I suspect he was talking about Romans 13:4, “for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer.”

Some how, Matthew 7:15-23 seems to be the most appropriate verse reference here I believe…Mr. Warren is nothing more than a shill for black-ops CIA intelligentsia.

A man who has done so much good for Christianity…I’m saddened that the comments will quickly become a pit of putting Rick into a political camp based on a Biblical comment.
Yes Romans 13 is a solid reference for this.

Romans 13? I think NT Wright was correct, that when set in context Paul is making two points. !. “loyalty to Jesus does not mean anarchy in the state” 2. “however much the emperor may proclaim himself to be sovereign, without rival in the divine as well as the human sphere, he remains answerable to the true God. Despite what has often been suggested, reminding the emperor’s subjects that the emperor is responsible to the true God is a diminution of, not a subjection to, imperial arrogance.”
That said, when I saw that whole interview it seemed to me that Rick was trying as hard as possible to NOT go along with Sean Hannity’s craziness. Of course I think Rick voted for Obama and is invested in moving the conservative right into a more respectable ‘right-ness.’ That doesn’t mean that his comment above isn’t reprehensible. It is always scary to hear anyone speak about evil and good in such absolutist terms. Doing so, is one step away from a ‘good’ pre-preemptive strike.
As for being a centrist, if you have Hannity and Colmbs on each side Warren would be a centrist if that counts.

It seems to beg the question of how you know that God put the US Government on the earth to punish evil-doers, but did not, presumably, give the Iranian Government the same task. Or whether if President Ahmadinejad were to regard President Bush as an evil-doer, the converse argument would also be God-ordained.

Sadly, Rick has pushed aside the gospel. He doesn’t preach the message of repentant faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A watered down, ecumenical, mystical gospel will not save souls.
What is the priority for this pastor? 2 Cor. 6:14 Ecumenicism?

I was really disappointed by this. I certainly disagree with Warren on many things but I have always considered him a much better representative of Christianity than James Dobson. With this comment I’m trying not to completely lose hope in Warren…
By the way, perhaps the worst part of this interview is that Warren was on the show to talk about “the purpose of Christmas.” It seems he got a little off-track…
Here’s the clip on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQhwyydEGpQ

DG- How about you back up a comment like that with some evidence?

Warren the Centrist has, seemingly without any irony, bestowed upon G.W. Bush the inaugural “International Medal of PEACE.” Being pro-life & anti-AIDS is apparently enough to qualify a pro-war president as a peace president committed to “global health.” Ok, Rick.
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2008/11/warren_to_award_1.html

Of course it is a warped application of Romans 13.
As with all the talking head preachers before him………we are better served if they stick to preaching and stay our of politics and staff off of CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.
As to your question…….Warren is not a centrist. He is a conservative Southern Baptist (though some of his social views movie him left of center, which IMO is not a bad place to be)

I find myself in disagreement with many aspects of Rick Warren’s theology.
I applaud Warren’s efforts to fight AIDS and global poverty.
And… on the issue of assassination (= murder) of foreign leader I would ask Pastor Warren to re-examine the meaning of the cross.
As followers of Jesus we fight the demonic with creative, imaginative, sacrificial suffering goodness instead of fighting evil with evil. Evil times evil gets you evil squared. And then when that evil retaliates the demonic increases exponentially. Do the math!
And, since I’m not a math major but a Bible reader, please note that Jesus did not assassinate Pilate, the Temple political establish, or members of the Herod family. Think about it. What does that tell you!
Sheesh!
Duh-sciple

Tyler: as for your your request for DG to “back up a comment like that with some evidence,” let me just step in and ask you, how many volumes/truckloads do you want. How about reviewing boatloads of his own comments, articles, books, and “hip” appearances on “hip” shows waxing profound and dazzling audiences with hopelessly general comments about God “being proud of us when we all achieve our potential,” and other feel good twaddle like that. If you want to get Warren talking about pooh poohing and minimizing as nearly irrelevant ( or dangerously polarizing, from his view) any core teaching that defines Christianity (in contrast to anything else) in the interest of worldwide bridge building, ecumenicism, achieiving social utopia while all God’s children discover his/her “potential,” blah blah blah…. you’ll find mountains of evidence of such, and dare I say that’s about all people see or hear. Don’t get me wrong. Solving world AIDS, trying to put a dent in world poverty is certainly not bad in itself. But where’s the MESSAGE? What did THE LORD HIMSELF command us to do? Go and develop widespread social consciousness, worldwide social networking and dialogue, extensively analyze and promote extensive multilateral understanding, sensivity, and socially cooperative utopias by avoiding anything remotely controversial or offensive? No, he commanded us to go and PREACH THE GOSPEL. (Some of the rest may naturally follow as a SECONDARY good thing, but the Lord admonished that we can EXPECT to face hostility, anger and recrimination at times for following his directives.) Perhaps Jesus needs lessons from Warren and others on how to build bridges, not be “judgemental” and avoid controversy. To make the point differently: If you think Warren teaches man’s sin and need for acknowledgment and repentant faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ and his shed blood, death, burial and ressurection, as the ONLY mediator between God and man, as the ONLY WAY to Salvation and Heaven with God: Good luck finding a reference from Warren about this, that isn’t hopelessly vague and almost impossible to find.

Wow!
Who would have thought.

Given all the opportunities made available worldwide on T.V. and as a public image, Rick continues his “christ following” message. There is no mention of sin. No mention of man’s desperate need for Jesus who suffered and died for sin. No mention of repentance. Again, I will state, he has No message at all.
The gospel IS offensive. Scripture states this:
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18
The gospel is not “easy believism”. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Rms. 1:16
The message of a pastor who has come to Jesus as Lord and Savior is not one of resolution of Aids. The soul of those who are perishing is in most concerning and to hear a pastor MISS opportunities present the gospel in full is grieving.
Here is a great commentary by Pastor Bob Dewaay:
The Gospel: A Method or a Message?
http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue80.htm
Here’s a Purpose Driven (instead of scripture!) tool:
http://cicministry.org/berean.php
By the way, here is what occurred when Warren was confronted by Pastor Bob Dewaay:
http://74.125.45.132/custom?q=cache:M_pscQ936tcJ:cicministry.org/commentary/worldview0034.pdf+rick+warren&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&client=google-coop-np
Frankly, we need to pray for Rick Warren, that he might be convicted firmly by the Holy Spirit to Preach the Gospel in full, which IS one that speaks of the sinner, Jesus’ shed blood on the cross as he bore our sins, repentance to the Savior, and His gift of eternal life.
Hold what is stated by Rick up against God’s Word. It is a man-made methodology that “tickles the ears” of many but leads no one to salvation.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Tim. 4:3,4

Remember that when we draw the line between “us” and “them”
between the “pure” and the “depraved”
between the “saved” and the “damned”
between “we, the good people” and “those people who are bad”
Jesus is always on the other side of the line.
Again, re-consider the cross.
Duh-sciple

RW’s PDL has poisoned Africa to the point that a brother was told that if this is the ‘gospel’ being preached in America perhaps we need to send missionaries. The PDL books were given for free to those living in abject poverty … utilzing 1,500 ‘translations’ was a tip-off to the lack of sound doctrine, no? Moreover, Warren’s PDL is now a marketing machine. Always cause for concern, for as Jesus’ half-brother forewarned there would come those ‘flattering others to gain advantage’ (Jude 16). No man who speaks the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be welcome at the U.N.; be a member of CFR; and, proclaim on FOX: “Try Jesus for 60 days, money back guarantee. I guarantee it!” and last Feb. “It’s what you understand about Jesus now and then you grow in it. Ya keep growin’ in it.” Where is born in sin and at enmity with God; call to holiness; repentance; mankind’s utter depravity; the blood atonement; dying to self; carrying a cross daily, etc. Warren’s is an ‘easy gospel’ one that does not utilize the two-edged sword separating bone from marrow. Agree with Your Name, we must continue to pray for Rick Warren that God would open his eyes that he has bought into his own PR. How easy that is for we finite beings! Certainly Satan slithers alongside to aide the flesh in glorying in itself. Bless God we each remain humble, surrendered to His headship and willing to die for the cause of Christ as we seek to be salt in these last days. Shalom!