Rick Warren recommends praying a Gnos-Christian Salvation prayer.

The Purpose-ly Driven away from Jesus Salvation Prayer. It’s Gnos-Christian. We invite you to discover the truth.

In his Purpose Driven Life program, Rick Warren suggests the use of the salvation prayer for new followers or members. That should be a good thing.

But there is a very big problem with what his recommended prayer contains. It’s focus is on his own Purpose Driven Life program, not the saving grace of our Lord Jesus. It doesn’t lead a person to a salvation relationship with Jesus. It omits the commonly understood biblical elements for salvation. It has the person commit to the desire of a new purpose. Commit to “The program”. No surrendering of ones will and life to the Jesus. Which is what the purpose and nature of a conversion is. It is the time when one begins the change from the “old man” to the “new man.” (or woman, of course)

Can someone still get saved attending one of the tens of thousands of Purpose Driven adherent churches?

Of course they can. God does all the saving. We will never suggest that limits can be put on the power of God. We would never even insinuate that an individual can’t or doesn’t get saved at any church. The Lord is moving in many places. Seeker friendly churches should be venues where a lot of conversions take place. And they are.

But the question we are raising is “converted to what”? Saved to serve what or whom? An old axiom that is always right is:

“Whatever a person is saved to is what they will serve”! Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven life multi-million dollar corporation know this very, very well.

The pastors job is to prepare the persons heart and give him or her the truth, the tools and the way. Then after a conversion happens to guide and shepherd that individual for their walk with Jesus.

In his book “The Purpose Driven Life” Rick Warren encourages his readers to “quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity”.

  • “Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.”[1, page 58]  [br]

This appears to be Pastor Warrens recommended version of the salvation prayer. I would like to point out that Muslims “receive him”. They accept that Jesus is a good teacher and respected prophet. As for believing, even Satan believes in his own non-biblical form of Jesus. [br]
In his small group study guide for Purpose Driven Life, Warren recommends a slightly longer version of the same prayer. In the course teaching video for the 40 Days of Purpose, participants are led in a slightly longer prayer. They hear Pastor Warren speak these words:

  • “Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? If you aren’t sure of this, I’d like the privilege of leading you in a prayer to settle the issue. Let’s bow our heads. I’m going to pray a prayer and you can follow it silently in your mind:
  • ‘Dear God, I want to know Your purpose for my life. I don’t want to waste the rest of my life on the wrong things. Today I want to take the first step in preparing for eternity by getting to know You. Jesus Christ, I don’t understand it all, but as much as I know how, I want to open my life to You. I ask you to come into my life and make yourself real to me. Use this series to help me know what You made me for. Thank you. Amen.’
  • “If you just prayed that prayer for the very first time, I congratulate you. You’ve just become a part of the family of God.” [br]

Is this a response to the gospel message of Jesus? Where is repentance, acknowledgement of need, or confession of personal sin? Where is the cross?[br]
The Bible tells us that saving “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” [Romans 10:17-18] On what page does Rick Warrens Purpose Driven “creed of self” appear in the bible? [br]
Biblically illiterate friends and neighbors who join the church would pray this prayer without any real knowledge of the biblical requirements for salvation. Most likely without real biblical knowledge of the cross, of the Savior, or of God’s view of sin. [br]

In fact, the meaning of salvation according to the Purpose Driven teaching suggests that we are primarily saved from a purposeless life — not from bondage to sin. That’s purposeless according to Rick Warren, not according to God, by the way. Or Purposeless because of the emptiness we feel when we aren’t walking In Jesus Christ.[br]

There are two things missing from this agnostic salvation scheme. Saved FROM what and saved TO what? [br]
For Purpose Driven Life deals with “the consequences of not knowing your purpose” versus being lost because of your sin and that the only way to freedom and salvation is through repentance and committing your life and soul to Jesus Christ and His teachings. [br]

Warren gives His followers the promises that knowing the purpose of your life will: [br]
“give YOUR LIFE FOCUS.”
“SIMPLIFY your life.”
“increase MOTIVATION in your life.”
“PREPARE YOU FOR ETERNITY.” [br]
He goes on to say that all who pray the prayer will be affirmed and celebrated as new members of the family of God. But are they? We don’t know. We hope and pray so. But, unfortunately, one is left assuming that they will only be transformed (maybe) into a person with a new purpose and (they hope) a new path or direction. [br]

We submit that Warrens faith appears to be more of a self help course like the old Dale Carnigie personal success course. At the minimum it is “Gnos-Christian”. This program is designed to create a mass of followers. Not Spirit led Christians.
We submit that, unfortunately, most are being Purpose-ly Driven away from the truth of the Gospel, the Blood and the saving grace of Jesus Christ. [br]

My friend, Are you confident where you are going to spend eternity when this all ends? There is an end for all of us some day. Some of us today.

There is only one way to know and be assured– Ask our Father in heaven in Jesus Christs’ name, in prayer today!

Are You Saved from the eternal fate of so many? Are you sure? Ask Him. Find out and be assured.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

When we ask the Lord, in Jesus Christ’s name, He assures us with His peace and understanding. If for any reason you question your salvation, go to a quiet place, alone, and talk to Jesus. Repent of your sins and commit your life to Him. Then go to a bible believing church and get baptized.

He is faithful! He always listens and always responds!

The Salvation Prayer (click here) in a video presentation is in the Blog on the right column of this page. You can walk without fear and with confidence. Start nurturing An Enduring Faith, today.

Visit the Joseph Plan Blog and be blessed. There are scores of articles for you to enjoy.

Please share this mesage on salvation with your friends. There is a link share provided below.

“Come out of Her” (Rev 18:4)
God Bless,
Pastor Thomas Holm