I have been having conversations with God this past week like, “Lord, I’m really tired of thinking about all this…can I just think about fluffy bunnies or something?”
I really have felt Jeremiah’s plea…
“I will not…speak anymore in His name. But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” Jer. 20:9
So….
On this subject of truth, and how the modern church is turning away from it in droves, I must speak. And if I sound a bit intense, it is because I am. And this subject is such a burden on my heart.
One of the prevalent notions in many modern churches, like that of Joel Osteen’s, (more on him later!) is that “we just want everyone to feel God’s love”. And that is true. But it’s not ALL of the truth….
A verse commonly quoted to make people feel bad about speaking the truth is John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (I’ve had that one thrown at me a time or two 🙂
People, this is not a verse that supports the “tolerance” message of our day! This verse is bursting with the good news that God sent His son to be the Redeemer for a lost world…a world that was hopelessly condemned, but has received a Ransom!
But that world must first know that it is lost!!!
The next verse goes on to say that if anyone does not believe, he is condemned already. And then there’s the rest of the Bible, which “tolerance preachers” seem to just overlook.
Listen closely,
“Preach the word; be ready in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables.” 2 Tim. 4:2- 4
The message of the modern church is
Don’t offend, at any cost; make everyone comfortable, at any cost; draw the lost in, at any cost–even if we must disguise the truth.
This was not Jesus’ philosophy of ministry! Many turned away from Him because His message was too hard to hear. He never, for one minute, watered down, hid, disguised, or mitigated the truth.
Not only that, but he spoke harshly of those who did! Scripture warns repeatedly of teaching to the “itching ears”.
And Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ…for it is the power unto salvation for those who believe.”
Back to Joel Osteen…
Osteen is a fabulous motivational speaker…no doubt. I would love to have his messages to listen to in the name of “Joel’s tips for positive living”. I have NO trouble with optimism. I am an optimist! I think it is good to be positive.
His fault? He preaches a self-help message to millions of people a week, and calls it the gospel! And it’s much more of what he DOESN’T say than what he DOES say that is the deception.
On Larry King Live, King asks Osteen, “Do you believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible?” “Yes, I do”, Osteen replied. But when King asked him if he thought atheists would go to hell, He told Larry King..”Only God can judge a heart” (sounds innocent and “godly” right?) So I can’t really say who is going to heaven or hell…I don’t know.”
Another time, Osteen, with his big, warm smile said, “I just don’t use the word ‘sinner’…I just don’t want to alienate any that God has died to save.”
Another time…”I just want to encourage people…there’s too much negativity (i.e. talk of sin) in the church.”
What?
Does this sound like the gospel our Lord preached?
A preacher of the gospel who doesn’t know who is going to heaven or hell? Who doesn’t use the word “sinner”?
“I am the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by Me.”
In his desire to demonstrate the love of Christ, he, and others like him, are doing the most unloving thing possible: failing to tell the lost of their deep need for a Savior. Because until I know how completely worthless I am in myself, until I know how depraved I am, until I know that I am nothing apart from Christ, I can’t fully surrender my life to Him. If I’m OK just the way I am, why do I need a Savior?
That’s not a message of condemnation! That’s the greatest message of hope there ever was!
I’ll stop here….my passion is welling…
I think I’m going to go run 🙂
9 comments
Ah, yes. Good ol’ Joel Osteen. Apparently he would have us think if the bible says stuff that makes people feel bad, just don’t talk about it…problem solved! Is it any wonder his church has like 50 zillion members?
I loved your post. Sometimes you can feel like you are the only one left who reads and lives by the entire Bible. People are so afraid to say that the Bible is exclusive but it is. I wish everyone would or could become saved but you just don’t find that in the Bible.
One Sunday, I watched Joal Osteen with my hubby because we weren’t able to go to church. We didn’t know what we were in for. He preached on the importance of loosing weight! Not one word about how we are nothing without the grace of God. Not one challenge about going deeper in the Word. Nope we were so sickened to see that so many people have fallen prey to these pastors who only preach the feel good stuff.
I saw the Larry King interview, I was yelling at the TV. Not anywhere in that church is there a cross. By the way, God never said – Follow me and I will make you healthy, happy, wealthy… You are right Jesus didn’t preach feel good messages.
These feel gooders do not preach the gospel at all. We were called to go preach the gospel. We all are horrible sinners and cannot get to God without Jesus. Jesus came, died and rose again so we can be saved. That’s it nothing else will work. No amount of weight you loose or gain, no matter how many ding dongs you eat no amount of books you read will get you to God. Only Jesus.
I was telling a friend one day after seeing one of Joel Osteen’s interviews that this man is dangerously close to moving from being a preacher to a motivational speaker. Not to condemn him, but there is a great need for balance in his message. Sometimes I worry that the church has resorted to what German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace”: the idea that we can somehow continue in sin that grace may abound.
Side note: I am additionally concerned with the increasing use of the expression, “being led by te Spirit” on issues that the Scripture has made perfectly clear the way we should live. Our freedom in Christ has not freed us from a responsibility to adhere to sound, Scriptural doctrine. We must be bold and stay prayerful.
I agree with you on Joel Osteen. I’ve seen him in person, and I do like his message from a motivational standpoint. BUT, I don’t feel he’s preaching the gospel. I’m disturbed by the lack of Jesus in his messages. I also think it’s a litte too gimme-gimme. If you do this and pray this prayer, well then, God will make you rich or give you whatever you want! That’s not biblical.
you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.you are a terrible person.
AMEN! It’s high time someone spoke out against what Joel Osteen’s doing. He’s basically sending peopel to Hell(although the Lord is truly the only One in charge of that), becuse he’s telling them that they’re A OK. They’re not seeing their need for a Savior. Because of him, they’re not seeing that they’re nothing but vile, wicked, wretched sinners in desperate need of salvation. Joel Osteen would make an outstanding motavational speaker, but he should not be a pastor.
When asked by Larry King if he thought homosexuality was a sin, Mr. Osteen repliedm “I don’t think it’s God’s best”. Excuse me?? My Bible says it’s a sin!
Outstanding post, Ma’am! Keep up the great work!! Never back down from the truth.
Rebekah
Anonymous,
I truly feel sorry for you. I’ll be praying that the Lord would work in your heart.
In Him alone,
Rebekah
Kelly, I love your discernment and balance. It’s true, Osteen does have some faults, and he needs to address some things a LOT more. He is a great speaker; I do have one book with a combination of his teachings, and while I edged away from some words (too pat), he actually got tough in others! One passage I’ve remembered ever since is the one where he said that if we have a long-running problem with a particular sin and/or something unhealthy, God will keep bringing it up until we’re cured of it. He said, “You may ask God to leave it alone, but He’ll keep bringing it up and testing you until you’re released from this sin” (this quote is paraphrased since I can’t remember his exact words). He needs to do more like that!
This in short is why I have a myriad of Christian teachers. Most have a good balance, while others are a bit divided in strength when it comes to encouragement and discipline.