True Discernment

 From Extreme Theology:

By Chris Rosebrough

Those of you familiar with Rick Warren’s writings are aware that this man is a scripture twister. He constantly rips passages out of context, exegetes bad paraphrases and generally proof texts his own ‘made up’ doctrines. I’m writing a book on this subject called ‘Bible Balloon Animals: How Rick Warren & Other Christian Leaders Twist God’s Word’.

The Latest Specimen

In Warren’s July 13, 2007 Christian Post article entitled “Learn to Laugh” Warren is up to his usually antics. This article has a perfect example of Warren’s misuse of scripture. The nice thing about this example is that, unlike others that require some instruction in the basics of Biblical Interpretation, this example is so obvious that even a grade school child could understand it.

In his column Warren makes the case that laughter is a good thing and that God has a sense of humor. Before I go on let me say that even though this is a shallow point to be making, I agree with Warren about the psychological benefits of laughter. I also believe that God has a sense of humor. One need only look at the Duckbilled Platypus to come to this conclusion. Warren’s conclusion no matter how shallow and pop-psych-ish it is, isn’t the main problem. The problem is that Warren supports his conclusion with twisted scripture.

Here is what Warren wrote:

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs!…Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity.

So what’s the big deal? The verse says God laughs, what could be wrong with that?

Let’s look at this passage in context and you’ll see what the problem is. Here is what the passage says in context, pay close attention to verses 4 and 5:

Psalm 2:1-61 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,

3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,

6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

When this passage says that God’s laughs, it is not referring to a therapeutic, stress relieving belly laugh or sense of humor. The laughter it is referring to is the laughter of derision that is followed by terrifying wrath and fury. This verse in context doesn’t support the point that Warren is making. Yet, Warren says that Psalm 2:4 is one of his favorite verses in the Bible. How can this be unless Warren read’s Bible verses as if they were disconnected fortune cookies sayings?

Warren has clearly ripped this passage out of context and makes it say the exact opposite of what the passage actually says.

Here’s the Bigger Issue

Rick Warren is a national Christian Leader and an ordained minister in the church. He has a Biblical duty and an obligation to God and the church to accurately teach and proclaim God’s word. He does not have the freedom to twist it, rip it out of context and make it say things that it doesn’t say. PERIOD!

There are a growing number of Christians and Christian leaders who have a deep seated distrust of Rick Warren. The reason for this dis-trust is Warren’s misuse of scripture. This example is just the latest in an entire series of mis-quotes, mis-applications, rips and twists that Warren chronically engages in. The reason that so many people dis-trust Warren and have become out spoken and vocal critics of Warren is because scripture teaches us that twisting God’s Word is one of the favorite tactics of the devil and his servants. This is NEVER an appropriate behavior for the servants of One True God. God makes no allowances for ‘Scripture Twisting’. In fact, God’s word warns people who do this. Here are the words of the prophet Jeremiah found in chapter 23 verses 29-32:

29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the LORD.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.

Verse 31 should give Rick Warren pause and make him rethink his habit of twisting scripture. It says that the Lord is against those who make up their own words and then ascribe them to the Lord. When you rip scripture out of context to support a point that YOU are making rather than a point that GOD is making you are making up your own words and then ascribing them to the Lord.

Psalm 2:4 does not teach that God has a sense of humor or enjoys a good therapeutic chuckle. It teaches that God laughs in derision at those who are against him. Rick Warren lied to the world by making it say otherwise. This is not a small matter. Nor is the the first time Warren has done this.

Pastor Warren how many times do you think that God will turn a blind eye to your chronic distorting of His Word? Do you expect God to reward you for twisting His Word?

Repent Rick Warren and bear fruit in keeping with that repentance.