might want to guide him onward to
Galatians 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Peter 4:1-3
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries
One thing is certain, if or when Warren sets Murdoch straight, we will not hear about it. Personally, I am not holding my breath. I don't think we will hear so much as a peep about open rebuke, confession, and repentance where Murdoch is concerned. Warren is the pastor of his church and is to be the shepherd of the sheep who choose to attend there. He and every other pastor and Christian teacher are given great responsibility and accountability. They are there to oversee and guide those that God has put in their care - their congregations.
I am so sick of these mega-preachers who refuse to stand up for God's word and refuse to rebuke their members openly on outrageous sin issues such as these. Without a doubt, this is one situation in which Warren should do so.
2 comments:
You probably have these men pegged as persons who may not be fit for the kingdom, but we are not the judges and we don't know as yet if these men will one day repent and come unto Christ. I say we follow Christ's counsel found in the Sermon on the Mount.. this account taken from Matthew's Testimony.
43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
So in fact we should probably pray for these people and hope that one day Christ's love can reach them even in their seemingly evil state.
Also follow Christ's example in His dealing with the woman taken in adultary and cast not stones until we ourselves are without sin.
God Bless and I still like your site.
No Richard, I never have any man or woman pegged as not "fit" for the kingdom of God. The point is that men such as these who REFUSE to repent and go on living their lives such as they have ARE hurting innocent people in the process and this is not a light thing with God. Think of how many have been hurt because of pornographic material. And I am not only speaking about marriages either. How many children are then abused because porn started many men and women on the track that would eventually lead them to molest/ rape and torture young children? And what is the prime motivation for most during these last days? MONEY... Pornography is a cash machine. How tragic... As long as there is breath in a person THEY are able to repent of their sins and turn to God.
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