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GUEST
ARTICLE
JOEL
OSTEEN:
True or False?
.
. . Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.
Matthew 7:15
The
latest "star" among the Christian world is Joel
Osteen, pastor of nondenominational Lakewood Church in
Houston, Texas. Osteen claims the nation’s largest congregation
with over 30,000 members. Lakewood recently purchased the
colossal Compaq Center, formerly home of the NBA’s Houston
Rockets. After a whopping $95 million in renovations, the
Compaq Center now houses Osteen’s empire called Lakewood
Church. Osteen continually sells out huge arenas (at $10
a ticket) across the country. (on ebay Osteen’s tickets
list for over $100—can you say $ch-ching$?) New York
Times (July 18, 2005) reports Lakewood’s 2004 revenue’s
of $55 million. Osteen’s book of human-potential, self-esteem, "feel
good," self-help-guide titled, Your Best Life Now:
Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, ranks
number one on the prestigious "New York Times" best-seller
list. Wxyz.com writes of Osteen’s enormous popularity, "In
the world of religion, he’s achieved the status of a rock
star. . ." Clearly, Mr. Osteen wears the coveted crown
prince of the Christian kingdom.
Osteen’s message is described as ". . . simple self-help
message that congregants say is both uplifting and accessible.
. ." Osteen proudly wears the title of "the smiling
preacher." His theology has been described as "cotton
candy" theology – tastes good – but no substance.
Before we examine Osteen’s disturbing theology, let us lay
some ground work for our critique.
Today’s Christians have been spiritually malnourished with
a steady and unrelenting diet of "judge not, that ye
be not judged. . .," tolerant, inclusive "junk
food" doctrine until they are completely void of any
spiritual discernment. May I remind you in Matthew 7 where
the popular "judge not, that ye be not judged. . ." mantra
occurs contains the harshest warning in the Bible exposing
false prophets and exercising personal spiritual discernment.
The Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23 provides the most enlightening
and frightening warning found in all the scriptures. Many
(not a few) people that openly call Jesus "Lord, Lord.
. ." and many that "prophesy in thy name. . ." and ".
. . cast out devils. . ." and in the name of Jesus Christ
perform "many wonderful (not hateful, but nice, sweet)
works. . ."— Jesus will utter "I NEVER knew you." They
were never saved. If they were ever saved—Jesus could not
say, I NEVER knew you. Despite their "many wonderful
works" in the name of Jesus, despite calling Him "Lord,
Lord"—Jesus Christ will cast them into an eternal lake
of fire, calling them "ye that work iniquity."
Matthew 7:13-23
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by
their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
Matthew 7 (and there are many other scriptures) is an earth-shattering
wake-up call for prayerful Bible discernment. If we, as Christians
do not shine the exposing light of the Word of God upon preachers,
Christians or anyone and everyone, how can we possibly obey
the clear admonition of our Lord and Saviour in Matthew 7:15? How
can we "Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves"— if
we do not "judge" who are the "false prophets"? How
in the world can we even KNOW who are these "false prophets"?
They appear as "sheep" or saved people, but they
are "ravening wolves." There is only one way—the
unchangeable, perfect Word of God. There is a very serious
and very deadly Christian belief perverting Christians that
says, "I can’t judge them, I don’t know their heart." The
Lord Jesus Christ says in Matthew 15:19, "But those
things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the
heart; and they defile the man." What comes out
the mouth – is in the heart.
And what came out of the heart and mouth of Joel Osteen
during the June 20, 2005 interview with Larry King literally
sent shivers down my spiritual spine. As a Bible Believing
researcher, I have researched many topics, many cultural
issues and many false prophets—but what I heard repeatedly from
the mouth of Joel Osteen on Larry King clearly ranks as the
most disturbing words publicly coming out of a mainstream,
accepted preacher. Bar none!
Before we view Osteen’s troubling statements, let me also
add: we are not frivolously "sowing discord among brethren.
. ." (Proverbs 6:19); we are not blindly, ". .
. straining at a gnat, and swallowing a camel." (Matthew
23:14); nor is any personal malice or contempt against Mr.
Osteen intended.
As Bible Believers, we can disagree on certain doctrinal
issues, but never the redemptive work and person of the Lord
Jesus Christ. God forbid! God help us to never cease from
exposing serious doctrinal errors, and make no mistake about
it – several of Joel Osteen’s statements on Larry King Live
were serious. Very serious. . .
The first very alarming portrait of Osteen’s heart (Matthew
12:34) deals with the most important subject in the Bible—salvation
is only through the redemptive blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
at Calvary. Nothing is more important. Nothing is more evident
in the scriptures. The following scriptures (among many)
loudly and boldly proclaim Jesus Christ as the ONE and ONLY
way of salvation, without any room for misinterpretation
or misunderstanding. The Bible makes this crystal-clear.
Other doctrines may have opportunity for argument, but not
this one.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be saved.
John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
On Larry King Live, the following very disturbing conversation
occurred with Larry King and Joel Osteen:
KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't
go to heaven. I don't know ...
At this point, even Larry King appears surprised by Osteen’s
answer. Then Larry tosses Osteen a "soft-ball" to
explain his previous answer. And again Osteen openly denies
that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation.
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't
they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe
here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith
this is what I believe. But I just think that only God
will judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in
India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But
I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their
sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and what
the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
Again Osteen denies the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Notice, he praises the pagan, false-religion of India
as "I know they love God." Unbelievable. . .
I’m sure some reading this are thinking, "Well, maybe
Larry caught Joel Osteen flat footed. Maybe Osteen wasn’t
prepared." If Osteen only had been given another chance
to testify of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ,
he’d get it straightened out.
Osteen did get another chance. . .
After Larry King opened the phone lines, a concerned Christian
asks Joel to clarify his previous statement (which we just
viewed). Again Osteen could easily clear this up.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. You're the best, and thank you, Joe -- Joel -- for
your positive messages and your book. I'm wondering, though,
why you side-stepped Larry's earlier question about how we
get to heaven? The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the
way, the truth and the light and the only way to the father
is through him. That's not really a message of condemnation
but of truth.
OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that. . .
KING: So then a Jew is not going to heaven?
OSTEEN: No. Here's my thing, Larry, is I can't judge somebody's heart.
You know? Only God can look at somebody's heart, and so -- I
don't know. To me, it's not my business to say, you know,
this one is or this one isn't. I just say, here's what the
Bible teaches and I'm going to put my faith in Christ. And
I just I think it's wrong when you go around saying, you're
saying you're not going, you're not going, you're not going,
because it's not exactly my way. I'm just...
KING: But you believe your way.
OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.
KING: But for someone who doesn't share it is wrong, isn't he?
OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don't know if I look at it like that.
I would present my way, but I'm just going to let God be
the judge of that. I don't know. I don't know.
KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?
OSTEEN: No. But I...
And here Larry really tosses Joel a soft-ball. How about
a God-defying atheist? And again, Osteen will not confess
that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation.
KING: What about atheists?
OSTEEN: You know what, I'm going to let someone -- I'm going to let God
be the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just --
again, I present the truth, and I say it every week.
You know, I believe it's a relationship with Jesus. But you
know what? I'm not going to go around telling everybody
else if they don't want to believe that that's going to be
their choice. God's got to look at your own heart.
God's got to look at your heart, and only God knows that.
Friend, the Bible is clear. There is one, and only
one way out of an eternal hell and that is the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not simply "a relationship
with Jesus Christ." Judas Iscariot had a "relationship" with
Jesus Christ, walking and talking with the Lord, and even "kissing" the
Lord (Luke 22:47), but Judas went to hell (Acts 1:25).
Revelation 2:15 reads, "And from Jesus Christ, who
is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood,"
What can wash away my sins – NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF
JESUS!
The teaching professed by Osteen that ". . . God’s
got to look at your heart. . ." for salvation is wrong.
It is grossly wrong. It is deadly wrong. God has already "looked
at you heart." In Jeremiah 17:9, the Lord says, "The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it?" Proverbs 28:26, says, "He that
trusteth in his own heart is a fool. . ." The Lord Jesus
says, in Matthew 15 "But those things which proceed
out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile
the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:"
Osteen’s refusal to confess the sole redemptive salvation
of the Lord Jesus Christ sent shock waves among many of Osteen’s
followers. Because of the amount of email and letters questioning
his statements, Osteen issued an apology on his web site,
stating:
Dear Friend,
Many of you have called, written or e-mailed regarding
my recent appearance on Larry King Live. I appreciate
your comments and value your words of correction and encouragement.
It was
never my desire or intention to leave any doubt as
to what
I believe and Whom I serve. I believe with
all my heart that it is only through Christ that we have
hope in eternal life. I regret and sincerely apologize
that I was unclear on the very thing in which I have dedicated
my life.
Jesus
declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father but by
me. I believe that Jesus Christ alone is
the only way to salvation. However, it wasn’t
until I had the opportunity to review the transcript of
the interview that I realize I had not clearly stated that
having a personal relationship with Jesus is the only
way to heaven. It’s about the individual’s choice
to follow Him.
God has
given me a platform to present the Gospel to a very
diverse
audience. In my desire
not to alienate the people that Jesus came to save, I did
not clearly communicate
the convictions that I hold so precious.
I will
use this as a learning experience and believe that
God will
ultimately use it for my good
and His glory. I am
comforted by the fact that He sees my heart and knows my
intentions. I am so thankful that I have friends, like
you, who are willing to share their concerns with me.
Thank you again to
those who have written. I hope that you accept my deepest
apology
and see it in your heart
to extend to me grace and forgiveness.
As always,
I covet your prayers and I am believing for God’s
best in your life,
(http://www.joelosteen.com/site/PageServer?pagename=LarryKingLetter)
I find it ironic and demeaning that Osteen "was unclear
on the very thing in which I have dedicated my life." He
was not UNCLEAR. He was crystal clear. He consistently
and clearly rejected that the Lord Jesus Christ was the ONLY
way of salvation! We're not talking about a "babe in
Christ." We are talking about the pastor of the largest
church in the nation! Here he is as an ambassador for
the Lord Jesus on a very popular television show and refuses
to acknowledge the very thing he supposedly has "dedicated
his life"? Something's seriously
wrong with this picture. . .
Osteen’s glossing, or apologizing for his serious statements,
does not negate his repeatedly refusal to confess that Jesus
Christ is the only way of salvation. If his answers were
not so clear, nor given several chances to clarify, his apology
might be appropriate. But the heart and soul of the Christian
faith is the sole redemptive blood of the Lord Jesus. Without
that, there exists no Christian faith. For a preacher to
repeatedly refuse to confess that Jesus Christ as the only
way of salvation is without excuse, nor apology. 1 Peter
3:15 admonishes the Christian: "But sanctify the Lord
God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer
to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is
in you with meekness and fear:"
Many other statements from Osteen during the Larry King
interview were blatantly in opposition to the Word of God.
KING: But you're not fire and brimstone, right? You're not pound the decks
and hell and damnation?
OSTEEN: No. That's not me. It's never been me. I've always been
an encourager at heart. And when I took over from my father
he came from the Southern Baptist background and back 40,
50 years ago there was a lot more of that. But, you know,
I just -- I don't believe in that. I don't believe
-- maybe it was for a time. But I don't have it in
my heart to condemn people. I'm there to encourage them. I
see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience
the life God has for us.
Friend, the greatest "fire and brimstone" preacher
that ever lived was the Lord Jesus! He preached about hell
more than any other subject. If you don’t believe in proclaiming "fire
and brimstone, as Osteen openly confesses, you do not believe
the Bible! It’s that simple.
Jesus Christ took hell very serious. In Mark 9:43-47 the
Lord says,
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter
into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell,
into the fire that never shall be quenched:
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter
halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that
never shall be quenched:
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter
into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into
hell fire:
Jesus Christ took hell so serious — He could say without the slightest hesitation — to
remove your eye, cut off your hand or foot, if that would keep you out of hell!
If hell is not real — Jesus Christ was the most deceived man that ever lived!
Osteen may sound pious and sweet to say, ". . . I don't
have it in my heart to condemn people," but according
to the Lord Jesus, they are already condemned. The Lord says
in John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God." The Christian’s message is not condemnation, but
the way out of ALREADY condemnation. If there is no "hell
fire and brimstone"—there is no reason for Jesus dieing
on the cross. It was a waste. Hell is as much a part of the
gospel, as the blood of Jesus Christ. No hell. No blood.
No heaven. No gospel. . .
Friend, if we believe the Bible
it is our duty and decency to warn people about hell!
Warning someone of the fires of eternal hell is not condemning
them - it is just the opposite - we are trying to keep
them from being condemned in hell!
Because of Osteen's vague and confusing answers, Larry King
point-blank asks Osteen if he believed the Bible. (What a
strange question to ask the pastor of the largest church
in Amerca?)
KING: You believe
in the Bible literally?
OSTEEN: I do, I do.
There is a problem here - a very, very serious problem.
Here is a man that claims to believe the Bible literally.
And the Bible over and over and over, warns of a place of
called hell, a place of eternal fire and torments where the
majority of people will suffer in torments for all eternity.
Matthew 13:49-50
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and
sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the
furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Revelation 14:10-11
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the
presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they
have no rest day nor night,
Revelation 20:15
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the
lake of fire.
How
can Mr. Osteen, or anyone, claim to believe the Bible and
deliberately refuse to warn people about hell? Is anyone
that mean or hateful or so depraved that they willingly
refuse to warn others? I'm reminded of a gut-wrenching
illustration in Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill:
Charlie Peace
was a criminal. Laws of God or man curbed him not. Finally
the law caught up with him, and he was condemned to death.
On the fatal morning in Armley Jail, Leeds, England, he
was taken on the death-walk. Before him went the prison
chaplain, routinely and sleepily reading some Bible verses.
The criminal touched the preacher and asked what he was
reading. "The Consolations of Religion," was
the replay. Charlie Peace was shocked at the way he professionally
read about hell. Could
a man be so unmoved under the very shadow of the scaffold
as to lead a fellow-human there and yet, dry-eyed, read
of a pit that has no bottom into which this fellow must
fall? Could this preacher believe the words that there
is an eternal fire that never consumes its victims, and
yet slide over the phrase with a tremor? Is a man human
at all who can say with no tears, "You will be eternally
dying and yet never know the relief that death brings"? All this was too much for Charlie Peace. So he preached. Listen to his
on-the-eve-of-hell sermon.
"Sir" addressing the preacher, "if I believed what you and
the church of God say that you believe, even if England were
covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would
walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it
worth while living, just to save one soul from an eternal
hell like that!" (Ravenhill, Leonard, Why Revival
Tarries, Fires of Revival Publishers, Zachary, LA, 1973,
p. 19)
Is
it possible that a man could be so cruel and so criminal
to actually believe in hell and steadfastly refuse to
warn fellow human beings?
Recently, a local TV station interviewed a man that rescued
a sleeping family from a burning house. He was riding by
the house, saw the raging fire and at the danger of his own
life, ran inside the flaming house, screaming and yelling
for the family to wake up and get out! The newscaster asked
him, "How does it feel to be a hero?" His reply
was simply, "I'm no hero; I just did what any decent
human being would have done."."
Hear me and hear me well - a man that professes to believe
the Bible and refuses to warn people about hell; either does
not really believe that Bible, or they are the worse
criminal and villain on this earth! And I don't care how
big a church they have, or how nice, sweet, loving, compassionate
or pious they may sound - they are a wicked devil in disguise!
Will you go and speak to the sinners blind
And who walk in the midnight gloom?
Will you bear some light to their darkened mind?
Will you tell them their coming doom?
Will you seek them now, Will you seek them now?
Will you show them the way? Will you show them the way?
Some one may be lost, That you might lead home, To that bright land of perfect
day.
- Seeking the Lost, A. J. Buchanan, 1889
In
the interview, Larry King tossed Osteen another "soft-ball," asking
Osteen about the wicked and vile sins of abortion and homosexuality.
Even lost people take a stand on these blatant "sins."
KING: How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion? Same-sex
marriages?
OSTEEN: Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don't go there. I just ...
KING: You have thoughts, though.
OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex
marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think
abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know,
a better way to live your life. But I'm not going to condemn
those people. I tell them all the time our church is open
for everybody.
Again, Larry appears surprised at Osteen’s waffling. Larry
allows Osteen to clarify his confusing position. And again
Osteen blatantly contradicts the words of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
KING: You don't call them sinners?
OSTEEN: I don't.
KING: Is that a word you don't use?
OSTEEN: I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably
don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong.
When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can
change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't
go down the road of condemning.
The word "sin" occurs in the King James Bible
over 830 times!
After the previous surprising answers, Larry then asks Osteen
the obvious question: Do you believe the Bible?
KING: You believe in the Bible literally?
OSTEEN: I do, I do.
The following conversation during King’s interview displays
how far Osteen and the Bible differ.
KING: Is it hard to lead a Christian life?
OSTEEN: I don't think it's that hard. To me it's fun. We have joy and happiness.
Our family -- I don't feel like that at all. I'm not trying
to follow a set of rules and stuff. I'm just living my life.
KING: But you have rules, don't you?
OSTEEN: We do have rules. But the main rule to me is to honor God with
your life. To live a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You
know, help others. But that's really the essence of the Christian
faith.
The "essence of Osteen’s Christian faith" is to "help
others." (And along the way make a few million$.)
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, the apostle Paul gives us the "essence" of
the Christian faith:
1 Corinthians
15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
the scriptures:
Stay away from Joel Osteen and his no condemnation, self-esteem,
false-gospel. Warn others. Stay away! There is too much at
stake – your eternal soul.
Terry Watkins
http://www.av1611.org/osteen.html
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