Posted on 04/02/2015 11:56:13 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
I am sad at the news of fellow Iowan Dr. Robert Schuller and pray for the comfort of the Lord on his family. However, I am very concerned for his soul. Dr. Robert Schuller was a prolific false teacher whose errant teachings destroyed thousands, if not millions (especially old ladies who could not drive to church who clung to his false TV teachings - some of whom I knew personally).
Dr. Schuller is gone, but the damage he wrought on the Christian Church persists in his younger disciples (e.g. Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, etc.) The following is a short subset of the many heretical teachings that this 'wolf in sheep's clothing' introduced...(please feel free to add your own Robert Schuller heresies)...
Schuller - We enter the Kingdom of God when we have a dream
focus on the dream
[and] fuel the dream (Hour of Power TV broadcast 25/3/01) Schuller - The Church needs a theology that is man-centred, not God-centred (Hour of Power TV Broadcast)
Schuller - Jesus bore the cross to sanctify our self esteem.
Schuller - Self-love is the ultimate will of man (Self Esteem: The New Reformation, 1982).
Schuller - Focus on the things the major faiths can agree on.
Schuller - Transcendental Meditation, Zen Buddhism and yoga are valid methods for harnessing Gods divine laws.
Schuller - Its time to go to the Pope and say, what do we have to do to come home? (1987).
Schuller - If he came back and found his grandchildren were Muslims it wouldnt bother him. (Hour of Power)
Schuller - When the Bible says a people without a vision perish it is talking about the inner eye of visualisation (Psychology Today, 1985).
Schuller - AND WHAT IS 'HELL'? IT IS THE LOSS OF PRIDE THAT NATURALLY FOLLOWS SEPARATION FROM GOD--the ultimate and unfailing source of our soul's sense of self-respect. (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 14-15, 93).
Schuller - What do I mean by sin? Answer: 'SIN IS ANY ACT OR THOUGHT THAT ROBS MYSELF OR ANOTHER HUMAN BEING OF HIS OR HER SELF-ESTEEM (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 14).
Schuller - THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD OFFERS A DEEP SPIRITUAL CURE FOR THE INFERIORITY COMPLEX AND LAYS THE FIRM FOUNDATION FOR A SOLID SPIRITUAL SELF-ESTEEM (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 60).
Schuller - Classical theology DEFINES SIN AS 'REBELLION AGAINST GOD.' The answer is not incorrect as much as IT IS SHALLOW AND INSULTING TO THE HUMAN BEING.(Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 65).
Schuller - The core of original sin, Lack of Trust. Or, it could be considered an innate inability to adequately value ourselves. Label it a 'negative self-image,' but DO NOT SAY THAT THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE HUMAN SOUL IS WICKEDNESS. ... POSITIVE CHRISTIANITY DOES NOT HOLD TO HUMAN DEPRAVITY, BUT TO HUMAN INABILITY. I am humanly unable to correct my negative self-image until I encounter a life-changing experience with non-judgmental love bestowed upon me by a Person whom I admire so much that to be unconditionally accepted by him is to be born again (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 67).
Schuller - TO BE BORN AGAIN MEANS THAT WE MUST BE CHANGED FROM A NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE--from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to trust (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 68).
Schuller - THE CROSS SANCTIFIES THE EGO TRIP. FOR THE CROSS PROTECTED OUR LORD'S PERFECT SELF-ESTEEM FROM TURNING INTO SINFUL PRIDE (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 75).
Schuller - ESSENTIALLY, IF CHRISTIANITY IS TO SUCCEED IN THE NEXT MILLENNIUM, IT MUST CEASE TO BE A NEGATIVE RELIGION AND MUST BECOME POSITIVE (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 104).
Schuller - JESUS NEVER CALLED A PERSON A SINNER. ... Rather he reserved his righteous rebuke for those who used their religious authority to generate guilt and caused people to lose their ability to taste and enjoy their right to dignity... (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 100,126).
Schuller - Christ is the Ideal One, for HE WAS SELF-ESTEEM INCARNATE (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 135).
Schuller - EXERCISING NARROW AUTHORITARIANISM IN DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES AND BY SOWING SEEDS OF SUSPICION AND DISSENSION IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 153-154).
Schuller - The classical error of historical Christianity is that we have never started with the value of the person. Rather, WE HAVE STARTED FROM THE 'UNWORTHINESS OF THE SINNER,' AND THAT STARTING POINT HAS SET THE STAGE FOR THE GLORIFICATION OF HUMAN SHAME in Christian theology (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 162).
And anyone who knew the thief on the cross up until he was hung on the cross, would have said the same thing about his salvation as you did about Schuller.
Why did you answer maybe, to your own question about a last minute conversion.
Anyone preaching the true Gospel would answer YES to COULD he had a last minute conversion.
I don’t disagree with you...I didn’t say Shuller did not end up in heaven...
Mark this day down, we agree on something!! :))
You are saying that I don’t preach the true Gospel because you want to split hairs about my answer?
My answer was “sure, maybe” meaning “sure” he could have, “maybe” he did, but neither you or I have any evidence he did or didn’t. We are in the same boat although it appears you have an agenda to promote that I am preaching a false Gospel which I have no idea why.
I was thinking the same thing...
I would re-read your post 8 and after praying about it, maybe consider apologizing for it and encourage others that today is the day of salvation and even if one is a murderer, thief, blasphemer, and yes someone who taught a false gospel,their whole life, salvation in Jesus Christ is still possible. We are all sinners and it is possible that by the grace of God, Schuller was saved.
You are inventing something from thin air. You have absolutely no idea or have any reason to believe Schuller made a death bed conversion. I however have ample evidence Schuller was a False Gospel preacher leading many thousands astray. For some reason other than the things you have posted you have a bone to pick and I have no idea why. This is like pig wrestling, It’s been fun but there is nothing profitable.
If God desired all men to be saved, then all men would be saved. Otherwise, He is not sovereign.
While you say you share the Gospel with all, I wonder what you share. Do you tell everyone that God loves them, that He died for their sins? You cant and be a consistent Calvinist. You may be sharing the Gospel with someone predestinated to hell, that Jesus did not die for. Do you tell them maybe God loves you?
It is not our job to determine who the elect is. Look at Matt 13, where God compares man to soil, and the word as the seed. We see that the word is to be sent to all men:
Hear then the parable of the sower.And at John 3, where Jesus clearly teaches that he gives eternal life to those who believe, while the unbeliever is already condemned:When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.
And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.And at Acts 13, where the Gentiles who believed were appointed to believe:For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.So, the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus died for those sinners who believe in Him. Or do you believe there will be people in Heaven that did not trust that God sent His Christ to as a propitiation for sin?Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us, I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.
When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Finally, I am not sure how predestination gives anyone comfort. Being a believer does nothing towards salvation, if you are elect you are in, not elect you are damned. Faith is supposed to,be an evidence of being elect, but Calvin taught there are many possessing faith that have a false faith and are not elect.
Why do you call people to repentance, to a consistent Calvinist repentance does not add or subtract from being saved.
Again, we cannot determine who the elect are, but God knows. And that is the crux of the issue. Predestination is what God says about the process from His side of Heaven.
Yet, God also insists that man is responsible for his actions. So, we must never assume that one is not elect. The best we can do is look for outward signs of repentance, since those are signs that one is saved.
I have found most people who claim to be Calvinist, when you actually look at what they say and teach, it is anything but consistent Calvinism.
To that I say, you do not understand reformed doctrine, and your argument is akin to the "no true Scotsman" fallacy.
Grace and Peace,
K51
Also, you assume that the nature follows the will. However, what man wills to do comes out of his nature.
Besides, when you became a believer, did you do it against your will?
I pray you have a blessed Easter weekend.
Grace and Peace.
“do comes” should be “does come”. Bad editing on my part.
Good post. Thank you. That’s what I was getting at, but you said it much better.
LOL! Good sarcasm.\
Nope, I was right the first time. Getting late...
Osteen is 'well known'.
Joseph Smith was 'successful'.
But what was the MESSAGE??
Some folks disagree...
They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.Who has made this so?Have I?Have this people?Have the world?No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.Can you pass without his inspection?No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?
--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224
INDEED!
The parable of the workers in the vineyard must mean SOMETHING!!!
We DO agree on something; actually on MANY things, but where's the fun in agreeing; singing Kum-by-yah and highfiving each other all day long?
We're to CONTEND for the faith; once given to the saints.
Likewise...
You have absolutely no idea or have any reason to believe Schuller did NOT make a death bed conversion.
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