I was making general statements with regard to what traditional religion sometimes teaches and I have experienced. They are usually the first to attack any evangelist or ministry that teaches anything spiritual, faith-based or miraculous. I was not implying you. I apologize if it was taken that way.
I understand your angst with televangelists and there are probably a few that are out in left field. I have had the same feelings at one point in my life about a few. But this thread was specifically talking about Kenneth Copeland. Attempting to paint him as any kind of cult leader or Mormon-like ministry is HIGHLY offensive and unjustified.
I know his work well. He does not teach from the Book of Mormon. Nor is he a cult leader. Nor is he attempting to create a religion or denomination. People do not “worship” him in any fashion whatsoever. He does not “twist” the Word or “swindle” anyone. To suggest any similarity to a cult is silly.
On the fruit from Galatians 5:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
It would appear to me that EVERY Born Again Believer can and should bear fruit of the Spirit. And I would suggest that ministries and churches can collectively bear fruit as well. You may disagree. They are certainly sowing seed and reaping a harvest one way or another.
I would also suggest, not imply you specifically, but suggest that far too many “heresy hunters” major on Matthew 7:15-20 (wolf in sheep’s clothing). The HHs are so desperate to find the hidden wolves that they never examine the fruit. They tend to totally ignore Galatians 5 as a guide. Even the disciples were miffed that other people were casting out demons in Jesus name. They told them to stop. But Jesus told the disciples “anyone not against us is for us.” (Mark 9 and Luke 9)
Maybe you just have a problem with anyone who appears on television? I am not sure how that disqualifies someone from teaching/preaching the Word. It is a most effective way of reaching hurting and lost people all over the world.
I don’t care if you like Kenneth Copeland or not. I get no brownie points defending him, and I am sure he wouldn’t care one way or the other. But please do not relate what he and his ministry do to mormonism or cults. That is ridiculous.
One can only be “wrong” in a thread so many times and apparently I have hit my limit. May God bless your work with freeing folks from the real cults.
BTW - You don’t know me either, or what is in my heart or Kenneth Copeland’s heart.
INDEED.
I thoroughly agree.
And I PRAISE GOD that Kenneth et al walk as much in Holy Spirits gifts, anointing and ministry as they do.
For all his and Gloria’s flaws, that’s at least greatly more than most of the ministers I’ve been familiar with or heard of in the FROZEN CHOSEN congregations do.
People are more or less free to go on
accusing Kenneth of operating in the flesh or worse under a demonic ‘counterfeit anointing’ if they wish.
God knows differently.
You and I know differently.
Time will tell.
We shall see how many gilded buckets of rocks earn awards for their throwers.
I’m an Evangelical, and frankly opposed to ‘religion’ because of my background. Do I know what is in Kenneth’s heart? I never said I did. I never questioned his salvation. What I did question is his teachings. His teachings are unbiblical and need those teachings need to be called out and he needs to be rebuked. That is what Christians do when a believer is in error.
He doesn’t need to teach from the Book of Mormon to teach things counter to the Bible. He does not need to start a religion to be a cult leader. Your rabid defense of him shows that he holds great sway over your and that is a sign of a cult leader. We are to put no man on a pedestal, and that includes our pastors. The pedestal you are putting him on sure looks like cult leader to me.
You said judge him by his fruit. I was referring to Matthew, not Galations. And of course every believer should bear the fruits of the Spirit, but again Mormons claim the same fruit. That doesn’t make them Christian.
No, not just people on television although they tend to be more susceptible to heresy especially “word faith”.
You seem to have this issue with “heresy hunters” a term I had not heard until now. I don’t go looking for heresy, but I do know the Bible well enough to know unbiblical teachings when I see one. I fight the heresies of Mormonism every single day.