From this change of interest has sprung a change of content, for the new gospel has in effect reformulated the biblical message in supposed interest of helpfulness. Accordingly, the themes of mans natural inability to believe, of God's free election being the ultimate cause of salvation, and of Christ's dying specifically for His sheep, are not preached. These doctrines, it would be said, are not "helpful"; they would drive sinners to despair, by suggesting to them that it is not in their power to be saved through Christ. . . . The result of these omissions is that part of the biblical gospel is now preached as if it were the whole of that gospel; and a half-truth masquerading as the whole truth becomes a complete untruth. Thus, we appeal to men as if they all had the ability to receive Christ at any time; we speak of His redeeming work as if He had done no more by dying than making it possible for us to save ourselves by believing: we speak of God's love as if it were no more than the general willingness to receive any who will turn and trust: and we depict the Father and the Son, not as sovereignly acting and drawing sinners to themselves, but as waiting in quiet impotence "at the door of our hearts" for us to let them in. It is undeniable that this is how we preach; perhaps this is what we really believe. But it needs to be said with emphasis that this set of twisted half-truths is something other than the biblical gospel. The Bible is against us when we preach in this way; and the fact that such preaching has become almost standard practice among us only shows how urgent it is that we should review this matter. To recover the old, authentic, biblical gospel, and to bring our preaching and practice back into line with it, is perhaps our most pressing present need.
This Packer quote is fascinating. Thanks.
Of course, Packer is wrong because he doesn't own as many luxury cars as Rick Warren, so obviously God doesn't agree with him.
With all due respect, y'all really do need to just get over Rick Warren.