Answer: Word of Faith teaching is decidedly unbiblical. It is not a denomination and does not have a formal organization or hierarchy. Instead, it is a movement that is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price.

The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. Its founder was E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science (where “name it and claim it” originated) was combined with Pentecostalism, resulting in a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism. Kenneth Hagin, in turn, studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most Word of Faith teachers align themselves with.

At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the “force of faith.” It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God’s sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith—and by extension ourselves—into god.

From here, its theology just strays further and further from Scripture: it claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall, humans took on Satan’s nature and lost the ability to call things into existence. In order to correct this situation, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan’s nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God’s nature. After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the Incarnation in believers so they could become little gods as God had originally intended.

Following the natural progression of these teachings, as little gods we again have the ability to manipulate the faith-force and become prosperous in all areas of life. Illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith, and are remedied by confession—claiming God’s promises for oneself into existence. Simply put, the Word of Faith movement exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status. Needless to say, this is a false representation of what Christianity is all about. Obviously, Word of Faith teaching does not take into account what is found in Scripture. Personal revelation, not Scripture, is highly relied upon in order to come up with such absurd beliefs, which is just one more proof of its heretical nature.

Countering Word of Faith teaching is a simple matter of reading the Bible. God alone is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe (Genesis 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:15) and does not need faith—He is the object of faith (Mark 11:22; Hebrews 11:3). God is spirit and does not have a physical body (John 4:24). Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6), but this does not make him a little god or divine. Only God has a divine nature (Galatians 4:8; Isaiah 1:6-11, 43:10, 44:6; Ezekiel 28:2; Psalm 8:6-8). Christ is Eternal, the Only Begotten Son, and the only incarnation of God (John 1:1, 2, 14, 15, 18; 3:16; 1 John 4:1). In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). By becoming a man, Jesus gave up the glory of heaven but not His divinity (Philippians 2:6-7), though He did choose to withhold His power while walking the earth as man.

The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people, causing them to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical. At its core is the same lie Satan has been telling since the Garden: “You shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Sadly, those who buy into the Word of Faith movement are still listening to him. Our hope is in the Lord, not in our own words, not even in our own faith (Psalm 33:20-22). Our faith comes from God in the first place (Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2) and is not something we create for ourselves. So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Word-Faith.html

Click the link above to see all the bible verses in pop-up format

During the trial of Timothy and Rebecca Wyland for the medical neglect of their now 18-month-old daughter, a doctor testified that the baby girl may have gone blind if she had not been taken away from her parents.

Portland, Oregon’s NewsChannel 8 (KGW) reports the doctor: said the girl has permanent developmental damage to her eye and may require surgery.

In court, the jury was shown images of baby Alayna Wyland who suffered from a buildup of blood vessels around her left eye during the first few months of her life. [...]

The state took Alayna into custody almost immediately, having had experiences with Followers of Christ Church members in the past. At the time, case workers feared the consequences.

“She could go blind in that eye. She could lose the eye completely. Her face could continue to deform,” said case worker John Faber.

Prosecutors asked Emanuel Hospital Dr. Dan Leonhardt -an expert on child abuse who treated Alayna- about the girl’s condition.

“The diagnosis I came to is ‘medical neglect,’” he said.

Meanwhile the Oregonian says:

Timothy and Rebecca Wyland pleaded with child-welfare workers last summer for permission to take their daughter, Alayna, to a doctor and keep her out of state custody.

The Oregon Department of Human Services refused the request and, on June 29, brought Alayna to a hospital, where she was treated the infant for a growth that covered her left eye and extended around the eyeball leaving her left eye on the verge of blindness. A doctor who examined Alayna said she suffered from medical neglect.

The way DHS responded to the Wylands’ pleas became the focus of testimony during the second day of their trial in Clackamas County Circuit court. The Wylands, members of the Followers of Christ, an Oregon City faith-healing church, are charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment for failing to provide medical care for Alayna.

Defense attorneys Mark Cogan and John Neidig maintain that DHS took custody of the girl under the guise that she needed emergency medical care and refused to allow the Wylands to take her to a doctor on their own. But before the girl saw treating physicians, defense attorneys contend, she was evaluated by pediatricians who specialize in child abuse.

The defense attorneys on Tuesday began developing their argument that the Wylands are the victims of an overly aggressive bureaucracy that snatched heir daughter. The attorneys also raised the issue of religious discrimination. Neidig pointed out that DHS reports identified the Wylands as members of the Followers of Christ and said the agency may have targeted the couple for their affiliation.

The Followers of Christ Church is theologically a cult of Christianity whose extreme faith healing beliefs and practices have left a trail of dead children in its wake.

Authorities would be negligent if they ignored the cult’s destructive practices.

Last week the Oregon Senate joined the House in passing a measure sparked by the Followers of Christ Church deaths.

Under current law, spiritual treatment can be used as a defense against some charges. House Bill 2721 would eliminate those defenses and parents choosing faith healing over medical treatment for a child who dies could face tough mandatory sentences. It is expected that the bill will quickly be signed into law.

=====================================================================

Oregon doctors have said that Alayna Wyland, an 18-month-old with a massive growth covering her left eye, may go blind because her parents refused to get her medical treatment on religious grounds.

Today jury selection continues in the trial of Timothy and Rebecca Wyland, who have been charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment of their child, only days after the state House passed a bill to be tougher on faith-healing parents.

READ MORE HERE

Note from Admin: As usual I am very thankful for all the testimonies submitted here but especially this one because of the specific content it is very timely and I am sure it will be particularly helpful to someone the Lord sent to me a few months ago to try to help out of the WoF, which seems to be going very well after a real rough start. – The Lord Jesus Christ is so good.  Please read the short and sweet testimony below and my further comments that follow. THANK YOU MARY!!!

I attended a WoF church since becoming a believer at age 33.  Prior to this, my feelings about these kinds of churches was that they were all and out wierd.  But, it was the church of our choosing because my neighbor went there and God had used her to get me into a good Bible study (not WoF).  I  instantly trusted and threw myself into every aspect of the church including completed the 2-year Bible school and our children attending the school associated with the church and a host of other activities.  Many weeks I was at church 6 of 7 days.  I knew that I had drifted far from my First Love and out of ignorance or pride I got more and more involved in the church instead of returning to the truth.  You name it, I experienced it…the running the laughter, shaking, falling, strange prayer meetings, giving 18 percent of our annual income, speaking of the leader like he was a god.

About the year 2000, my husband began to search out other possible churches for us, but I was not in agreement.  In 2003, he shared with me his realization that if we did not both leave the WoF church, our marriage would most likely crumble.  These were the words that got me away from the church… and it would take me the next three years to deprogram.  Today I can look back and be so grateful for those people in the crucial moments early on in my deprogramming who spoke the truth to me, those I reached out to whom had left the church.  I see this time as the greatest miracle in my life since salvation. “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse”, by Johnson & Vondervan and “Toxic Faith”, by Arterburn & Felton helped a great deal.

Now in 2011, I am grateful for it all having been rescued. I am stronger and in a way weaker too.  I don’t ever want to think that I am beyond being deceived. I have a tenacity for the Word…not just the words, but God’s message in His Word. I want to be authentic and fruit bearing.

I still feel sadness when I think of the people that I hurt during this pride-filled time in my life..my family as they tried to reason with me about the leader of the church and how I lashed out at them in defense of him…and the woman who shared in our woman’s group that her husband had lost his job and that they had no money for groceries and how we “leaders” prayed for her to have more “faith” instead of giving to her what she needed and what we could have provided.

———————————————————————————————

Firstly, this testimony is particularly sweet to me because most of the people who have come to The Word of Faith Recovery Forums are looking for help and suggestions on how to help a spouse out of the WoF and how to cope with such stresses in the relationship that the Wof causes when either one spouse is in and the other not or if both spouses are in, it is always very stressful when one comes out (either in body or mind and soul) before the other. I am sad to report that I have met well over 100 Ex-Wofers and and have witnessed the WoF to be the ruin of too many marriages. Because of this I never suggest that a person give their spouse an ultimatum but I very much understand why some do, it is just that the WoF teachings are so divisive and stressful and relationships can be hard enough without all of that – I really like how mary’s hubby approached it, with love.

My advice is always the same, get equipped and love your spouses. By getting equipped I mean that if your spouse is in the WoF and you are not or you have already come out, you’ll need to know how to refute the devilish doctrines of the WoF – in other words, help them start the “deprogramming” process that is always involved in leaving the WoF. Look for doubts in the mind of your spouse about certain WoF teachings and learn all you can about that specific teaching, how it is twisted and taught and it’s biblical antithesis or truth. And of course it is always good to point out every chance you get that the WoF message sounds very good and alluring but it rarely delivers and when it does it is mostly coincidental, by chance and is usually the product of calling things miraculous that are far from miraculous (one instance comes to mind of a guy who called getting approved for a sub-prime loan on a motorcycle he thought he could not get a miracle not realizing this happens everyday to people of all walks everywhere, is all too common and with the extra interest it is not really even a blessing but a burden – if the Wof message was true why not just speak to your wallet or give to get until you can pay cash for everything your heart desires).

So I usually suggest getting prepared and pray pray pray and show love because it is the legendary love and goodness of the Lord that draws us to our God and more times than not it is love that draws people out of the WoF. But on the other hand if you have had all you can take, are prayed up, studied up and your at your last straw, I have seen ultimatums work but I suggest they not be given if they are not sincere. I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE MARY AND HER HUBBY STILL AS ONE FLESH!!! And I am always super grateful for those unique souls that quit believing in the WoF doctrine and wait patiently for the Lord to open their spouses eyes such as Conni Edwards did with her husband John Edwards (please see John’s, Connie’s and John’s brothers testimonies on our testimony page)

Secondly, you can use the search function in the side bar of this blog to find articles and videos for both of the outstanding books and authors Mary suggested, they really are great resources and you can also try the “Spiritual Abuse Recovery Sites” also listed in the side bar.

Thirdly, Gods strength is magnified in our weaknesses and His grace is sufficient for us in all things. Almost all WoFers have been taught to redefine salvation to always include health, wealth and material prosperity but in it’s basic sense salvation is a rescue and if we seek the Lord He will rescue us time and time again because He is just good like that and He will give us a hunger for relationship with Him and His word that will indeed produce authentic fruit bearing. I believe being WoF and being rescued from it uniquely enables and qualifies Ex’s  to help others out of the WoF. That can be as simple as submitting a testimony to this site or a couple of others that collect such testimonies but also equips people with the love, empathy and knowledge it takes to help others. I would guess-timate that about close to 10-15 percent of the Ex-WoFers I have met go on to start blogs, start or get involved in support groups, write books and even get involved in documentary films about the WoF like co-founder of this groupblog Ex-WoF Pastor John Edwards did here. You can see John’s post on this blog here or visit his site at FaithPreacher.com.

Lastly, I believe feeling sad about those harmed is a common and appropriate feeling among Ex-WoFers. But all too often those sad feelings can be intermingled with guilty feelings and I don’t believe that is ever appropriate. When we are set free by the Lord we are free indeed and if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to cleanse us of all our unrighteousness and if we confess our sins one to another we will be healed. I believe it is important to remember that those things that may have caused others harm are learned behaviors that are inherent too and common in the WoF and that feelings of guilt are also prideful if we think the precious Blood of Jesus Christ cannot wash that stuff away and we cannot forgive ourselves for things the Lord forgives us for and does not even remember anymore. I can tell that the Lord has worked a genuine work in Mary’s heart because her last sentence captures the essence of the Gospel that most WoFers arrogantly miss but can be forgiven for.

NOTE TO MARY: Because I noticed you subscribed to this sites postings I would like to say that I did not mean to seem to preach at ya. I believe your testimony will be very pertinent to the person I mentioned in my preface that I felt I had to elaborate for her benefit and others that might read your testimony. I’ll leave comments open on this post if you would like to comment further or request anything I said to be changed. THANKS SO MUCH FOR CARING ENOUGH TO SHARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VISIT OUR

The good thing about False Teachers? They always identify themselves. But, one can only know the difference between right and wrong by knowing the difference between right and wrong (the bible). The bad thing about false teachers? They are very skilled at keeping up a false guise of Christianity, and very good at duping so called Christians.

READ MORE INCLUDING  OBOMA’S “CHRISTIAN” TESTIMONY HERE

This video shows where a guy from the UK (Derren Brown -Miracles for Sale) took a regular guy off the streets, taught him how to do this deception and brought him right here to Texas and desperate people fell for it and merely thought they where healed until the fake faith healer told them the truth,, that he was just a scuba diving teacher who was taught to pull this deception off through hypnosis, manipulation and the power of suggestion to vulnerable and needy people.

THE WOF IS SERIOUSLY DEADLY and has killed more people than Jim Jones ever thought about (go here and look at Hobart Freemans entry http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/healthyself.html).

I know many who have lost loved ones that died because of this deception. PLEASE DON’T LET IT HAPPEN YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES!!!

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS VERY REAL FOLKS, HE IS ALIVE,, but these faith healers ARE NOT!!!

PLEASE ALSO SEE THESE THREE POST FROM OUR GROUPBLOG

Signs And Wonders Movement Exposed: THE VIDEO SERIES THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST SEE!!!!!!! http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/04/14/signs-and-wonders-movment-exposed/

Ex-Faith Healer Mark Haville Explains The Tricks of the Fake Faith Healing Trade http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/05/26/ex-faith-healer/

Marjoe Gortner: Proof that some Christians will fall for anything http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/05/26/marjoe-gortner/

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/interviews/a315672/derren-brown-derren-brown-miracles-for-sale.html

If you’re a fan of Derren Brown, you’ll be pleased to hear that he’s back with a new special on Monday! This time he’s exposing the murky world of faith healing, where pastors claim to be able to cure people of various ailments – in exchange for money. Derren recently chatted to reporters about the show and why spiritual healing is so dangerous, so read on to find out what he had to say!

How did you come to find out about spiritual healing?
“I grew up a Christian, and only came out of that round the time of university. I was not seeing a lot of it over here but what I did see a lot of was a much lower and harmless level where crowd hype is valued over any kind of personal experience, any depth of faith – I was going to quite a happy clappy church. Then you became aware of these healers that do exist. It always struck me as worrisome but you don’t really take it that seriously. I think coming out of Christianity altogether and just having a slightly clearer sense in my own mind of what I believed and what I didn’t believe – I just looked on that as more of a scam. It’s not like psychics and mediums where it’s like, ‘Does it really matter? People get some comfort out of it, they’re just showmen, but does it really matter?’ [Spiritual healing] is genuinely dangerous.”

How is it dangerous?
“People do not get better at all, and not only do they not got better but they’re told to throw the medicine away. Because if they take the medicine, that’s a demonstration that they don’t have enough faith and if they don’t have enough faith the healing won’t continue. Of course it never works, so everything is about the blame being put back onto the victim, for want of a better word. The people that come up on stage and bounce around and seem to be healed are basically responding to the fact that adrenaline is pumping through their veins and adrenaline is a painkiller. The next day, if anything, they’re going to be worse because they’re bouncing round and touching their toes which they shouldn’t do if they’ve got chronic arthritis! Then you’ve got all the people the cameras don’t show – people with Down’s syndrome, people in wheelchairs, people on drips and in hospital beds. At the big rallies which are where it’s just nastiest, there’s a filtering process at the bottom of the steps where the stewards filter out the people who can be brought up on stage and be shown to be healed. Anybody with an arm missing or anything that’s visible or chronic or real or an organic disease is just sent back. You’ve got the despair of people who do come up and they’re not better and they’re blaming themselves and their own faith, and then you’ve got the hordes of people who are following these healers around America – chronically ill people who are being carried in by their parents, just going from gig to gig to gig waiting for a healing and it never happens.”

What’s the money side of faith healing?
“It’s closely allied to the Prosperity Gospel – they take the idea of sow and you shall reap to be a financial incentive. So Jesus bestows blessings in the form of money and to get that money you have to give. But you’ve got to give more than you can afford otherwise you’re not really giving it in faith. You give it to your pastor and you’ll get hundredfold back. If you don’t, again you don’t have enough faith or you’ve got secret sin. We heard a story of a little girl who was 13. There was a testimonial on TV of someone who had MS, and she had paid $1,000 and been cured. This was an actress talking, it was a produced advert. This 13-year-old girl had MS, so she started saving up, mainly money from her grandmother, and eventually gave $1,000 bit by bit. Of course her MS didn’t go so she rang them up and said, ‘I don’t understand what’s happened’ and she was told, ‘Oh well, you’ve probably got secret sin in your life’. So she poured petrol over herself and killed herself. These are rare cases, but there is just misery that they leave behind. And the top names are earning far more money than any Hollywood A-lister. It’s also the mailing lists, it’s not just the people that are there putting money in buckets. And then you hear that they’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars on room service, rentboys in one case, just all on cash. This money people put in the baskets is just being spent that night.”

The faith healers seem homophobic – is that something that motivated you?
“That’s just sort of ground into that world, into the Deep South, Bible Belt world. One of the big name healers is gay, keeps it very, very quiet – was spending the donation money on rentboys one night. It’s not a big thing for me, I don’t get fired up by that sort of thing. I think there’s a bigger picture that’s just fairly unpleasant.”

Is homophobia one of the reasons you left the church?
“Not at all – I think very few Christians are homophobic. I did go through an area of the church that was about trying to cure gay people. It was rather misjudged, but I was aware of that and I kind of flirted a bit with that… Friends of mine were in it so I was kind of aware of it. I just felt it was misguided really.”

You had a run-in with the police while filming – was that scary?
“They were very nice – they were very polite police. But we did get a criminal trespass warning. All we were doing was just driving in this area to head up to [pastor Kenneth Copeland's] church but we were suspicious because we were three vehicles who had been snooping around a bit. It was very dodgy. They were saying they’d spoken to us before and warned us about coming in which was patently untrue.”

Were you worried that it was about to ruin all your work?
“Yeah, because that Saturday we were planning a final event for our pastor to perform. They’re asking for our passport details, and I’m like, ‘Am I supposed to tell him my name?’ And then they’re giving all our details to the private security guards which certainly wouldn’t be allowed to happen here. So they’ve got my name and the pastor’s name, which isn’t real. If they wanted they could easily work out something’s going on. They also had the flyers for the show we gave them in a misjudged moment of, ‘Come along!’ That was a bit of a concern. But in the end it was alright – I think they were probably just relieved we left.”

Were you worried about the effect the show might have on the fake pastor?
“We knew it would be a real journey, and for the pastor too there would be a sense of, ‘What happens to him?’ He’s the one up there doing it. He’s the one who could be most vulnerable on all sorts of levels. There was a real duty of care for him and protecting him. It was hugely tense for all of us. We’re with this guy who’s doing a fantastic job but has never done anything like this before. It’s not smooth for him by any means. And is he going to really start getting off on this? I found it myself, rehearsing with him and just running through little bits, part of me was itching to get up there and do a little bit of it myself, just from the point of view of performance. I wouldn’t dream of doing it because when you start working with the audience you cross that moral line. But you can see how there’s a real power trip with it and how it could become really addictive. But I’m still in touch with him and I see no signs!”

He was religious at the start of the program – is he still religious?
“Yeah. One great thing about him was that he’s very sincere and had a real earnestness about it which we knew was important. There were other people in the audition group that might have been more natural performers but we knew it was going to be really tough and if all they had was the ego of the performer they might just walk away from it. Whereas somebody who wasn’t a natural performer but just had a real strong commitment to the cause, we knew would be really important.”

How do you think this show will affect people?
“There’s always a bell curve – there will be people that will just be outraged at the very idea of it at one end and there will be people who think it’s just silly and doesn’t interest them at the other. And in the middle there will be a wave of people who are either non-believers like me who think, ‘Oh, that’s terrible’ so it raises awareness. And there’ll be Christians who are sort of aware of it, but don’t take it that seriously. But seeing what goes on in the name of God is a potentially horrible thing if that’s where you come from, because it’s nothing to do with God. It’s a big thing in the show – it’s not an attack on God or faith or the church. It’s about a greedy scam which has nothing to do with God apart from the fact that they mention his name a lot.”

Would you like the show to stop people going to these faith healing events?
“You’d hope… Of course, the horrible thing is that when you’re desperate you don’t really think about evidence. If someone says, ‘Yeah, I can help you’, you just go for it, of course. It’s easy for someone who isn’t desperate to say, ‘Look, here’s the evidence’. You just hope that if you put the information out there people can make a more informed decision. I think that’s the best you can hope for.”

Do you think some Christian people will think you’re attacking their religion?
“Of course, that’s a given. I’m sure people will think that and that’s up to them. But it’s very clear in the show, I make the point very clearly and some of the people helping train our fake pastor are Christians themselves that have been in that movement and are just as horrified by it. It’s about that bell curve again – I think people in the middle will see beyond the fact that we’re talking about Jesus. That shouldn’t immediately make it offensive, when you actually look at what we’re doing. This comes just as much from a distaste as a Christian I had as much as just a human being looking at exploitation.”

Do you think the American authorities could take action?
“It’s very tricky. The church is massively powerful, it’s a huge, huge business. The authorities are reluctant to do anything because it’s about religion and it’s easier to leave them to it. I think one big thing that would help generally is a bit of a shift in tax law, because if you say you’re earning money from a church it’s tax free in the States. There’s a massive tax incentive because they’re not paying a penny on it, they don’t have to declare it, they don’t have to say where it’s going, because that donation money is largely going to nice houses and jets. It’s not like it’s going to pay for Bibles or fuelling into the Word of God. They’re just taking it and spending it on themselves.”

Part One: Faith healing or THEOLOGY OF SUFFERING ? Resources on healing and enduring hardship via, 2Ti 4:5

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/20/part-one-faith-healing-or-theology-of-suffering-resources-on-healing-and-enduring-hardship-via-2ti-45/

Part Two: Faith healing or THEOLOGY OF SUFFERING ? Resources on healing and enduring hardship via, 2Ti 4:

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/20/part-two-faith-healing-or-theology-of-suffering-resources-on-healing-and-enduring-hardship-via-2ti-45/

My Baby…Taken From Death to Life! (a very good testimony to the biblical view of death and suffering)

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/09/my-baby%E2%80%A6taken-from-death-to-life-a-very-good-testimony-to-the-biblical-view-of-death-and-suffereing/

Going Through Hard Times? THIS TOO SHALL PASS

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/04/22/this-too-shall-pass/

Charles Stanley: When We Are Afflicted…

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/01/06/charles-stanley-when-we-are-afflicted/

AUDIO SERMON: Walter Martin – Evil and Human Suffering

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/01/14/audio-sermon-walter-martin-evil-and-human-suffering/

Dr. Norm Geisler – Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering In the World?

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/01/15/dr-norm-geisler-why-does-god-allow-evil-and-suffering-in-the-world/

The Prosperity Gospel and Suffering Saints by W. Dennis Griffith

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/06/07/the-propserity-gospel-and-suffering-saints-by-w-dennis-griffith/

Mark Driscoll Video Sermon: Suffering to Learn w/sermon notes

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/08/11/mark-driscoll-video-sermon-suffering-to-learn-wsermon-notes/

AGAINST THE THEOLOGY OF GLORY by Dr. R.S. Clark

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/02/against-the-theology-of-glory-by-dr-rs-clark/

Testimony of Joni Eareckson Tada on the Word/Faith [Word of Faith Movement]: Releasing a False Christianity upon the Earth: FEATURING her personal testimony Video

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/22/testimony-of-joni-eareckson-tada-on-the-wordfaith-word-of-faith-movement-releasing-a-false-christianity-upon-the-earth-featuring-her-personal-testimony-video/

A full written transcript of the debate prepared by Russell Kelly is at:  http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id207.html

Here is more material on this blog by Russell Kelly

PROSPERITY GOSPEL TACTICS As Seen in John Avanzini As Used by Most Prosperity Preachers – Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2011/03/04/prosperity-gospel-tactics-as-seen-in-john-avanzini-as-used-by-most-prosperity-preachers-russell-earl-kelly-phd/

REFUTING THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL by Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2011/03/04/refuting-the-prosperity-gospel-by-russell-earl-kelly-phd/

Russell Kelly’s Book Review of “Health, Wealth and Happiness” by David W Jones and Russell S Woodbridge

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2011/03/01/russell-kelly%E2%80%99s-book-review-of-health-wealth-and-happiness-by-david-w-jones-and-russell-s-woodbridge/

Should The Church Teach Tithing? – Russell Earl Kelly

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2011/01/23/tithing_not_a_law_of_prosperity/

Russell Earl Kelly refutes Kenneth Copeland on Tithing

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/12/25/russell-earl-kelly-refutes-kenneth-copeland-on-tithing/

Dr. Russell Earl Kelly refutes Word of Faith Apologist Tom Brown on tithing.

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/12/18/dr-russell-earl-kelly-refutes-word-of-faith-apologist-tom-brown-on-tithing/

Dr. Russell Earl Kelly refutes Dr. Chad Marinelli on Tithing

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/12/18/dr-russell-earl-kelly-refutes-dr-chad-marinelli-on-tithing/

*TWotWoF* GROUP RADIO: Episode 2: TITHING, the Word of Faith and PROSPERITY GOSPEL Dr. Russel Kelly

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/13/twotwof-group-radio/

140 Questions for Word of Faith Pastors and their Tithe Payers

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/10/140-questions-for-word-of-faith-pastors-and-their-tithe-payers/

Six Most Quoted Lies about Tithing by Word of Faith Preachers

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/10/six-most-quoted-lies-about-tithing-by-word-of-faith-preachers/

Russell is one of only two people in the world to do their doctorate thesis on tithing and he really knows his stuff.

Russell was kind and gracious in this debate, just like he was when he allowed me to interview him HERE. If you listen to my interview with Russell, two things will be obvious to you. 1. I don’t know much about tithing. 2. But Mr. Kelley REALLY DOES.

There should be 2 or 3 more videos from this debate to be uploaded here soon. And you can see more post on this blog with material from Russell here.

VIDEO SERMON: The Health and Wealth Cult by Walter Martin
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/06/29/video-sermon-the-health-and-wealth-cult-by-walter-martin/

Cultic Qualities of the Word of Faith Movement
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/04/qualities-word-of-faith-movement/

Word of Faith Brainwashing Tactics
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2008/12/19/word-of-faith-brainwashing-tactics/

Facts About the Word of Faith Cult
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/01/16/facts-about-the-word-of-faith-cult-movement/

The Word of Faith is the Fastest Growing Cult In The World
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/25/the-word-of-faith-is-the-fastest-growing-cult-in-the-world/

Junker Jeorge: The Dangerous Kenneth Hagin Cult
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/03/17/junker-jeorge-the-dangerous-kenneth-hagin-cult/

VIDEO SERIES: How a Good Church Becomes a Cult by Jerry Kaifetz
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/08/18/video-series-how-a-good-church-becomes-a-cult-by-jerry-kaifetz/

Ex-Word of Faith Testimony: Leaving the “River” of Charismatic/WoF Cultism by Kevin Reeves
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/09/22/ex-word-of-faith-testimony-leaving-the-river-of-charismaticwof-cultism-by-kevin-reeves/

Word of Faith’ers, Pentecostals, Charismatics and Cultic Anti-Denominationalism: by Damon Whitsell
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/07/08/anti-denominationalism/

Cult Tactics & Mind Control – B.I.T.E.
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/cult-tactics-mind-control-b-i-t-e/

Common Characteristics of a Cult
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/common-characteristics-of-a-cult/

The Narcissistic Cult Leader
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/the-narcissistic-cult-leader/

MIND CONTROL MADE EASY! Become a Cult Leader Today!
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/become-a-cult-leader/

Recovery for Survivors of Religious Cults
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/recovery-religious-cults/

Cults: Sociological & Theological Perspectives
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/cults-sociological-theological/

Bible definition of “Cult”
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/06/30/bible-definition-of-cult/

Is Your Church Free from Cultic Tendencies? A checklist for Responsible Christians
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/04/20/is-your-church-free-from-cultic-tendencies/

Marks of Abusive Religious Groups: w/ Want to become a cult leader? VIDEO
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/19/marks-of-abusive-religious-groups-w-want-to-become-a-cult-leader-video/

Understanding Spiritual Abuse: w/ TOXIC FAITH – Surviving SPIRITUAL Abuse VIDEO
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/19/understanding-spiritual-abuse-w-toxic-faith-surviving-spiritual-abuse-video/

END TIMES DECEPTION: Spiritual Abuse Survey: Is YOUR church a safe place? Take the Survey and see!
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/20/end-times-deception-spiritual-abuse-survey-is-your-church-a-safe-place-take-the-survey-and-see/

What is a (Pseudo/Christian) Cult? by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/22/what-is-a-pseudochristian-cult-by-josh-mcdowell-and-don-stewart/

What are the Characteristics of Cults? by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/02/22/what-are-the-characteristics-of-cults-by-josh-mcdowell-and-don-stewart/

Agony of Deciet: The Health & Wealth Gospel #4: The Cult of the Tele-Evangelists VIDEO
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2009/03/14/agony-of-the-health-wealth-gospel-4-the-cult-of-the-tele-evangelists/

SPIRITUAL ABUSE: An Interview with Jeff VanVonderen: Author of The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/08/13/spiritual-abuse-an-interview-with-jeff-vanvonderen-author-of-the-subtle-power-of-spiritual-abuse/

There are many wolves at large today, prowling around with their “sheep’s clothing” draped across their furry shoulders, looking for any unsuspecting prey which they can devour for their own self-serving agendas. One even contacted me today, and tried to deceive me into advertising his alleged “ministry” for him on my websites, using a false confrontation about Kenneth Copeland as his “lure.”

Instead of playing his silly game, however, I decided to write this article and let him undress his true character for the entire world to see.

READ MORE HERE

I sometimes get accused of being anti-Charismatic and Pentecostal but this is simply untrue. While I do think both movements and traditions are fundamentally flawed and un-biblical, I am not against Charismatics and Pentecostals. Rather I am against the Word of Faith Movement (which is almost entirely heretical and abusive) and anyone from any group that is more like the Mafioso than Christ. That includes narcissistic and controlling people and groups from all theological traditions but it is my firm belief that both the Charismatic and Pentecostal Movements are rife breeding grounds for such groups and people because of the lack of structured accountability.

In 85 I was a charismatic for about 8 months. After they got through with me I did not walk into another church for 10 years and would walk away at the mere mention of the word “God” for about 5 years (My beliefs are not based on my experiences but rather my biblical studies). Since then I have been involved with 3 ministries that turned out to be very nefarious. One was Tic Toc Ministries and Monica Dennington (see here and here) and I hope to share my bad experiences with the other two ministries one day. But I would like to publicly acknowledge 4 people and their ministries that have prevented me from being totally against all things Charismatic and Pentecostal,, Rich Vermillion is definitely one of them. The other 3 are Guy Malone (and his wife) from Alien Resistance, John Marcus Stead, and our very own fellow groupblogger WoF Unveiled (which has turned out to be a great source of emotional support and a great friend to me). I AM VERY PROUD to call these Charismatic brothers,, BROTHERS IN CHRIST. And I am very blessed to think of a couple of them as friends. THANK YOU ALL FOR INFLUENCING MY LIFE IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY, You are all great ambassadors for Christ Jesus!!!

Sincerly,

Damon Whitsell

John Avanzini’s Hundredfold Lie is very typical of other prosperity preachers. They all use the same tactics and WoF abuse of God’s Word.

This article can be duplicated almost word for word concerning any of the “great” word-faith preachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, T D Jakes, Creflo P. Dollar and all of the other false-prophet-John Avanzini types who are getting rich by manipulating the poor among God’s beloved children.

Go to Nigeria, one of the poorest and least educated nations of the world. Assemble 1000 Pentecostal holiness preachers whose main education is from preaching seminars. Tell them that God appeared to you in a vision last night. Promise them that God said He would give a one hundred-fold financial increase to those who would give what he instructed in faith. The result? The crowd of preachers went wild. They gave everything they could get their hands on and even threw their wedding rings and watches to Avanzini.

John Avanzini boasts about this great Holy Spirit experience and tells it over and over again as he goes to churches around the world. He speaks of his Nigerian driver who immediately received a new car but he does not tell if that driver continued to receive the hundredfold financial blessing from future donations. He does not tell if that driver is now superabundantly rich today because he has kept on giving.  The odds of a few of the 1000 eventually receiving a financial bonus are great, but why did not most of them receive it?

The motive?  Do I have to spell it out? All prosperity preachers appeal to greed, avarice, covetousness and especially ignorance of God’s Word.

What does the Bible say about the “hundredfold” increase? The NT Word of God includes the word five (5) times in two occasions. It occurs in Matthew 13:8, 23 and the parallel in Luke 8:8. It also appears in Matthew 19:29 and its parallel in Mark 10:30.

FIRST USE OF “HUNDREDFOLD”:

Matthew 13:8, 23 and Luke 8:8 is Jesus’ parable of the sower. It is about gospel workers who go forth and sow seeds of gospel truth (not money) in order to harvest souls (not money) for the kingdom of God. The context is NOT about money! In 13:10 the disciples asked Jesus why he taught in parables. Referring to knowledge of the “mysteries of heaven” in 13:11, Jesus says in 13:12 that those who are given knowledge from God will be given even “more abundance” –of knowledge, not money! Again this is referring to knowledge and not money.

SECOND USE OF “HUNDREDFOLD”:

Matthew 19:29 is in the context of the aftermath of the rich young ruler leaving because he was not willing to give up his fortune and follow Jesus from 19:22. Jesus summed up the encounter by saying in 19:23 “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus’ statement would not make sense if he wanted his disciples to become rich with earthly possessions.

In Matthew 19:27 Peter asked the important question that is in the minds of many Christians today. After reminding Jesus that the disciples had left everything and followed him, he asked “What then will there be for us?” In other words, “What kind of reward will we receive for following you?”

READ MORE HERE

David W Jones, Russell S Woodbridge

ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (92-94)

Gen 12:1-3; 13 all; 15 all.

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ — that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Prosperity gospel preachers quote Galatians 3:14 to prove that believers access the same material blessings as Abraham did by faith. They teach that this is a performance-based covenant which obligates God to bestow material blessings on believers now by faith.

In reality the second half of Galatians 3:14 only bestows the Spirit itself by faith which brings justification. The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant and its blessings fall upon believers because they are already believers. Abraham received great financial blessings in Genesis 12 when he was NOT exercising faith.

BIBLICAL REASONS TO GIVE (p142-149)

1.  To assist believers, strangers and the poor.

2.  Love for God and love for others.

3.  To bring glory to God – to show that God and his kingdom are more important than things of the world.

4.  The gospel itself. One’s view of ownership changes.

5.  Reward. Heavenly rewards will consist of differing levels of responsibility in eternity. The question remains as to whether these rewards are material or spiritual in nature.

………………………………………………………………..

GIVING: 1 Corinthians 16:2

(1) periodic – weekly

(2) personal — everybody

(3) planned – put aside; store up

(4) proportionate – according to means

(5) plentiful – no collection when I come  (p154-155).

………………………………………………….

GIVING: 2 Cor 8 and 9. From Should the Church Teach Tithing? By Russell Earl Kelly

Christians are commanded to give freely, sacrificially, generously, regularly, joyfully and with the motivation of love for God and man. (1) Giving is a “grace.”

(2) Give yourself to God first (8:5).

(3) Give yourself to knowing God’s will (8:5). (4) Give in response to Christ’s gift (8:9; 9:15).

(5) Give out of a sincere desire (8:8, 10, 12; 9:7).

(6) Do not give because of any commandment (8:8, 10; 9:7).

(7) Give beyond your ability (8:3, 11-12).

(8) Give to produce equality. This means that those who have more should give more in order to make up for the inability of those who cannot afford to give as much (8:12-14). (9) Give joyfully (8:2).

(10) Give because you are growing spiritually (8:3-4, 7).

(11) Give because you want to continue growing spiritually (9:8, 10-11).

(12) Give because you are hearing the gospel preached (9:13).

……………………………………………………………….

Give to please God –not to gain God’s favor.

Give out of love –not out of greed or selfishness.

GOSPEL PRINCIPLES:

Matt 10:9-11 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.”

At least while on evangelistic campaigns, gospel workers were to be totally supported by those whom they served. However the support was very minimal.

Matt 20:16 So the last shall be first, and  the first last: for many be called, but few chosen (110).

Those who strive to serve others are most exalted by God.

Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

We are not to lend while hoping for more in return.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (114).

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Phil 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Whatever is worthy of worship or upholds the righteous standard of a holy God demands the attention of God’s people. A mind filled with God’s Word will desire the things of God.

Rewards are primarily future and spiritual. Christians ought to give to God out of a loving heart knowing that He will reward as He sees fit.

The gospel requires people to work in order to meet their needs.

The gospel focuses on the material needs of others.

The gospel warns others of the spiritual pitfalls of accumulated wealth.

The gospel encourages Christians to give from that which they have been entrusted.

The gospel teaches believers to have faith in Go.

……………………………………………………..

HEALING:

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Joyce Meyer of the Prosperity Gospel says “By his stripes I was healed. Healing belongs to me.”  Acceding to prosperity teachers, the cure for healing is to have a positive outlook – thinking and saying the right words (90).

Actually the healing comes as a miracle from God and not from our own positive outlook. And the verses clearly focus on spiritual healing of “our transgressions,” “our iniquity” and the “chastisement of our peace.”

READ MORE HERE

NOTE FROM ADMIN: This review is very long because it is a chapter by chapter review, commentary and outline. I believe it is well worth the time to read.

FROM:

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/errors-of-prosperity-gospel-part-1.html

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/prosperity-gospel-part-2.html

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/prosperity-gospel-part-three.html

Note: This book is excellent in every way. I highly recommend it.

Why is the prosperity gospel so popular?
1. It contains a grain of truth.
2. Appeals to the natural human desire to be successful
3. It promises much and requires little.
4. Many of its advocates have polished presentations.
5. Many followers have little knowledge of the Bible doctrine.
6. Many have experienced success and healing and have attributed it to the prosperity gospel.
7. Many Christians lack discernment in this area (p18-19)
……….

NEW THOUGHT MOVEMENT (p27-49)

In 1895 a Boston group defined its doctrine as “to show that through right thinking one’s loftiest ideals may be brought into realization and to advance intelligent and systematic treatment of disease by spiritual and mental methods.” (p27).

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was a clairvoyant who claimed to have spoken to Paul for over a year and with Martin Luther over 100 times. Yet, contrary to Luther, he rejected the Trinity, the deity of Christ and salvation by grace through faith alone. The human mind has the capacity to control the physical world. (P28-29).

Phineas Quimby (1802-66), the Father of New Thought, pioneered the idea of mental healing. The mind can create and influence others by thinking what one wanted to happen (p29). He believed that sickness follows disturbance of the mind (30). Mary Eddy Baker was one of his patients (31).

Ralph Waldo Trine (1866-1958) taught that Buddha was equally inspired with the Bible. Influenced Napoleon Hill (31-32).

Norman Vincent Peal (1898-1993) wrote The Power of Positive Thinking (1952). Chapters were Prayer the Most Powerful Form of Energy; How to Think Your Way to Success and Change Your Thoughts and You Change Everything. Peale merged secular ideas with biblical themes (3-34).
……….

TEACHINGS OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL: (50-80)

As an organized movement the prosperity gospel has only existed for about a hundred years (50).

E W Kenyon (1867-1948), Father of the Prosperity Gospel, was influenced by Unitarian-Universalists and Christian Science. He taught that speaking the right words would bring about a new reality and probably began the phrase “What I confess, I possess.” (51) Positive confession is the key to prosperous living and health. “The cross has no salvation in it. It is a place of failure and defeat.” “When Jesus died his spirit was taken by the Adversary and carried to the place where the sinner’s spirit goes when he dies.” ”The value of Christianity is what we get out of it.” In Kenyon’s system a relationship with God is a means for a person to get what he or she wants. God never planned that we should live in poverty – physical, mental or spiritual.” (52-53)

KENNETH E HAGIN: (1917-2003) (54): In the late 1940s Oral Roberts spread the word about faith healing and faith prosperity. Kenneth Hagin is the Father of the Word of Faith movement. At age 16 he reported dying, seeing Hell and being brought back to life 3 times while being converted. At age 17 he reported seeing Jesus 8 times in a few months. Typical of prosperity preachers, he relied on extrabiblical revelations (54). As an Assembly of God preacher, he claimed to be an anointed prophet. His message from Jesus was “Say it. Do it. Receive it. Tell it.” Critics have found many verbatim quotations plagiarized from Kenyon (55).

THE TEACHINGS OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL (55)

1. A Distorted View of God:
Many deny the Trinity: God is one in essence and three in person – coequal and coeternal. They teach the ancient heresy of MODALISM: God is One in Person and appears in different Modes; God is not simultaneously the Father, Son and Spirit. TD Jakes, a Oneness Pentecostal, teaches Modalism. In 1990 Benny Hinn proclaimed that each person of the Godhead was Triune (57). Creflo Dollar says that God is one person with 3 different roles.

Kenneth Copeland wrote “I was shocked when I found out who the biggest failure in the Bible actually is … The biggest One in the whole Bible is God … Now the reason you don’t think of God as a failure is He never said He’s a failure.” (58)

2. Elevation of Mind Over Matter (59)

Like New Thought, words –both thought and spoken—are a force and have creative power. Charles Capps wrote “Man speaks spirit words that work in the world of the spirit. … Man breathes spirit life into God’s Word and it becomes a living substance, working for him as it worked for God in the beginning. These spirit words dominate the natural world” (59).

Creflo Dollar said “As believers we have authority over the physical world.” Speaking the right words combined with faith in those words can produce amazing results (59). The believer’s task is to use the words in order to exercise spiritual laws for their own benefit. (60) If believers repeat the right words and believe, then God must bless.

Dollar says “God uses words to create what he wants to exist. Christians have the same ability. … When you want healing, say what the Bible says ‘By his stripes I am healed’” (60). These arguments are false because they fail to distinguish between in Infinite Omnipotent God and finite humans; if people had the same creative power of God they should be able to create new objects out of nothing (61).

Kenneth Copeland says that once you have prayed in faith … You can now rest assured that what you prayed will now come to pass. They seem to forget the conditional aspect of prayer – “Thy will be done.” Copeland thinks that it was God’s faith in His own words that created the world. In Copeland’s twisted theology even the God of the universe needs faith (61).

Joyce Meyer even provides lists of positive confessions. The positive confessions are simply positive thinking like that of the secular New Thought’s law of attraction: you attract what you think about (62).

Joel Osteen says you have to see your success in your mind because what you see in your mind is what you produce. Mind over matter (62).

3. AN EXALTED VIEW OF HUMANKIND (63)

Prosperity theology INVERTS the relationship between the Creator and the creature. Humans are at the center of the universe; God exists to meet their needs. The gospel is human-centered and egotistical. This ignores the biblical teaching that humans exist for the purpose of glorifying God. Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Joel Osteen says “I can expect preferential treatment. I can expect people to want to go out of their way to help me.” In other words, God exists to serve people and everybody exists to serve me. This contradicts Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (63).

Paul Crouch and many others consider humans to be divine. He says “I am a little god. Critics be gone.” Kenneth Copeland says “You don’t have a God in you; you are one.” Yet the Bible never teaches that humans are divine (63). Humans are neither Omnipotent, Omniscient nor Omnipresent.

Ps 82:6 is quoted by prosperity gospel teachers to prove the men are gods. However 82:7 puts it into the context of evil judges claiming to be gods and above reproach. Creflo Dollar uses Ps 82:6 to distort truth (63-64).

T D Jakes says that humans were made from God’s DNA. However the Bible does not teach that humans were made out of God; it teaches that humans were made BY God. (Much more on page 64.)

4. FOCUS ON HEALTH AND WEALTDH (64)

Many teach that neither Jesus nor His disciples were poor. Robert Tilton even teaches that it is a sin to be poor. The driving force is not to help others, but to receive compensation in return. When Christians give generously, God gives more in return and there is an ever-increasing cycle of prosperity. Whereas Jesus teaches His disciples to “Lend, expecting nothing in return” (Luke 6:35), prosperity theologians teach their disciples to lend because they will get a great return. The prosperity message is in captivity to the American dream and many in impoverished nations easily fall prey to that vision. The prosperity preachers become wealthy while promising American-type wealth to their poor congregations who remain poor.

Many prosperity teachers make promises that are simply not true (65). They say “Give to the ministry; plant a financial seed and God will give you a return on that act of faith (66). For the most successful prosperity preachers, this formula works (67).

Kenneth Hagin says “I believe that it is the plan of God our Father that no believer ever be sick.” This fails to admit the temporal effects of the fall of humankind (67). It also fails to consider God’s approval of Job’s calamity and poor health.

Robert Bolden says it is your right to be healed and you only need to exercise faith (68). Joyce Meyer says “’I will’ is the strongest assertion that can be made in the English language” (68).

5. ERROR OF UNORTHODOX VIEW OF SALVATION (69)

While making seemingly orthodox statements about the plan of salvation, many seriously leave the truth (69).

Kenneth Copeland teaches that Jesus completely emptied Himself of His divinity while on earth and ceased to be God during his incarnation (70).

Creflo Dollar says “Jesus did not show up perfect; he grew up into his perfection” (70). In reality, though, only the God-Man can save from sin.

Kenneth Hagin limits Christ’s atonement to his spiritual death and not to his physical death.

Frederick K C Price also rejects Jesus’ physical death as payment for sin; “the punishment for sin was to go into Hell itself” (71). This contradicts 2 Cor 5:21.

From what did Jesus save people? The orthodox answer is “from sin.” Yet many prosperity preachers prefer that Jesus saves people from a non-prosperous life. They undermine the gospel with their teaching. They focus on humans and not on God. The prosperity gospel is little more than a secular-style self-help program for material success (70).

JOEL OSTEEN (PAGES 72-80)

Osteen is pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas with a weekly attendance of over 40,000 – the largest church in the USA (72).

Osteen often makes up his own hermeneutics when interpreting Scripture (73-74). He presents the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ as a paradigm for overcoming challenges and obstacles in life instead of exalting Christ as the substitutionary sacrifice for sin (74).

Osteen also uses words as if the words themselves have magic powers. “There is a miracle in your mouth. If you want to change your world, start by changing your words. … with our words we can prophesy our own future’ (75). His belief in the power of words places people in control of their own destinies (75).

In explaining the steps to salvation, Osteen says “Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. I ask you to come into my heart. I make You my Lord and Savior.” Osteen teaches that one is saved from the possibility of a difficult life rather than from one’s sinful condition (76). “When we believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and believe in ourselves, that’s when faith comes alive. When we believe we have what it takes, we focus on our possibilities” (76). “When you’re in difficult times, it’s good to remind God what you’ve done” (76). Yet, contrary to Osteen’s teaching here, biblical faith involves rejecting a self-righteous standard and recognizing that only Christ has the power to save (76).

Contrary to Romans 3:23 and Isaiah 64:6, Osteen holds an optimistic view of the goodness of people and their abilities (77). Like Jakes, he thinks that humans are made from the substance of God and have God’s DNA. “It’s in your blood.” Pure positive thinking can defeat hereditary disease (77).

Although science has proven that acquired abilities are not passed on via hereditary, Osteen teaches that positive actions change DNA which is then passed on to future generations (78). This is a works-based righteousness that eliminates the need for God’s grace. In fact God never promised unconditional blessing to one’s descendants because the basis of our blessings is the life of Christ.

When interviewed on national TV’s 60 Minutes, Brian Pitts noted Osteen’s perverted theology: “To become a better you, you must be positive towards yourself, develop better relationships and embrace the place where you are. Not one mention of God in that.” Osteen responded “That’s just my message.” Osteen’s answer is not centered on Christ. He is preaching his own message (78).

Osteen appears to open the door of salvation to everybody regardless of one’s acceptance of Jesus Christ (79). He does not place Scripture in the center of his message (80).

THEOLOGY OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL (81-103)

THE BIBLICAL GOSPEL
1 Cor 15:1-4; Rom 3:21-26; 2 Cor 5:11-21.
First, God is holy and perfectly righteous (Rom 3:21-26). In His mercy and grace God chose to save rebellious sinful people (Rom 3:25) (p82).
Second, every person has sinned against a holy God and deserves hell (Rom 3:23). No one can meet God’s standard of perfection. No one is good enough to merit God’s grace and everyone is under God’s wrath against sin as well as His judgment.

Third, the triune God sent Jesus to earth to accomplish redemption (Rom 3:24-25). Jesus, being both full God and fully man, lived a sinless perfect life in obedience to His Father. He lived a life that we could not.
Fourth, Jesus died willingly on the cross in the place of sinners. In this loving act He became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). Jesus satisfied the wrath of God against sin — the wrath and judgment that people deserved (Rom 3:25). Jesus is our Substitute and, with his death on the cross, He took the punishment for our sins.

Fifth, God was reconciling humanity to Himself (2 Cor 5:18). The debt of sin was cancelled and trespasses are not counted against those who believe. “We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14).

Sixth, God raised Jesus from the dead for our justification (Rom 4:25). Through the resurrection, then, God approved of Jesus’ sacrifice and thereby ensured salvation for all who believe (82-83).

Mark 8:34-35 Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

If rightly understood salvation costs people everything (84).

Christians need to hear the gospel all of their lives because it is the gospel that continues to remind us that our day-to-day acceptance with the Father is not based on what we do for God but on what Christ did for us in His sinless life and sin-bearing death (85). If Jesus is left out of the gospel, if the cross is left out, if God’s judgment against sin is left out, if humanity’s sin is left out – there is not gospel (86).

ERROR: When Bryon Pitts reminded Joel Osteen that his statement about the gospel did not mention God or Jesus, Osteen replied “That’s just my message.” The prosperity gospel says “I try my best for the purpose of getting things from God.” The prosperity gospel teaches believers to depend on their own works, thoughts and efforts in order to succeed in life (86).

FAITH:
Orthodox Christianity understands “faith” to be “trust in the person of Jesus Christ, the truth of His teaching and the redemptive work he accomplished at Calvary.

Kenneth Copeland writes that “faith is a spiritual force, a spiritual energy, a spiritual power. It is this force of faith which makes the laws of the spirit world function.” According to prosperity theology, faith is not a God-centered act of the will stemming from God; rather it is man-centered spiritual force directed at God (87).

In Matthew 8:8-10 faith is in the Messiah to heal (88). In Matthew 9:22 faith is in God to accomplish the impossible. In Mark 9:23 it is faith in Christ’s ability to heal. Contrary to the prosperity gospel, the Bible does not teach believers to have faith in words of their own powers. Having faith in self or faith in faith is opposed to having faith in God (88).

Faith is not a magic formula that works by itself apart from faith in God (89). While Job suffered greatly and lost everything he had, including his health, he did not lose his faith in God; prosperity preachers would frown on Job today as one who had no faith (89).

THE ATONEMENT
The prosperity gospel claims that both physical healing and financial prosperity have been provided by the atonement (89).

2 Cor 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

2 Cor 8: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

Prosperity preachers misuse 2 Cor 8:9. In context of verses 10-14 Paul is teaching that Christians should share whatever they are rich in: Corinthians were rich in money and Judeans were rich in faith (90).

Misapplying Isaiah 53:5, Joyce Meyer says “By his stripes I was healed. Healing belongs to me.” Yet, if physical healing is promised in the atonement, then all believers should be healed when they exercise faith. Acceding to prosperity teachers, the cure for healing is to have a positive outlook – thinking and saying the right words (90).

If healing does not occur (they teach), the problem is your lack of faith (91). In reality, the context of Isaiah 53:4-5 is spiritual in nature – the remission of sins. This is repeated in 1 Pet 2:24. We are also reminded in 2 Corinthians 12 that God refused to answer Paul’s repeated requests for physical healing (91).

Sickness itself is not necessarily the result of one’s personal sin (91). This is clear in Job’s suffering and also in John 9:1-7 where Jesus’ disciples thought that the blind man was blind because of his own sin or that of his parents (92). For prosperity preachers the cross becomes little more than a means to an end: Jesus died for your sins so that you can be prosperous and healthy. This contrasts with Jesus’ message that believers must take up their cross daily and die to sin (92).

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
While the proper interpretation of the Abrahamic covenant makes Christians heirs to the blessings of faith, prosperity preachers say it was for God to bless Abraham materially and to make him successful (93).

Paula White says “God’s Word is full of covenants for our lives.” She errs in assuming that all Bible covenants are for all nations.

Kenneth Copeland says that, because of the Abrahamic Covenant, prosperity belongs to you now. He errs by ignoring Hebrews 11 where most of what God promised Abraham was not fulfilled in his lifetime and Abraham died a nomad outside the promised land of Canaan (93).

Creflo Dollar says that God must prosper Christians materially because of the Abrahamic covenant. He ignore the fact that the Old Covenant prophets and
Jesus and His disciples were not prospered materially. Paul and his band of preachers were not prospered materially and the saints in Judea who needed multiple missions of famine relief were not prospered financially (94).

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ — that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Prosperity preachers quote the first half of Galatians 3:14 to prove that material blessings are promised to believers. Yet they ignore the second half of the text which discusses spiritual promises (94).

The Abrahamic Covenant was unconditional on God’s part. In Genesis 15 only God walked through the cut pieces of the covenant ceremony. Abraham’s disobedience could not annul it. We are saved by grace through faith and, having been saved, we become heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant. Yet prosperity preachers teach that believers receive the Abrahamic Covenant via the conduit of continuing faith. However, if unconditional, then all Christians should (according to their view) already be wealthy regardless of whether or not they practice prosperity theology (94). A divine covenant is not performance-based (95).

THE MIND (95)
The prosperity preachers encourage believers to make positive verbal and mental confessions concerning what they desire. Yet if personal flourishing consumes one’s thoughts, such desires have become idolatrous.

In contrast, Paul counseled believers to dwell on things which are “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable” (Phil 4:8). Whatever is worthy of worship, or upholds the righteous standard of a holy God, demands the attention of God’s people. A mind filled with God’s Word will desire the things of God.

Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (95).

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (96)

The prosperity gospel encourages believers to focus on themselves (96).

Prov 18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Prosperity preachers quote Proverb 18:21 to prove the power of words. Yet some see the context as a warning against being too much in love with your own words – somebody who, like Herod in Acts 12:22, likes to hear himself speak and glorifies himself to his own destruction (96).

PRAYER
James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (96-97)

Prosperity preachers like to quote the second half of James 4:2, “you have not because you ask not” and ignore the context of verses 2 and 3 (97).

Creflo Dollar says ”when we pray believing, God has no choice but to make our prayers come to pass.” His view of prayer seems self-centered. Teaching such claims we can demand things of God is spiritual justification for self-indulgence. It ignore the chief ingredient of every prayer that God’s will may be done. In reality, prayer is a means of fellowship with God and an act of worship (97).

Prayer focuses on God and His glory (98). Jesus taught: (1) Holy be your name, (2) Your kingdom come, (3) your will be done and (4) give us our DAILY bread – not great riches.

1 Tim 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1 Tim 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (98)

THE BIBLE
Prosperity preachers often use highly subjective and arbitrary methods of interpreting the Bible (99). They often ignore context.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

This, we are told, means that God wants all believers to prosper “in all things.” Oral Roberts claimed that this text was given to him as a miraculous revelation. And Kenneth Copeland also misinterprets this as a universal promise (99).

First, John was not teaching doctrine; rather he was merely opening his letter with a greeting (100).

Second, and much more important, the Greek word for “prosper,” eu-o-dos-thai, is from two words, eu meaning “good” and odos meaning “way, road, journey” as in John 14:6. Several versions read “that all may go well.” In First Corinthians 16:2 it means “to the extent life has been good to you” and in Romans 1:10 is simply means a “good safe journey” (100).

Third, “as thy soul prospers” indicates that the text means “may matters be good for your physical life just as they have been good for your spiritual life.”

GIVING
Prosperity preachers have an abnormal fixation on giving (100). Its encouragement to give is not built primarily on a desire to help others (101).

Mark 10:29 There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
Mark 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Gloria Copeland and John Avanzini say that Mark 10:30 is a “very good deal.” Yet the context is speaking of the replacement of one’s own “house, relatives and lands” with those of the wide body of believers while being persecuted. It is completely absurd to teach that God literally wants us to have 100 houses, parents, children and pieces of property. Yet, because of the Body of Christ, the homes and possessions of fellow believers are shared with us. See also Mark 3:34-35 (101).

Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest …” (102).

The “give-to-get” “seed of faith” theology does much to enrich the prosperity preachers. “Whereas Jesus taught His disciples to “lend, expecting nothing in return,” prosperity teachers teach their disciples to give because they will get a great return (102).

CHAPTER 4: P107-122
SUFFERING

Pain and suffering are common among biblical characters (108).

Abraham suffered marital strife between his wives. He suffered political strife with Pharaoh. He suffered the fate of his firstborn son, Ishmael, having to leave his presence and being called by God “a donkey of a man.” Except for his wife’s grave site, Abraham never owned any of the land he had been promised (108).

Jacob suffered from bad relations with Laban, squabbling wives, fear of his brother, bad eyesight and a dislocated hip. And Jacob died as a nomad in a foreign land.

Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers and separated from his father. And he spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit (108).

Job lost everything he had after God allowed Satan to torture him. He suffered terrible misery from both his best friends and bodily affliction (109).

David suffered betrayal by his son and banishment as king by his own people. He was not allowed to build his dream project – the Temple.

Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and most other Old Testament saints suffered great affliction as leaders for God’s cause.

Jesus Christ, God’s most beloved God-Man, suffered more than can be imagined or described.

James and Stephen suffered martyrdom, plus countless others.

Paul, God’s most successful evangelist, suffered from beatings, prison, ship-wreck, snake-bite, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, poor eyesight and poor speech. See 2 Cor 11:12. Yet God refused to end his physical suffering with divine healing.

Phil 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (p109)

Christ is not a means to escape a life of suffering; instead faith is often a reason for personal suffering (110). Considering the subject theologically, one can conclude that pain and suffering are a normal part of the Christian life. Since “Christ-likeness” is the goal of a Christian life, Christians can expect suffering.

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Matt 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen (110).

CAUSES OF SUFFERING (110)

NATURAL EVIL (111)
Both the greatest saint and worst sinner are born to die physically and such usually involves degeneration and suffering. For the vast majority of mankind, natural disasters such as earthquakes, famines, plagues, tornadoes, floods and droughts affect both righteous and wicked in the suffering they cause.

It is the error of Job’s friends and Jesus’ disciples in John 9:1-7 which concludes that suffering is the direct of result of one’s personal sins (111).

As soon as sin entered in Genesis 3 all mankind (good and bad) suffered. All men were destined to toil and sweat and all mothers were destined to suffer in childbirth (112).

Jesus Himself pointed out that, just because a particular tower fell and killed people, does not mean that those victims were any worse than anybody else (Lk 13:4-5) (113).

The purpose of personal suffering is ultimately to foster one’s personal relationship with the Lord. Referring to Genesis 3, Paul wrote that hope would result (Rom 8:20). Natural evil is a curse brought upon the whole world because of moral evil. It can both punish the wicked and discipline the righteous. It also reminds us that sin and redemption are cosmic in scope (113).

MORAL EVIL
Suffering from moral evil is always personal and begins in the heart of man. The worst kind of moral evil is willfully disobeying God’s revealed will (113). There is an inherent connection between moral evil and human suffering (114).

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (114).

AN OVERVIEW OF SUFFERING

EVERYBODY IS A SINNER.
When sin entered the world it affected all mankind. As the ruler of planet Earth, Adam’s sin brought a judicial curse on all mankind; all men suffer from natural law and from the sins of others. More to the point of this book, as soon as man reaches the point of knowing right from wrong he sins and also suffers from his own personal sins (Rom 5:16) (116).

People are not essentially good and suffering is not essentially unjust.

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

EVERYBODY POSSESSES FREE WILL.
We are not robots whom God has preprogrammed to obey Him. He gave all of us free will that we might choose to love him. However, along with that free will comes the inevitable time when we will freely choose to disobey and deserve the punishment of our Creator (116).

2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
…..
2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The voluntary substitute death of Jesus Christ with its unimaginable suffering was for our sins (117).

THERE IS VALUE IN SUFFERING

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Paul should know. He suffered often and severely over 30 years and saw thousands converted and many assemblies of believers established. While leading prison guards to the Lord, he could say from bondage …

Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content (117).

Paul did not believe that all Christians should be wealthy and healthy.

THERE IS VALUE IN SUFFERING

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Even suffering can be used to bring glory to God. God has the ability to use suffering for good (117).

First, suffering can be a warning sign of approaching danger; minor pain can warn of more serious conditions (118).

Second, suffering can warn that it is time to repent (Heb 12:11).

Third, pain can encourage some to find better relationships. Misery loves company. Trials can result in the comfort and ministry to others (2 Cor 1:6-7).

Fourth, nonbelievers can react positively when they see believers act in an appropriate way (118).

Fifth, the greatest benefit of suffering is the sanctification it fosters by forcing people to rely upon God (119).

2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Prov 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Prov 30:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain (119-122).

BIBLICAL WEALTH AND POVERTY P123-141

Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Matt 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mt 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (125)

Suffering is part of being human. Since the entrance of sin all men are to toil and sweat and all women are to bear children in pain. Even the subservience of the woman to her husband is part of the curse of sin (126-127).

Part of Israel’s Old Covenant law was protection of the people from abuse by the more wealthy. None could be forced to work on the Sabbaths, many debts were to be forgiven on the seventh-year Sabbath and property was to be returned on the Year of Jubilee. Gleaning rights took from those who had and fed those who had not. The possession or lack of material goods is neither commended not condemned anywhere in Scripture in and of themselves – abuse is condemned plus the consequences of being so rich that one forgets his need for God (129).

Biblical justice does not require or expect equal distribution of resources (130). The Bible continually endorses hard labor in order to meet material needs (not sitting and putting faith in faith and faith in words apart from obedience to God’s Word) (130-131).

Prov 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Prov 28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

Prov 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Prov 6:1 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Prov 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Prov 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. (131)

JESUS WAS POOR:
(1) He was born in a stable.
(2) As a carpenter’s son he was part of a lower or middle class family
(3) His parents were poor enough to qualify to offer two pigeons – the sacrifice designated for the poor (Lk 2:24).
(4) Jesus associated with and ministered among the lowest classes of society.
(5) Matt 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
(6) He apparently had no home, no land and no regular income.
(7) Jesus borrowed often: a boat, food, a colt, a room and a tomb. (132)

JESUS AND THE RICH
(1) When he associated with the rich and influential, they were often his antagonists (133).
(2) He ministered to a rich young ruler, tax collectors, and a centurion but did not ask them for financial support.
(3) Jesus neither advocated wealth nor poverty (133).

Poverty itself is not presented in the Bible as being inherently sinful (134). It is the causes and effects of poverty which are sometimes sinful but that is also true of wealth.

Jesus did teach His disciples to be on guard against the temptation of material wealth.

Matt 19:23 a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (135)

Wealth was often a spiritual stumbling block in the Gospels.
1. The Pharisees were lovers of money.
2. Money changers in the Temple.
3. Judas Iscariot’s betrayal

Matt 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mt 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Paul understood laboring to meet material needs a normal part of the Christian life (135-136).

Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

2 Thess 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (136)

Money can do more harm than good.

1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (137)

1 Tim 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1 Tim 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1 Tim 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Covetousness and greed afflict both the rich and poor. Many examples of the rich coveting are provided in the book.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee(139).

UNORTHODOX VIEWS OF MATERIAL WEALH AND SPIRITUAL WEALTH:

1. PROSPERITY GOSPEL — wrong
Spiritual wealth leads to material wealth.

2. JOB’S FRIENDS — wrong
Spiritual poverty (sin) material poverty.

3. ASCETICISM — wrong
Material poverty leads to spiritual wealth.

4. MATERIALISM — wrong
Material wealth leads to spiritual poverty. (139)

The error of all four views is that they insist upon a REQUIRED connection between material wealth and spiritual wealth (140). Unlike the prosperity preachers, material wealth is not a required result of spiritual wealth.

1. GOSPEL: requires people to work in order to meet their needs.
PROSPERITY GOSPEL: emphasized the conjuring of mystical forces of faith in order to meet material needs.

2. GOSPEL: focuses on the material needs of others.
PROSPERITY GOSPEL: focuses on acquiring wealth for oneself.

3. GOSPEL: warns others of the spiritual pitfalls of accumulated wealth.
PROSPERITY GOSPEL: is consumed with the accumulation of wealth (140-141).

Throughout history the most influential Church Fathers gave up great wealthy and preferred to live in poverty in order to serve the needs of humanity. This is true of Cyprian, Tertullian, Augustine, Chrysostum, Jerome and Aquinas. They literally interpreted Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler.

Luke 18:22 Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

BIBLICAL GIVING P142-158

Why Should Christians Give?
To be faithful stewards (142)

Giving is an Act of Obedience.
Christians are obligated to give from that which they have been entrusted (143). The O.T. system under the Law was tithing. There were three different tithes from the increase of food from the holy land of Israel (143). In the New Testament God commanded Christians to give in order to assist believers, strangers and the poor (144).

Giving Demonstrates Love (144)
A second motivation for giving is love for God and love for others (144).

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

GOSPEL: should be motivated by love.
PROSPERITY GOSPEL: teaches, a desire for personal flourishing.

Giving Brings Glory to God (145)
A third motivation for giving is to bring glory to God – to show that God and his kingdom are more important than things of the world (145).

Giving is a Result of the Gospel (146)
A fourth motivation for giving is the gospel itself. One’s view of ownership changes.

God knows that we can become enamored with the things of this world (146). A person’s finances, abilities and time all compete with God for worship (147). People cannot love both God and money because God cannot share His glory.

Matt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Jesus makes an explicit connection between our love for God, our hearts and our possessions. When the gospel of grace takes root, one’s view of eternity changes (147).

Giving Results in Reward (148)
A fifth motivation for giving is reward. Heavenly rewards will consist of differing levels of responsibility in eternity. The question remains as to whether these rewards are material or spiritual in nature (148).

2 Cor 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

1 Tim 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1 Tim 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

GOSPEL: Rewards are primarily future and spiritual. Christians ought to give to God out of a loving heart knowing that He will reward as He sees fit.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: emphasizes rewards as if they are the only motivation for giving. It views rewards primarily as material in nature. This false gospel turns God’s grace into a law which He must obey.

How Much Should Christians Give (149)
Nov 23, 2007, Wall Street Journal, The Backlash Against Tithing.
Mar 2, 2008, CBS News Sunday Morning, To Tithe or Not to Tithe (149-150). Without a doubt the discussion about tithing among evangelicals is becoming more prominent. All agree that generous giving is a biblical mandate.

Page 184, footnote 5. For example see David A Croteau, A Biblical and Theological Analysis of Tithing, 2005 … and Russell Earl Kelly, Should the Church Teach Tithing, A Theologian’s Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine (2001) 2007. Kelly’s book is a revised version of his dissertation.

Givng Before the Mosaic Law

Gen 14:17-20. Abram tithed off other people’s goods, not his own income. The act of giving appears to be a single occurrence. No evidence in the biblical narrative suggests that God commanded this tithe or that Abraham regularly tithed off his own income.

Gen 28:20-22. Jacob apparently doubted God’s promise and told God that if He would grant him safety, provide food and clothing and bring him back to his father’s house in peace, then he promised God a tenth of his increase (150). When he returned safely two decades later, there is no mention of him tithing (151). As with Abraham, it is difficult to develop a clear on tithing from Jacob.

Giving Under the Mosaic Law

Most O.T. passages that mention giving focus on calling God’s people back to the standard of giving (i.e. tithing) prescribed in the Law.

Malachi 3:8-10. While it may be tempting to use this passage to insist that contemporary believers give 10 per cent, one must keep in mind the context. Malachi is an O.T. prophet confronting the nation of Israel for its violation of the Mosaic Law. A valid principle from the text is that one’s giving can be used to measure one’s love and devotion to God (151-152).

Giving in the New Testament.

Somewhat surprisingly, the New Testament does not appear to prescribe a formal method or amount of giving for Christians.

Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42. This provides little help for a discussion of tithing because the Pharisees were not Christians, but Jews under the Mosaic Law (152).

Luke 18:9-14. The reference to tithing in this passage is largely incidental and is also applied to a Jewish Pharisee living under the Mosaic Law (153).

Hebrews 7:1-10. The main point of this passage is not to teach about tithing.

The New Testament, then, is fairly silent regarding tithing. The New Testament does provide several principles of giving that most evangelicals embrace despite differing views of tithing – principles that ought to encourage many to give more than ten per cent (153).

Principles for Giving: (154)
1 Cor 16:2.

(1) periodic – weekly
(2) personal — everybody
(3) planned – put aside; store up
(4) proportionate – according to means
(5) plentiful – no collection when I come (154-155).

To Whom Should Christians Give.

Scripture does not specifically direct believers where they should give (155).

(1) Local church (Gal 6:6)
An elder or pastor can reasonably expect support from the church where he serves. An elder does not have to draw support, however, as he may minister in a bivocational manner and receive little or no support from the church (Acts 18:1-3; 20:33-35; 1 Cor 9:6, 12, 15-19; Phil 4:14-16.

(2) Other Christian organizations (156).

(3) Give to charity; those in need (157).

Give to ministries that exalt Christ and exhibit transparency in their financial dealings. Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability; also Wall Watchers – Ministry Watch.

A Christian organization that refuses to disclose its financial statements and fails to follow normal accounting practices gives a clear warning sign (157).

CONCLUSION: 159-165
How to witness about the prosperity gospel.

1. Why does God exist and what does He control in the world?

GOSPEL: We exist in order to serve and worship and glorify God (159).

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: When you start thinking that God exists to serve you and grant your desires, you usurp his place (160).

2. What is the purpose of suffering and how do I react when I suffer?

GOSPEL: Does your opinion of God change when you suffer? The Bible depicts God as Sovereign and All-Knowing. Suffering is an instrument to make you more like Christ and that God is working all things in your life according to His purposes.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: God is dependent on people to act. You are in control of your own destiny; thus suffering is an indication of your failure to utilize divinely designed means of blessing.

3. What do I deserve in life?

GOSPEL: If we have food and clothing we should be content (1 Tim 6:8) – anything beyond this is pure grace. Eternal condemnation would be a just reward for sinners.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: You are entitled to a good life with good health, beneficial relationships, an abundance of resources and overall success.

4. Why did God save me?

GOSPEL: God saved you on account of his great love for you (160). God saved you so that you might glorify him forever and so that he might display his grace for all eternity (Eph 2:4-10) (170-161). We were rescued to glorify God and do good works.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: Did God save you so you could be famous and wealthy? Did God save you so you can fulfill all your dreams? People are encouraged to think too highly of themselves (161).

5. Why do I give to God?

GOSPEL: Give out of a cheerful heart. Give to please God. Give out of love.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL: Expect God to pay you back. Give to see if God will come through for you. give out of guilt and obligation.

Incorrect reasons for giving sets one up for failure and short-circuits the true motivation for giving – grace (161).

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/errors-of-prosperity-gospel-part-1.html

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/prosperity-gospel-part-2.html

http://russkellyphd.blogspot.com/2011/02/prosperity-gospel-part-three.html

Many of the readers of this blog, and even one of our groupblog authors, are Charismatic and Pentecostal and this video is not meant to offend anyone. We are against the Word of Faith Movement and not necessarily Charismatics and Pentecostals. But I found this teaching series to be very good and I wanted the readers of this blog to have a chance to hear it if they have not already. I think a series by Phil Johnson is the only sermon on this topic I have heard that I liked better.

The video above is One of 20 videos, to see all 20 videos SEE THE VIDEO PLAYLIST HERE

We thank Bob for sharing his great testimony and apologize for being slow at posting it. We are also leaving comments open for the page per Bob’s request for comments. If you would like to comment, we will make sure that Bob gets your comments. THANKS

Good Morning!

The reason I am writing this is because I rarely see encouraging articles from people in the “word of faith” movement. It’s always miracles, signs and wonders, most of which they just talk about rather that show true evidence of. It is always, “send me money so God can bless you.”

I’ve read many of your articles concerning the false prosperity prophets we have today and thank you for exposing them on your web site or You Tube. I would like to point out that this is nothing new, my first exposure to this false teaching was back in 1954 at a Pentecostal church. I left the hospital, recovering from a severe burn accident with my arms infected and was in great pain. A friend of the family started taking me to several Pentecostal healing services in the Washington, DC area. When there were no results the preachers blamed my lack of faith etc,. The friend also took me to a “faith healer” and tent “evangelist” Jack Coe, who turned out to be another false teacher, died a year later. I just could not understand why God would not heal me. I was thirteen, saved and thought, based on the teachings I was getting that I did have enough faith to be healed . Several preachers looked at my swollen arms would pray and then say “you have to have faith”, then walk away leaving me feeling like I had no faith and questioned my salvation because of the “Fire And Brimstone ” teaching being taught. After months of pain I did recover even though the healing wasn’t instant. GOD was working in my life in spite of the spiritual leadership I was getting. It was years later that I realized what “JESUS” meant when HE said “My Grace Is Sufficient For You” but the Pentecostal preachers left more scars on me than my burns did.

While attending these loud, out of order and scary services, the pastor would bring in “special anointed” evangelist that traveled around going from church to church, “preying” on the people, usually on a Friday night (pay day) preaching the same nonsense that you see today. The “pay me so God can bless you” ministers. Even though I did not attend these services often, one night several years later, just before going into the Marines, the preacher said that “GOD” was going to give a special blessing to all those that would give $100, then $50, then $25. Since I’d just been paid (I cleared around $45 a week) and was leaving home in a few days, I felt I could give $25.00. People lined up with their money in hand, the preacher laid his hand forcefully on their foreheads and they would fall down with the “Catchers ” behind them. When it came to my turn I was prepared  to fall down, which I did, not because of the so called power of the preacher but because everyone else was falling, as I laid there I even looked around to see if others got up so I could. What a hair raising experience, I stayed away from these “ fake” signs and wonders” for years.

Many years later I got involved with a prison ministry. I was to meet my mentor inside a prison for my first volunteer bible study but he did not show up and I had to conduct the bible study on my own. I had never done this before, was unprepared and couldn’t wait to it was over. When I walked out of the prison I felt miserable thinking I let God down, but He gave me the desire and compassion for this type of ministry. I was determined to learn what the bible teaches instead of relying on what someone else was teaching in church or on TV and ask the Lord to help me. I really felt inadequate for the task but found that the Holy Spirit really does the work, I have to be willing. I started going to this prison every week and after awhile started conducting bible study’s in several prisons. Of the many laymen volunteers that taught ” God’s Word “, none ever had there names in “Lights”, asked for money to go to more prisons or portrayed The Lord as some personal benefactor that needs an intercessor (them) to answer prayers. They all talked of forgiveness, personal responsibility, obedience, love, that the Lord is with us through it all, not that He will ALWAYS heal, ALWAYS prosper but that He will ALWAYS be with you. – NO- COPELAND- HINN-PARSEY-ROBERTS, ETC. , no offerings or preach the “WORD OF FAITH” movement . If they had, I doubt if they would have gotten out alive. Which brings up the point, if the “WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT” is correct, it would be easy to convince the lost to come aboard the gravy train, obtain wealth and health. The problem is that only the preachers are prospering by preaching this evil deception. How many inmates would continue to come to the bible studies if they were told they could get wealth and out of prison sooner if they would accept the “word of faith” gospel and quickly found out it was a lie. Of course, most of these Word of Faith ministers do not go to prisons, partly because they won’t get any money there. It is bad enough that some of these “ministers” raise millions of dollars for themselves, and give precious little to anyone, any organization or ministry in need, but they are puffed up with their own self-importance, some threaten to “curse” anyone who dare speak against them or disagree with their message and they clearly are teaching a gospel other than that in the bible. The true gospel should and is being taken throughout the world with the same results as the first apostles had, sharing the salvation message and people coming to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and His plan of salvation. Most of these men and women of God struggle financially, are in a position to help many if they had proper funding but get $0 from these “pay me so God will bless/heal you people”.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was that a person doesn’t have to be cleaver with “GODS WORD” but to teach the basic salvation principles, encouragement, and that great “LOVE OF GOD” and how through “Grace Are We Saved By Faith”. I also learned to trust “GODS WORD”, LUKE 22:35 NIV JESUS told the disciples “When I Sent You Without Purse, Bag Or Sandals, Did You Lack Anything?” “Nothing” They answered. I had just started a cleaning business to support my family but I did learn to trust God for my needs and my business grew over time and gave me the opportunity to devote more time to the ministry not with a lot of excess or instant wealth but we made enough to meet my needs. Once I was ask to take over a ministry at a brig at a military base that was over 50 miles away. Not really being able to afford it I prayed that God would provide my needs, and He never let me down. Have you noticed that the “Faith Teachers” want your support money before they go to the next conference?

“Signs And Wonders”- “Fire Conferences” … Think about this, if I put up posters in the prisons saying there is going to be a special “Signs and Wonders” Conference, would the inmates think that this was a ticket to a magic or freak show? If it was called a “Fire Conference” would the warden greet me with armed guards stating that it’s against state law to start fires or bring explosions in prisons. These terms are misleading.

There comes a time in ministry and our personal lives that we ask ourselves is God’s Word real and does it really work? In my years of prison ministry I’ve seen hundreds come to the simple salvation message with changed lives and with future hope. Not by a fancy sermon or cleaver words but of bringing the words of our Savior Jesus and letting the Holy Spirit do His work. “THE TRUTH Will SET YOU FREE” to the lost. Never did anyone receiving Jesus Salvation Message ever fall backwards, roll on the floor, make animal noises, act insane, or jerk around as you see from the Pentecostal and TV preachers.

What of all the miracles that we hear so much about from the “TV FALSE PROPHETS”. I’m convinced that God does miracles in all our lives but that He’s the one who deserves the credit, these people talked as if God needs their help and we must go through them for God to act and usually for a price. While in the prison ministry I saw many subtle signs of God’s intervention, I saw lives changed, hope, forgiveness, restoration, understanding, and above all – new “hearts”. The Holy Spirit does give a new conscience, I experienced it and saw it in many. Only God can change someone’s mind and heart without indoctrination. The biggest response I ever received for salvation was when I didn’t want to go, it was a cold rainy night and I was in a bad mood and not prepared but went out of obedience. I was shown it is definitely God, not me.,One night I came home during an ice/snow storm and was hit from behind at a stop light. Since I was prayed for by the guys and was doing “God’s work” I was a bit disappointed that I got hit and had slight injuries that’s when we really need to trust The Lord when things go bad.The biggest miracle I personally witnessed was when a murderer had accepted the gospel message and ask Christ in his life, regardless of my inadequacies. I had volunteered at a county jail as an assistant chaplain that housed about 2000 prisoners and had about 40 requests a day to see me. On one occasion I went to a special security cell and noticed the person’s name on the request form had been on the nightly news several weeks before. He had murdered his mother-in-law in front of his wife and kids while high on drugs. Well, this just didn’t set well with me, I pre-judged him and kept my visit short no “Love Of Christ Here”. Later I was really convicted of my sin and letting down Jesus. I went home and ask the Lord to forgive me for judging him, being in a bad mood and not showing the love I needed to show and besides, that is what I was there for, to try to bring others to the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

The next day I went to visit him and ask the guard to let me take him out of the cell to the chaplains office. The guard refused since he was considered very violent and had to be watched 24 hours a day and besides, he said the inmate was twice my size and he could he not be responsible for my safety. I said that God will protect me and something like “This Is God’s Business “. He went up the chain of command to get permission and I was able to bring him to the office. The first thing I did was to apologize for not being the Christian that I should have been the day before and for pre-judging him. I ask his forgiveness he was shocked. I gave him some coffee and treats I snuck in. He ask me what kind of sentence he could expect and I told him most likely the electric chair in a few years. He stated that he wanted to die for his crime and ask if God could forgive him. I ask him if he ever heard about King David the giant killer and about his life etc. Even though he was responsible for taken a life God forgave him !

We discussed Jesus plan of salvation and read scripture and prayed for the Lord’s Forgiveness. Holding my hands he accepted Jesus into his heart. Was this just a jailhouse conversion or was it real? I know it was real by his response to the simple salvation message, the look in his eyes and his countenance change. The chaplain in charge also saw the change in this man’s life and arranged with the sheriff office to allow him to attend bible studies with other inmates without deputy escorts. Now that is a miracle!

As I watch these “False Prophets” on TV always raising money for their ministries, their false prophecies, lavish lifestyles etc, I see the same repeats of the 1950′s except they have have a much larger audience to deceive due to the world wide TV coverage  they are one of the delusions that God has sent for those who do not know God’s word. These preachers know what they are doing, laughing their way to the bank and gathering followers the ones that do not know Jesus or are just ignorant of Gods Word and continue to search for Signs And Wonders, etc. following these “False Christ” just as Jesus said they would in the last days.

I’m retired now and as I look back I wonder, as many of us do, did I do enough? Did I fail Jesus because I wasn’t cleaver with my bible study, not a great speaker, what more could/should have I done? I guess we all evaluate what we should have done, but I do know this by teaching God’s Word as instructed by Jesus we can’t go wrong, we are His disciples and His word proves that if God could use me with all my flaws He can use anybody. I’ve been reluctant to write this article for various reasons. First, I don’t take any credit for what the Lord has done in my life or to make it appear that I’m this great man of faith. Rather, I hope that others might realize that Jesus is working in their life as He did mine, perhaps bringing His subtle caring ways to the surface in your life. Think about this, when I started in the prison ministry I was still a federal prisoner on probation, had to get permission from the prison warden to visit any state or federal facility due to having spent several months at “camp fed” after losing a tax case. They rarely allow this. Yes, God can use anybody! Comments Welcome!

The prisons that I conducted bible studies were : Virginia Department Of Corrections– Fairfax Detention Center– Quantico Marine Base Fairfax, Va- Fairfax, Va- Marine Brig Quantico

Yours In Christ
Bob Scruggs

VISIT OUR

“But as time now presses for the consideration of the question immediately in hand, and as what has been already said in the introduction with regard to the glory of God, may suffice, it is proper that we take the Holy Scriptures themselves in hand, and find out from them what, and of what manner, the coming of Antichrist is; on what occasion and at what time that impious one shall be revealed; and whence and from what tribe (he shall come); and what his name is, which is indicated by the number in the Scripture; and how he shall work error among the people, gathering them from the ends of the earth; and he shall stir up tribulation and persecution against the saints; and how he shall glorify himself as God; and what his end shall be; and how the sudden appearing of the Lord shall be revealed from heaven; and what the conflagration of the whole world shall be; and what the glorious and heavenly kingdom of the saints is to be, when they reign together with Christ; and what the punishment of the wicked by fire.” – Hippolytus: Treatise on Christ and Antichrist

Hippolytus (c170-c236) was considered one of the most important 3rd-century theologians in the Christian Church in Rome. He was a disciple of Irenaeus who in turn was a disciple of Polycarp the disciple of John the Apostle. In the modern age, we have been filled with numerous theories of Eschatology and there is great debate today over who or what the antichrist is. The mentorship of the early church was something they took seriously, and above we see the thread from the Apostle John through to Hippolytus. Hippolytus came into conflict with the popes of his time, he opposed the Roman bishops who softened the penitential system to accommodate the large number of new pagan converts. It becomes evident by Hippolytus’ treatise that he viewed the coming of Antichrist to be yet future. And his dissertation of the Antichrist is biblically accurate. Numerous early Church Fathers wrote in reference to the Antichrist such as Irenaeus and Jerome. Irenaeus wrote that the Antichrist shall come as “an apostate,” the very embodiment of “satanic apostasy.” From the fist century Church, believers were convinced that the Antichrist figure would eventually come on the world scene. It must be understood that the prefix “anti” in connection with the Anitchrist can mean either “against” (i.e. in opposition to) or “instead of” (in place of). It becomes clear in Scripture that both apply as he will oppose God by speaking blasphemy against God and will stand in the place of Christ asserting he is God. The most compelling characteristics of the Antichrist is depicted in Daniel 11:21, which tells us he will come to power and “seize it through intrigue” (flatteries). He is a master of deception, empowered by the father of lies.”

The end result of deception is apostasy and Jesus in the Olivet Discourse gives clear evidence of the scale to which the church will be overrun with deception just prior to His Second Coming. No less than three times Jesus mentions the emergence of “false Christ’s” and “false prophets” appearing on the scene who’s primary agenda is deception (Matt. 24:5, 11, 24). These deceivers will perform great signs and wonders to deceive (if possible) God’s elect. Today, with all the hype surrounding signs and wonders and all the talk of the supernatural, the ground work is being laid for the one person (Antichrist) to appear on the world scene who will bring it all to pass. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 states his coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders and with all unrighteous deception. What many seem to misunderstand is the counterfeit is always camouflaged, on the exterior there is always an outward show of genuineness. The two essential elements which characterizes the genuine, distinguishing it from the counterfeit is “the love of the truth,” and the “belief of the truth” – 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. Deceivers produce convincing, but deceptive, signs and lying wonders, not every miracle comes from God, nor are such wonders any less miraculous because of their origin. One thing is certain, the miracle itself is not reliable, it must be tested by the Word of God.

Today we have the Benny Hinn’s, Bill Johnson’s, and Todd Bentley’s, whose ministries center around the supernatural. To date, there have been no confirmable organic healings from these ministries, no confirmed dead raised though claims to the contrary have been proclaimed by these ministries. The deception surfacing from these types of ministries have been by their theatrics of miracles and their ability to sway people by fair speech, and smooth words. When you look beyond the miracle to the man, examining their teachings, they have ways of behaving and teaching that are intended to make people notice them instead achieving the particular aim of glorifying Jesus Christ. Presently, the signs and wonder movement uses a straw man tactic to shift the focus from Jesus Christ to the miracle itself and to the man. Miss direction is a magicians trick, ministries today use the same tactics by putting focus on the supernatural rather than on Jesus Christ. Jesus stated in John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” The Holy Spirit is in all pretence “truth” who’s witness of Christ is authentic, He testifies of Jesus Christ, never of Himself. The focus on the Holy Spirit today is a miss direction and is used today with the “Operation of the Gifts” to make Ministers popular. Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, the sum total of divine attributes resonate in Jesus Christ. If a miracle is valid it will point to the Person and Work of Christ, not the vehicle or vessel through which it comes.

It’s Not if But When

What will be the effect on (those who stand solidly on the Word of God; boldly calling out, naming and proclaiming, sounding the alarm to avoid those false teachers who claim miracles, signs and wonders), those of us who believe, when (not if) the miracles, signs and wonders are verifiable? Scripture is clear that this will be so. Currently the majority of the discernment ministries out there are focused mostly on the lack of “proof” that the false teachers claim of the miraculous can’t be verified. We need to completely refocus, what will happen to our belief in Christ when:

· arms and legs that are missing are suddenly restored?

· those that were dead are now walking and talking?

· those in wheel chairs come out of them?

· the blind begin to see?

· the deaf begin to hear?

Will we stand strong-solid on God’s Word? Will this possibly be what Scripture calls the strong delusion (2 Thess. 2:11) that “if possible, deceives the very elect?” (Matt. 24:24). One thing is certain, no real miracle, sign or wonder is ever at the expense of the truth. Is the focus on “the Christ” or another christ? Most today claim the miraculous in the name of Christ but when you look deeper you discover the ideology of their belief system stipulates they are “Christ’s.” Many cessationist hang their hat on the lack of proof from ministries claiming the miraculous and their inability to verify claims of healing and the dead raised.

When you consider the Corinthian church, they were prideful, and were arrogantly presuming the full right in this life to things promised in part at the present, things only fully realized in the coming of Christ’s kingdom. They were drawing their ideals from the false standards of fallacious teachings born out of the spirit of this age. Forgetting that this era’s values stand judged under the Cross of Christ, Paul warns them in 1 Cor 4:6 not to go beyond what is written. The “strong delusion” mentioned by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 is God’s doing. The reason is because of the pervasive belief in “the lie” rather than a love and belief in “the truth.”

The Antichrist

There are two aspects to the antichrist, the “spirit of antichrist,” and the “person of antichrist”. The “spirit of antichrist” can be defined as the spirit of humanism, of man being his own god. However one defines it, Scripturally, it is a spirit that inspires false teachings and functions within the structure of the Church. John defined it as the spirit of error. What fundamentally distinguishes those who are “false prophets, apostles, and teachers” from the people of God is their respective attitudes toward Jesus Christ, i.e. who He is and what He came to do (1 John 4:1-6). Essential to the Church is the Gospel message, justification by faith, the sanctification of the believer (holiness living), and the present hope of the future return of Jesus Christ. These are the doctrines consequential to the “spirit of truth.” Notable to the “spirit of error” are doctrines which diminish the deity of Jesus Christ, His incarnation, His sinless life, His relationship to the Father, His redemptive work on the Cross and His resurrection. And in the place of Jesus Christ, they exalt man to “little gods” as does the Word of Faith teachers, those of the New Apostolic Reformation, and the “Emergent Church Movement.” (NOTE: Serpent said to eve you will be like God) These three stream movements are rooted in the metaphysical cults and new age thought, camouflaged as Christianity they have penetrated denominational lines changing historic Christianity and how we think and view the Scripture. Looking into their doctrines concerning Jesus, these movements have turned the Biblical Jesus into a metaphysical, philosophical creation. The Roman Catholic church, the Greek Orthodox church, the Russian Orthodox church, the Mormon church, the “Christian” cults, and the New Age Movement (comprising of a combination of eastern religious practices), believe man can eventually ascend to godhood through various spiritual disciplines. (NOTE: Lucifer said I will ascend to) The majority of WoF preachers have turned Adam into a carbon copy of God Himself and Jesus into a mere man striped of His deity. However, according to them, Jesus gained godhood after he suffered in hell for the redemption of man. In their reasoning’s, the death of Christ on the Cross was an insufficient price to pay for sin, he had to take on the nature of Satan and suffer in hell to accomplish it. This my friends is the “spirit of error,” the “spirit of antichrist!” And I can tell you with all Biblical accuracy and assurance, they have their “Best Life Now!”

While the spirit of error diminishes the soul, the spirit of antichrist causes deception to prosper. Daniel prophesied of a king (antichrist, little horn) who would rise to power during the 70th week of Daniel. He will be the physical manifestation of the spirit of antichrist already at work in the world. He will understand sinister schemes, and through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule (Daniel 8:23-25). Many view this king as Antiochus Epiphanies who came out of Syria to persecute the Jews and profane the temple between 171 and 164 B.C. He is however the Antichrist of the last days who will actively oppose God and His people. Jesus spoke of Him in Matthew 24:15 as the abomination of desolation as did Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 as the “man of sin,” “the son of perdition.” It must be understood that in Matthew 24, the events Jesus describes occur within the 70th week of Daniel. The Greek word parousia is used four times between verse 3-39 threading the events listed in this chapter together, all centered around the appearing of Christ in the clouds to rapture the living on earth and resurrect the dead in Christ. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t see much of the deception Jesus describes prior to the 70th week. In fact, I personally believe much of what we are witnessing today in the WoF, NAR, and Emergent Church shadows upon us this last prophetic week of Daniel. Just as you first see the storm clouds approaching before the storm arrives, we can anticipate the consummation of the age through current events, when we compare them to Scripture, it all lines up. The deception Jesus warns us about in Matthew 24:4 has in all pretense been since the first generation church. However, we see today a global deception growing exponentially through these three movements.

In the study of Eschatology, hermeneutics requires we find a common denominator between various text, (words or phrases, etc.) which links an episode together. Daniels language is clearly eschatological, denoting a multilevel prophetic fulfillment. Prophetic fulfillments closest to the prophets’ own day were mingled with those reaching as far as the final culmination of all things. A motif is an idea, or subject that is frequently repeated in literature. For instance, the “Day of the Lord” is a Motif used by the Old Testament prophets to signify a time in the history of mankind when God directly intervenes to bring salvation to His people and punishment to the wicked. It is a reoccurring theme in the New Testament dealing with the Second Coming of Christ who inaugurates the Day of the Lord, during which Christ’s personal, righteous, and universal rule will restore God’s order to the Earth.

Daniel gives several names to this future figure we identify as Antichrist. Daniel calls him the “little horn,” “Beast,” “Prince,” “king,” just as in the new testament we are given titles such as “beast,” “man of sin,” “antichrist,” “king,” etc. The connection to these titles are seen in his opposition to God, the abomination of desolation, his persecution of the saints, and his self exaltation in the place of God. When you study Daniel chapters 7,9, and 11, along with Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, all are reoccurring themes connected to the Revelation Beast described by John. Below are three examples:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” – Daniel 11:36

“And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” – Revelation 13:5-6

False Religious System

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