The following article on Joel Osteen and his Lakewood Church. It was written by Steve Lumbley from apostasywatch.com that was published under its ‘Heretic Of The Week’ column. This is just one example of how a church presents the Gospel.
______________________________
It’s hard not to like Joel Osteen. His easy going style, smooth words and positive message are just what people are looking for today. It’s easy to understand why Osteen’s Lakewood church is one of the fastest growing church’s in America. Osteen is the complete antithesis of the typical TV preacher. He eschews the flamboyant for the understated. Fiery rhetoric is replaced with a kind of quiet professionalism. Broad displays of showmanship are exchanged for a sort of down home “aw shucks” type of demeanor. And in an effort to keep the people coming, the gospel of sin, righteousness, and judgment is supplanted by a Christ-less gospel that is no gospel at all.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Walt as Apostasy, Church at 9:55 PM EDT
Comments Off
I was saved over seven years ago and, and it was not until recently did I realize the most of the modern church were not teaching the true gospel. No church is perfect but I attended many services in these churches and always felt there was something missing. I was hungry for the word and I was not getting it. They were teaching and preaching from a different gospel then the ones that I have been reading every day. They hardly mentioned hell, real sin or Satan and his evil presence.
At the end of each these services, an invitation was always extended for the audience to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior by simply saying a simple prayer and they were told they were saved for ever. I questioned just what these new believers were being saved from? Why did they need a savior? The church preacher just spent 40-60 minutes telling me that God loves me and has a wonderful plan for our life and He is there to help me in my troubles and to bring happiness to my life.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and turned aside to fables. 2Tim4:3-4
I never once heard that we have all sinned against a holy God. It was never explained that we have fallen short of God’s righteousness. No one was informed that the penalty for our sin is everlasting torment in hell. We never heard that we cannot get right with God by our own efforts. We were not told that Jesus paid the ultimate penalty for our sin on the cross. It was not explained that Jesus died, was buried and rose again for us. And I did not hear that our only hope in eternal life is to trust in, rely on, and commit to his death, burial, and resurrection.
Many of these churches are non-denominational and therefore are not accountable to any higher authority or organization. Consequently, heresy and apostasy are running rampant through the modern church.
Today my wife and I attend the local Nazarene church that does teach the real gospel, that no one can live up to God’s law and save himself from everlasting torment in hell. Grace and salvation can only obtained by repenting of our sins to a merciful and just God with His Son Jesus our advocate.
With perseverance and prayer you may find the right bible-teaching church.
Posted by Walt as Apostasy, Church at 12:41 AM EDT
Comments Off
There are two schools of thought and beliefs on how and when God actually created the earth and the universe. Both groups have compelling scientific and biblical documentation to support their claims. And both believe there was a creator.
The new earth creationists take the literal belief of the bible that creation was accomplished in 7 days and each day was 24 hours. They also believe the earth is about 7,000 years old.
The old earth creationists use the original Hebrew and Greek translations. They believe that the length of a day to God is like a thousand years. Or, that each day was equivalent to an geological era or other time span covering more that the normal 24 hour day. They also believe the earth is about 4.5 billion which is the same age that most of the non-believers, including the evolutionist. At least the old earth creationists use both scientific evidence and the bible to prove there was a creator.
Both groups support their beliefs with scientific data and biblical verses. Which one is right?
I will be introducing the evidence for both sides in upcoming posts.
Posted by Walt as Apologetics, The Bible at 3:06 PM EDT
Comments Off
Today. many of the World Faith leaders are teaching a doctrine that after the crucifixion, Jesus went to hell and wrestled with Satan for the keys to heaven in order to complete the atonement. This is contra to the bible and outright apostasy. No where in the bible does it say he went to hell. While on the cross, Jesus told the thief:
“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
He did not say see you in Paradise in three days, but said today!
And again while on the cross, Jesus’ last words to His Father were:
“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”(Luke 23:46)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Walt as Prophecy, The Bible at 11:29 AM EDT
Comments Off
Last week, an Arabic-speaking intelligence analyst who visited an American mosque exposed the duplicity of Muslim leaders who advocate violent jihad against “infidels” while speaking their native tongue, but preach compassion and tolerance, in English, to a Western audience.
Laura Mansfield, an analyst for the Northeast Intelligence Network, writes in a column for WorldNetDaily. Last week she found a flyer on her car windshield inviting her to a special informational presentation on God and family values, and how to bring them back to the forefront in America.
Checking the mosque schedule on the Web, she discovered there was going to be an Arabic-language session an hour before.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Walt as Islam at 11:09 PM EDT
1 Comment »
In keeping with the modern times, the Catholics have published a translation of their version of the bible. Their translation throws more confusion to the meaning of the Word just as The New International Version (TNIV).
Should the Bible call God the “Father?” Should Jesus be termed the “Son” of “Man?”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Walt as The Bible at 1:48 PM EDT
Comments Off
When I first became saved I started using the New International Version (NIV) bible because of its easy to understand translation. I had a hard time reading the King James Version (KJV). But recently I have changed over to the New King James Version (NKJV) because of its more accurate translation from the original Greek and Hebrew.
Recently newer “political correct” translations of the bible have appeared that are upsetting many Christians. The latest version to appear is The New International Version (TNIV) which among other things has banished the word ’saint’ as being too “ecclesiastical” and replaced with “God’s chosen people”.
Some suspect and feminist agenda “inclusive” language has been introduced. For example, written in the NIV “When God created Man, he made him in the likeness of God”; the new version now says: “When God created human beings, he made them in the likeness of God.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Walt as The Bible at 1:15 PM EDT
Comments Off
No one knows the time or hour of Christ’s return for the final judgment. But, there is one possibility that I have not heard discussed by anyone.
Jesus spoke of Himself in one of His many prophecies:
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
(John 2:19)
And to put a perspective in the Lord’s timing in
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
(2 Peter 3:8)
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our savior and the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. occurred over two thousand years ago, or in two days as Lord’s sees it in His timing. That would have us in the beginning of the third day. The time may be closer than you think as Jesus said in ,
“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
(Matt 24:42)
Posted by Walt as Prophecy at 10:35 PM EDT
Comments Off
Welcome to Christian Viewpoint. This will be my thoughts and observations of our world events through a Christian perspective.
Posted by Walt as General at 1:31 AM EDT
Comments Off
