Posted on 01/04/2008 2:10:49 PM PST by Terriergal
In the Apprising Ministries article Joel Osteen: Apprising His Word Faith Teachings I have clearly showed those who are looking for the truth that Osteen teaches the exact same positive confession Word Faith theology and prosperity gospel as did his late father John, Kenneth “Dad” Hagin (1917-2003), and which is also currently being preached by Hagin’s dutiful disciple Kenneth Copeland and Oneness Pentecostal T.D. Jakes for that matter.
The unique twist that Joel Osteen has added to the mix is the syrupy sweet self-help shtick of Robert Schuller cleverly mixed together for his most popular brand of “Cotton-Candy Christianity.” I am not judging his motivations, or his heart, so I can only say that Osteen’s found the way to preach that his god wants you to have: “Heaven while you're on earth, and then when you die, you get...ah—well, even more Heaven.”
Sadly another sign of the growing spiritual blindness and apostasy in the American Christian Church right now that someone like Joel Osteen is steadily gaining much acceptance even among mainstream evangelicalism. And this comes despite a theology completely consistent with other mainstays on the Trinity Broadcasting Network such as Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley and “pastor” Paula White.
But the news gets even worse for Joel Osteen because running on a parallel track the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) is also beginning to make inroads toward being considered a legitimate form of Christianity. As case in point we offer Mormons and Evangelicals Ready to Worship Together? But what does this even have to do with Joel Osteen? Well, I’m so glad you asked.
Osteen heads up arguably the largest evangelical church in the country. So here he was on Fox News Sunday a couple of weeks ago saying that in his mind Mormons are genuine Christians as I originally pointed out in Joel Osteen: Mitt Romney And Mormons Are Christians. But the saddest news of all may be that now Joel Osteen has pronounced blessing on the non-Christian cult of the Mormon Church as being Christian; and there is no outrage, and no evangelical leaders publicly calling Osteen to account.
No instead, it’s just business as usual in the apostatizing American Christian Church saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14, KJV).
See also:
MORMON CHURCH IS NOW CHRISTIAN
JOEL OSTEEN HELPING MORMONS BECOME A BETTER YOU
Posted by Ken Silva, pastor-teacher at January 3, 2008 07:07 PM
Copyright © 2007 by Ken Silva. All rights reserved.
I’m not surprised, unfortunately Joel Osteen is ignorant and a false teacher to boot. This is straight apostasy. He can offer no explanation for why Mormonism falls outside of orthodox Christianity.
It is easy to bash and criticize these preachers, especially since they are on 24/7. Certainly, there is going to be plenty of disagreements about doctrine, there always is even among people at the same church. But they are spreading the Word around the globe and reaching hundreds of millions of people. Christians should not attack one another unless what they are doing is clearly contrary to God’s word. Blessing Mormonism may or may not be in that camp. Is the Mormon’s belief in Jesus enough to give them salvation or does some of their kooky beliefs disqualify them? Only God knows for certain.
God has already explained it.
I’m not bashing mormons. I’m bashing Osteen for muddying the waters. I have nothing against Mormons except that I would like for them to know and believe the Truth of Scripture, which is the only thing that saves.
Charlatan ping.
Did they sneeze?
Yeah maybe. Or maybe you just don't understand the real definiton of hate.
Saying Mormons aren't Christians isn't saying you hate them.
Let's just see some of what the Bible says about hate:
" 'Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt." Leviticus 19:17
Interesting. You are expected NOT to hate people but to at the same time be able to rebuke also. How foreign to the church today~!
And for some positive examples of hating - hating iniquity, falsehood, unbelief, and opposition to the true God:
Exodus 18:21 "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain;
Deuteronomy 12:31 " You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
Deuteronomy 16:22 " You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the LORD your God hates.
Psalm 5:5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;You hate all who do iniquity.
Psalm 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,And the one who loves violence His soul hates.
Psalm 26:5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,And I will not sit with the wicked.
Psalm 31:6 I hate those who regard vain idols,But I trust in the LORD.
Psalm 45:7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;Therefore God, Your God, has anointed YouWith the oil of joy above Your fellows.
Psalm 97:10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD,Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 101:3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;I hate the work of those who fall away;It shall not fasten its grip on me.
Psalm 119:104 From Your precepts I get understanding;Therefore I hate every false way.
Psalm 119:113 [ S Samekh. ] I hate those who are double-minded,But I love Your law.
Psalm 119:128 Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything,I hate every false way.
Psalm 119:163 I hate and despise falsehood,But I love Your law.
Psalm 139:20b-22 Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.
Prov 6:16 There are six things which the LORD hates,
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil wayAnd the perverted mouth, I hate.
Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hates falsehood,But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully.
Proverbs 15:27 He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,But he who hates bribes will live.
Proverbs 28:16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love and a time to hate;A time for war and a time for peace.
Isaiah 1:14 "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,They have become a burden to Me;I am weary of bearing them.
Isaiah 61:8 For I, the LORD, love justice,I hate robbery in the burnt offering;And I will faithfully give them their recompenseAnd make an everlasting covenant with them.
Jeremiah 12:8"My inheritance has become to Me Like a lion in the forest; She has roared against Me; Therefore I have come to hate her.
Jeremiah 44:4 'Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, again and again, saying, "Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate."
And one last one so that you know not to look at outward appearances but examine every man's teaching in light of all of Scripture:
Psalm 81:15 " Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him,And their time of punishment would be forever.
Thank you. But watch out, you’re gonna be labeled hateful now.
I pray for Mormons every single day. Does that mean I bless them? I think it does.
I pray that they might find the saving Grace of God, through Jesus Christ and forsake their covenants, oaths and law-keeping.
Amen, Brad. I saw that show and if I recall correctly, he claims he knows nothing about Mormonism (he needs to brush up) and he refuses to judge whether Mitt Romney has a relationship with Christ or not. People love, especially here, to bash everything he says. I’ve been receiving his daily devotions from Vision and they’re wonderful. He’s an encourager and he uses scripture, etc. to back it up. He’s not the horrible preacher people think he is.
Thank you. You ARE Always right (smile).
Hey, Joel, if you are going to just throw in the towel to universalism like so many of the emergents, just stand up and say it.
Please do not suggest, Joel, that just because Jesus is mentioned highly in a different faiths’ holy books that they are Christian, or you will end up selling your book to the Muslims too...making millions more...oh.
THAT is the reason! He’s making his best life now... selling out the Gospel for millions of dollars in this life. /sarc
What would Jesus do?
He might go and worship beside the Mormons, embrace them and perhaps enlighten with love rather than subjective Bible scholarship.
“He might go and worship beside the Mormons, embrace them and perhaps enlighten with love rather than subjective Bible scholarship.”
Would he? Only after an extraordinary act of faith.
Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.
Mat 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
***Mormons are genuine Christians as I originally pointed out in Joel Osteen: Mitt Romney And Mormons Are Christians.***
Can we then consider Elizabeth Clare Prophet and her followers to be “Christians” since they include Jesus in their pantheon of “Ascended Masters”?
That's easy....they do not accept the trinity creed.
I'm guessing they sent him lots of money?
He likes that money.
As you already explained it’s not about hate. We don’t hate Osteen or Mormons either. But he has a responsibility as a supposed bible believing pastor to articulate traditional orthodox Christianity that is in line with Scripture, Church tradition, as well as the creeds.
He should not be leading his flock astray. The Christian faith and doctrine has been tested and affirmed by the Church Fathers - there cannot be such a major contradiction of Scripture or Church tradition.
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