…What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? Eze 34:10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I now consider these shepherds My enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to My flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue My flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.
Joh 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.
One purpose of this blog is to point out false preachers that claim to be Christian but who actually preach a different gospel from the Biblical gospel. All other gospels are false and have no power to save a person from God’s wrath against sin.
There are 5 videos below, four are examples of the false prosperity gospel; and the last is about how much money the 20 richest pastors in the world are worth. Three of the pastors below are on that list. The videos: Joel Osteen, 7.5 minutes; Benny Hinn, 6 minutes; The Hillsong church 6.5 minutes; Kenneth Copeland, 23 minutes; and Twenty richest pastors in the world, 5 minutes. I chose these videos because they are informative an brief; but these preachers are critiqued by many good preachers on YouTube, you might want to explore some of those critiques for more information.
These preachers are unbiblical but notice the huge crowds of followers they have; also observe the main focus of their preaching, and see if you can identify similarities they share. After the videos, I have defined some of the important terms that were used to describe these ministries, you may want to glance over them?
The following video highlights the teaching of Joel Osteen. The vlogger who made this video, Polite Leader, is great at providing much accurate information in a little time, 7 1/2 minutes.
Below is 6 minute video by the same vlogger about a different prosperity preacher, Benny Hinn:
The following 6 1/2 minute video is about a powerful false ministry. Please note the similarities to Hinn’s and Osteen’s ministries.
The following video is by a different vlogger, Bezelt3, who is covering the father of prosperity preachers, Kenneth Copeland. The video is 23 minutes long, but very much worth the time if you would like to be armed against such wicked preachers who masquerade as Christians: he is the richest pastor in the world, as you will discover if you watch the last video.
NOTE: I need to restate a very important point that I am attempting to emphasize via my posts, that false teachers are able to deceive professed Christians when those believers do not know their Bibles. Act 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. Why is that so? Because false teachers always mix lies with truth. So, you will hear them say some things that sound like truth, but that are only partially true. If you have read the account of the fall in Genesis 3, then you know that Satan did the same when he “had a dialogue” with Eve. Having a dialogue, like so many false teachers want to do, is their way of doing what Satan did: he succeeded at making Eve doubt God’s truth. The above false teachers have succeeded in leading their followers astray and simultaneously bilking them; not to mention, leading them to damnation.
This last video, 5 minutes long, identifies the 20 richest pastors in the world. You will be surprised at several who made the list. Three of the four pastors cited above made the list: #1, #5, and #6.
Some terms used in the above videos are defined below:
The Law of Attraction: In the New Thought philosophy, the Law of Attraction is the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life.[1][2] The belief is based on the idea that people and their thoughts are both made from pure energy, and that through the process of like energy attracting like energy a person can improve their own health, wealth, and personal relationships…In 1877, the term ‘Law of Attraction’ appeared in print for the first time in a book written by the Russian occultist Helena Blavatsky, in a context alluding to an attractive power existing between elements of spirit.[12] …The New Thought concept of the Law of Attraction is rooted in ideas that come from various philosophical and religious traditions. In particular, it has been inspired by Hermeticism, New England transcendentalism, specific verses from the Bible, and Hinduism.[29][30][31][32][33][34](From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Pelagius (c. AD 360 – 418) was a theologian of British origin who advocated free will and asceticism.[1] He was accused by Augustine of Hippo and others of denying the need for divine aid in performing good works. They understood him to have said that the only grace necessary was the declaration of the law; humans were not wounded by Adam’s sin and were perfectly able to fulfill the law without divine aid. Pelagius denied Augustine’s theory of original sin. His adherents cited Deuteronomy 24:16 in support of their position. Pelagius was declared a heretic by the Council of Carthage (418). His interpretation of a doctrine of free will became known as Pelagianism. (Wikipedia)
Law vs Gospel: the following scripture verses explain the difference: Rom 3:19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. Rom 3:20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Rom 3:21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. Rom 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. Rom 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Rom 3:24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. Rom 3:25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past
Looking within to find seeds of greatness: Osteen’s proclamation is based on the Hindu belief that there is a divine spark within all humans which can be developed such that they can become deity. For example, the word “namaste” means, the god within me salutes the god within you. Yoga students and their teachers say such things to each other. (See my post on Christian yoga for more information.)
Gnosticism: Gnosticism was perhaps the most dangerous heresy that threatened the early church during the first three centuries. Influenced by such philosophers as Plato, Gnosticism is based on two false premises. First, it espouses a dualism regarding spirit and matter. Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. As a result of this presupposition, Gnostics believe anything done in the body, even the grossest sin, has no meaning because real life exists in the spirit realm only. Second, Gnostics claim to possess an elevated knowledge, a “higher truth” known only to a certain few. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis which means “to know.” Gnostics claim to possess a higher knowledge, not from the Bible, but acquired on some mystical higher plane of existence. Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God. (gotquestions.org) [See my post on Christian yoga and meditation for more information.]
Gnostic Christians did not believe they had to live holy lives in the physical realm because only the spiritual realm is real; therefore, they could partake in gross sins and still be holy spiritually.
Name it and claim it gospel: Charles Spurgeon said, “I believe that it is anti-Christian and unholy for any Christian to live with the object of accumulating wealth…a new gospel is being taught to many congregations today. This message has been ascribed many names, such as the “name it and claim it” gospel, the “blab it and grab it” gospel, the “health and wealth” gospel, the “prosperity gospel,” and “positive confession theology.” (from the Gospel Coalition, 5 errors of the prosperity gospel)
Christian Universalism: Christian universalism is a school of Christian theology focused around the doctrine of universal reconciliation – the view that all human beings will ultimately be “saved” and restored to a right relationship with God. (Wikipedia) [Many believe that a person can be saved even if he doesn’t know or acknowledge Jesus Christ; that all roads lead to God….]
Man centered gospel vs Biblical gospel: There are countless man-centered “gospels” on offer today. Such “gospels” say things like, “God wants to make you rich and prosperous in this life,” or “God wants to heal you of every physical and emotional ailment,” or “God wants to provide for whatever needs you feel you have.”…But how do these man-centered gospels differ from the true, biblical, God-centered gospel?
- A man-centered gospel defines our lives in terms of what we “need” or want most. The biblical gospel rightly recognizes that none of us fundamentally live to ourselves, but to God (Rom. 14:7-9).
- A man-centered gospel considers our needs and desires to be our most fundamental problems. The true gospel recognizes that to sin against God and face his wrath is the most fundamental problem imaginable.
- A man-centered gospel is based on our desires, our wants, our needs. The biblical gospel looks to the Bible to define our problems and God’s solution: the sin-bearing death and life-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- The true gospel puts God at the center of the message—and the center of our lives, and the center of the entire universe—because that’s the truth. We live and die in a God-centered universe. (www.9marks.org/answer/what-difference-between-man-centered-gospel-and-true-gospel/)
Joseph Smith Jr: (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present. (Wikipedia)
The Message Bible Translation: …The Message has engendered more criticism for its lack of serious scholarship and outright bizarre renderings than just about any other Bible version to date. One common complaint from many who read The Message or hear it read aloud is “I didn’t recognize it as the Bible.” Other critics declare The Message to be not a paraphrase of what the Bible says, but more of a rendering of what Eugene Peterson would like it to say. In an interview with Christianity Today, Peterson described the beginning of the creative process that produced The Message: “I just kind of let go and became playful. And that was when the Sermon on the Mount started. I remember I was down in my basement study, and I did the Beatitudes in about ten minutes. (gotquestions.org)
Consider that one man wrote the Message; whereas other paraphrased Bibles such as the NLT or the NIV, were written by a team of Biblical scholars. If you want a great, more literal, translation of the Bible, then the ESV or the NASB are excellent choices. They are only a bit more difficult to read than the NLT and NIV. The KJV, although a more poetic version of the Bible, has many outdated idioms…that make it much more difficult to read and understand. I like to memorize from it, but I also read the other versions I mentioned above.
As above, so below: This phrase is inserted into the Lord’s Prayer in Peterson’s Message Bible. [It is]…one of the most well-known phrases used in Paganism, Hermeticism, Wicca and other related philosophical and spiritual paths as well as an accepted idiom in occult circles. comes from the famous Emerald Tablet…a Greco-Egyptian wisdom text from the 6th-8th century. (vjesticji-ormar.blogspot.com)
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) (Wikipedia) is a title used to describe a movement which seeks to establish a fifth house within Christendom, distinct from Catholicism, Protestantism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The movement is largely associated with the Pentecostal and the Charismatic movements and advocates the restoration of the lost offices of church governance, namely the offices of prophet and apostle.[1] Inspired by the G12 movement, it grows by recruiting pastors of independent congregations and nondenominational churches, by assimilating members from other churches through cell group meetings, and by frequent Church planting and rapid expansion, including foreign missions around the globe.
It is my prayer that you will come to realize the great value of abiding in God’s appointed means of grace; thereby, you may escape being fleeced in your earthly life followed by the eternal torment that the risen Lord Jesus Christ speaks of herein: Rev 21:6 And He also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. Rev 21:7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children. Rev 21:8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Blatherskite [from Dictionary.com]
[ blath -er-skahyt ]SHOW IPA
EXAMPLES|WORD ORIGIN
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR blatherskite ON THESAURUS.COM
noun
a person given to voluble, empty talk.
nonsense; blather.
RELATED WORDS
jabberwocky, prate, babble, nonsense, gabble, balderdash, prattle, gibberish, jabber
Recommended studies:
Review my post on Christian study helps as it briefly states 3 foundational Christian doctrines via very short videos; and provides a studies checklist for new Christians.
The Pilgrim’s Progress, therein, John Bunyan illustrates what happens to people who attempt to walk with God in ways that they devise; those who take shortcuts, and much more. I read it in the old english, which was like reading the KJV Bible, it has been translated into modern english. It is one of those books that every Christian should have in his library and should read at least once.
The vloggers that I use in my posts have many videos at their sites, explore them for other topics of interest regarding your spiritual life.