Posted on 04/06/2008 3:29:36 AM PDT by Gamecock
This so-called "gift" is nor from God but from Satan the "father of lies". Joel Osteen is a false prophet spreading a false message of positive thinking and health and wealth that is palatable and appealing to the natural man: spiritually dead and lost souls. It is a false "power of positive thinking" "gospel" that proclaims " you are good, you can do it god wants you healthy and wealthy, all you have to do is think positively and believe in yourself". This is not, nor has it ever been, the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The true Gospel of Christ proclaims that all of mankind from the oldest to the newest born are spiritually fallen sinners who are totally lost and dead in trespasses and sins. It states that none of us are capable of saving ourselves by keeping the Law or by any other means of good works because ALL of our "good works" and righteousness is as of filthy rags (literally menstrual rags in the Hebrew) in His (God's) sight:
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6)
God's entire assessment of all mankind is found in Romans 3:11-20 and it is totally contrary to that of Mr. Osteen and an assessment that the false prophet Mr. Osteen will never teach:
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
10 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”
13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;
14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”;
15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.”
18 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
As a direct result of mankind's total depravity and our utter inability to deliver or save ourselves from our wicked and sinful condition, God intervened in human history by sending His unique, one of a kind Son; the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the trinity, into the world; Holy God in the flesh, in order to live a sinless life and to pay the price of all of our sins by dying once for all upon the cross.
Jesus Christ's bodily resurrection from the dead proclaims the fact that God the Father was completely satisfied with the payment Christ has once and for all time made for our sin.
God Himself has paid the price and the true Gospel, the “Good News” is that anyone and everyone can be saved from their sins and the penalty of their sins (an eternity separated from God suffering in Hell and ultimately the lake of fire in darkness, pain and unspeakable torment) and can receive forgiveness of sin, peace with God and eternal life, IF, and ONLY OF they will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and on Him alone for their salvation because contrary to Joel Osteen; the Lord Jesus Christ says there is only one way to God the Father, one truth and He alone provides mankind with eternal life:
…“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
In his Larry King interview on CNN, where Mr. Osteen consistently said “I don’t know” in answer to the most basic of theological questions posed to him by Mr. King, Joel Osteen contradicted this basic tenant of the Christian faith by saying that he believes that there are many ways to heaven and to God just as long as a person is “sincere", God’s Word says that is patently false;
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts. 4:12)
It is clear from the above review of Joel Osteen’s book and from the chapter headings and direct quotes that Joel Osteen, in his latest book continues to be a false prophet, preaching a false gospel to the masses that is not the Gospel of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
FReepapalooza; Mr. Osteen does not need to be “sharpened”; he needs to be rebuked for his heresy, repent of his sin and of his sinful false message. You are under the false assumption that he is part of the body of Christ when in actuality there is nothing in his life or message that bears any resemblance to the fruit of biblical Christianity
The truth is Mr. Osteen desperately needs to come to genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and refrain from preaching, writing and the pulpit until such time as he truly studies and understands the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and biblical theology. The tragedy is the fact that so many “Christians” fail to recognize him for what he is because they lack the spiritual discernment necessary to do so.
In the mean time, those who truly know Christ and the Word of God need to use spiritual discernment, avoid Mr. Osteen and his ilk like the plague and warn the multitudes concerning him because we are commanded to do so:
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3-4)
And because Jesus and the apostles warned us of their coming:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. (Matt. 7:15-17)
“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. (Matt. 24:11)
“for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance. (Mark 13:22-23)
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2Peter 2:1-3)
Jmouse007: Thank you for your well thought out reply. It is clear that you are passionate in your biblical studies.
To be completely honest with you, I am way over my skis debating such issues with someone of your caliber.
I merely was pointing out that criticism is not the way. I do believe that only God knows what is in our hearts, and it is his job to judge each and every one of us.
May God bless you always.
Amen!
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. (Gal. 1:6-10)
May God richly bless you as you seek to honor His beloved Son.
Your servant in Christ
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