Moving into Biblical based Christianity, it is easy to see now where the message of the gospel has been lost in translation over the past two hundred years or so. Paul said that he preached Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23), this means just about literally what it says. The message of Christianity is not health, wealth, promotion, or popularity. It is sacrifice, it is dying to self to be reborn. (Galatians 2:20) Some of us will lose even family members in our conversions. The message of Christianity is inherently offensive to us, because it says that we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) and in need of a saviour (spoiler alert it isn't us in some "awakened" state.)
I was a huge fan of Joel Osteen. I watched him every Sunday morning and sometimes I would actually feel convicted by the Holy Spirit through his sermon. I didn't even discover him on my own, my Masonic father who knows I study the Bible did. Joel Osteen is charismatic and it took me over half a year until I began to notice his sermons never actually changed week-to-week. His standard message is we are about to step into prosperity. The woman who thought she couldn't conceive will bear children, the man who is addicted to alcohol will get sober, the person who is over-looked or even under-qualified at work will get a promotion. I felt uplifted and empowered, but now I see it's manipulation. Osteen takes the inspiring messages of Christ such as "You will reap what you did not sow." (John 4:38) but changes the message to satisfy worldly hungers.
As I started to really get on-board with Joel Osteen, buying his books and frequenting his website for sermons and daily devotionals, I began to see resistance from believers and non-believers alike. And this baffled me. How could a man, who brought even my father to Christ, be wrong? Surely everyone was simply jealous of his accomplishments.
But before my conviction I did in fact begin to question not only Osteen, but all of the other televangelists I saw, whether on a huge stage or alone in front of a camera. I started to see how they would take 2 or 3 verses from the Bible and make a 30 minute sermon on it. I began to recognize they were akin to salespeople with the gift of gab. And today I understand it as being much more deceitful than crafty salespeople, I realize that they are actually preaching a false gospel.
These ministers are not bringing anyone to Christ. People who throw around a few Bible passages and distort the truth are actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, (Matthew 7:15) not a messenger of the cross. The truth is, a real messenger of the cross will deeply offend you, because he or she will tell you that you are not in fact good, that no one is good but God (Mark 10:18). But the good news is we don't have to sit in our sins that these televangelists overlook, mischievously telling us we can be free of the bondage of self simply by declaring Jesus Christ. Declaring Him how exactly? Jesus said Himself, "Not all who say 'Lord, Lord,' will be with me." (Matthew 7:21)
You will know them by their fruits, but first you must know what tree you are looking for. (Matthew 7:16). May you be directed to the tree that gives life, and not a false and unsustainable gilded plan for an easy life.
I was a huge fan of Joel Osteen. I watched him every Sunday morning and sometimes I would actually feel convicted by the Holy Spirit through his sermon. I didn't even discover him on my own, my Masonic father who knows I study the Bible did. Joel Osteen is charismatic and it took me over half a year until I began to notice his sermons never actually changed week-to-week. His standard message is we are about to step into prosperity. The woman who thought she couldn't conceive will bear children, the man who is addicted to alcohol will get sober, the person who is over-looked or even under-qualified at work will get a promotion. I felt uplifted and empowered, but now I see it's manipulation. Osteen takes the inspiring messages of Christ such as "You will reap what you did not sow." (John 4:38) but changes the message to satisfy worldly hungers.
As I started to really get on-board with Joel Osteen, buying his books and frequenting his website for sermons and daily devotionals, I began to see resistance from believers and non-believers alike. And this baffled me. How could a man, who brought even my father to Christ, be wrong? Surely everyone was simply jealous of his accomplishments.
But before my conviction I did in fact begin to question not only Osteen, but all of the other televangelists I saw, whether on a huge stage or alone in front of a camera. I started to see how they would take 2 or 3 verses from the Bible and make a 30 minute sermon on it. I began to recognize they were akin to salespeople with the gift of gab. And today I understand it as being much more deceitful than crafty salespeople, I realize that they are actually preaching a false gospel.
These ministers are not bringing anyone to Christ. People who throw around a few Bible passages and distort the truth are actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, (Matthew 7:15) not a messenger of the cross. The truth is, a real messenger of the cross will deeply offend you, because he or she will tell you that you are not in fact good, that no one is good but God (Mark 10:18). But the good news is we don't have to sit in our sins that these televangelists overlook, mischievously telling us we can be free of the bondage of self simply by declaring Jesus Christ. Declaring Him how exactly? Jesus said Himself, "Not all who say 'Lord, Lord,' will be with me." (Matthew 7:21)
You will know them by their fruits, but first you must know what tree you are looking for. (Matthew 7:16). May you be directed to the tree that gives life, and not a false and unsustainable gilded plan for an easy life.
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