Download Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren-

Purpose Driven Life, Rick WarrenA comparison of Biblical texts and the propositions they supposedly support.
By Linda A. Weaver
This is an exercise in methodology. I am not a theologian, but as an attorney, I
am trained to test the propositions of persuasive arguments by comparing the argument
against the source of authority cited. One day, I attended a Purpose Driven Church
Seminar. I took my Bible. As the presenter was quoting Bible passages for the premises
being taught, I was scratching my head because the passages were not in my Bible? How
could that be? In some cases, the verses were not even similar.
I went home and started reading The Purpose Driven Life. I read the first chapter.
The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate that YOU need to know what the Bible
says. Otherwise, how will you be able to evaluate what someone else tells you about it
and about Christ? How will you be able to have an intelligent conversation with
someone familiar with Scripture? When you read popular books and someone states,
“The Bible says…,” what does that mean to you, as a Catholic?
In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren uses 15 different versions of
the Bible to support his propositions. He says in the back of the book that sometimes he
also paraphrases the Bible to “help you see God’s truth in new, fresh ways.” Presumably
Mr. Warren means by this that he has taken it upon himself to change God’s Word from
the way it’s been interpreted the last 2000 years. The question is: has he also changed the
Truth? Maybe. Maybe not. The methodology, however, should at least raise these
questions in your mind.
Below, I’ve analyzed the six Bible quotes in the first chapter of The Purpose
Driven Life. First I give the proposition which the quote is supposed to support. Then
the Bible passage and translation used by Mr. Warren. After that, I provide you with
three other highly accepted and respected translations of the same verse (New American
Bible, New International Version, and King James Version). I also give you the
translations of two Bibles used by Warren when none of these three appear to support his
propositions (Today’s English Version and The Message.)
If Warren had stuck with one version of the Bible, I think his book might have
been quite different. Additionally, in the five places in the first chapter where Mr.
Warren says “The Bible says,” he should have more properly said, “A Bible says.” I
have no quarrel with the propositions. They are all good. I’m sure the book has helped
many move closer to God. My problem is with the methodology in a book directed
primarily to an audience that is probably not close to God at this point in their lives and
may not be familiar or versed in the Bible.
Proposition One:
Focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose: p. 17-18
To support this proposition, according to Warren, “the Bible says”:
It is God who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone’s life is in his power. Job
12:10 (TEV- Today’s English Version, New York: American Bible Society (1992)- also
called Good News Translation)
I searched all 19 English versions of the online Bibles on the Bible Gateway website. NOT ONE
uses the words “directs the lives” or anything similar to this. All translations are substantially
similar to the following three:
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:
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NAB: In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind.
NIV: In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
KJV: In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Often, Warren uses The Message translation. In this case, that translation was not useful to
support the proposition. It read: “Every living soul, yes, every breathing creature?” Somehow
this version even turned this statement into a question. So Warren chose Today’s English
Version of the Bible.
Proposition Two:
You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for his
purposes, not your using him for your own purpose. P. 18
To support this proposition, according to Warren, “the Bible says”:
Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into
the open, into a spacious, free life. Romans 8:6 The Message
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:
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NAB: The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.
NIV: The mind of sinful man[a] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and
peace;
KJV: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
TEV: To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit
results in life and peace.
To Warren, “life and peace” means you will be lead into a spacious, free life. I’m not sure where
“spacious” came from, but if God is answering requests today, can I put my order in for a 10,000
square foot house???
Third Proposition:
You need more than self-help advice and this is not a self-help book. P. 19
According to Warren, “the Bible says”: Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my
way, to finding yourself, your true self. Matthew 16:25 (The Message)
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:
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NAB: For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my
sake will find it.
NIV: For whoever wants to save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
will find it.
KJV: For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for
my sake shall find it.
TEV: For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for
my sake, you will find it.
Fourth Proposition:
God has clearly revealed his five purposes for our lives through the Bible. …It explains
what no self-help or philosophy book could know. P. 20
According to Warren, “the Bible says”: God's wisdom…. goes deep into the interior of his
purposes….. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest--what God determined as the
way to bring out his best in us.” 1 Corinthians 2:7 Msg
For some reason, he decided to leave out certain words in these sentences. Why?
Full Msg Translation: God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of
his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more
like the oldest--what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever
arrived on the scene.
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:
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NAB: Rather, we speak God's wisdom1, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined
before the ages for our glory,
NIV: No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God
destined for our glory before time began.
KJV: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God
ordained before the ages for our glory
TEV: The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human
beings, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made.
1
Footnote: [1] (7-10a) God's wisdom: his plan for our salvation. This was his own
eternal secret that no one else could fathom, but in this new age of salvation he has
graciously revealed it to us. For the pattern of God's secret, hidden to others and now
revealed to the Church, cf also Romans 11:25-36; 16:25-27; Eph 1:3-10; 3:3-11; Col
1:25-28.
Fifth Proposition:
You must build your lives on eternal truths, not pop psychology, success-motivation, or
inspirational stories. P. 20
According to Warren, “the Bible says”: It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we
are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us,
had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in
everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11-12 Msg
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:

NAB: In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who
accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for
the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

NIV: In him we were also chosen,[a] having been predestined according to the plan of
him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that
we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

KJV: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should
be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

TEV: All things are done according to God's plan and decision; and God chose us to be
his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had
decided from the very beginning.
Sixth Proposition:
It’s not about me. P. 21
According to Mr. Warren, “the Bible says”: “Everything got started in him and finds its purpose
in him.” Colossians 1:16b (Msg)
Compare the same verse in these versions of the Bible:
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NAB: For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were
created through him and for him.
NIV: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by
him and for him.
KJV: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible
and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him:
TEV: For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the
unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the
whole universe through him and for him.
Why is this book so popular? Are there subliminal messages that appeal to us?
I.
God will direct you.
(Well, aren’t you tired of having to figure things out yourself?)
II.
He will lead you out into the open, into a spacious, free life.
(Wouldn’t you like that? Spacious as in a three car garage…)
III.
It will help you find your true self.
(Do you feel lost? Who doesn’t? Wouldn’t you like to find yourself? Wait. I
thought we were looking for Jesus.)
IV.
God knows how to bring out the best in you. He always has.
(You just haven’t let him, which may be true.)
V.
And his plan for you is glorious living.
(Why did I think it was for the glory of God??? I’m not sure too many of the
Apostles were led into “glorious living,” although they lived in a manner that
gave glory to God.)
VI.
It’s not about me?
(That is not the message I got from the first chapter of the book.)
All I am doing here is questioning the methodology. Why should it be necessary to use
so many different versions of the Bible to support one’s thesis?
It’s a curse to be a blonde, a lawyer and an evangelizer…. There’s a lot I don’t
understand, but I’ve been trained to test the substance of persuasive writing, and I feel
compelled as an evangelizer to make sure that the message I spread is as accurate as
humanly possible. More important, as one who hopes to reach the ultimate goal – union
with God – understanding the true path is critically important to me. How about you?
Read the Bible. Study the church’s teachings about Scripture and tradition. Understand
your Catholic faith.
©2005 Linda A. Weaver