Posted on 01/08/2008 2:04:54 AM PST by Gamecock
What is all the talk about an “apostasy” or a “falling away” really about? Hundreds of examples have occurred in 2007 and this year holds the promise of more to come. Let’s examine just a few examples from the very first week of 2008.
The word apostasy is derived from the Greek word apostasis which literally means “desertion.” In the last few years of time as we know it the Bible clearly promises there will be a falling away or apostasy in the church and in long held theological principles.
If you need to ask if an apostasy or a desertion is occurring today you probably don’t own a radio or a television set. Long held beliefs are being questioned, set aside and abandoned altogether with alarming frequency. Here are some prime examples.
On January 5, 2008 a CBN newswomen Kristi Watts interviewing mega pastor Joel Osteen posed the question “What about the s-word, the d-word and the h-word.” Osteen acknowledged that he understood that the interviewer was referring to the words sin, devil and hell.
He quickly admitted that those were words he did not use in his messages because they tended to promote a negative approach to things. With more than 1300 clear references to the devil, sin and hell throughout the bible Osteen raised more questions than he answered.
The first question might be “who commissioned him to re-write the bible. A second more important question might be what did Christ die for? Up to now we thought he died for the sins of the world. The third question is derived from the bibles own answer to the second question and is inevitable. What’s the point of the rest of the bible if that’s not true, or important?
Recent interviews with Larry King, Glenn Beck and others have proven that Osteen is a charming uplifting communicator who is hard not to like. His messages are always positive and are not unlike those of any motivational speaker or self esteem guru but he is working under the title of “pastor” and that’s were the doubt is raised.
Osteen is far from the first person to remove the parts of the bible he didn’t like. Thomas Jefferson used a jackknife to cut out all references to hell and eternal punishment from the bible. Jefferson was a “deist” and that is a common belief among all deists. One major difference between Jefferson and Osteen is that Jefferson never called himself a pastor.
The biggest question is about timing. As churches slide away from biblical tenants and secularism creeps into the church all over the world isn’t the very timing of this new “happy feel good ultra positive gospel” just part and parcel to the promised apostasy? Millions think it is!
Many of the sermons Osteen preaches are on how to deal with critics. It seems that 44,000 weekly participants in his church services and 7 million viewers of the weekly televised broadcasts are getting some flak along with him. In a success worshipping, big is better society in this country not even that kind of success can curb the doubt of many people who have only to read their bibles to see that Osteen is leaving out a big part of the story; many would say the very heart of the story.
In Canada ministers of both Catholic and protestant churches are being prosecuted, imprisoned, fined and censured for quoting verses of the bible that condemn the gay lifestyle. A movement in Canada has begun in the legislature to begin taxing church properties like Sunday school rooms, kitchens, parking lots and anything not directly used as a sanctuary for worship. Severe limitations are being considered on the building of new church buildings.
Leaders like Tristan Emmanuel an ordained Presbyterian pastor, speaker and activist who prepares Christians for leadership and service in the public square warn that America is on the same slippery slope as Canada. It may not be long before American ministers will have to answer for saying what the bible says about gays, same gender marriages, pre-marital relations and other currently not politically correct long held beliefs derived from the bible.
Europe has demonstrated that it is far ahead of either Canada or the United States in secular progressive ideas and actual legislation.
In Spain during the last week of December 2007 almost two million Spaniards took to the streets of Madrid and filled up Madrid’s famous Colon Plaza in a powerful show of unity. The Spanish were calling for an end to Spain’s socialist governments attack on the institution of marriage. The Catholics were joined by representatives of the Episcopal and other protestant churches but were all snubbed by Spain’s ruling socialist party.
Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Canizares of Toledo lambasted the socialist government and said that “Spain's family is threatened by unjust and evil laws." The ruling socialist party of Spain snuffed its nose at the Pope, Cardinal Canizares and the demonstrators with a statement that read “we won’t take a single step back” The new more tolerant government of Spain will not tolerate over a thousand years of traditional and biblically derived beliefs about marriage and the family.
The ruling party touting a more tolerant society wasn’t the least bit tolerant with the Catholic and protestant believers of Spain and concluded their response with "We will continue working to ensure that Spanish citizens are freer and have more rights, and so that, at the same time, that our society is increasingly more respectful and tolerant," referring to its "gay marriage" policy.
Apostasy is inevitable and it is the byproduct of a world that is being turned upside down and where previously held values are scoffed at sometimes just because a minority might be slightly offended. Many of the charges brought against Canadian ministers were lodged not because someone was physically accosted, libeled or maligned but only because they were “hurt.” Many are left wondering who may be “hurt” next. Perhaps convicted murders, rapists, pedophiles and burglars are hurt because we have put them in jail.
The twisted view of political correctness will continue to pervert the most established traditions and beliefs known to man until the world will be changed for good; but no good will come of it. The topsy turvy effect of the tolerance and multicultural movement is gaining exponentially in spite of warnings and bible teachings to the contrary.
Writer Ray C. Stedman said in his book “Gods Loving Word” “As a society, we have our values upside down. Our government creates entire bureaucracies to monitor minute amounts of suspected carcinogens in our food, air, and water---yet it also pays subsidies to farmers for producing one of the worst, most highly cancer-causing substances around: tobacco. We are told we must save the whales, yet we allow unborn babies to be slaughtered at a rate of 3,000 abortions per day. School teachers are allowed to teach witchcraft and New Age philosophy in our public schools, yet the Bible, prayer, and the Ten Commandments are banned. We sentence peaceful pro-life activists to prison and we turn convicted repeat killers and rapists loose on society."
Where does it end? That’s easy to answer; it ends with the physical and imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to remove forever the reins of government from the hands of men. In the mean time believers can only continue with what they know to be right according to the bible…the whole bible; with the s-word, d-word and h-word included.
Believers who know what Christ has commanded can say what Peter said after being released from prison where he was sent for preaching the gospel. When the rulers asked Peter why he kept on preaching the gospel after they had commanded him to stop he replied with “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29
YBPDLNPL Ping
Joel hands out sleeping pills before he shears the sheep. Of course, he is far from being in the minority. That is why God is going to raise up dead and dry bones, and turn them into the greatest dead raising, devil destroying, sickness eliminating Army that the world has never seen before, or will ever see again. Because when they are finished, all of Christ’s enemies will be under His feet, on Earth, as it is in Heaven.
“1”: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
“2”: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
“3”: Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Those are clearly not the only words of scripture that Osteen does not use or believe in. Among the others are these: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God" --- and that includes those d - s - h words. Those who follow him might be having their "best life now" but that is at the cost of their "better life later".
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatian 1, 1-12
Is it possible that the majority of the ecumenical orders and denominations are cult groups who preach another gospel and have not read the scriptures through and believe that their particular church is teaching the bible truth?
Is not the church of Jesus Christ the messenger of the bible. If so, why are so many cults and false gospels being preached.
I think the answer to your question is found in the thread Christless Christianity
Gamecock: Thanks for the post.
SD: You’ve said in the past you really like Joel Osteen. This little article is yet another example of why I think he teaches a false gospel.
Okay, I'm no Osteen fan, but this is a bit misleading.
Did Osteen actually say that sin, hell and the devil aren't in the Bible? Did he actually physically remove sections of the Bible?
There's certainly enough about Osteen to be critical of, but we should also be factual.
JMHO.
A valid point, but (there's always a but) does it matter if you use white-out on the pages of Scripture or simply ignore passages that you don't like?
Look at Schuler. He has said her prefers the loving red letter words of Christ over the rest of Scripture. Never mind that Christ also speaks some very harsh words....
If Scripture is inspired we have to take all of it, not just the snippits that make us warm and fuzzy.
Oh, I'm completely with you there. But like I said, there's plenty of material there to criticize Osteen without implying he did something that he really didn't.
It's just an editorial pet peeve of mine.
Amen !
When people were filled with the Holy Spirit, what did they do primarily? They spoke boldly the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. Joel Osteen doesn’t do that. Wonder why?
Ya know,
That is a very good point. Never thought about it that way.....
Bob DeWaay did a great sermon where he spent some time on that... wish I could remember the name of it. He’s mentioned it several times since. www.twincityfellowship.com
sermons (and lots of other audio) are free to download.
http://twincityfellowship.com/audio/sermon_mp3/20050703_tcf_sermon.mp3
HOlding Fast the Good Confession from 7-3-05
that one in particular he alludes to how Osteen does not CONFESS Christ.
What the Gospel is and is not
http://twincityfellowship.com/audio/sermon_mp3/20051030_tcf_sermon.mp3
I think it’s in one of those two... both are excellent.
Throughout history our persecuted Brothers in Christ met in secret, in fields and caves, under threat of torture and death, just to worship God.
When severe persecution comes to this nation, as it already is in India, China, Africa, etc - will Joel Osteen be one of the shepherds one faithfully leading the sheep through an era of darkness? Will Joel and Victoria suffer for the sake of Christ
Something tells me he wouldn’t ‘preach’ unless he could wear a suit and a $400 smile. Remember the hissy-fit she threw on the airplane over a mistaken seat?
hehehe
How much suffering should a woman of God be expected to endure??
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