“Christians go through Christ, everyone else is just a dead human”
In his #1 Evangelical book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, says:
Your spiritual family is even more important than your physical family because it will last forever. Our families on the earth are wonderful gifts from God, but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably, death...our spiritual family-our relationship to other believers-will continue throughout eternity. It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond than blood relationships. (The Purpose Driven Life, pg 118)
I posted the writings of Luther, Crammer, Wesley, Zwingli, et al and I’m told you’ve all grown up since then. Yet when I post the interpretation of todays pastors I’m told you don’t follow them either. So who do you all follow? If you say Jesus Christ and as such don’t need a pastor then whose interpreting the Holy Bible with you? Are you all an authority unto yourselves?
The above paragraph by Rick Warren is almost the same as Catholic teaching and he’s an Evangelical. Do you agree with his interpretation? If not why not and under whose authority are you following?
I don’t like Rick Warren, but I doubt even Rick Warren would suggest our ‘spiritual family’ takes precedence over the Word of God.
Or are you suggesting that we need to approach God via saints and various other humans? Mary?
Romans 8:
“15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
I don’t know about you, but my kids don’t need to approach me via their cousins...or my Mom. And remember - Abba can be translated, “Daddy”.
Hebrews 10:
“19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
We have confidence to enter by Jesus, our Great High Priest - not by human intervention.
“If not why not and under whose authority are you following?”
That is a central point for Protestants. ANY human can err in interpretation, so therefor we feel compelled to examine the scripture and make our own interpretation. After all, it is OUR souls in the balance.
I can assure you of this - no Baptist I’ve ever met considers Rick Warren to be an authority he/she needs to follow blindly!