2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. In what is just the latest excess in the “name it and claim it” Prosperity Gospel movement, Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church, the biggest church in America (with approximately 40,000 people per service), held an event with a ticket site charging rock concert prices for his “Night of Hope” sermon in Key Arena in Seattle Washington ( B&E – As the link to the January 2012 event is now down, the article has been edited to remove the pricing information). While church services regularly have offerings where members can volunteer to make a donation to support a ministry, there is no Biblical support for cover charges just to hear a church service or increasing pricing to ridiculous levels for “preferred seating.” How fortunate we are that Jesus Christ The Lord never charged any of his followers money to hear Him speak or had “preferred seating” for a select few who were rich and could really pay for a good seat to hear Him preach. And when Jesus sent out His disciples on their own to go to different towns to preach the Gospel He told them: “..freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). And what is Osteen actually preaching once you pay a cover charge for entering church? A false message. As he says in his book, ‘Live Your Best Life Now: “It’s God’s will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. It’s God’s will for you to pay your bills and not be in debt. It’s God’s will for you to live in health and not in sickness all the days of your life.” This sums up Joel Osteen’s prosperity gospel message, also known as the Word of Faith Movement, which is based on the false idea that a Christian can use their faith to obtain material gain and wealth. Other nuances include “speaking wealth into being” by pronouncing the riches before they arrive. At the heart of it, it is commanding God to provide a material blessing as if it is the individual who has power over the universe, fate and even God. The Bible says otherwise. Jesus Christ said: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 F or where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. As Christians, our focus should not be on gaining material wealth. Christians can work, make incomes and enjoy material success, if it is God’s will for us. But it is certainly not our goal or purpose on this Earth. In becoming a Christian, believers are to surrender their sinful desires and worldly lusts to let the desires of Jesus and His righteousness fill us up. It is about living for God’s will, not our own. And Jesus’ will is not focused on our being wealthy and prosperous. He explained this in a parable He spoke: 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness [desiring material gain]: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. — Luke 12
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:30:59 +0000
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