Last week I published two articles as a caution against false teachers with some tips on how to recognize them. I wrote these for my church. My intent was to lovingly serve them and honor my New Testament charge to guard against false teachers. I had no idea that anyone, other than those close to me, would be interested. No one was more surprised than me by the whirlwind that ensured.
These posts were shared around the world. After more than 550,000 views the number of readers, re-posts and Facebook shares continues to climb–rapidly. That is both awesome and overwhelming. I have received messages from pastors across our country and from around the world. There have been more than 1,000 comments. Some are encouraging; some are angry, but many are laced with confusion and questions that deserve an answer. My hope is to respond over the next couple of weeks with posts that offer clarity for many of the great questions and comments that were submitted.
I would like to invite you to join me in loving well and thinking hard as we wander into this messy affair of grace.
NOBLE-MINDED (Biblical Discernment)
There is no command in the New Testament to lovingly dialogue with false teachers. There is no command in the New Testament to ignore false teachers, nor to leave it to God to judge. There is no command, example nor encouragement in the New Testament to discern truth or the trustworthiness of a teacher by the way we feel. There is no command, example nor encouragement in the New Testament to discern truth or the trustworthiness of a teacher by appealing to the Holy Spirit or prayer. Throughout the New Testament we are commanded to evaluate every teacher, how they act and what they say, against Scripture alone. Consider why the Bereans were praised in Acts 17.
Acts 17:10-12 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.
It would seem that they wanted to believe the Gospel, but would not allow themselves to believe until the Gospel message was validated by Scripture. That is staggering. They were actually commended for with holding belief until verification. Let’s choose to be noble-minded. That means, even if we disagree, we are guided by our best attempts to understand Scripture and evaluate teachers and truth claims by that understanding.
False vs. False Teaching
Some teachers say things that are false and some teachers are false. There is a difference. If we can’t tell the difference we are likely to be hard-hearted, sentimental, cynical or deceived. I once mistakenly referred to Benjamin Franklin as a former president. I once wrongly attributed a psalm of Asaph to David. I once heard a pastor mistakenly say, “In the day of the Lord’s erection,” instead of resurrection. That was funny! Each of these are examples of false things said in a sermon as if they were true. Does that make me or the other unfortunate pastor false teachers? Of course not.
Some people teach a view of salvation that is known as Calvinism. Some teach a view that is known as Arminianism. These camps disagree and sometimes strongly. We really only have 3 options with this type of disagreement:
- One is right and the other is wrong.
- They are both wrong.
- They both have a mixture of truth and error.
Which one’s mixture is heavier on error is a long standing debate. But lets assume that one side is all wrong. Let’s assume that a pastor from the wrong side teaches his view of how salvation works. Is he a false teacher? For many, the answer to this question is not so obvious.
In the New Testament some examples of false teachers are those who:
- Present a different gospel.
- Teach salvation through works or the law.
- Deny the deity of Jesus.
- Deny the physical incarnation of Jesus.
- Deny the resurrection of Jesus.
What all false teachers share in common is that they undermine, reject or redefine the promise of the Gospel. They undermine the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Back to the Calvinists and Arminians–they disagree on why people believe the promise of the Gospel, but they don’t disagree on what the promise is. I suggest that a false teacher is and only is one who undermines, rejects or redefines the promise of the Gospel.
Is Any Preacher, Teacher or Pastor Anointed?
NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Pastors and teachers are either true or false. They are not anointed. There were people in the Old Testament who were anointed. They were generally prophets or kings. They were God’s representatives. Standing against them, when they spoke for God, was equivalent to standing against God. Consider the unfortunate events of the youths who insulted the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 2. But the anointed of God were not beyond reproach. Remember that the prophet Nathan rebuked David for his sins of adultery and murder in 2 Samuel 12. This only happened sparingly and entirely in the Old Testament (with the exception of Jesus and John the Baptist).
Anyone who claims an anointing is ascribing to themselves and their words something that is never uniquely ascribed to any disciple, apostle or New Testament author. This description is not used to elevate a single person, act nor utterance in the New Testament (with the exception of Jesus and John the Baptist). This is Christian speak, derived from the Old Testament. Teachers who use this term to describe themselves or their teaching are misguided at best and manipulative at worst. This puts listeners in an inferior position that tends to come with unquestioning adherence. That is neither good, nor biblical.
That being said, it is true that all believers are “anointed.”
1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
What this means is that all believers in Jesus have the Holy Spirit in them. But that is never what a teacher means when he or she claims an anointing on themselves, their ministry or their message. Followers of Jesus do have spiritual gifts, but that is not the same thing as anointing. Spiritual gifts are abilities that the Holy Spirit empowers in all believers for the good of His church.
Romans 12:3-8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Some teachers have greater, larger or wider impact. That is not anointing. That is a combination of a number of factors, not least of which are determination, hard work, capacity and the choice of the Holy Spirit to particularly empower a particular person for a particular time. If that happens it does not elevate the teacher over others. That is not anointing. That is grace.
CONCLUSION
Develop noble-mindedness and biblical discernment by studying the Bible well. Then you can tell the difference between teachers who say something false from those who are false teachers. Finally, no one is anointed. All Christians have spiritual gifts and no one is more important than another.
Church Is Messy (and that's a good thing) 
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. We as followers of Christ need to be aware of the deception that seems to be so subtle! The answers are in the Bible, we need to just pick it up and read for ourselves! Keep up the good works, please know many prayers are being sent your way.
You Are a false teacher
What is he teaching that is false?
Janice, I don’t see how you can say that. He has backed up every single thing he has said with scripture. I often find when folks get their toes stepped on, they yell foul! It’s up to us as Christians to always check what we’re taught with Scripture. So far he is on the money with all he’s said on this subject.
Damon and Paula, Do you agree with his statement on anointed people only existing in the O.T? “…This only happened sparingly and entirely in the Old Testament.”
What about John the Baptist and Jesus himself? Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m am trying to understand this statement he makes.
What your not getting is that before the cross is OT,, even if it is in the NT gospels. Before his resurrection both Jesus and John where specially anointed and no one else was anointing with the Holy Spirit. But now we are all anointed with, and empowered, with the Spirit.
Thanks, Rick, for your faithful obedience to God to “… have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them].” Sadly, you will have to endure daily the kind of response here [“You are a false teacher.”] I have been out here for many years doing essentially as you are, but without the public notoriety that your article has obtained. I actually found the article on Huff Post, about the most godless website I could imagine. I suspect the staff at Huff Post will soon realize that you were not criticizing Christianity, but FALSE Christianity.
But I am glad to join with you in this ministry of apologetics [perhaps polemics, given the kind of knee-jerk responses we see here] and I will pray God to use you in whatever fashion that brings glory to our dear Savior. Blessings, brother.
I see what you did there… a true teacher with a false teaching does not compare to a false teacher with a true teaching. Which one should we trust? I know this is meant for your church but what is stopping others from questioning you when it’s public? I’m still at odds with two “followers” trying to lead in opposite directions. It seems as if the tug of war will leave both exhausted and in the same place. If the sheep shall know the shepard and the shepard know the sheep, why is there so much struggle? Are you telling your sheep to not discern the spirit? Where is the faith to tell the storm and sea to calm or the mountains to move? It’s as if you are neglecting the storm and trying to shore up the boat. Or perhaps tunneling deeper into the mountain merely because you have the picks and shovels to do so.
Rick, you are doing God’s work. Some of those who attack you are probably suffering from one of several things.. For example, it might be feelings of “guilt” for not having the discernment or courage to stand firm or maybe even “pride” from not being able admit they’ve been misled. Others, of course, do Satan’s work in trying to pull strong (and real) Christians down. I will start including you in my prayers and ask other Christians to do the same!
I’ve been a pastor 28 years, and can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “Evangelist So-and-So has such an anointing.” When pressed as to what that means, it usually comes out like, “Well, he has the Holy Spirit.” So then, what does that mean, since the Scripture says that everyone who is saved is possessed of the Holy Spirit and has the Spirit.
My background is old-school Pentecostal … the roll on the floor, jump up and down flavor. My own experience was that the “anointing” was two-fold. The term was used to describe (1) someone who moved the hearer emotionally. It had nothing to do with truth, Scripture, or honor to Jesus … emotionalism pure and simple.
(2) “Anointing” was claimed by those speaking who didn’t want their beliefs to be judged by God’s Word. A man could claim to be under the “anointing” so that whatever he said was unquestionably placed on par (or even above) the Bible.
I agree wholeheartedly with your Biblical assessment on the “anointing.” Thank you for not speaking with a forked-tongue.
I’m not the best at quoting scripture so I want. I have listened to Joel over the years and i’ve never heard him say anything you claim. I know him pretty well. I’ve never heard of you before. You do seem to have some valid points about both. Too many of you Pastors preach religion and this and that and don’t preach Jesus. I’m not saying you do that, cause i’ve never heard you. But I do read your points you send me. So God bless you anyway. Look forward to next article.
I’m a new reader, led here by your “controversial” article. I thank you very much for it, and for this, as the slick poison of Olsteen and Meyers (and so many others) has so permeated the church. Every Christian should be prepared to defend the truth of Scripture and be able to articulate the WHY of why these “teachers” are so dangerous.
Hi Rick. Thank you. =)
Keep on speaking. Let the LORD’s truth and light (Word) continue to guide you. I pray for more of His truth in your life. =)
This post goes into detail about what the anointing is and what it is not. It is long but worth the read. The important thing to remember is that the NT says we are all anointed. There is no special class of anointed preachers.
The Word of Faith Movement and a False Definition of the Anointing.
http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/2010/04/16/the-word-of-faith-movement-and-a-false-defintion-of-anointing/
Good read on this topic: http://www.queensbp.org/remonstrance/index.html
“… This only happened sparingly and entirely in the Old Testament.”
I do not agree with your assesment of the anointed only occurring in the old testatment.
Jesus, himself was anointed by God. Not only our saviour, but the greatest teacher in the N.T.
Luke 4:18-19
New International Version (NIV)
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
John the Baptist
Matthew 11:14
11 Truly I say to you, AMONG THOSE BORN OF WOMEN THERE HAS NOT ARISEN ANYONE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST! Yet the one who is [m]least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven [n]suffers violence, and violent men [o]take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 AND IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT, JOHN HIMSELF IS ELIJAH WHO[p] WAS TO COME. 15 He who has ears to hear, [q]let him hear.
You raise a great point. I thought it was implied that Jesus was exempt from what I was writing, because I was focussing on teachers (human teachers). But you are absolutely right about that.
So I edited this to be clear. Jesus was anointed.
John the Baptist may be an exception to what I claimed. He is certainly set apart. He is certainly appointed. He is certainly empowered. He is just never clearly called “anointed.”
But the Biblical description of him sounds a lot like anointing. Great point. Other than Jesus, and maybe John the Baptist, no one is described as specially anointed.
When that word is used it is described of all believers, meaning we have the Holy Spirit in us. This was a great comment.
Wow. Great article. This has actually slipped under my radar as i have heard this terminology (for lack of a better word) since i was 16 years old. I did not even think to look into scripture to find out if ‘the annointing of the Holy Spirit’ was spoken about w/ regard to individual believers or ‘the church’ as you will.
I have heard many preachers speak of ‘being anointed’, ‘losing your anointing’ and ‘specific anointings’ or ‘THE anointing’ as it refers to specific gifts…’find your annointing’ referring to finding what God given gifts are yours n Christ and specifically the gifts in which you excell.
I find myself shocked that I never CONSIDERED looking into this inasmuch as it seemed rather innocuous and not “part” per say of the gospel message itself ie the life, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ, God’s Annointed, the Christ.
But as I read this….as I write this….there is NOTHING innocuous when it comes to the gospel nor the responsibility that comes with preaching it and hearing it. Truth in all….assumption is a slippery slope into serious danger. As Paul says…’you slowly drift..’
Wake up call to b sure.
To Rick, all readers, and commentists (above): The Holy Spirit moved Paul to write the following in his letter to the Romans (ch 16:17&18).: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” GOD is always clear. It is man that likes to twist things to his own will..it is our nature. Yes, Spirit can override/is the most powerful person/power in the universe, but flesh and spirit constantly war with one another daily…To know that u r doing GOD’S will and not your own, you must empty yourself completely (humble yourselrf) and PRAY in the name of Jesus that His spirit fills you)..then, seek His guidance as you read the Word of God (daily)…Trust and obey. If having a problem here, pray again, for more faith, and heavenly wisdom…in thankfulness. God instructs us that He will hear and answer these prayers.:) also, in the Last Days, remember we are warned of God that if possible, even the elect may be deceived..that is why constant reading of His Word and comparing everything you hear of a preacher/teacher to God’s Word itself is required..in order to KNOW…Amazing things happen when we completely submit to Him..He WILL show you the truth, if you seek, you will find..God promises.:) Pray for grace in the moments of doubt and uncertainty..He will always get you thru. amen.:).
I’m impressed with the words “my church”. Where is your humility? I have seen many comments praising you, your wisdom, guidance, courage, etc. Yet I have not seen a single response from you recognizing God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, a former pastor, a spiritual brother, etc. You did not give credit where credit is due. Furthermore, what happened to “be still and know I am God”? Where is the stillness in any of these three post mentioned? Finally, doesn’t Gospel translate to “good news”? I can side with you on some of the doctrine points maybe, but going after someone because they lift people up and witness to the better things in this dark world really seems overboard. Along with this point you accuse someone of spending too much on furniture but fail to let us know how much is spent on charity, education, and taxes. Is it possible he spent that money to avoid taxes. Sure it would be nice to live in ragged clothing and a shotgun house so we could help others but are any of us living this way by choice? Anyway, calling a Christian a hypocrite is as bad as calling an American a racist. We should call people home with welcome arms instead of calling wolf literally to scare them out of the neighborhood.
I said “my church,” not because it belongs to me, but because it is the one to which I belong.
So are we to believe that you have the truth and others don’t ? How many people have come to know Christ because of other ministries including the ones that you are attacking in your articles? Is that not the ultimate goal for all of us “Christians” to bring people to Christ ? If a person has accepted and received the holy spirit … that person can use discernment from the holy spirit to acknowledge what is biblical truth. There is enough division in this world as it is for a preacher to attack another … this type of thing that only detours people away from Christianity as oppose to bring them together. Every one has different opinions about different ministries … and I’m sure that includes opinions of the writer of this article Rick Henderson. By just reading the title of the article “From Caution to Clarity” … that makes me wonder.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Discernment being the key word in the above comment. If you don’t use God’s Word & the Holy Spirit for discernment, then I guess my question is are you being discerning at all or just doing what you think is right! As for me, I’ll return to scripture EVERY time!
Well said. I wholeheartedly agree.
This is not simply about different opinions of people’s ‘ministries’. Speaking out against false teaching is a biblical mandate for a preacher of God’s Word. The Apostle Paul did it, and urged others to imitate him, as he imitated Christ. Spurgeon, Ryle, and many many others did it. The only thing to measure the teachings of others against is the plumbline of Scriptures. There is an orthodox understanding of Scripture that has been handed down since the beginning of the early church. There is no excuse for departing from it.
Joel Osteen, Joyce Myers and hundreds of others are making merchandise of people, peddling a false gospel and charging for it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is free. It is available to all, but unpalatable to most. The Lord said so himself. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived and sold into spiritual slavery. There are many godly men preaching the Word of God faithfully, and never charging for it. There are godly churches who invite you to come and worship God with them for free…no hefty ‘worship conference’ fee required. There is great unity in the Body of Christ over sound doctrine. The divisiveness comes when false doctrine is spread and defended.
Please, think about it. Pray about it. Read your Bible and ask for the Holy Spirit’s wisdom to see false teaching clearly. And then repeat this process several hundred times. The Lord is faithful if you seek his truth!
I so agree with the above comment. This is not about differences of opinion it is about false teachings. I disciple women in prison who will oh so often state ” Joel O or Joyce M says…” And then I ask them “what does the Scripture say about…” And they don’t know. So I show them the truth from the Word of God. It is frustrating that they will spend so much time listening and reading these 2 people but none reading the Word. They want to be spoon fed “truth” instead of digging into the Word for themselves. When they begin to learn how to study inductively as we teach them, then their attitudes change as they realize they are being mistaught from these other people. The light to truth comes on when they get into the Word!.
A couple of observations I think are important for those claiming John the Baptist and Jesus were anointed. 1) John the Baptist PRECEDED Christ’s work on the Cross. Technically, he would fall under the Old Testament examples of anointing. The Holy Spirit descended upon people for “special” purposes and times during the Old Testament. He did NOT reside in the believers until the day of Pentecost. Even at the day of Pentecost, the term “anointing” was not used. Whenever the Holy Spirit upon people for the purpose of anointing, prior to Pentecost, it was clearly for a different purpose, as the Holy Spirit did not reside. 2) Jesus was God!. To believe that he was “anointed” in some special way would indicate that Christ wasn’t fully God. God doesn’t anoint himself. Christ’s Baptism incident of the Holy Spirit was an “approval or endorsement of who Christ was, NOT an anointing”. Read the words. This is an important point because it leads to severe doctrinal error, that would also affect one’s view of salvation.
On Joel Osteen’s beliefs, any astute observer will notice that his messages are curiously light on scripture. He’ll pull a bare phrase from scripture and build whole “doctrines” on a single out of context verse and do so WITHOUT using supporting scripture or without doing a true word study of critical keywords or passages. When was the last time you saw him do a study on Job, or on Leviticus? No, you won’t find him dealing with these scriptures, because they don’t match up with his pet theology.
“..Read the words.” Luke 4:18-19
Can you give the scripture to back up your statements?
“… 2) Jesus was God!. To believe that he was “anointed” in some special way would indicate that Christ wasn’t fully God. God doesn’t anoint himself.”
I agree that Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully man. Even after His Resurrection, He had to prove He was not spirit or a ghost, but still had all his physical attributes of a man.
Luke 24:36-43 NIV
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
To say that God does not or would not anoint His physical manifistation on earth is bit presumptious and limiting of God’s souvernty and power.
It’s exactly because of the scripture you reference that I affirm Jesus was anointed. He followed up it’s reading by saying, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
My intent was to be both clear and concise with my post–a hard task. Anointing in OT always comes with the Holy Spirit being present with someone or on someone. Jesus, being God as you rightly pointed out, has been one with the Holy Spirit and Father for all eternity.
I’m doing my best honor what is taught and intended to be communicated throughout the Bible. My intent is to encourage all Christians to do the same.
Don’t take my word for it. All Christians should evaluate all teachers by Scripture alone.
Jesus Christ = Jesus the Christos (Gr. “Anointed”)+ Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Hebrew “Anointed”)= Joshua the Anointed One…it’s His title. the Anointed One Matt. 16:16
Someone, oh, someone PLEASE define what you mean by “anointing.” Until that happens, this discussion is mere blather and mistaken Pentecostalism.
How can. I sent this to my friends so they can read about Joe
Osteen. As he is not giving the truth about our BIBLE. HE talks about only o ne topper that he knows. And I want the CHRISTIAN PEOPLE. MY NAME IS DONNA COLLINS. MY E-MAIL IS 1collins4247@gmail.com please sent me something so I can show my BIBLE STUDY GROUP THANK YOU
thanks insightfull
Rick,
You are KILLIN’ it with the apologetics on false teachers! Wow, these blog posts have been such good reads, this one by far the best. Kudos for doing such a great job.
I agree that Rick is “KILLIN” something, anything for his sake to get more views, more post… more chaos. He is so proud of the “supposed” reach he has now. Proud like Joel and Joyce. His blog “Church is Messy”, his chaos to combat Osteen and Meyer is not exposing one of the millions of children to know Christ, it’s not feeding one child in Africa or stopping one persecution in Egypt. This blog hasn’t saved one child in the hood or stopped one abortion. What I’ve just mentioned are the things… the hard task that actually make ministry messy–not Rick’s proud class in apologetics when by many accounts is debatable and someone like J.P Moreland would slice Rick up if he so desired. Rick is just getting attention like too many worldly folks do–by tearing somebody else down!
“Judge Not” … we don’t have the right to judge; however, if we believe a different way, just pray about it!! We only have one judge …
While I understand that Jesus directed us to ‘make deciples of all nations,’ what I have struggled with is why so many churches choose to spend/waste money on traveling to a foreign land to find non-believers when there are more than enough in our own back yard. I’m not saying that we should not help outside the US, but it seems to me that the expense and even a multi million dollar church building, etc. would be waisted resources when a church is its folllowers and not the building they meet in. Mathew 7:21-23 has always been the most frightening passage of the entire Bible for me. “Depart from me, I did not know you,…” Thank you Rick. Keep up the passion.
So much discord – sad.
Isn’t a false teacher false because they teach false teaching? There is a difference between making an honest mistake and teaching something that is false. Isn’t false teaching fruit of a false teacher? If an individual teaches what is false they are a false teacher. It all comes down to the Scripture. How do they handle, or mishandle the Word of God. Do they twist it or misrepresent it or make it say something God never intended in order to prove their false teaching? Twisting Scripture brings about the destruction of those who twist it and those who follow the false teacher. If we study Scripture in its context and then in relation to the whole of the Bible we can know what God is telling us through His Word. He is consistent throughout the Word and we can know the truth of His work in drawing us to believe in Him, etc. Because we do have the anointing of the Holy Spirit Who resides in us we can know the truth and by His grace discern and reject the error. One indication if the person who said the false thing is a false teacher is how they react when you point out their error and exhort them with the Word of God. Do they repent or do they argue against God’s Word and stubbornly hold to their false teaching? Judge everything by the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God.
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/walking-in-the-light/
Amen sister. Intention versus genuine mistake is an important distinction, which sadly many are blinded to as is evidenced here in the comments of the last three articles.
I have had people say to me, as they defend their favourite (and false) teacher ‘well, your pastor will be preaching some false doctrine too…no one has it perfect”. Um, ok. I’d like someone to show me where. There may be error in the application, but I have yet to hear damnable error. Yet Joel and Joyce teach damnable error…in other words, if we follow their gospel, we WILL perish! I don’t make this distinction, the Scriptures do, and clearly.
It is because we deeply love Christ that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and weep for those who are perishing. That is why people like Rick, Eliza and many other faithful witnesses speak out against false teaching. Trust that their love for you is real, and hear what they are saying. Not what the world is telling you to believe about ‘unity’ and ‘tolerance’. It is the hard core doctrine of the god of this ‘new age’ that would have you believe that what Rick is doing is wrong and divisive. Unity in Christ comes from faith in him, through the work of the Holy Spirit, and by abiding in sound doctrine. It is a quiet, heartfelt, peaceful unity. It comes at great cost, as our God is an exclusive God who demands faithfulness. Blessings to you all.
So disappointed in all this…there are many denominations and one true Word…as we grow and mature in Christ, our theology also matures…over the centuries, scholars have various doctrines, yet the true Church (Body of Christ) all agree on certain central doctrines…there are a lot of pastors and denominations I don’t personally care for but God in his Grace uses them without my permission or understanding…Shame on all of this…Strife only serves the devil and the flesh…all this hurts the testimony of the Church.
Actually, we have the truth of God, the Holy Scriptures that God uses by His indwelling Holy Spirit to teach and lead us into all truth. Now I urge you brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:17-20. It is the false teachers who oppose the doctrine of the Word of God, the doctrine which we have received when we believed in Jesus Christ. They oppose Jesus Christ and deceive those who do not know the Word of God. Being wise to reject false teaching is pleasing to God and preserves the unity of the Spirit, the unity of the faith. Rejecting false teaching and false teachers is resisting the evil work of Satan and trusting in God our Savior. May God bless each of us with a discerning heart to understand His Word, believe and obey it. God bless you.
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/if-the-foundations-are-destroyed-what-shall-the-righteous-do/
Amen
This isn’t about the church, it’s about truth! Over the centuries there have been many false teachers and profits! The bible WARNS us of them. We must stay in the word of the One True God, not Myers or Olsten. Read the Bible!
Yes I agree prosperity preaching is false but who are we to say someone is a false teacher because they are accused of this?
Apollos didn’t have it quite right but he wasn’t a false teacher. Acts 18:26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.” Do any of us have it all right? Let stop agreeing to character assassinate the body of Christ and focus on the real false religions who claim Christ didn’t even die on the cross. We are to point people to the truth like Pricilla and Aquila ❤
They didn’t have the complete canon of Scripture either. We do have the complete, infallible, inerrant, inspired Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit, so we are without excuse. We have a plethora of Bibles to read and study so we are without excuse. Just like Apollos, we have other brothers and sisters to exhort us with the truth. Based upon what God says in His Word we are to be very careful in handling the Word of God:,,as also in all his epistles, (Paul) speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord ad Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:16-17 Those who twist the Scripture perpetrate the error of the wicked and lead others astray. As we study the Scriptures, pray, confess our sin, and walk diligently with Jesus Christ, we will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God bless you.
Reblogged this on The Narrowing Path and commented:
And finally, part 3.
It is amazing how controversial it is for a pastor to do his God-given job in a biblical way. The promised hatred and persecution for following Christ exists in the West folks. Please, know the Scriptures, find some fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (in person or online if you have no other way), and trust that our glorious Saviour through his Holy Spirit will guide you, and help you stand firm in your faith to the very end.
If you haven’t yet put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, or have strayed from the narrow path, please don’t waste another minute. Repent of your sin and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. Seek God, read the Bible and pray for eyes to see and ears to hear His truth. Our Sovereign God is rich in grace and mercy, and does not wish for any to perish. But perish we will if we reject Him and his Son, Jesus Christ.
And stop in anytime for a chat.
Amen sister!
I’m Catholic. How do you feel about the teachings of Catholicism, Canon Law, and Natural Law? What is your stance on the Catholic Church as a whole?
I was actually directing the Catholicism question to Rick. Secondly, while I appreciate your view, I do not accept your reasons. Your defense was at best an interpretation that could very easy be rejected by context. Finally, the comparing of Gods word to his truth is a new concept to me. Catholics hold sacred scripture with sacred tradition in order to stay connected to our history while preparing the future. By preparing our future based on our past is part of natural law. We all came from Eden and we are all called to Heaven. Our doctrine is an aid while living, because after death no amount of doctrine matters if we are in the presence of God. I can see if you meant some people within the church are bankrupt and corrupt I could agree, it is a church of humans. However, calling the doctrine bankrupt and corrupt without specifics is cowardly. It would be better to admit ignorance rather than make such accusations. Are you taught that we are wrong or did you read our doctrine and discern we are wrong. Honestly, our doctrine consist of an official interpretation to avoid false teachers. To avoid the perversion of truth our Pastors attend years of study learning the official limits of what is and is not Catholic. To defend this I can say for a fact that our doctrine is actually sacred scripture, nothing is added nothing is taken away, the Word is simply interpreted to form a universal intention to bring Jesus to people. What people do with Jesus afterwards then becomes a personal matter that the church aids in maintaining and growing through works, faith, prayer and forgiveness. These basic ministries continue to plant seeds and bear fruit for future generations. We are “self insured” in this way and so have a home away from our true Home that protects, defends, stabilizes, and builds . Ultimately, I think it’s funny that Protestants broke from the Catholic church because it was too scrict and sacramental yet now are calling out other churches for preaching prosperity.
Official Catholic church doctrine: Anyone who says that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone is accursed.
Official Catholic church doctrine: Indulgences, purgatory, deifying Mary, calling the Pope the Vicar of Christ, priests being mediators between God and men, elevation of church tradition to the same authority as the Bible, God’s Word, continuous sacrifice of Jesus Christ through the mass, making a wafer into an idol, receiving of the wafer referred to as receiving Christ, saying baptism regenerates sinners, saying prayers for the dead, elevating the seven Catholic Church Sacraments to be instruments of God’s grace, using prayer beads which is a pagan practice, the Pope endorsing evolution, the Pope endorsing ecumenicism, the Pope have a world day of prayer where all “faiths” gather to prayer to their respective deities, allowing pedophiles to continue in positions of responsibility and not turning them over to the authorities, abrogating nation status, saying only those who are Catholic are saved, etc. Is that brave enough for you?
The Protestant movement was due to the wickedness of the Pope and archbishops, and due to the false teaching they taught that we are saved by works assisted by grace. The Catholic church hid the Word of God from the people by preaching in Latin, promoted the Crusades, killed thousands of true believers during the Inquisition, and most importantly perverted the Gospel of our Glorious Lord Jesus Christ. You should compare the doctrine that I have written about with what the Word of God says. The Catholic church is a cult.
Marc, I’m not a Catholic, but I am close. I’m a follower of Christ first who worships within the Episcopal community. I read most of your posts below and found them very insightful and spot on. First and foremost we have given ourselves over to Christ. And His calling has come in the context of community. And in our traditions we have a deep and rich understanding of faith in the context of that community and a history of faith and revelation in that we find in our traditions. God speaks to us in many ways. Our tradition is hard for many others to understand, but nevertheless, we serve Him — we are counter-cultural with rich worship. And at the end of our worship service, I always feel a sense of anticipation as we proclaim “let us go forth to love and serve the Lord” along with others around the world and those who have gone before us. I believe that others on this blog show a lack of understanding and probably have a life long history of being taught that Catholic (and perhaps anglo-catholic) is a deviation. I understand . I choose to believe that they are also worshiping and then “go forth to love and serve the Lord” as well — perhaps a bit less eloquently than what the Liturgy gives us.
Keep the faith and keep the tradition alive. I appreciated your words.
Thank you for the kind words and affirmation, although I can honestly say I was lead by the spirit and must give Glory and Honor and credit to God for the words. Simply put, I had to reread my comments because I had forgotten what I had written (I guess because I didn’t really write them but was lead the whole way). As I have said I am under constant conversion and my comments on the original controversial post and the follow ups were lead with love and openess. That said, my soul has a home in the Catholic Church and my heart has a home in my community and head has a home in the study of natural law.
Every thought and opinion must be brought before the judgment seat of God’s Word and compared with His truth. If you will do so you will see that the doctrines of Catholicism are bankrupt and corrupt. God bless you:)
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/standing-for-the-truth/
He does every day. Thank you and God Bless as well.
I give you credit on a few but you are spectacularly wrong on a few as well, so I will clarify. The authority of the church on earth was given to St. Peter our first Pope and the church traces it’s roots directly back to Jesus through the Popes. That’s a simple argument backed by scripture when Jesus gave the keys to the church to Peter and said upon this rock I will build my church. As the official authority the churches main role is protecting and outreach at very much the same time. We are called to protect the innocent while reaching out to the predator. We protect the scripture while reaching out to the non-believers. Did you ever question why the crusades happen and what the political field was like then? Yes, I said the church is involved in politics, big deal, lobbyists of all faiths are. Without strong political alliance you can not convert for example a pagan holiday to a Christian holiday. Second, the church as the body of Christ has very specific roles, as Christ has said in scripture as the body parts have roles so also do we. That role is your calling and that calling is work. Do you not remember what happen to the treasure that was buried for fear of losing it compared to the treasure that was invested and made double return? God has given us time, talent, and treasure so we may invest and bear fruit. You need this investment on a large scale to really do worldwide ministry. I regret that more Protestants don’t see the word of God has been protected throughout the ages because of the church. At the time before the printing press Catholic monks copied line by line the entire Bible with no more than a small percentage of error (if error did occur the whole page was rewritten) and the distributed that work around the world. Our ministry is not self serving, ask any priest if his dream job was to be a pastor and the answer is no or it should be no because it’s not a dream, it’s real life down to earth work, it’s taking a vow of celebacy (and yes you have to at least have one testicle in order to make a sacrifice), it’s taking a vow of obedience, it’s literally getting “married” to the church, it’s being moved every 6 to 12 years without having a choice of your new home or new people, it’s going to prisons to minister to the people the state locks up and forgets, it’s going to nursing homes that the family sends thier elder to and forgets, it’s taking care of orphans and widows, it’s teaching humans about humanity and divinity and the difference between the two, it’s being a shepard to many culturally different sheep. Since the abuse scandal priests can no longer have a minor in the residence, even if another adult is there and even if it’s family, so a priest that has a nephew that is 17 years old and is with his mother(the sister of the priest) can not even have dinner in the residency of the priest. Now this hyper-awareness is present in all of the American churches and in some European churches. You think the priests ordained today appreciates that they can’t have family over because of the appearance of what could be a scandal? And as for the ones who have commited abuse they are serving time according to state laws. If a priest is accused of any such abuse they are immediately removed from active duty and investigated and they are put in the newspapers for all to see, then if they are cleared of the charge they return to ministry if possible but are tracked for many years. The church has accepted guilt on it’s part of ignorance but many of the cases (as with most in the secular world) were brought about years afterward. The lawsuits that followed were also cause for concern because some were taking advantage of the scandal and claiming falsehoods to either gain money or to slander a priest they simply didn’t like. This was additionally complicated with the background of these abuses and the priests involved wherein the church had to investigate if the priests abused on purpose to try to take down the church or if the adults that were claiming abuse were trying to destroy the church, etc. I’m not saying it was the exact right course of action, but I do believe we are on the right track to prevent any future abuse. Whew, now if you truly believe the other statements about our celebration of Mass you are partly right, in fact refer to John chapter 6. Oh my a Catholic referenced the Bible! Also our teachings on Mary as a model of what to do when God calls are just that. She is a model for us to seek guidance as we experience Jesus. She is referenced in the Bible Many times and is relevent to the point of making it to the Book of Revelation. For further information on this ask because this is a deep subject that follows sacred tradition in many ways. As far as praying for the dead or to the dead, we do both. Is there a problem with offering a prayer of hope if it’s a dialogue with a soul that we believe is alive? What is your definition of prayer because if it’s only a conversation with you and God then we will never come
to terms. Prayer is a connection to us, partly because we can not be connected, if that makes sense. I can’t see how my parents are so I may pray for them that they are good. I connect to them because I am disconnected from them(we are about an hour apart). Again, the prayer beads were hijacked from the pagans(how clever of us) because they work, the prayer bead acts as a meditation device (keeping us focused, etc.) and aids in our ability to break prayer up into pleas and reflection. Lastly, I believe in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. I have searched my soul and found it a home. Thank you for your time and sorry for mistakes since I’m typing all this on a Ipod. Please take back your comment about being a cult, we are a religion at best.
The Catholic Church is a cult because of all the false teaching I catalogued above. They worship a false christ who cannot save. I remember attending mass for my mother-in-law and people rising to their feet for the wafer. That is idolatry. You should flee this false teaching and embrace the truth that is found exclusively in the Scriptures and not in the dogma and doctrines of men. If we follow a false christ we are not saved.
While I appreciate your simplicity, that wafer is in fact Jesus, body and blood, soul and divinity. We first hear the mention from John Chapter 6 and then at the Last supper where Jesus himself institutes the Consecration. This will go into much further detail but you will have to be like the disciples in John Chapter 6, you must not have anywhere else to go. Some of the crowd broke away and couldn’t understand and instead of Jesus stopping them he asks the apostles and the others that stay if they would go away as well. Read it again and then figure out if you are staying with Jesus or moving away to some other form of worship. I seem to think you may be worshipping the bible itself or perhaps knowledge or perhaps a Pastor or even yourself for being proud to “call me out” as a cult follower, when in fact I am the one staying there because I have no one else more important and he gave me that at the last supper and he has continued to protect his church through ages of human misbehavior, human greed, and a number of other scandals. Disprove he didn’t mean his Body and Blood literally and maybe you can take down this so called “cult”.
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1 After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee — or of Tiberias-
2 and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he had done in curing the sick.
3 Jesus climbed the hillside and sat down there with his disciples.
4 The time of the Jewish Passover was near.
5 Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’
6 He said this only to put Philip to the test; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would not buy enough to give them a little piece each.’
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said,
9 ‘Here is a small boy with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that among so many?’
10 Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down.
11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were sitting there; he then did the same with the fish, distributing as much as they wanted.
12 When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing is wasted.’
13 So they picked them up and filled twelve large baskets with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves.
14 Seeing the sign that he had done, the people said, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’
15 Jesus, as he realised they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, fled back to the hills alone.
16 That evening the disciples went down to the shore of the sea
17 and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the sea. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them.
18 The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough.
19 They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming towards the boat. They were afraid,
20 but he said, ‘It’s me. Don’t be afraid.’
21 They were ready to take him into the boat, and immediately it reached the shore at the place they were making for.
22 Next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side saw that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves.
23 Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten.
24 When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
26 Jesus answered: In all truth I tell you, you are looking for me not because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
27 Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.
28 Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to carry out God’s work?’
29 Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is carrying out God’s work: you must believe in the one he has sent.’
30 So they said, ‘What sign will you yourself do, the sight of which will make us believe in you? What work will you do?
31 Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
32 Jesus answered them: In all truth I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread;
33 for the bread of God is the bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
34 ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘give us that bread always.’
35 Jesus answered them: I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst.
36 But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe.
37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me; I will certainly not reject anyone who comes to me,
38 because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me.
39 Now the will of him who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, but that I should raise it up on the last day.
40 It is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and that I should raise that person up on the last day.
41 Meanwhile the Jews were complaining to each other about him, because he had said, ‘I am the bread that has come down from heaven.’
42 They were saying, ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know. How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven?” ‘
43 Jesus said in reply to them, ‘Stop complaining to each other.
44 ‘No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God; everyone who has listened to the Father, and learnt from him, comes to me.
46 Not that anybody has seen the Father, except him who has his being from God: he has seen the Father.
47 In all truth I tell you, everyone who believes has eternal life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate manna in the desert and they are dead;
50 but this is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’
52 Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’
53 Jesus replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
54 Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day.
55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person.
57 As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me.
58 This is the bread which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.
59 This is what he taught at Capernaum in the synagogue.
60 After hearing it, many of his followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’
61 Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this disturb you?
62 What if you should see the Son of man ascend to where he was before?
63 ‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
64 ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset who did not believe and who was to betray him.
65 He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me except by the gift of the Father.’
66 After this, many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more.
67 Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’
68 Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life,
69 and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.’
70 Jesus replied to them, ‘Did I not choose the Twelve of you? Yet one of you is a devil.’
71 He meant Judas son of Simon Iscariot, since this was the man, one of the Twelve, who was to betray him.
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The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985. The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) has become the most widely used Roman Catholic Bible outside of the United States. It has the imprimatur of Cardinal George Basil Hume.
Like its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) version is translated “directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.” The 1973 French translation, the Bible de Jerusalem, is followed only “where the text admits to more than one interpretation.” Introductions and notes, with some modifications, are taken from the Bible de Jerusalem.
Source: The Very Reverend Dom (Joseph) Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA (Oxon), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Rome), a monk of Ampleforth Abbey and a biblical scholar. He was General Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible. “New Jerusalem Bible, Regular Edition”, pg. v.
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August 20th, 2013
Reading 1, Judges 6:11-24: The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash of Abiezer. … Psalm, Psalms 85:9, 11-12, 13-14: His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land. Gospel, Matthew 19:23-30: Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the … Read More
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1 It was two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by some trick and have him put to death.
2 For they said, ‘It must not be during the festivities, or there will be a disturbance among the people.’
3 He was at Bethany in the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a virulent skin-disease; he was at table when a woman came in with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the ointment on his head.
4 Some who were there said to one another indignantly, ‘Why this waste of ointment?
5 Ointment like this could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor’; and they were angry with her.
6 But Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why are you upsetting her? What she has done for me is a good work.
7 You have the poor with you always, and you can be kind to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me.
8 She has done what she could: she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.
9 In truth I tell you, wherever throughout all the world the gospel is proclaimed, what she has done will be told as well, in remembrance of her.’
10 Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, approached the chief priests with an offer to hand Jesus over to them.
11 They were delighted to hear it, and promised to give him money; and he began to look for a way of betraying him when the opportunity should occur.
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’
13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him,
14 and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is the room for me to eat the Passover with my disciples?”
15 He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.’
16 The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.
17 When evening came he arrived with the Twelve.
18 And while they were at table eating, Jesus said, ‘In truth I tell you, one of you is about to betray me, one of you eating with me.’
19 They were distressed and said to him, one after another, ‘Not me, surely?’
20 He said to them, ‘It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping into the same dish with me.
21 Yes, the Son of man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born.’
22 And as they were eating he took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said, ‘this is my body.’
23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to them, and all drank from it,
24 and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many.
25 In truth I tell you, I shall never drink wine any more until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’
26 After the psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.
27 And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered;
28 however, after my resurrection I shall go before you into Galilee.’
29 Peter said, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’
30 And Jesus said to him, ‘In truth I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times.’
31 But he repeated still more earnestly, ‘If I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And they all said the same.
32 They came to a plot of land called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, ‘Stay here while I pray.’
33 Then he took Peter and James and John with him.
34 And he began to feel terror and anguish. And he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here, and stay awake.’
35 And going on a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, this hour might pass him by.
36 ‘Abba, Father!’ he said, ‘For you everything is possible. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it.’
37 He came back and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Had you not the strength to stay awake one hour?
38 Stay awake and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak.’
39 Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And once more he came back and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy; and they could find no answer for him.
41 He came back a third time and said to them, ‘You can sleep on now and have your rest. It is all over. The hour has come. Now the Son of man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is not far away.’
43 And at once, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up and with him a number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 Now the traitor had arranged a signal with them saying, ‘The one I kiss, he is the man. Arrest him, and see he is well guarded when you lead him away.’
45 So when the traitor came, he went up to Jesus at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him.
46 The others seized him and arrested him.
47 Then one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck out at the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus spoke. ‘Am I a bandit,’ he said, ‘that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs?
49 I was among you teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid a hand on me. But this is to fulfil the scriptures.’
50 And they all deserted him and ran away.
51 A young man followed with nothing on but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him,
52 but he left the cloth in their hands and ran away naked.
53 They led Jesus off to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled there.
54 Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s palace, and was sitting with the attendants warming himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus in order to have him executed. But they could not find any.
56 Several, indeed, brought false witness against him, but their evidence was conflicting.
57 Some stood up and submitted this false evidence against him,
58 ‘We heard him say, “I am going to destroy this Temple made by human hands, and in three days build another, not made by human hands.” ‘
59 But even on this point their evidence was conflicting.
60 The high priest then rose before the whole assembly and put this question to Jesus, ‘Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?’
61 But he was silent and made no answer at all. The high priest put a second question to him saying, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’
62 ‘I am,’ said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’
63 The high priest tore his robes and said, ‘What need of witnesses have we now?
64 You heard the blasphemy. What is your finding?’ Their verdict was unanimous: he deserved to die.
65 Some of them started spitting at his face, hitting him and saying, ‘Play the prophet!’ And the attendants struck him too.
66 While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant-girls came up.
67 She saw Peter warming himself there, looked closely at him and said, ‘You too were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’
68 But he denied it. ‘I do not know, I do not understand what you are talking about,’ he said. And he went out into the forecourt, and a cock crowed.
69 The servant-girl saw him and again started telling the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’
70 But again he denied it. A little later the bystanders themselves said to Peter, ‘You are certainly one of them! Why, you are a Galilean.’
71 But he started cursing and swearing, ‘I do not know the man you speak of.’
72 And at once the cock crowed for the second time, and Peter recalled what Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times.’ And he burst into tears.
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The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985. The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) has become the most widely used Roman Catholic Bible outside of the United States. It has the imprimatur of Cardinal George Basil Hume.
Like its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) version is translated “directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.” The 1973 French translation, the Bible de Jerusalem, is followed only “where the text admits to more than one interpretation.” Introductions and notes, with some modifications, are taken from the Bible de Jerusalem.
Source: The Very Reverend Dom (Joseph) Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA (Oxon), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Rome), a monk of Ampleforth Abbey and a biblical scholar. He was General Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible. “New Jerusalem Bible, Regular Edition”, pg. v.
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August 20th, 2013
Reading 1, Judges 6:11-24: The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash of Abiezer. … Psalm, Psalms 85:9, 11-12, 13-14: His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land. Gospel, Matthew 19:23-30: Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the … Read More
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1 Then some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’
2 This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the question with the apostles and elders.
3 The members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the gentiles had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by all the brothers.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders, and gave an account of all that God had done through them.
5 But certain members of the Pharisees’ party who had become believers objected, insisting that gentiles should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses.
6 The apostles and elders met to look into the matter,
7 and after a long discussion, Peter stood up and addressed them. ‘My brothers,’ he said, ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the gentiles were to learn the good news from me and so become believers.
8 And God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us.
9 God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith.
10 Why do you put God to the test now by imposing on the disciples the very burden that neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to support?
11 But we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.’
12 The entire assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the gentiles.
13 When they had finished it was James who spoke. ‘My brothers,’ he said, ‘listen to me.
14 Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the gentiles.
15 This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:
16 After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; I shall make good the gaps in it and restore it.
17 Then the rest of humanity, and of all the nations once called mine, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this
18 known so long ago.
19 ‘My verdict is, then, that instead of making things more difficult for gentiles who turn to God,
20 we should send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from illicit marriages, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
21 For Moses has always had his preachers in every town and is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.’
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose delegates from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, known as Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood,
23 and gave them this letter to take with them: ‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of gentile birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.
24 We hear that some people coming from here, but acting without any authority from ourselves, have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds;
25 and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with our well-beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 who have committed their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written.
28 It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to impose on you any burden beyond these essentials:
29 you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from illicit marriages. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’
30 The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter.
31 The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.
32 Judas and Silas, being themselves prophets, spoke for a long time, encouraging and strengthening the brothers.
33 These two spent some time there, and then the brothers wished them peace and went back to those who had sent them.
34
35 Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, and there with many others they taught and proclaimed the good news, the word of the Lord.
36 On a later occasion Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord, so that we can see how they are doing.’
37 Barnabas suggested taking John Mark,
38 but Paul was not in favour of taking along the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had refused to share in their work.
39 There was sharp disagreement so that they parted company, and Barnabas sailed off with Mark to Cyprus.
40 Before Paul left, he chose Silas to accompany him and was commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 He travelled through Syria and Cilicia, consolidating the churches.
Search the Bible:
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More on the Bible
The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985. The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) has become the most widely used Roman Catholic Bible outside of the United States. It has the imprimatur of Cardinal George Basil Hume.
Like its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) version is translated “directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.” The 1973 French translation, the Bible de Jerusalem, is followed only “where the text admits to more than one interpretation.” Introductions and notes, with some modifications, are taken from the Bible de Jerusalem.
Source: The Very Reverend Dom (Joseph) Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA (Oxon), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Rome), a monk of Ampleforth Abbey and a biblical scholar. He was General Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible. “New Jerusalem Bible, Regular Edition”, pg. v.
Ten Commandments | Books of the Bible | Buy a Bible
Daily Readings
View More
August 20th, 2013
Reading 1, Judges 6:11-24: The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash of Abiezer. … Psalm, Psalms 85:9, 11-12, 13-14: His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land. Gospel, Matthew 19:23-30: Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the … Read More
Future Dates
August 21st
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Esther
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A final clarification, the church does not believe that non-catholics won’t be saved. The church has many times said it really is dependent on God to make that call because we can not see inside the heart of man. On the one hand we have specific guidelines as to how to live(love your neighbor as yourself) and where to live(shake the dust from your feet if you are not accepted) and what to live for(put on the armor of faith and shield of good will) and why to live in such a way(noone meets the Father except through me) and when to live this way(there is a time for mourning and a time for joy, etc.) but at the end of the day the servant will go out into the streets and bring in the lowly and strangers for the Master because the noble guests who were called did not show up). You see why we aren’t claiming to know EVERYTHING but what we DO know is the Truth? For the hour is not known except by the Father who is willing to spare the entire city for five righteous ones. The Lord is the Source and the Summit. The Lord is gracious, and slow to anger, and rich in love, and good to ALL who call on him.
I confess to genuine confusion Marc. I have read the Catchism of the Catholic Church, and many articles from the Vatican website, various Vatican committees and even the Pope himself. The official position of the Catholic Church most definitely is that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. This is one of many unbiblical teachings contained in the Catechism.
If you are interested in a Reformed protestant view of the Catholic Church’s teachings, from the perspective of a former Catholic priest who has a genuine heart to reach out to Catholics with the truth, please consider the following site:
http://www.bereanbeacon.org.
May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.
Perhaps you as a former priest should admit that the Catholic church is a living church. The position is that as the living church we do hold the knowledge and truth of salvation as handed down to us from Jesus himself and we are called to spread that message but more importantly to LIVE that message. With that said we have specific guidelines on how to care for our dying but in the end the body dies and the soul is judged upon by God. Thus my previous statement of not knowing mans heart. We definitely have a way for our soul to be redeemed by our God. Now in the end God may see it fit to redeem souls in a just and merciful way, again, He is the all mighty and all powerful Creator and Redeemer. Our Gospel message today was Luke Chapter 12 Verse 59 – 63 (I think the verses are right but the entire chapter is good to read. This life we live is a mere blink in eternity so we try not to screw it up right, but just as Adam and Eve were mislead so also are we. This free will is the gift or the curse dependent upon how you view it. I personally have a gift to freely worship, serve and love the Lord with all my heart, mind, body and spirit. As with this gift I also sometimes worship, serve and love myself and fall victim to great moral sin (honest to goodness sin, not sin of ignorance) and so we as creation have this Awesome Creator who is willing to forgive my trespasses and call me again and again. Like a father to his children, the children realize they have been deceived and then learn and try again as the father is harsh but then shows mercy and patience. We are in love with a firm but loving God and he does have every right to claim us at anytime. I don’t have to understand this because it’s not my job to, I just have to constantly convert to him and allow myself to be a part of creation. Question everything with boldness, even God himself if you must l, but when you find the answer be still and know it. I know my shepard and I follow him but if I stray by myself all alone I know he will leave his flock to search just for me. Let us let Him find us. Thank you once more.
Luke 12 *49 – 53 honest mistake, see below for the entire chapter so nothing is misinterpreted.
I find it quite ironic that a pastor who finds fault with another has the same core beliefs listed on his church website. Check it out for yourselves people. Just because this is a blog written by a pastor, does not make it true. Do the research yourself. Come to your own conclusions. Just as he feels Joel and Joyce are misleading, he could be misleading you as well.
@ Jeannie – I agree, it is ironic, and something worth noting. A ‘statement of beliefs’ says noting about a pastor. I this you are absolutely correct. However, their weekly handling of the Scriptures in their sermons does. Listen to Rick’s sermons with your Bible open, looking up every passage, and then do the same for Joel and Joyce. Ask the Holy Spirit for his divine understanding and discernment each time, before you start. Seek the Lord wholeheartedly and he will show you his truth. Then you will see whose ‘statement of beliefs’ actually represents the eternal state of their soul and where they are leading others. I have done this and was amazed what I discovered. It was a hard lesson to learn. Dear sister, may the Lord bless you with His widom and understanding!
I believe that a statement of beliefs is the guiding principle of what they hold as true. I already do what you said and I see absolutely nothing wrong with what Joel says. Just as Rick is allowed to lead his congregation and followers in the way he feels led, I believe that same is true for Joel. Honestly, we cannot know the eternal state of anyone’s soul, only God knows that. No matter what we earthly, imperfect people do, we will never be able to discern where someone’s heart truly is. The troubling part to me with what Rick said in one of his blogs was that a way to identify if a person is a “wolf” is whether God speaks to them. Isn’t that why Jesus died? To enable us to have a relationship with our Creator? There will always be people like Rick, who from what I have read, only go by what is in the Bible and what is written. I wonder if he speaks to God and God speaks to him. If a wolf is someone who God speaks to, then would that not include him? I do not believe it is written anywhere in the Bible that Rick should be a pastor. God MUST have spoken to him and revealed that to him, otherwise, how did he know for sure what his calling was? Obviously, Rick is allowed to speak his mind and what he feels is true, but I think it unfortunately causes derision within the body of Christ. To me, it’s about the message, and I know that God has revealed himself in ways through Pastor Joel, not only to me, but my husband and because of it, our marriage was saved. Was it Pastor Joel, no. It was God. But, he took a normal, imperfect man to bring us that message. Just as I am sure Pastor Rick’s messages have reached those who listen to him. I also think pointing fingers takes everyone off of the main goal. To reach others for Christ. If we spent our time concentrated on doing that, then maybe we would see a revival that is needed so much in this country.
Jeanie I agree I just saw your post but after I just posted from both web sites the statement of beliefs of Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen , the seem very similar to Pastor Rick’s church statement of beliefs go figure ??? What We Believe
Statement of Faith
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and contains every answer to man’s problems.
2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21
There is one God, existing eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
John 10:30; John 14:26; Philippians 2:5-7
God is Love and He loves all people. It is His desire to reach out to those who are poor, oppressed, widowed or orphaned, and to heal the brokenhearted.
Psalm 68:5,6; 1 John 4:16
Man is created in the image of God but separated from God by sin. Without Jesus we cannot have a relationship with God.
Genesis 1:26; 1 Timothy 2:5
We can have a personal relationship with God through salvation, God’s free gift to man. It is not a result of what we do, but it is only available through God’s unearned favor. By admitting we have sinned and believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and accepting Him as Lord, we can spend eternity with God.
Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 5:1; Romans 3:24
We believe in water baptism, as taught and demonstrated by Jesus, as the way for believers to identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. He helps empower the believer to develop the character of Christ and live every day in God’s will.
Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:4
God gives all believers spiritual gifts. They are for the strengthening of God’s people (the Church) and proof of God’s existence and power to unbelievers. The gifts of the Spirit are active and relevant today.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10
Sanctification is the ongoing process of allowing God’s character to be developed in us.
Romans 6:19; Galatians 5:22-25
Divine healing is active in the lives of people today through Jesus, who is the Healer. Healing includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual restoration.
Luke 9:11; Matthew 9:35; Acts 10:38; Matthew 10:1
The Bible describes hell as a real place. It is a place of suffering and a place of permanent separation from God for those who die without accepting Christ. God’s desire is that no one be separated from Him for eternity, which is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth.
Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12-15; John 3:16-18
Jesus will return and take all those who have accepted Him as Savior to be with Him for eternity.
Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Hebrews 9:28
From Joel Osteen ” Now from Joyce Meyers –
What We Believe
Statement of Faith
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and contains every answer to man’s problems.
2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21
There is one God, existing eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
John 10:30; John 14:26; Philippians 2:5-7
God is Love and He loves all people. It is His desire to reach out to those who are poor, oppressed, widowed or orphaned, and to heal the brokenhearted.
Psalm 68:5,6; 1 John 4:16
Man is created in the image of God but separated from God by sin. Without Jesus we cannot have a relationship with God.
Genesis 1:26; 1 Timothy 2:5
We can have a personal relationship with God through salvation, God’s free gift to man. It is not a result of what we do, but it is only available through God’s unearned favor. By admitting we have sinned and believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and accepting Him as Lord, we can spend eternity with God.
Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 5:1; Romans 3:24
We believe in water baptism, as taught and demonstrated by Jesus, as the way for believers to identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. He helps empower the believer to develop the character of Christ and live every day in God’s will.
Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:4
God gives all believers spiritual gifts. They are for the strengthening of God’s people (the Church) and proof of God’s existence and power to unbelievers. The gifts of the Spirit are active and relevant today.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10
Sanctification is the ongoing process of allowing God’s character to be developed in us.
Romans 6:19; Galatians 5:22-25
Divine healing is active in the lives of people today through Jesus, who is the Healer. Healing includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual restoration.
Luke 9:11; Matthew 9:35; Acts 10:38; Matthew 10:1
The Bible describes hell as a real place. It is a place of suffering and a place of permanent separation from God for those who die without accepting Christ. God’s desire is that no one be separated from Him for eternity, which is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth.
Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12-15; John 3:16-18
Jesus will return and take all those who have accepted Him as Savior to be with Him for eternity.
Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Hebrews 9:28
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I am not sure if any pastor or denomination is in 100% understanding of full Biblical truth – including the proper way to “Call out” a false teacher but I am 100% confident of this one thing….if you are led by the Holy Spirit to take that type of public action, you will do so with an attitude of humility, willing to be schooled and repentant of any false beliefs or doctrines you hold yourself….not seeing that in you Rick…
Well said. I might have missed it somewhere, but has Rick ever approached Joyce and/or Joel privately about this matter? That would be the biblical course of action before any public rebuke.
Also, Rick, there are several places here where you have taking the opportunity to correct and edit some statements that you felt were mis-communicating something to us (the readers of this blog)…Fair enough because it is your blog, we don’t have to read it…but think about how it would help to allow the teachers (Joyce isn’t a pastor, she is a seminar teacher- not a church leader) to correct or edit their statements you have printed..? Wouldn’t that be the fair and ethical treatment towards them?..otherwise, all you’ve got is what is called a “bully pulpit”
I would imagine that “Third-World” pastors would have a problem with other things we spend our money on in the American church. Therefore, I am proposing the following:
1. All pastors and leaders of American churches should not own a vehicle worth over $20,000.00.
2. All pastors’ wives should not spend $$ to color their hair or have their “acrylic” nails manicured.
3. Clothes should only come from thrift stores or Wal-mart.
4. No more huge family vacations to Disney
5. Remove cable or satellite TV from our homes.
6. One computer per household for church leaders…
I can think of more but I think this is a great start – after all, we don’t want to be accused of being hypocrites.Take all the money you save and pour it into the Kingdom and set an example for the church body…..Will this help us get closer to God and love our brothers?
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1 Meanwhile the people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another. And he began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees — their hypocrisy.
2 Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear.
3 For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed from the housetops.
4 ‘To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
5 I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, he is the one to fear.
6 Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight.
7 Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows.
8 ‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence of God’s angels.
9 But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.
10 ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but no one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven.
11 ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say,
12 because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.’
13 A man in the crowd said to him, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’
14 He said to him, ‘My friend, who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’
15 Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possessions, even when someone has more than he needs.’
16 Then he told them a parable, ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land,
17 thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.”
18 Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them,
19 and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.”
20 But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?”
21 So it is when someone stores up treasure for himself instead of becoming rich in the sight of God.’
22 Then he said to his disciples, ‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it.
23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
24 Think of the ravens. They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds them. And how much more you are worth than the birds!
25 Can any of you, however much you worry, add a single cubit to your span of life?
26 If a very small thing is beyond your powers, why worry about the rest?
27 Think how the flowers grow; they never have to spin or weave; yet, I assure you, not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of them.
28 Now if that is how God clothes a flower which is growing wild today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he look after you, who have so little faith!
29 But you must not set your hearts on things to eat and things to drink; nor must you worry.
30 It is the gentiles of this world who set their hearts on all these things. Your Father well knows you need them.
31 No; set your hearts on his kingdom, and these other things will be given you as well.
32 ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.
33 ‘Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it.
34 For wherever your treasure is, that is where your heart will be too.
35 ‘See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit.
36 Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks.
37 Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them.
38 It may be in the second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those servants if he finds them ready.
39 You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house.
40 You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
41 Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’
42 The Lord replied, ‘Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?
43 Blessed that servant if his master’s arrival finds him doing exactly that.
44 I tell you truly, he will put him in charge of everything that he owns.
45 But if the servant says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk,
46 his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
47 ‘The servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash.
48 The one who did not know, but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected.
49 ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
50 There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
51 ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
52 For from now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three;
53 father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-law.’
54 He said again to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does.
55 And when the wind is from the south you say it’s going to be hot, and it is.
56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
57 ‘Why not judge for yourselves what is upright?
58 For example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison.
59 I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’
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August 18th, 2013
Reading 1, Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10: The chief men then said to the king, ‘You must have this man put to death: he is unquestionably … Psalm, Psalms 40:2, 3, 4, 18: He pulled me up from the seething chasm, from the mud of the mire. He set my feet on rock, and … Gospel, Luke 12:49-53: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a … Reading 2, Hebrews 12:1-4: With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we too, then, should throw off everything … Read More
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Sorry for any confusion Mark. I am not a former Catholic priest, I was just referring you to former Catholic priest Richard Bennett (www.bereanbeacon.org) if you wanted some information from that perspective. He is a very lovely man with an extraordinary knowledge of Scriptures and Catholic doctrine. I believe that God calls his people out of many places including the Catholic Church. Therefore I believe that there are people in the Catholic Church who truly love the Lord.
However, a false gospel and another Jesus cannot save. It is the belief of reformed protestants that certain Catholic doctrines, if truly believed and acted upon will lead to the eternal damnation of the soul. I am not skilled enough to go through every doctrinal difference myself, hence my referral to Richard’s website. Whatever you decide to do, I am glad for your love of the Lord and pray that he continues to bless you with wisdom and understanding. Sherryn
It’s not what I decide to do it’s what God calls me to do. I have been trying to get across the message of redemption as a gift, we must accept the Holy Spirit as a guide to that gift. We argue about what is on paper but ultimately we are not all knowing. On paper a blueprint may look awesome but in real life it may not work. This realism is our reason for faith and our way to be awed by God. On paper man can not walk on water but Jesus did it in real life. If we don’t have faith that the plan is in our favor then we are still lost. We don’t have to all be college educated pastors who have all of the answers for God takes care of his children of faith just the same. We may enjoy knowing the answer but if that’s all we are in it for we are just as lost as the ignorant. We need the love that Jesus has poured forth for us to always self reflect and compare ourselves to Gods image, not each others image. If we compare ourselves to our neighbor we have missed the point entirely, we should love our neighbor instead and let our God be God, not some being we use to judge and destroy others. We can all be half right and half wrong and it still wouldn’t make a difference in the end who knows more than the other. If my debtor forgives my mountain of debt the I should indeed forgive the one who owes me a mere hill of debt. I can end this discussion in peace with faith that I did my best to show the Love and forgiveness and mercy I have received.
Redundant and long winded posts are rude and spam.
Rick,
If it hasn’t been posted already, here is a three part teachings series by Justin Peters called A Call to Discernment that your congregation and blog crew might find useful:
Please, I urge everyone in this conversation who believes that Joyce, Myers, Joel Osteen and other similar teachers are biblically sound, to please watch this series. It provides the history of where these teachings come from, and is a Scriptural refutation of Word of Faith teachings.
If you have questions, you can also contact Justin at http://www.justinpeters.org.
And then Jesus came upon his disciples and said, “Brethren, what’s this I heareth about me being a blood sacrifice for your sins? May I asketh, ‘Who in the goddamn hell came up with that Neanderthal bullshit!!!!??’
What are you, a bunch of ignorant lunatics!!?
Blood sacrifice!!!!!?????? Are you all insane!!!???
Listen, brethren, thou’st can take this dying for sins donkey shit and shove it straight up thy fucking asses!!!!”
—–Jesus Christ, the Lost Gospel of Sanity
I beg you to get therapy.
So many are so willfully deceived and blasphemers. When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/trusting-the-savior/
It is an amazing thing to take the role of Elijah and describe your view as the gospel. It seems that the role of the book expert greek/hebrew is to follow the example of the past John 5:39. Interpretation and application are some times not connected.
Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen are not the only ones…I have heard similar teaching from the 700 Club but Pat Robertson has a lot of powerful friends
I think that Pastor Rick should fall prostrate and ask the Lord for forgiveness for the way in which he has allowed the devil to use him. The damage you have done is incalculable. We won’t fear because God has a purpose for every action, even when our human minds can’t see it But my heart aches. I realize you don’t care – which is another fruit of your spirit. You are on Huffington Post now, giving fodder to every God-hating evil mongering person out there. You deny that God wants us to live abundantly. You deny that God would and has done everything just so that we could fellowship with him. You sir, are the heretic. Jesus said the poor will be with us always. He encourages us to follow his example and care for the poor. He encourages us to lift each other up. You have done neither. This is a blatant attempt to enrich yourself at the expense of Jesus. You might as well have thrust the sword in his side. You’ve delivered Christ to the angry mob. But you will not succeed. The victory is already won. Let God guide your conscience with your 30 shekels. Unlike you, I’ll pray that you are not so far gone that you cannot find your way back on your knees. For disclosure, I watch Meyers and Olsteen sparingly mostly because I do not have the time to wait for their broadcasts. But I am a faithful follower of Christ, I support my church and anyone who is looking for the answer to the world’s problems. I commend these preachers for so dedicating their lives. I believe they should be paid. I believe that if so led by the Spirit, people should feel free to invest in their ministry, just as I invest in the ministry of my church. I am not jealous nor do I covet.
I don’t understand…what is the incalculable damage done. This guy just wrote a few articles–people are free to agree or dismiss it as they please. I also don’t understand why you need such a judgmental tone in this post. Why make so many baseless accusations (enriching self at the expense of Jesus…just thrust the sword yourself) and then the need to justify what a good person you are at the end? Be careful of a bad spirit some teachers might actually have. Some of them have threatened that bad things will happen to your children if you disagree with them.
Well, Sam, I certainly did not threaten bad things to Rick or his children. That’s coming out of left field and leads me to wonder what you’re all about. And I hope and pray that no one is threatening my children. So um, yeah. I don’t get it.
The incalculable damage is the damage to the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people for whom Rick’s article created disillusionment and uncertainty about the redeeming love of Christ. Please dont take my word for it, just settle in and read the countless comments on Huffpo of people who are saying that this is why they can’t believe in God or religion.
I have no issue with Rick’s decision to question the Olsteens and Meyers of the world. The argument about grace v the law is longstanding and we as Christians should remain steadfast in our study of the Word and thru the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to learn how God would have us live. I do take issue with his methods and can see no purpose in them other than his giving in to self pride. He was actually a bit gleeful that Huffpo was picking up his piece. But then he feigns astonishment at the controversy. I stand by what I said. If the digital square that is HuffPo does not resemble Pontius Pilates quarters, then I don’t know. In his article, heard Rick questioning whether Jesus was really King. I heard him saying that it was not The Lord of the Universe who saves us, but our own deeds, our ability to control our sin. Yes, to me, his article played like the Jewish leaders, resentful of Jesus’ popularity, who turned him over to the pagan Romans to be crucified.
I wish the brother well. I pray that God will help him understand that his first and primary goal is to point the lost to Christ, not to, in a move equal in crassness to that of the Pharisees, create and spread doubt on the endless capacity of Gods love.
Lastly, unlike Rick, I am not going to get self defensive. What you accuse of self-justification is simply an explanation to Rick of why people invest their time and resources in supporting ministries. Rick says he would like to have wealthy people support his ministry but then attacks others who seem perhaps to be more effective than he, by calling them charlatans and heretics. It looks like jealousy, it sounds like jealousy, it feels like jealousy. But ok, if you say it’s not jealousy, then we’ll let God decide.
Sam, oh Sam, why did you get me started again? I had just made peace with this whole travesty and realized that yes, indeed, God, in his infinite wisdom, can use this situation to drive many to His Word. But please allow me to say one more thing about the prosperity gospel that everyone is so afraid of.
As Rick gives in one of his examples, he and his wife walked into a nice neighborhood and attempted to claim one of the nicer houses thru faith. Guess what, he found out quickly enough that this attempt, this approach, is not the type of relationship that God seeks or blesses.
So again, do we doubt the power of God to teach, inform, correct when people are headed down the wrong path? How many have prayed that the million dollar check would arrive in the post box the next day, or that a loved one’s cancer would disappear. Only to see that Gods plans are not their plans. It is part of our growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that we learn who He is and who He isn’t. And it is thru these experiences, that our faith is strengthened.
Listen, God is the author AND finisher of our faith. He is mighty and powerful to save. He will not leave us undone. Let us not be stumbling blocks to those In search of a Savior as we put our own questionable thoughts and ideas above the words of our Master.
Give me a digital file of your spoken and written words for the last 20 years and I’ll find quotes that make you look just as bad as you’ve made Joyce and Joel to look. Guaranteed.
One last comment on this and it has consumed me for most of the day and really for the past 2 weeks since I first read this awful, awful article. I’m so glad the tide has now turned on Huff Post and the righteous have not been ashamed to stand for Jesus Christ. God is alive! No weapon formed against us will prosper. Brother, you need to repent.
Church is messy – but God is not. His message is simple. Believe on Him and be saved. Follow Him and He will make you fishers of men. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. You sowed seeds of discord and strife Pastor. Your claims of clarity reveal more arrogance, pride and hatred. If you want to caution, if you want to clarify, then take each point of these ministries and provide your explanation for where the pastors went wrong. This is not what you have done – you have conflated, you have grossly accused, you have manipulated in a very deceitful way. I have read and re-read your follow up posts, searching in vain for the paragraph, sentence, phrase where you hold up the light of God’s word against what you claim to be false doctrine. Instead, I found self defense, rationalizations, vanity, insincere platitudes and cover up.
Gladly, those who diligently seek the Lord will and have been able to discern the ways of the devil. We give Him all glory and thanks for His faithfulness and for His marvelous Light. Again, I urge you to seek forgiveness for the harm you have done. My words are tough – but my heart cries that you will not reject the calling of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord bless you.
I too will ask the Lord to help me and to forgive me for the anger I have felt over this matter.
Finally, someone speaks an authentic message of faith amongst all the folks who are preaching a false gospel of self-interest and greed. Those false prophets are great for our capitalism but not for following the true Lamb.
Thank you Rick for your post! I appreciate the discernment reminder and especially appreciate you noted in your initial article the Christ-like characteristics you admire about Joel and Joyce.
Since many skim or simply skip to the bottom of posts, I respectfully recommend adding a line of love and grace to your conclusion statements.
Thank you again!
Your first mistake was not going to Joyce and Joel personally and doing this the biblical way.Did you follow the pattern God laid how for how to rebuke someone of the faith? I don’t think a public attack is in there.
I am 79 years old and I have been an ordained minister for most of those years. I believe there is a “silent majority” of christian pastors and priests who see the outrageous twisting of the gospel which these persons (Osteen and Meyer) have made. There are many more out there! These people thrive because there are millions of Americans who are desperate for a simple solution to their problems.
Thank you for bringing your scholarship and intellectual discernment to bear on this entire subject. It is high time someone did.
Thank you.
One point that was brought up in the initial article was the fact that these “American Style” teachings conflict with the rest of the world. I’m not surprised that this point hasn’t been used more strongly to make the case against the prosperity teaching.
Most of you have never set foot outside the U.S. and probably never will (no, a cruise doesn’t count). Most of you have no idea where the troubled locations we here about every day even are. So how can you say that the teaching in the U.S. regarding health, wealth, and prosperity is gospel? How can you say that Catholics are wrong when there are over 35,000 protestant denominations world wide? How can you be a protestant and say that 34,999 factions of your denomination are wrong when 34,999 factions of your denomination are saying you’re wrong?
Obviously the church is missing the mark. If it wasn’t then this issue wouldn’t be the primary topic of conversation. All in all, I believe what Rick is saying is true. Why? Because it obviously goes against the grain. It’s not easy. Thinking about God wanting me to be rich is an easy way out. Then all my focus is spent on what I’m going to get instead of who needs to know Jesus.
BTW, I am not Catholic and I do not live in the U.S. or the western hemisphere. In all fairness, I used to believe that stuff too. It’s pretty easy to do when you stay in one place for your entire life. When you leave, your perspective changes.
You tweeted that by calling out the 2 pastors, aetheists are trusting Christians more. How many souls have you won to Christ with this little experiment? Anyone from the HuffPo audience ask you how they can get to know Christ better?
huff post nuff said… ILL BET YOU DONT BELIEVE IN THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT……HOW ABOUT HEALING TODAY? /HOW ABOUT ALL THE THINGS GOD HAS FOR US WHILE WE ARE HERE ON THIS EARTH…GUESS WHAT????? WE WONT NEED THEM WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN….LITTLE SECRET…THESE THINGS ARE ONLY FOR NOW…. WHILE WE ARE HERE ON THE EARTH…WHAT IF THE DEVIL KEEPS YOU AND YOUR FOLLOWERS FROM BELIEVING IN THEM…GUESS WHAT AGAIN???? YOU DO WITHOUT…YOU WANT THAT? WOW WHY DID CHRIST DIE???? SO WE CAN BE POOR AND SICK? THATS NOT THE GOD I SERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! ASK ANYTHING…CHECK IT OUT IN THE HEBREW OR GREEK…WRITE ONE ON THAT…
The poor were specifically called out and blessed. And material “richness” was never set before us as a goal. An attitude of abundance isn’t in those things. And I would suggest that you read “ask anything” again, but this time in the context of the entire passage.
Perhaps poverty would be a more worthy goal than affluence in the quest for true richness.
There is too much to say in regards to this article. Therefore, to be respectful to others who don’t want to scroll through the long response, please visit http://kingdomoffire.com/?p=236 for my comment.
Your last statement sums it all up. ” Finally, no one is anointed” That includes You.
Your last statement sums it up ” Finally, no one is anointed”. That sure includes You.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
-Matthews 11:28 Christ is the victory.
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more… – John 5:14
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. – John 8:2-11
The signs of the times bring out the news, another day is through.
Someone slipped and fell, was that someone you (me)?
You may have long for added strength, your courage to renew.
Do not be disheartened, for I bring hope to you
It is no secret what God can do. What he’s done for others, he’ll do for you
With arms wide open, He’ll pardon you (me).
It is no secret what God can do.
There is no night, for in his light you’ll never walk alone
Always feel at home, wherever you may roam
There is no power can conquer you while God is on your side
Just take him at his promise, don’t run away and hide.
It is no secret what God can do.
What he’s done for others he’ll do for you
With arms wide open, He’ll pardon you.
It is no secret what God can do
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7
I’m praying for you, my brother. Just take Him at his Word. Hope you had a blessed Sabbath day.
Rick reference to any Preacher Is Any Preacher, Teacher or Pastor anointed– not being anointed is incorrect. You statement you said” they are not anointed”. This is where you contract scripture and YOUR interpretation. First you say Preachers, Teacher, or Pastors are not anointed is a contradiction to what you subsequently said “That being said, it is true that all believers are “anointed.” And if a preacher, teacher or pastor is a believer, which I hope they all are, then they are also anointed according to your statement. Rick, you are losing credibility with your audience reading your opinions and interpretations. You have to be careful in your wording. Please go back and re-read what you posted as many others reading this blog/forum will see that. You said “Teachers who use this term to describe themselves or their teaching are misguided at best and manipulative at worst” refutes your statements. Then you continue to post statements about “Consider the unfortunate events of the youths who insulted the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 2?” And you continue to validate your point that has nothing to do with being anointed and what the true meaning is in today’s times and being a child of God but not acting in childish ways.
You stated ” 1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him:.What this means is that all believers in Jesus have the Holy Spirit in them which I agree with you on that Rick. But then you go say that “it is never what a teacher means when he or she claims an anointing on themselves, their ministry or their message which is absolutely false” . Then you say “Followers of Jesus do have spiritual gifts, but that is not the same thing as anointing” . What a minute–time out here! Your statement “Spiritual gifts are abilities that the Holy Spirit empowers in all believers for the good of His church”— is your opinion or its it factual? Cite your sources? You have been to seminary so explain that so people will understand rather than YOU making a blanket statement without facts to support it. You use anointing and spiritual gifts recklessly and do not explain it for your audience.
All of this being said, you spend so much time refuting other ministers and preachers out there instead of spending time discussing issues how we can be a blessing to other people. You know, Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen have brought millions of people to Christ in huge numbers that you and I could not even give accurate numbers. They have saved marriages, relationships, strife, and disunity–something that is an epidemic in our society today. If you don’t believe that just watch the news and read the number of divorces we are seeing today. Joyce and Joel have New York Times best selling publications that have been sold all over the world. They have been blessed with prosperity because they have worked hard and put in long hours to get where they are. Nothing was given to them on a silver platter. Instead of criticizing them, why don’t you publicly pray for a healing for yourself if YOUR thoughts about them not agree with your personal opinions or beliefs. It is no one’s business how they live, how many fancy houses they have, or how many jets they own. Remember in scripture it says ” Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. —- I find many Christians sit and point fingers at other people instead of praying for them and doing what God wants us to do. Prayers for you Rick and your ministry….And I am not trying to condemn you. My heart tells me that I need to show you and your readers that you are just revealing your perspectives which reveals many non-truths and contradictions.
Rick, it was good to come across these articles. I feel this is something Christians need to think about and be more discerning about. In the last days and during God’s great harvest, it makes sense that the danger of false teachers will be a bigger factor that Christians need to be alert to. Charlatans have always been around to make a living off of people’s need for spiritual guidance.
I could be wrong, but I find most points in this article (and the original) to be sound, and the overall message you’re trying to communicate to warn people of false teachers is good. But I feel like taking the time to point out something I don’t believe you are explaining properly. As you’ve said, I don’t believe you are a false teacher but I believe there are some things you are mistakenly saying in here as though they are true. To get on with it, my issue is with this point from your article:
“Is Any Preacher, Teacher or Pastor Anointed?
NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Pastors and teachers are either true or false. They are not anointed.”
Let me first respond by repeating what some others have said in the comments. One commenter named Vic said it this way:
QUOTE: ‘Someone, oh, someone PLEASE define what you mean by “anointing.” Until that happens, this discussion is mere blather and mistaken Pentecostalism.’ END QOUTE
Another poster named Richard tried to define the term anointing:
QUOTE: ‘(1) someone who moved the hearer emotionally. It had nothing to do with truth, Scripture, or honor to Jesus … emotionalism pure and simple. (2) “Anointing” was claimed by those speaking who didn’t want their beliefs to be judged by God’s Word. A man could claim to be under the “anointing” so that whatever he said was unquestionably placed on par (or even above) the Bible.’ END QUOTE
I believe the second definition is closer to what you believe and are laying out there. But my issue is with your above statement that there is no anointing. If I may humbly say so I think you may be teaching people something false here without meaning to. My personal opinion is that you need to clarify to everyone that there CAN be an anointing if it is properly defined, or properly define your own definition so that it is true that no such anointing exists. I believe there is a proper anointing that we as Christians should be aware of. Let me try to give my own argument/perspective as to why I believe this might be the case. Again as one poster implied above, this problem might only have come about because of wording. Here are my points to back up why I think you should correct your statements on “no anointing”:
1) The Bible verse you quoted.
1 John 2:27 “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”
As you can see, the verse says two things about the anointing mentioned here. A) We receive it from Jesus, and B) it abides INSIDE US.
The Bible is telling us that we receive an anointing that changes us and stays in us. There is nothing harmful about this anointing because it is from Jesus and “teaches us about all things.” It is “true and is not a lie.” So there is nothing harmful about this type of anointing. Christians should be aware of this, not deny that there is no anointing. I feel like that is denying what Jesus is trying to impart to us, as this verse is trying to tell us.
2) I feel like this is a problem with wording.
The verse says here that his anointing is in us, not that grace is in us. Grace is in us too, but that is not the wording in this verse. From this article, you wrote:
“Some teachers have greater, larger or wider impact. That is not anointing. That is a combination of a number of factors, not least of which are determination, hard work, capacity and the choice of the Holy Spirit to particularly empower a particular person for a particular time. If that happens it does not elevate the teacher over others. That is not anointing. That is grace.”
It may be a words game, but why isn’t it anointing? Why none at all? Why can’t it be anointing AND grace. Or a “grace anointing.” Or sometimes one sees grace, and sometimes one sees anointing. Or grace working in a teacher along with the anointing spoken of in 1 John 2:27.
I believe anointing is improper and misused as you mentioned, where people use it to prevent any questioning or critical thinking about anything they say. But I feel like you are communicating that no one can have any anointing. I believe people are imparted anointing to live exactly as written in 1 John 2:27. There is an anointing from Jesus that teaches us about all things, and is true and not a lie. I believe you can even tell when you are around some people, that the transforming power of Christ radiates through them, at least to some degree or another. Haven’t you seen that in people you know personally or have met? I wouldn’t say that is merely because you sense the grace in them, but because you sense His anointing in them. There is both grace and anointing, I just believe it’s wrong to tell people that nobody is anointed. Again, this anointing is good and nothing to be afraid of.
Well, I hope you will consider my thoughts. God bless,
I just read your article about Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer and false teachings. I applaude you, sir. Thank you for having the courage to step up and call these people out by name. In my congregation I’ve cautioned them about “motivational speakers” who rake in millions of dollars in the name of G-d, branding Him as a celestial slot machine, as they strut about in their $3000 tailored suits while their “flock” has to buy their clothing at Goodwill and struggle to put a meal on the table. This is not even close to the example that King Messiah provided when He walked among us in the flesh, nor the Talmidim when they took up the charge by King Messiah to spread the Good News to the ends of the Earth. I find these “speakers'” message to be appalling, alarming and dangerous to all Believers. Although my congregation knew by name the people I was referring to, I never actually spoke their names. I think now, after reading your article that I have committed a crime against the souls of my congregation by not having the courage to call these people by name. It is one thing to say “watch out!” But to say “watch out for that giant hole in front of you” identifies the specific danger and its location and proximity to the person you are trying to warn. Thank you for teaching me a valuable lesson. May G-d continue to smile upon you. Rabbi Michael Dauzat.
Your comment is encouraging to me. I hope others in the pulpit take up this courageous stand. There are too many sitting in the congregations that need to be educated. We need warnings. We need specifics.
The anger I’m reading in some of these comments is appalling and I hope that Rick and his family are not too discouraged.
(btw I do not know him – I’ve just been following this thread).
Rick, I read your critique of the confluence of New Thought and Christianity in the blog at the Huffington Post and wanted to tell you something. Your critique is well thought-out and moderate, but the top of the section on Joel Osteen displays a bias on your part that is outside the critique of the Prosperity Gospel and doesn’t fit. You slammed him for taking a soft and non-judgmental tone on Larry King Live. This was wrong of you to do. Osteen clearly is less-educated than he should be and is obviously not aware of the distinctions between Christian Exclusivism and Christian Inclusivism, or he would have articulated that Jesus absolutely IS the Way, Truth and Life and only way to the Father, but that does not mean Christian Exclusivism is the only historically-valid orthodox lens through which to interpret that. What I would say to you, Rick, is to respect the sovereignty of God and be careful passing judgment because of this:
The church has been tasked with making disciples. That is our mission. The scripture never says God will not permit folks who die outside of Christ to receive him when standing before God. It doesn’t. It flat-out doesn’t. It isn’t part of God’s revelation to the church because it’s outside of the perimeters of the church’s mission to make disciples. We can’t go around giving people an exit clause, but neither should we go around condemning.
Please do not misunderstand me – I am not throwing stones at you or even at your critique on the whole. I simply think you offered it with more bias than is needed and I would ask you to re-examine Christian Exclusivism. At the end of the day, we cannot know things we may want to know, but cannot possibly know as finite humans. As for revelation, we have been given what we need and that is all.
Peace, my brother, be unto you and yours.
There is no end to false teachers. If your going to point out 2 that you think are false than why stop there. You’ll spend the rest of your life pointing out false teachers for what. You’re called to bring the good news. Quit arguing with others in the stand and get back to running your race… Which is, by the way the best way to reach people with what you believe to be truth… By example.
First God’s Word says in Hebrews 9:27 and 10:26
It is appointed for man to die once but after this the judgment.
&
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Romans 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Those who preach and teach contrary to the clear truth in the Scriptures are the adversaries who are judged and devoured by God’s fiery wrath. There is no end to false teachers but we are to warn and exhort one another daily while it is still called today. We are never to back down from contending earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. The exposure of false teachers protects the beloved flock of God. Wicked workers care nothing for the flock and contend we only need to share the gospel. Looking at the New Testament, we see a very large portion devoted to warning against false teachers, and yes, names are given.
As a fellow Christian, you are instructed specifically on how to handle someone you feel might be not following God. This is not the way to do it. Does that make you a false prophet? There are so many more important things to worry about. Jesus’ #1 commandment was to love others, #2 and equally important was to love God. Do you really think God is so little that he cant handle a couple of preachers. Why do you think your way is the exact correct way? I read things that were said by both Olsteen and Meyers quite differently than how you took them. Does that make you wrong? Finally, you put a price tag on what is too opulent. King Solomon was blessed with wealth beyond what we could believe even in today’s ties. Who are you to say what is too much? If God didn’t do that, then why do you think you should? Why not go after poverty, hunger, sex-trafficking? Not only is this a waste of time, you have divided Christians. Satan has no work to do while we’re attacking each other.
Hi Jacueline, Jesus summed up all of the mosaic law and the big ten commandments with two commands in his new law, and you cannot even quote those in the right sequence. How do you expect to take anything else you say to heart?
Believers in Christ are not divided. Division is the result of false teaching, not opposing error. Those who bring in error, or lies, are the ones who cause divisions. They are condemned by God and are not part of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is united in belief in the Savior and holding fast to the Word of God. Sometimes, some of God’s precious ones may be deceived by the enemy, but He will always bring them back to the truth by the Word of God and His Holy Spirit. Doing good works revolves around believing the truth and obeying it, not some agenda driven effort to be seen by men doing those things supported and promoted by the church growth movement. God provides the good works for us to do that we should walk in them for His glory and praise.
Reading 1, First Timothy 6:2-12
2 Those whose masters are believers are not to respect them less because they are brothers; on the contrary, they should serve them all the better, since those who have the benefit of their services are believers and dear to God. This is what you are to teach and urge.
3 Anyone who teaches anything different and does not keep to the sound teaching which is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrine which is in accordance with true religion,
4 is proud and has no understanding, but rather a weakness for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and evil mistrust;
5 and unending disputes by people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth, and imagine that religion is a way of making a profit.
6 Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have.
7 We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it;
8 but as long as we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
9 People who long to be rich are a prey to trial; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and harmful ambitions which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 ‘The love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds.
11 But, as someone dedicated to God, avoid all that. You must aim to be upright and religious, filled with faith and love, perseverance and gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith and win the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made your noble profession of faith before many witnesses.
Daily Readings
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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
6 They trust in their wealth, and boast of the profusion of their riches.
7 But no one can ever redeem himself or pay his own ransom to God,
8 the price for himself is too high; it can never be
9 that he will live on for ever and avoid the sight of the abyss.
10 For he will see the wise also die no less than the fool and the brute, and leave their wealth behind for others.
17 when he dies he will take nothing with him, his wealth will not go down with him.
18 Though he pampered himself while he lived — and people praise you for looking after yourself-
19 he will go to join the ranks of his ancestors, who will never again see the light.
20 In prosperity people lose their good sense, they become no better than dumb animals.
Gospel, Luke 8:1-3
1 Now it happened that after this he made his way through towns and villages preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve,
2 as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
3 Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.
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More on the Bible
The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985. The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) has become the most widely used Roman Catholic Bible outside of the United States. It has the imprimatur of Cardinal George Basil Hume.
Like its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) version is translated “directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.” The 1973 French translation, the Bible de Jerusalem, is followed only “where the text admits to more than one interpretation.” Introductions and notes, with some modifications, are taken from the Bible de Jerusalem.
Source: The Very Reverend Dom (Joseph) Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA (Oxon), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Rome), a monk of Ampleforth Abbey and a biblical scholar. He was General Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible. “New Jerusalem Bible, Regular Edition”, pg. v.
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September 19th, 2013
Reading 1, First Timothy 4:12-16: Let no one disregard you because you are young, but be an example to all the believers in the way … Psalm, Psalms 111:7-8, 9, 10: The works of his hands are fidelity and justice, all his precepts are trustworthy, established for … Gospel, Luke 7:36-50: One of the Pharisees invited him to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his … Read More
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Ancient Egyptians used olive leaf as part of a food-filtering process.
Allow each other a chance to miss one another and really enjoy
the time you do have together.
You will soon need a method to deal with the Trolls, ie those who just fill your comment columns with abusurd and profane posts.
Was recently participating on a fairly liberal ‘pro Gay’ website, called GCN, and soon discovered that there is nothing as intolerant of free speech than a ‘liberal’. As soon as I began to make distinctions about issues like fidelity to the Word of God, inerrancy of Scriptures, and suggest I believe in a literal account of Genesis, my posts, responses were flagged and deleted as ‘inappropriate.
The moderators doubled as participants and could censor any arguments to their positions, which they often did
As a fellow pastor in Utah, allow me to say that this really breaks my heart — and not because of Joyce Meyer’s and Joel Osteen’s supposed heresies. I’m not much of a fan of theirs, and I’m certainly no supporter of the prosperity gospel or the Word of Faith movement, yet I have no desire neither to attack nor to defend them. That is God’s place, not mine. This also does not mean that I’m being ecumenical or that I’m doling out cheap grace. It simply means that there is but One Judge.
I’m saddened because you are a pastor in Utah. Shouldn’t we of all Christians understand the importance of not attacking one another? Do you not realize that your condemnations are just as divisive and offensive as those you condemn (Matthew 7 comes to mind)? Did you bother to have a personal discussion with these two before you globally defamed them (Matthew 18 comes to mind)? Did you stop to think that they are going to be your heavenly neighbors for all eternity? Not to mention, you put this on Huffington Post (one of the most humanistic and liberal sites on the planet, in my opinion). Did you honestly think that placing such fire-fueling rhetoric on a site that is no friend of God’s would actually further the cause of Christ?
I encourage you to remind yourself that you are no better than those you have so brazenly spoken out against. We’re all sinners saved by grace, and no one is any better or any worse than anyone else. There is only One who has the wisdom, majesty and authority to make that call.
All hail the power of Jesus’ name…
Wow, I’m sure that this response was given with the best of intentions. But it seems to advocate taking no stand on much of anything. “All hail….” rolls off the lips very nicely, but standing for something is just too uncomfortable. Of course, the church at it’s best is almost always uncomfortable….counter-cultural…standing for the least among us and those with little power…quite the opposite of prosperity Gospel, which is no Gospel at all. I wonder whether that feeling of discomfort is actually a call to being hot or cold, but not lukewarm.
The best way to discern a false teacher is to know what a true Christian is like. Not a thing to be found sitting in front of a TV.
True Christianity is not a spectator sport.
I would suggest attending an Eastern Orthodox Service and entering into the Worship personally.
You are so wrong about Joyce Meyer. She is coming under attack by you and as she says “new level, new devil”. Her new book that is available might be her new level and satan is working overtime to discredit her life. Janyth Hubbard
It seems to me that people of faith expressing a concern about the Gospel being tied to material wealth is hardly an attack of the person, but a serious question about the message. And attempting to tie the Gospel to material wealth is exactly what the “prosperity” folks are doing. Compare and contrast that message to the one that the Pope is currently putting forward and to me it seems quite clear that, despite what I assume is an honest attempt to preach truth, the Gospel points towards what the Pope is saying. The “prosperity” message seems to be quite worldly and at odds at what the Gospel teaches. It’s a repackaged heresy that sounds so soothing and is so smoothly delivered. I’ll take the broken and stained church that is washed by Grace over the slick and polished any day, thanks. So “let us go forth into the world to love and serve the Lord” and feed the hungry and take care of the cast-off of society and visit prisoners and not make our treasure here on earth.
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your candor in this article. You are so right on and I applaud you for having the courage and humility to say it like it is.
I was raised in a polygamist cult and it took me many painful years to unbrainwash myself from the overpowering teaching that God had anointed certain men with power over my life.
It took the loss of everything in my life and the power of God to break this form of thought in me. Now, I see the evil in the teaching that a man can lead someone according to their desires and call it God’s Will. I shudder at rhe things that I have seen done in the lives of many people with this horrible lie. I will be forever grateful for my deliverance from it.
Thank you again for sharing the truth. I have come a long way not just from this article, but also from the way SMCC has made the gospelfinally make sense to me. I struggled for a long time to know what I sshould believe and now I can speak with confidence.
May god bless you abundantly for your help to one such as I.
Pastor Rick again just a simple internet search and I found out what Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen believe , Their Statements of Beliefs are clearly written, ( In fact very similar to your church’s web site statement of beliefs ) if you as a true bible believer, student of scripture and Teacher of scripture , if you see your brother in error , do you not humbly go to them and help them correct their said errors or statements of unbiblical truths? I see cherry picking of words and statements that are maybe even taken out of context, yes there maybe some terms or ideas expressed that sound off or different and maybe even wrong ! But to condemn them as false teachers are you not judging their Hearts intent ? Do you really think they are purposely misleading people ? Please use your so called biblical and theological education in the spirit of love you profess to bring to people and help them, guide them, teach them ! see Joyce Meyers statements of beliefs/ What We Believe
Statement of Faith
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and contains every answer to man’s problems.
2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21
There is one God, existing eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
John 10:30; John 14:26; Philippians 2:5-7
God is Love and He loves all people. It is His desire to reach out to those who are poor, oppressed, widowed or orphaned, and to heal the brokenhearted.
Psalm 68:5,6; 1 John 4:16
Man is created in the image of God but separated from God by sin. Without Jesus we cannot have a relationship with God.
Genesis 1:26; 1 Timothy 2:5
We can have a personal relationship with God through salvation, God’s free gift to man. It is not a result of what we do, but it is only available through God’s unearned favor. By admitting we have sinned and believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and accepting Him as Lord, we can spend eternity with God.
Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 5:1; Romans 3:24
We believe in water baptism, as taught and demonstrated by Jesus, as the way for believers to identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. He helps empower the believer to develop the character of Christ and live every day in God’s will.
Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:4
God gives all believers spiritual gifts. They are for the strengthening of God’s people (the Church) and proof of God’s existence and power to unbelievers. The gifts of the Spirit are active and relevant today.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10
Sanctification is the ongoing process of allowing God’s character to be developed in us.
Romans 6:19; Galatians 5:22-25
Divine healing is active in the lives of people today through Jesus, who is the Healer. Healing includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual restoration.
Luke 9:11; Matthew 9:35; Acts 10:38; Matthew 10:1
The Bible describes hell as a real place. It is a place of suffering and a place of permanent separation from God for those who die without accepting Christ. God’s desire is that no one be separated from Him for eternity, which is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth.
Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12-15; John 3:16-18
Jesus will return and take all those who have accepted Him as Savior to be with Him for eternity.
Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Hebrews 9:28
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should publish more on this topic, it might not be a taboo matter but typically people don’t discuss such topics.
To the next! Many thanks!!
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I read your article on Huffington Post, The American Refugees, and worked my way here.
This is an important issue. More important than is acknowledged and cannot be swept under the rug and avoided in embarrassment.
I’ll call your attention to a group in Texas operating under strange and difficult doctrine. I’d love to hear what you think.
http://libertyforcaptives.com/2014/04/07/does-the-church-of-wells-teach-a-false-gospel/
Reposting with your permission.
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our wrong preoccupations
a
God can and will do anything which will further His glory [isa 55:7-11 and isa 42:8, col 1:27]
b
which includes sending LYING SPIRITS [false prophets] [1kings 22:19-23] as well as the devil himself [job 1:6-12 and job 2:6-12]
c
and we are commanded to test all spirits [1john 4:1] and search the scriptures regarding the truth [acts 17:11 and john 5:39] in order to identify the lying spirits and distinguish between the chaff [isa 33:11, luke 3:17] and the real God
d
though we must identify and call out the false and rebuke those [brothers in Christ, luke 17:3, 1 tim 5:20; to all 2 tim 4:2]
e
BUT NEVER AT THE COST OF OUR FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST!
[heb 12:1-6, matt 6:33, deut 4:29, 1chron 7:14, ps 27:8 matt 7:7-8, john 14:6 and MANY MORE!]
focussing on false prophets is like cleaning the lenses of your glasses but never actually looking through them!
for if we look unto Christ, even false prophets will vanish like mist in the morning sun
yours in Christ
gabriel smit
Rick, you’re pretty spot on. In fact scripture speaks of ministers of unrighteousness and in the NT there are many warning from God to be not deceived. How rare is it to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached that the disciples preached? Like a needle on a beach of sand. Almost all preachers, mega leaders, televangelist and ‘prophets’ are unsaved, therefore not anointed. how can we tell, well by their fruits such as the multitudeof differing gospels (prosperity, healing, tongues etc.) that they preach. Compare everything you hear against Gods word and pray on it. Are they a picture of the Jesus from the bible?? Even in the days of the disciples satan placed ‘tares’ amongst the ‘wheat’, symbolising the false Christians in the early assemblies. This is far worse 2000 years later and God even teaches that the deception in the world today is so great, that even the very elect are deceived (if it where possible); however the few who are actually saved by God listen to the holy spirit within. Trust the bible alone as authority, infallible and true. Minister Karl Jung Godsaveme2.com