Narrow is the Way (On Joel Osteen's "broad" view of Christianity)

World Magazine ^ | 05/01/2012 | JANIE B. CHEANEY

[SeekAndFind]

It’s no surprise that major news networks, casting about for an expert on Christianity, would ring up Joel Osteen, senior pastor of the nation’s largest megachurch. The title “senior pastor” rests a little awkwardly on someone whose shiny, eager demeanor recalls a perpetual 20-something, but when duty calls Osteen can turn down the smile and look thoughtful. Last week’s duty was to appear on Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room on CNN and answer Blitzer’s questions relating to Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate for president, including one asking Pastor Osteen how he would respond to a congregant who wants to vote for Romney but isn’t sure he’s a Christian.

Those are actually two different questions: Should a Christian vote for Romney? And are Mormons Christian? Answering the latter, Osteen acknowledged that the Mormon church may not be “traditional” Christianity, but he takes the broad view: If someone claims to believe “that Jesus is the son of God, that He’s the Christ, that He was raised from the dead and is his savior, that’s good enough for me.” He also refused to say any manner of evil against students and staff at Liberty University who protested Romney speaking at commencement this year, because “Everybody has the right to their own views. Some feel stronger than I do, but … I’m trying to reach the biggest, broadest group. …”

His use of the word “broad” recalls a character in The Pilgrim’s Regress, C.S. Lewis’ allegorical account of his spiritual journey. At a critical point in their pilgrimage, the protagonist, “John,” finds refuge in the house of genial Mr. Broad, a pastor who refuses to speak ill of any heresy:

“[A]s I grow older I am inclined to set less and less store by mere orthodoxy. So often the orthodox view means the lifeless view, the barren formula. I am coming to look more and more at the language of the heart.’”

But John desperately needs direction:

“‘I am not sure that I quite understand. Do you mean that I must cross the canyon or that I must not?’

“‘I see you want to pin me down,’ said Mr. Broad, with a smile. ‘And I love to see it. I was like that myself once. But one loses faith in abstract logic as one grows older. Do you never feel that the truth is so great and so simple that no mere words can contain it?’”

Mr. Broad has a point, and so does Mr. Osteen: Truth is great and simple, and we should listen to what one says about Christ. But they both oppose making things “too definite,” overlooking the fact that Christ was rather definite about Himself:

“No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The Mormon church uses many of the same words about Christ, but the implications are very different and the result is a different kind of savior—one who doesn’t actually save but who reveals to good folks how they can save themselves. A road broad enough to include this interpretation is not a road at all, but more of a pasture where travelers wander back and forth smelling the flowers. Nothing wrong with pastures, unless you’re trying to get somewhere.

The way to life is famously narrow (Matthew 7:13), and it’s all about Jesus. Joel Osteen should have stuck with Blitzer’s first question: Christians can disagree on whether to vote for a Mormon for president, but sooner or later they must speak definitely about who Jesus is and what He did.

[Psalm 73]

"....but he takes the broad view:..."

Oh Joel, Joel: "narrow is the gate...."

[DManA]

Ironically the Mormon gate is the narrowest of all. Only folks baptized in a Mormon ritual ( in this life or the next) is going to make it through.

[.45 Long Colt]

I can’t recommend this sermon by Paul Washer enough:

“We Have Forgotten that the Way is Narrow”

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=10507846480

It can watched, downloaded in multiple formats or streamed for free. You can also find it on youtube. If you are trusting in a prayer you prayed long ago for your salvation, you are desperately in need of this sermon. Few things scare me as much as the idea of a false profession. Scripture tells us to examine ourselves to be sure that we are in the faith.

If you cannot tolerate the unvarnished truth, don’t bother listening because he will make you angry.

[.45 Long Colt]

I can’t recommend this sermon by Paul Washer enough:

“We Have Forgotten that the Way is Narrow”

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=10507846480

It can be watched, downloaded in multiple formats or streamed for free. You can also find it on youtube. If you are trusting in a prayer you prayed long ago for your salvation, you are desperately in need of this sermon. Few things scare me as much as the idea of a false profession. Scripture tells us to examine ourselves to be sure that we are in the faith.

If you cannot tolerate the unvarnished truth, don’t bother listening because he will make you angry.

[mkjessup]

'Joel Osteen' is just a humorous alias of funny man Martin Short. The joke's on us. Pass it on.

[Terry Mross]

He’s “trying to reach the biggest, broadest group” who buy books.

It’ sad what’s happened to Christianity. I’ve seen pastors that I KNEW were speaking the truth who have gone off the tracks. I know one who said he’d never do a TV show but he praises a bunch of preachers who are on TV. And he is now constantly “tweeting”. In one “tweet” he was tweeting from a church “getting ready to hear a young mentor’s sermon”. I wonder how he would feel if half the people in church starting talking on their cell phones while he’s preaching.

[presently no screen name]

Why did they call on Joel to ask questions about Romney, because he doesn’t say anything negative about anyone. And you really think he knows what Mormonism teaches? I only found a few things recently. He’s is not a studier of cults or other religions. He is to focus his study on God’s Word.

Mitt is a bishop of a cult. It’s NOTHING about God no matter how many times they utter ‘God’. Would they have any followers if they said the truth ‘Joe Smith’?

[presently no screen name]

is going to make it through.

to what?

[Raycpa]

Joel Olsteen did a very good job responding:

If someone claims to believe “that Jesus is the son of God, that He’s the Christ, that He was raised from the dead and is his savior, that’s good enough for me.”

Note he did not say that the Mormon church met the test or Romney, he merely stated what he says the test should be.

Second, for those listening who have no idea what Christianity is, he stated it so that the lost can hear the gospel.

I have complaints about Olsteen's theology but his reported handling of this is not one of them. In some way it reminded me of how Jesus handled the question of giving alms to Caesar. Instead of answering in a way that would cause division, Jesus answered by defining the terms.

[nonsporting]

Joel Olsteen did a very good job responding: If someone claims to believe “that Jesus is the son of God, that He’s the Christ, that He was raised from the dead and is his savior, that’s good enough for me.”

That is disingenuous. His answer would suggest that Romney is saved, when he is NOT. Is this how Christians are supposed to answer such important questions? Woe to him! (Jude 11-13) Does he not care that the eternal disposition of billions of souls are at stake?

The unvarnished truth: Romney believes that "Jesus is a literal offspring of sexual union between God the Father and Mary (not the Holy Spirit, as the Bible teaches)", "that he is the spirit brother of Satan", "that he is an exalted man, just like all the untold many gods (just like God the father, and his father, and his father, ...)", and "that belief in Christ alone is insufficient":

[There is] "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" - Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190

Mormon's redefine Bible terms and pervert the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mormonism is a wicked deception.

Mormon vs. Biblical Teachings on Salvation