Since I do not want to basically rewrite what I just read heres a copy of the article I wish people to read. Do you agree with this? It seems to have much biblical proof that people like Joel Olsteen are wrong in what they preach.
It is a lengthy article, but I'd like everyone to truly read instead of just skipping it and posting some random statement. If you can read this article fully and tell me why its wrong I'd love to hear advice/opinions on why so.
Alternativly you can read it here:
Joel Osteen - What's Wrong With His Preaching?
Part 1 of 3:
It is a lengthy article, but I'd like everyone to truly read instead of just skipping it and posting some random statement. If you can read this article fully and tell me why its wrong I'd love to hear advice/opinions on why so.
Alternativly you can read it here:
Joel Osteen - What's Wrong With His Preaching?
Part 1 of 3:
We do not know Joel Osteen personally. He seems like a nice man and he even seems very sincere and no doubt fervently believes in what he is preaching. But one can be sincere and be sincerely wrong.
He has been rebuked by many within Evangelical and Christian Fundamental circles for the very reason that he does not stick to just the preaching of the Word. It is not so much what he is preaching but rather what he is NOT preaching. The entire Word of God must be preached. Where is the Gospel? Where is the preaching of Jesus as Savior? The Lord Jesus died to save us from our SINS-- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Joel Osteen says that he does not want to condemn anybody. Well, we are not supposed to condemn anybody. We are to preach the Good News that Jesus died to save us from our sins-- and that there is eternal damnation awaiting those who die in their sins. We cannot compromise Scripture or candy coat the SIN PROBLEM which exists.
One can paint daisies on a pig but in the end, a pig is a pig. We cannot candy coat sin and try to preach around it. Jesus did not die to give us a luxury car;
nor did He die to make us successful. Jesus died for OUR SINS. Matthew 1:21 says, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
The Bible says in Revelation 21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Well, that includes everyone then because all have lied at least once. God cannot have sin in His Holy presence. This is why Jesus died for us...to redeem us and to wash our sins away by His precious shed blood. The Bible says in 1John 3:5 And ye know that he [Jesus] was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. The bible also
tells us in 1Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God..." Hebrews 9:12 tells us that Jesus "by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
Now, where is this preached in Joel Osteen's "success" type sermons? Many successful people pour into hell everyday. Many successful people die in their sins for they did not receive Jesus as their Savior. We all need a Savior to save us from our sins. This is why Jesus came. This is why we have received Him
as Savior. Whenever one forgets this is the primary message, he has gone into the way of apostasy.
THE GOSPEL IS NOT A CONDEMNING MESSAGE
Joel Osteen said on Larry King Live, "The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that's God's for you. You can live a good life
no matter what's happened to you." Herein lies the danger in such a statement. God is NOT for the sinner. God is righteous and holy. He sent His only begotten Son to die for us and to rise again because He loves us but God hates sin.
A person cannot even live a good life apart from Christ. All our righteousness
is found in Christ. He clothes us with His righteousness. We cannot change.
All of our righteousness is as filthy rags, the bible says.
John 3:3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW CLIP OF THE LARRY KING SHOW:
Larry King: "You don't call them sinners?"
Joel Oteen: "I don't."
Larry King: "Is that a word you don't use?"
Joel Osteen: "I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning."
No, Joel, one cannot change-- that is why one has to be born again. Outside of Christ Jesus, a person is a poor wretched sinner on his way to hell. It is Christ alone who changes us once we receive Him as Savior. We cannot transform ourselves-- it is God alone who transforms us once we have received His Son!
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Is the Gospel message a condemning one? No! The Lord Jesus said that those who did not believe on Him are condemned already. But John 1:12 says,
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name". So the good news is that Jesus saves. It is not a condemning message but rather the ONLY good message preached to a dying world-- a world that is already condemned because of its sin. GOOD NEWS IS THAT JESUS DIED FOR SINNERS....this is what the Bible says!!
We are to preach John 3:18...a verse MANY today have forgotten.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joel Osteen has been openly admonished by Evangelicals and Fundamentalists for blending his own philosophy--with jokes and humor and just throws choice scriptures in between a "sermon". With a very large church attendance such as his, we would pray that he would get on the straight and narrow and "study to shew thyself approved"so that he would better lead his congregation into the fundamentals of the Word.
In this day and age of apostasy, it is important for a pastor to stay true to the fundamentals of the faith for when the foundations of our faith are lost...where will the church be? Jesus said that when He returns; "shall I even find faith
on the earth?" So we know that faith will be scarce upon the earth in the Last Days.
The world is moving into a "universal faith" with a generic god and a "positive message" that removes the preaching of the Cross of Christ, removes hell, salvation, the blood of Jesus and even renounces the deity of Christ. Shall there be any faith found upon the earth when everything worth believing in is taken away? The Bible says that faith comes by HEARING the Word of God.
EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The Bible clearly admonishes us to "Earnestly contend for the faith." We are
to beware of false doctrines and to be aware of the spiritual dangers that await the unsuspecting Christian who has little or no discernment. Joel Osteen views
these particular Evangelicals and Fundamentalists who speak against his "gospel light" sermons as "critics". But what must be realized is that it has nothing to do with him but rather what he is preaching and what his kind of preaching leads to...ecumenism, new age ideas like "God and you" but our bible says that it is "Christ alone" which performs the good work in and through us.
We would rejoice at the success of his church if he were preaching the Gospel and teaching the Word of God...the deep things found within Scripture but
sadly he is on a dangerous path, as we shall explain. One website described his ministry as "MegaChurch and miniGospel".
Joel Osteen views his message as "positive" and it most certainly is but in the REAL world, there is good AND evil. The Bible speaks much about hell, the devil, the evil of this age and the spiritual battle that the Christian is in.
Congregations are to be taught the DANGERS of following false teachers and the dangers of not adhering strictly to Scripture. The Bible is not to be picked apart and pieced together to fit our own ideas. Christians should NOT be well liked by this world. Jesus said, "You will be hated for my name's sake."
1Cor 2:14 But the natural manreceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The Lord Jesus said in John 3:20, For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Yet Joel Osteen's church is growing by leaps and bounds. It is a place where most can feel very comfortable. Everyone leaves feeling good about themselves and their "purpose".The Word of God warns us in 2Timothy 4:3-4"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
Today, there are many pastors who are preaching what their congregations WANT to hear rather than what God's Word says to preach. The message the preacher delivers should be one of repentance. No one likes to hear the word, "repentance".