Do you know this preacher?

I have never heard of him.

I have, he may be a good sermonizer but his theology is wrong especially on salvation, he's also in the line of Rick Warren (who's a good friend of his I understand). I've heard him speak and right away I knew this was false teaching.

Correction: It's not Paul Washer but Paul Wilbur who is connected with Rick Warren...sorry about that, got that part mixed up.

I have heard of him before but never read anything or seen him preach.  I heard the same thing Morningstar did and I have to agree with her.  His theology on salvation is all wrong.  It sounds more 'works' based than depending on Jesus as our Lord and Savior for our salvation.  We all desire to be like Him, but in our flesh and until we are finally perfected, that isn't possible, no matter how hard we try.  The Father only sees us as perfected through HIS one and only begotten Son.  One day, and hopefully very soon, we will all be perfected.

Really he's along the lines of Rick Warren, how? I can't see him being so wishy washy as Warren!! Wow. I listened to his video and he was preaching about how he's concerned many of those there weren't going to Heaven...that many of them feel they are saved, but are not. Like he said, just becuz you walked the aisle and said 'the prayer' doesn't mean you're now going to Heaven. It's not the prayer, it's the heart, the turning your life over to Him, knowing Christ died and arose for you...

And I agree. I came from the the fundamental Baptist...that video Leeza you posted says 'fundamental Baptist' = oh yeah, they are definetly going to say that he's a false prophet, becuz they are very hardcore about just walk the aisle during altar call, say the prayer and you are saved, once saved always saved. So I understand what he's saying there and I agree. You can be saved anywhere, anytime, by anyone, w/o walking that aisle and repeating a prayer with whoever meets you at the altar.

But also, they are very, very NOT into preaching the love of God in the Father adoring His child God. The God they preach is angry, ready to judge asap. To me they aren't too far from Quakers. That's why I liked what he was saying. People from the background need to hear that and need to truly look at their hearts. I feel it is a very important message.

What a shame - guess that goes to show 10 min videos don't tell everything! Altho I agree w/his message on there, I guess he's not quite right about a lot of things. Sad...again thanks you guys!

Oooookay. There's a lot to cover here.
So, Paul Washer is a Baptist preacher.

The second Baptist preacher shown lower down (who is 'refuting' Washer) is Steven Anderson - and Steven Anderson is... well, he's horrific, Biblically.

Bear with me for a second.

Anderson preaches some pretty awful heresy.
He preaches that it's possible to be saved, even if you don't love God. He preaches that homosexuals are not merely lost, but eternally lost without hope of salvation, because they're homosexuals (is Christ's blood not enough for gays?). He preaches that Christians who do not use the KJV Bible are going to hell. He teaches Replacement Theology, and argues that all Jews are satanic.

I could go on, but I won't.
Now, that doesn't excuse Paul Washer necessarily, but it does give you some context on that video.
So, Paul Washer. What's his 'heresy' according to Anderson? ...teaching that salvation is based on faith PLUS works.

Now, if you watch Paul Washer's sermon, you'll see that he doesn't preach anything of the sort.
What he DOES peach is that works will always follow faith - because, as Jesus says, those who are in Christ will bear good fruit.

That's it. It's that simple.
To give you an example, in one of his sermons, Paul Washer delves into the greek of the phrase "the work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent."
He explains that the word "believe" there is in a specific greek tense, which implies 'believing, and continuing to believe'. He argues that the Christian is one who believes in Christ, and continues to do so; not that Christians don't have trouble in their lives, or unfaithfulness, or times where they simply don't live for Him. This is life - but Washer argues that the life of the Christian is one that is 'characterised by following Christ'.


So, what's the verdict?
I would have no hesitation in recommending Paul Washer.
I've read the sites that argue that he's a heretic - and they all have one thing in common: they take snapshot quotes that don't tell the whole story. I'd suspect, honestly, that they've never actually watched any of his sermons all the way through. If they had, they'd know his intent.

For my part, I've watched pretty much everything I can find of his on YouTube... and loved every minute of it. Do I agree with *everything* he's preached? No, I don't - but then, that's the case with pretty much everyone I've ever listened to, ever. This is where discernment comes in... and I certainly wouldn't say that he preaches "another gospel", as Steven Anderson does. That's just nonsense.

Oh, and on the "once saved always saved" issue...
Paul Washer does indeed teach OSAS - he simply teaches that the evidence of this is a life in which the Christian "in general terms, is characterised by good fruit".
There's a whole section on this in one of his sermons where he goes on and on and on about it (and mentions that he's been accused of stating otherwise), saying that he's not arguing that Christians don't stumble, or Christians don't fall, or that Christians can't lose hope - he even gives the example of suicide, from memory - but says that "overall, when you stand back and look, the life of the Christian is characterised by the life of Christ producing good fruit".

It wouldn't kill him to be more explicit on this point (because he is very focused on the Christian persevering in good works etc. - not for salvation, but for the glory of Christ), but I don't think it stems from a false doctrine.

I understand what you are saying.  I never heard of that other guy before.  All I'm saying is that is that it is impossible to be Christ-like in the flesh and I don't care WHO it is.  It sounded to me as if he was saying you attain Christ-likeness through perfecting yourself, which to me, sound 'work based'.  One can do good works but still not be saved, yet they believe they are. So, I guess that's where he was coming from. I know people who do good works and appear to bear fruit, yet their hearts are far from the Lord.  Maybe my view is just coming from what my background taught me.

Okay.  That helped to see the entire sermon.  I agree that we need to repent daily.  I am always asking what is my motive and I pray that the Lord is glorified through my actions.
Are 'carnal Christians' saved?  I believe so, but many may lose rewards at the Bema Seat of Christ.  The "narrow gate" is Jesus alone.
The only thing that bothered me is that he didn't really speak about the love of Christ and the Father too much.  He should have included that in his full sermon.  I am so scared that I cannot understand His love for us.  I got enough of hell and brimstone that it is hard for me to understand His love for us.

Shoot, had to log out for a minute and forgot to save the post I was working on!! I will try to do it again.

Thank you Benjamin for your input, I appreciate it. I feel better becuz I liked what I heard for the most part and found it refreshing to hear some one challenge people about their faith, do they know for CERTAIN they're saved? As I said, I get it and I agree w/him re: people believing they're saved when it was all basically 'lip service'. When I was in that background I remember there was a woman who had gone to church her whole life. A wonderful Christian woman. She had a beautiful voice and would sing, she taught SS as well as held bible study in her home w/her husband. She was for the most part, 'sqeaky clean' and a lovely woman.

Then one Sunday at altar call, she 'walked the aisle' and everyone just about fell over!!! I couldn't believe it!! She shared that she had gone to church her own life, knew the Bible well, served....but had been feeling that tug in her heart and she just couldn't waste another day w/o dealing with it. She said, even tho she had 'walked the aisle' all those yrs ago, she realized she had done it becuz that's 'what you do'. She knew at the point she was missing a very important ingredient....Christ in her. All those yrs she learned all the ways to appear to be a Christian...she shaped her life living that way, doing all the right things, appearing Godly - she knew full well how to look like one, just not be one, as in Christ. That's who Washer is preaching to...those ones like her. She humbled herself and went before everyone about this...which she knew was going to be big deal. At that point she was ready to give it all up for Him. What I'd say counting the cost for the first time.

Anyway, it is just so refreshing to me to hear that kinda preaching these days! And I firmly believe he is right on about challenging people's faith...becuz so many are deceived and it is heartbreaking!

I totally understand where you are coming from Shiloh. How long have you been born again? Cuz it does take yrs to get rid of all that stuff! But I would think you know plenty about the love of God cuz you show it and share it lots of times! I don't really see you as a fearful sister. So keep plugging along and let Him show any areas that needs to trust Him and not teachings. It can be very hard to determine can't it?

Sorry - I realize my responses were pretty... uh... long... and full-on.
Absolutely none of that was aimed at you, or intended to be critical of you. I am certainly critical of Steven Anderson, though. I think he does more harm than good.
Please don't feel that you need to keep your opinion silent - it's as valuable as anybody else's here, and your input on this site has been thoroughly Biblical from day 1. Keep being you!

Margaret...hahahahahahaha.  Your responses ARE always biblical and you have excellent discernment!  I can understand where you're coming from though.  If I don't agree, I steer away from the subject and don't even comment.

Oh and MS, Benjamin and Shiloh are correct, your input is very important and it does matter! Remember Benjamin is our brother and we have to teach him the finer points in life about sensitivity and being softer! :} My daughter will write something up for a website or for a company whatever. And it's always very professional and all that. She'll have me read it and I always have to tell her, it's great but it's cold...you need to soften it up, make it more relatable, something people can 'get'. It feels all business and no personal connection at all. She always kinda laughs and says, "OH yeah!" Like Benjamin said, you just keep being you!!!!