Word of Faith: Are they saved?

[VanzTyn]

Are they who belong to the Word of Faith (prosperity gospel) saved and in the body of Christ?

 

[High Fidelity]

I believe there are believers in most denominations(even those that I fundamentally disagree with) that will receive salvation.

 

[VanzTyn]

I would say it depends. I was in that movement. However, through the Bible, God began to show me that what they are saying and doing goes against what Scripture says.

So I agree, but would God leave a person to be subjected to it?

 

[Open Heart]

Are they who belong to the Word of Faith (prosperity gospel) saved and in the body of Christ?

First of all I have to say that I consider the Word of Faith to be ultra heretical.

But that doesn't mean a person can't have repented and have been baptised and know Christ. They can be saved DESPITE the fact that their church is heretical.

But the church is just awful, awful, and it leads so many astray, AWAY from the gospel of Christ, especially with its teachings on wealth. Dan McConnel wrote a book calling WOF "Another Gospel."

1. Healing
In the book of Job we find out that sometimes it is the will of God that tragedies befall us, including sickness. But word of faith assumes that Christians have some kind of right not to be sick. This is NOT scriptural. The TRUTH is that this doctrine has its roots in the New Age idea that disease and suffering have their origin in incorrect thinking. We should of course pray for the sick--that's scriptural. But it doesn't follow that healing is within God's will--God can have any number of reasons to allow a Christian to remain ill. Because Word of Faith believes Christians will always be healed, when they aren't, Word of Faith BLAMES THEM. How awful! They are "Job's Comforters."

2. Prosperity
This doctrine teaches that if you ask God for material wealth he will give it to you. This BACKWARDS from what we are to be doing according to scripture. In any number of places, scripture warns of the problems with the love of money, and the emptiness of storing up treasures in this world. RATHER, we are exhorted to store up heavenly treasures which will never pass away. By concentrating on wealth, WOF encourages greed rather than spiritual development.

3. Faith and Confession
When we pray to God, we do so with the understanding that ultimately we want his will to be done even if it means not having our requests met. Our petitions are ONLY REQUESTS which may be denied. Sometimes God answers "no." But WOF believes that prayer manipulates God, that if we pray aloud and with faith we can force God to give us what we want. This is no different from casting a pagan spell and is insulting to the nature of God.

4. Anti-Trinity
Some parts of WOF are Oneness doctrine, denying the Trinity, especially those who follow William Branham and Joseph Good.

5. Scam--Seed Money
Pastors in Word of Faith will ask for donations as "seed money" with the promise that it will bless the giver with wealth in return. Unfortunately the only person who is blessed with wealth in return is the Pastor.

 

[concretecamper]

Are they who belong to the Word of Faith (prosperity gospel) saved and in the body of Christ?

I think they have as good of a shot at salvation as any other protestant denomination

 

[Albion]

Some of the listed doctrinal aberrations are merely curious. A denial of the Trinity would, however, raise the issue of whether or not the member believes in the God of the Bible. That's the only point I see here that would justify thinking that such people could not be saved as WOF members.

 

[Open Heart]

Some of the listed doctrinal aberrations are merely curious. A denial of the Trinity would, however, raise the issue of whether or not the member believes in the God of the Bible. That's the only point I see here that would justify thinking that such people could not be saved as WOF members.

You gon't think people would join WOF in order to seek money rather than God?

 

[Albion]

You gon't think people would join WOF in order to seek money rather than God?

?? I didn't address that point, OP. My comments were about the nature of the doctrines as they were laid out for us here.

 

[VanzTyn]

?? I didn't address that point, OP. My comments were about the nature of the doctrines as they were laid out for us here.

Most WoF people believe Jesus is a man who became like God, from that point they therefore say that in Christ we are just as much a Son of God as Jesus is with divine authority and status. They think that divinity is a type of "Christ-anointing". Look up the word of faith "little gods" doctrine.

 

[Albion]

Most WoF people believe Jesus is a man who became like God, from that point they therefore say that in Christ we are just as much a Son of God as Jesus is with divine authority and status. They think that divinity is a type of "Christ-anointing". Look up the word of faith "little gods" doctrine.

Soooooooo, joining WOF in order to get rich (as O.H. seemed to me to be emphasizing) doesn't seem the critical issue to you either??

 

[VanzTyn]

Soooooooo, joining WOF in order to get rich (as O.H. seemed to me to be emphasizing) doesn't seem the critical issue to you either??

They way WoF people believe they may obtain wealth is that they have the same authority as God the Father through their words. They believe sickness and poverty are atoned for and technically why Jesus died. They have a unusual way of understand Isaiah 53. They believe poverty is a sign of a lack of faith. The means of the ends is where their beliefs (in my opinion) venture outside of orthodox (not eastern) Christianity.

 

[Open Heart]

?? I didn't address that point, OP. My comments were about the nature of the doctrines as they were laid out for us here.

And one of their doctrines is that God will give you prosperity. As you know, you cannot serve both God and money.

 

[Albion]

They way WoF people believe they may obtain wealth is that they have the same authority as God the Father through their words. They believe sickness and poverty are atoned for and technically why Jesus died. They have a unusual way of understand Isaiah 53. They believe poverty is a sign of a lack of faith. The means of the ends is where their beliefs (in my opinion) venture outside of orthodox (not eastern) Christianity.

Sure. The question is "How far out puts one outside salvation?" The above seems to describe a heresy. It's generally agreed that heresy, although serious by definition, doesn't make one a non-Christian or beyond salvation. But not believing in the God of the Bible, well....

 

[VanzTyn]

Sure. The question is "How far out puts one outside salvation?" The above seems to describe a heresy. It's generally agreed that heresy, although serious by definition, doesn't make one a non-Christian or beyond salvation. But not believing in the God of the Bible, well....

That is the purpose of this thread. WoF theology has heretical overtones. I myself was in a church like that once as a new believer. The Lord called me out of that place. I still question if a person can be truly saved and such but stay in that kind of church. I believe a person may be saved in it. But can they be saved staying in it?

 

[Albion]

That is the purpose of this thread. WoF theology has heretical overtones.

Agreed. But the topic of this thread is not "Is WOF heretical?"

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Hmmmmmm . well they say that they are . and the flaming regulations state that they have to be . unless the CF definition of a christian allows some to not be saved.

Hmmmm focus on material possessions according to the parables makes a vine unfruitful because it is surrounded by thorns, the possibility remains open, i.e. with God all things are possible.

Though I disagree strongly with return investment tithing teachings, I wouldn't say that they are not saved.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I think the only WoF group I encountered that was non-trinity was the Pentecostal Apostolic group, but that was more of a denominational thing, not a WoF thing necessarily.

 

[Job8]

Are they who belong to the Word of Faith (prosperity gospel) saved and in the body of Christ?

As far as a proper understanding of the Gospel and salvation, it would appear that they believe the Bible, therefore there would be saved individuals within this movement (regardless of other aberrations).
http://wordoffaith.cc/salvation-offer

 

[Open Heart]

As far as a proper understanding of the Gospel and salvation, it would appear that they believe the Bible, therefore there would be saved individuals within this movement (regardless of other aberrations).
http://wordoffaith.cc/salvation-offer

But WHY are they "receiving Christ"? You cannot serve both God and money.

 

[Purge187]

That is the purpose of this thread. WoF theology has heretical overtones. I myself was in a church like that once as a new believer. The Lord called me out of that place. I still question if a person can be truly saved and such but stay in that kind of church. I believe a person may be saved in it. But can they be saved staying in it?

If the church in question taught that remission of sins comes about by anything other than the blood of Christ, then there would be cause for concern, since the Bible teaches that that's what constitutes apostasy.

Churches with extrabiblical rules and regulations are also cause for concern. Legalism has a way of sapping the joy and peace out of a person.