(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. - Romans 4: 17 (KJV)
It is continually disheartening to see the biblical illiteracy among those who fancy themselves Christian. It goes beyond that however because what feeds this illiteracy is a spiritual apathy. We simply do not care. The Bereans were considered of more noble stock because they did not just accept what Paul was teaching at face value to checked it against the Scriptures to make sure they were being taught the truth. That Berean spirit is now called "religious" or "legalistic" by many in modern churchianity today. One mega church pastor referred to those who wanted a deeper preaching of the Word as "jackasses"; during a sermon. Another referred to such as the excrement in the body of Christ. Somewhere deep down we know Joel Osteen is preaching a cancer into the body of Christ but we seemingly do not care. He seems so darn likable and when he comes to town for a book signing? We fawn over the cult of Christian personality and vie for the best position to take a selfie with him. Never mind the abhorrent doctrine he teaches and the untold number who will be in hell because of it. Here is a quick example of the falseness at the core of his word faith heresy:
"The Scripture says you have to call things that are not as if they already were. Too often, we're announcing and declaring the wrong things. You've got to change what's coming out of your mouth. Start announcing freedom from anything that is holding you back." - Joel Osteen
This is his actually Facebook post from just two days ago. It has over 165,000 "likes" and 42,000 "shares." Perhaps you read it and think it sounds right. It certainly sounds positive right? He says it is based on Scripture right? Ahh, therein lies the rub. If we are not spiritually apathetic and desire to be biblically literate we must measure what he is saying against the Bible and the Scripture he is referencing is provided above as the key verse for today. Do we see the problem beloved?
God never said we have to call things that are not as if they already were.
There is a word for what Joel did here and that word is LIE. The verse in question says that GOD calls those things that are not as though they were. It specifically was referring to when He called Abraham the father of many nations before it actually came to pass. Why can God do this? Because He is above our time! He sees all time! He already knew that Abraham would be the father of many nations! Well, what's the danger preacher? It is two-fold. First of all this lie can end up hurting people and pulling them away from God. In the comments section after this absurd post was response after response of people "claiming" things they have no idea will come to pass or not. Claiming success over a business they are starting. Claiming reconciliation over a dead marriage. Claiming healing over a terminal illness. God never told them to claim anything but Joel said that He did. What happens now when these affirmations do not come to pass? What happens to the faith of those who believe and those seeking God? It will be eviscerated.
The second problem is really the bigger one though. It cuts to the heart of why we claim to be Christian to begin with. We ought to be in the business of seeking the will of God, not the will of Joel. Thus it is vitally important that we strive to hear what God has to say on all matters. God did not say that we are to call things that are not as though they were. It should bother us in our Spirit that God is being lied about. It should bother us that sheep will be slaughtered by such lies and that others may never come to Christ because of it. It should bother us because it should force us to look in the mirror and ask - do we really want God? If we do then we better start being concerned with what He actually has said instead of fawning over what is false and reposting lies about him.
Rev. Anthony.
