He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. - Titus 1: 9 (ESV)
We must understand the warnings contained in the key verses today. We are in times of great difficulty. Times when men wearing collars and claiming the mantle of Christianity try to muddy the waters of their own damnable heresies. Who try to take one of the most egregious man-centered, false theologies ever devised in the wicked human heart and pass it off as "something God began." When we take a good hard look in the key verses at this list of qualities of the false, we see it all aligns with what we have seen from word faith over the past few decades. They are clearly lovers of self. The entire theology is nothing more than glorifying man at the expense of the sovereignty of God. Lovers of money? Try adding up the combined wealth of the "preachers" I listed above. You might need a scientific calculator first. Proud arrogant and abusive? Absolutely. Benny Hinn once said he wished he had a holy ghost machine gun to kill those who criticized him. I saw a horrific message from Ed Young where he screamed at the sheep of God to not bother coming to church if they were not prepared to "show him the money." Is someone like Joel Osteen arrogant and abusive? Certainly not in demeanor but when you falsely teach the sheep of God and sell them a false Jesus that does not save them then smile into the camera and tell them they now have eternal life? I can think of nothing more arrogant or abusive than that.
The list goes on but the point has been made. Swollen with conceit. Treacherous and reckless. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. That is the true heritage of the word faith movement. It has all of the appearances of godliness. But it clearly denies the true power of God. That is because the true power of God is not found in our words. Our words are meaningless. Only His Words matter:
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." - John 6: 66-69 (ESV)
Only God has the Words of eternal life. Word faith sells the opposite. It teaches that we have the power. That we are the gods. That our words create. Don't believe me? Here are some direct quotes:
"you should declare good things. Just look in the mirror and say 'I am strong, I am healthy, I'm rising to new levels, I'm excited about my future.' When you say that, it may not be true. You may not be very healthy today, or maybe you don't have a lot of things to look forward to, but the Scripture tells us in Romans we have to call the things that are not as if they already were." - Joel Osteen
"All I was ever taught to say was I a poor miserable sinner. I am not poor, I am not miserable, and I am not a sinner. That is a lie from the pit of hell. That is what I were and if I still was then Jesus died in vain. I am going to tell you something folks I didn't stop sinning until I finally got it through my thick head I wasn't a sinner anymore and the religious world thinks that is heresy and they want to hang you for it. But the Bible says that I am righteous and I can't be righteous and be a sinner at the same time." - Joyce Meyers
Beloved, hear God speaking this to your heart today: "I will never punish you for your sins because they have been punished in My Son's body. I do not wish you ill. I will not take away your child or give you a car wreck to teach you some lesson. My heart always wants My children well and joyful!" - Joseph Prince
And I say this with all respect so that it don't upset you too bad, but I say it anyway. When I read in the Bible where He says I AM, I just smile and say, 'Yes, I AM too.'" - Kenneth Copeland
Now I gotta hit this thing real hard in the very beginning because I ain't got time to go through all this, but I am going to say to you right now you are gods, little "g", you are gods because you came from God and you are gods. You are not just human. The only human part about you is this physical body that you live in. - Creflo Dollar
Beloved this is word faith theology. It is absurdly heretical. The Romans Scripture Osteen references does not tell us we are to call things that are not as if they already were. It tells us GOD is the God that can do so. Despite what Joyce Meyers believe she is a sinner. We all are. The God Joseph Prince preaches does not exist. A fairy tale genie who is always happy with whatever we do. How more heretical can you get than Copeland does to claim that he is also the great I am? We are not little gods. We are but dust from which we were brought forth.
Do not be deceived beloved. No three page article with revisionist history and claims of divine origin can change what the word faith movement is. It is a move of Satan straight from the pits of hell. At the very core of word faith we see nothing short of the desires of Lucifer:
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' - Isaiah 14: 12-14 (ESV)
This was the sin of Lucifer. I will make myself like the most high. It is no wonder that he still uses it to entice man. He used it to deceive Eve and he is still using it today. You are little gods! You are not a sinner! You too can speak things into creation! You are "I am" as well! Sorry Reverend Brown but you cannot defend word faith without getting covered in the mud that is its doctrine. You can call me a heresy hunter all day long. I will wear it like a badge of honor when standing up for the Words of God as opposed to words of man.
Reverend Anthony Wade - July 28, 2014
