Posted on 10/31/2007 11:48:35 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
How to determine when Joel Osteen is speaking heresy:
A non-informative answer. I have yet to find unbiblical teaching in Joel's message. That's what I've been searching for though all the hoopla and I've found a lot of nothing to the charges leveled at him and his teaching. If you have something, I'm interested. If not, next.
Irving? You mean my cousin Irving? He doesn't know the Bible. You can't mean the law you referred to above because no points have been scored which is the gist of my post and the discussion is most certainly open, so your invocation is denied.
Since the thread was already eight months old, and abandoned until you dropped in and pinged the world to your comments, no points are awarded to any party.
Since the Pharisees are at least two thousand years old, I don't think a few months should matter between friends. Certainly doesn't bear at all on the issue at hand. I copied the world because that's exactly who I'd like to either know what I've found (not much against Joel) or put up (or shut up).
Here is the heresy you're looking for... MASH HERE
BTW, why are you pinging me to a thread from Jan?
Tommy, do you know what the word "Gospel" means? It comes from the Greek word euaggelizo. The root word, eu, means well, good. Euaggelizo means to announce good news and declare glad tidings and a good message.
The cross is also a plus sign. The whole message of the gospel is positive. It should make you feel good. It should make you jump for joy. You've been given God's treasures in heaven and earth (Matthew 5:3, 5).
If you're a Christian, then you should be rejoicing because there are some 240 references in the Bible telling us to rejoice - and with good reason.
Osteen's calling is to be a Pastor, which is a ministry primarily to those already saved. His calling to to help Christians grow. The problem is many "Pastors" preach the salvation message every Sunday to people already saved who need disparately to grow.
1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2)By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4)And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
I mashed - what I heard was someone who refused to condemn others but repeatedly said you need to accept Christ. Christ never preached condemnation to anyone though he was goaded to do so many times. The only people he condemned were the Pharisees.
BTW, why are you pinging me to a thread from Jan?
A timeless issue you're no longer interested in eight months later?
Let me make sure I’m crystal clear on your reply to me... You think Joel’s TV testimony on Larry King is OK and not heresy?
Nice to hear a reference to Madame Blavatsy. I read a good book about her call “Madame Blavatsky’s Baboon” or something like that. A good window into the practice of theosophy for fun and profit in the addled post-Protestant West.
OSTEEN: I don't know. What do you mean by that?
KING: Because we've had ministers on who said, your record don't count. You either believe in Christ or you don't. If you believe in Christ, you are, you are going to heaven. And if you don't no matter what you've done in your life, you ain't.
OSTEEN: Yeah, I don't know. There's probably a balance between. I believe you have to know Christ. But I think that if you know Christ, if you're a believer in God, you're going to have some good works. I think it's a cop-out to say I'm a Christian but I don't ever do anything ...
KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know ...
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
KING: The Senate apologized last week for slavery.
(end excerpt)
What we as believers need to be doing now, "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). We are to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2Peter 3:18). And we are to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3). Our initial salvation, being born again, is just the beginning of an eternal journey in God, our heavenly Father. The gospel of our salvation is the open door to God's life and blessings.
Doesn't the post contain the original thread date? If not, I'm sorry, I'll try to be more careful.
He said, "I believe you have to know Christ." Later, he refused to condemn others and said, "I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven." The fact is a lot of people who have accepted Jesus may still be in bondage to the things of the past. All of us fall into that catagory. This may be what he was referring to.
Maybe he should have been more forceful? The only people Jesus condemned were the Pharisees. Maybe he should have been more forceful. If so, God will deal with him. I'll tell you one thing though. I have yet to read anything unscriptural in his book, Your Best Life Now. I have yet to hear him say anything wrong in his pastoral messages at Lakewood Church. I didn't know we're supposed to be going around judging people. If he's being grilled by the ungodly MSM and tries not to condemn and maybe missteps, do we shot him? Does that negate the obvious and overwhelming body of his work? God uses imperfect people. I haven't found anything to put him against the wall and fire away.
I did.
You did state in your post 61..."I have yet to find unbiblical teaching in Joel's message".
I did.
Just shoot me...(just kidding, that's why I waded into this).
I’ve read the transcripts and I know what he said. I just want a yes or no answer from you. Was Joel’s testimony on Larry King OK, or was it heresy.
I have yet to find Biblical teaching in Osteen's sermons.
Thanks. We are responding over each other.
So do I. His messages are always upbeat and positive. He’s not Billy Graham, nor does he pretend to be. He’s far more loving than some folks I know and he refuses to judge anyone. I like that quality.
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