"5. If you gossip about Jesse, you are in the wrong. God doesn't gossip. Neither should we. When we speak negatively about someone without them there to defend themselves, we sin. Gossip and slander are serious violations that can bring swift judgment to us. Today with social media being such a powerful medium, supposed Christians are spending their waking hours spouting out their gossip and slander about people of all types without any measure of grace of love. There's a way to honestly discuss issues with a heart of love and honor without bringing shame to the one being talked about. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not proper. They were filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, proud, boastful, inventors of evil things, and disobedient toward parents (Rom. 1:28-30). "Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners." (Eph. 4:29). "If anyone among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain" (James 1:26). -- John Burton"
Ehh, not quite. Gossip is not speaking negatively about someone when they are not present. Gossip according to the Old Testament is revealing privileged or secret information. If Jesse Duplantis had told me in confidence he wanted to buy a 54 million dollar plane and I chose to tell you -- that would be gossip. Generally there are two types. The first deals with intent. If my intent was to disparage Duplantis that would be wrong but my intention is to warn the body of Christ that there is a wolf among us -- as the Bible instructs me to do in Titus. The second consideration is the nature of the information. Telling something secret, shameful, etc. I did not tell the world that Jesse Duplantis wants to take 54 million dollars from poor people to buy a jet plane -- he did. My commentary on it therefore is not gossip. Burton is even father off with the slander accusation as slander requires an element of falsehood. My measure of grace and love is for the body of Christ, not the wolves who attack it. My discernment imparts grace to those who will learn to avoid such wolves as Jesse Duplantis.
"6. Why are
you threatened by his faith? Jesse is
inviting people to join him in mountain-moving faith. We need more people to
believe for absolutely shocking, magnificent, world-shaking things. Celebrate
when men and women of God are not only dreaming big but actually putting action
to their faith. Visionaries have always threatened those with no vision for
their lives. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who
comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6)." -- Jesse Duplantis
This charge is
almost comical. Burton can try as much as he likes to pretend as Duplantis now
is that his initial plea was just for people to believe but anyone who can
listen knows that is a lie. His initial please was for money and to plant the
seed in his followers that they should give to his twisted vision. I am not
threatened by his faith. I am disgusted by his duplicity.
"7. Those who have will be given more. It's a biblical principle. So many miss this powerful biblical truth. The kingdom isn't governed by socialism. Financial equality doesn't exist. Yes, we are to give to those in need, and we are to take care of the poor. However, the truth remains: Those who handle their finances rightly will always have more money than those who don't. If this weren't the case, there would be no poor among us, but Jesus made it clear that the poor would always be with us. I personally want to support and stay close to those who continually grow their financial portfolios. I'm not talking about manipulators or swindlers. I'm talking about true people of God who are so faithful with their finances that they can't help but to prosper." 'So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away'" (Matt. 25:28-29)." -- John Burton
Wow. Jesse Duplantis grows his portfolio on the backs of the oppressed and poor. Then it seems that Burton is mashing different scriptures together and not really understanding any of them. The Parable of the Talents is not about money. That alone should tell you where the heart of John Burton resides.
"8. Don't let pride convince you that you have better ideas on how to use the money. We would all use $54 million differently. Evangelists would use it to reach the lost. Pastors would build large buildings so they can nurture the saints. Teachers would create a media ministry so they could get the message out. Apostles might build many churches in different regions. Prophets would probably invest in the soap box and megaphone industry. Christians in business would develop new businesses and multiply the money. Those without biblical financial training would waste most of it. Don't pridefully presume your plans for the money are better than another's. For Jesse, a jet is how he can most effectively minister. Again, we can't judge motive. Let's take him at his word." -- John Burton
I do not take wolves at their word because they have no word to give. What is worse here however is the false narrative Burton creates. Jesse Duplantis does not have 54 million dollars to buy this plane. That is why he made the pitch. This is not a matter of Jesse saying hey I got this 54 million lying around and I thought I would buy a plane. He specifically said that he "told God" that he did not have the money. So I am taking him at his word that he wants a plane and doesn't have the money for it. Therein lies the problem.
9. If God told him to pursue this, he had better do it. Do you have any idea how much trouble we'd be in (and he'd be in) if we convinced Jesse to disobey God because we presumed our wisdom to be greater? If God spoke to Jesse about this airplane, we had better get out of the way and keep our mouths shut, unless blessing and honor is all that would be spoken. How foolish Solomon must have been to use his wealth the way he did, right? Wrong. God spoke, and wealth was not all given away. It wasn't used to eradicate poverty. It was used in ways that didn't make much sense. But that's the wonder of God. His ways aren't our ways. Added together, the gold and silver used along in Solomon's Temple was worth $216,603,576,000. This does not include all the precious metals, bronze, iron, ivory or cedar wood used in the temple." -- John Burton
