Everybody’s Friendly Enemy
People like the man who tells them they are good and deserve the best in life. A man of God, however, must tell the unpalatable truth about sinners and their sins, and for this reason, he can never be popular in the manner of Joel Osteen.
There is no man of God that features angelic poses of himself on a website named after him, putting his name in lights. While the Light of men does no such thing, or His servants, the angel of light grants his ministers the power to gain fame and glory. For this, they have sold their souls.
“And the Devil said to Him, All this power I will give you, and the glory of them; for it has been delivered to me. And I give it to whomever I will. Therefore if you will worship me, all shall be yours” (Luke 4:6-7 MKJV).
“For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 MKJV).
Many have written us asking why we haven’t had Joel Osteen on our list of false teachers. “If he is so obvious a phony to so many, why do we need to post him?” was our partial response. However, it is simply amazing how millions are mesmerized by this wonderful smiling preacher who wouldn’t hurt a fly.
It was John Osteen, Joel’s late father, a former Southern Baptist minister turned Charismatic, claiming to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, who persuaded Joel to succeed his work as preacher and pastor at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. We’re informed at their site that, as of December 2011, Joel Osteen now leads the largest regularly-used worship center in the US, preaching to more than 38,000 attendees each week.
Do men of God boast about popularity and numbers? What does Jesus say?
“Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12 MKJV).
“Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it. Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 MKJV).
We gladly acknowledge the time comes when the Lord brings in the final harvest wherein many are saved, when He takes down the kingdoms of men and establishes His Kingdom on earth. But for the many reasons given in this writing, that’s not what’s happening with Joel’s ministry, which is based on the power of man and his worldly kingdoms, wherein Joel isn’t willing to spiritually hurt a fly, much less crush and destroy those kingdoms, as described by Daniel:
“And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And the Kingdom shall not be left to other peoples, but it shall crush and destroy all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44 MKJV).
Is Osteen preaching God’s message, as he claims, or is it “another gospel”?
Deliberately or otherwise, Joel deceives many people, and they love to have it so. On the other hand, there are many who are wise to him, having the Biblical record of the lives and doctrine of Jesus Christ and His disciples to enlighten them. Many marks readily identify Osteen’s falsehood as a Christian pastor or man of God, and they are published on the internet. For that reason, we will not entirely re-invent the wheel, but will present sufficient evidence for any earnest seeker of truth.
The faithful man of God will always preach against sin and call people to repent. This isn’t easy or pleasant to do, but these are indispensable duties of the man of God to guide man to his Maker. Dealing with sin is as necessary for a soul to get right with God as a bowel movement is to a healthy body. We must go to the bathroom every day. If we don’t go, we invite trouble, and the trouble grows more serious each day.
The purpose of the physical realm is to demonstrate spiritual truth. But Joel doesn’t wish to talk about bathroom necessities, if he can help it. He doesn’t want to talk about bowel movements, passing water, or washing up. He is loath to even deal with the smells. He wants to stay in the dining room and entertain people with aromas and delicacies that titillate their palates. “I’ll pass on the unpleasantries of purging,” is his mentality.
Joel Osteen, by his own lips, candidly declares he shies away from talk of sin, God’s Law, repentance, and the “negative side” of Scripture. Yes, he is a man, a friendly, apparently easygoing, “salt of the earth” man, someone many would covet as a friend in this world, but he is no man of God.
We will touch on some points not commonly discussed. The Osteens believe their success and popularity are sure marks of being and doing right in God’s sight, but it isn’t so. To the world, they are a savor of life, but to those crucified in Christ and unto the world, the Osteen fruits are a savor of death, coming from the strange woman that entices one to spiritual death:
Proverbs 7:21-27 MKJV
(21) With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
(22) He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks;
(23) until a dart strikes through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare and does not know that it is for his soul.
(24) And now listen to me, sons, and attend to the words of my mouth.
(25) Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not go astray in her paths.
(26) For she has cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
(27) Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death.
Nominal Christendom is in great darkness. Those calling themselves “Christians” don’t know good from evil, truth from error, light from darkness, God from Satan, or men of God from deceivers coming in the Name of Jesus Christ. They don’t know what Christ’s Body is, or where or who it is. This is because they are of the world and don’t have the Spirit of God to discern; they’re lost and without a shepherd.
If you were to read Diabolical Doctrines and The True Marks of a Cult, you would find far more than enough sure evidence that Joel Osteen is a false teacher, one who, with his message, love, and charisma, is to be avoided like the plague if one will have life and worship God in spirit and in truth. Certainly, Osteen proves that his influence is deadly to millions. Consider the many who praise and worship him – yes, worship.
See this page, and let me ask some questions of the reader.
Joel proudly announces he attended Oral Roberts University, as though it qualifies him for being a minister of God. Did you know that Oral Roberts was a false messenger? He had nothing to do with God. Oral Roberts was party with William Branham, Kenneth Hagin, Ken and Gloria Copeland, Creflo Dollar, and many others who make themselves wealthy preaching earthly prosperity as a certain mark of godliness (see 1 Timothy 6:5). These preach the “word faith” doctrine, the “name it and claim it” message that is a Christian form of The Secret (recognizing the power of God in you and exercising it by faith in order to achieve and have anything you want).
Essentially, these enticing doctrines proclaim the sovereignty of the servant, not of the Lord and Savior. “Word faith” is a message that subtly suggests we are the masters of our own destiny; we can call the shots and use God’s power as we please, because He is our loving Father Who backs us all the way.
While Jesus, the Son of God, declared, “I can do nothing without the Father – as the Father works, so I work,” Osteen and these men have said, “We can decide how and where the Father works. Indeed, we no longer need Him because He has given us everything to do with as we please. Didn’t He say, ‘Greater works than these will you do because I go to the Father’? We’re doing HIS work.”
In essence, they’re saying, “We don’t need to ask God to heal anyone, or ask for anything else now. We have all there is to be had. We’ll do the healing ourselves. All we need to do is make full use of His power through faith to get anything we need or want.”
Joel Osteen is acclaimed by a worldly organization, Nielsen Media Research, as “the most watched inspirational figure in America.” Barbara Walters named him one of “The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006” and Church Report Magazine selected him as “The Most Influential Christian in 2006.” The man is widely popular, loved, and famous in the world.
In His day, Jesus was famous, too. His fame spread like wildfire throughout Israel and beyond. But He didn’t boast of Himself or His works, which, unlike Osteen’s works, were truly phenomenal. He didn’t need men to testify of Him, and He didn’t need to testify of Himself:
“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is Another Who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You sent to John, and he bore witness to the Truth. But I do not receive testimony from man, but these things I say so that you might be saved” (John 5:31-34 MKJV).
Joel Osteen boasts of his worldly accomplishments on his own website. He describes himself as, “Joel, the son of John Osteen, a highly respected minister of the Gospel and the founder of Lakewood Church.” By whom is his father respected? And why does that mean we should honor his son? Those are a couple of the questions that need answers.
Do men of God proclaim their achievements? They don’t even possess such, as do Osteen, Hinn, Dollar, Copeland, Warren, and any of the many famous and wealthy false teachers. Don’t you think Osteen comes under this description by the Lord?:
“And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15 MKJV).
“Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you! For so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26 MKJV).
How popular or respected was Moses in his day?
Exodus 17:2-4 ESV
(2) Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”
(3) But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
(4) So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
One may argue that Moses led the people into a barren wilderness where there was no water, while Osteen hasn’t done that, so why should Osteen’s people be upset with him? True, but does it occur to you that if Osteen were a true man of God, he wouldn’t be proclaiming and promoting an oasis, or a promised land, without a furnace of fire and preceding wilderness?
Do you think the people of that day were any worse than they are today? Think again. God was trying His people then, and He does no differently today. Osteen is here to pamper, but God scourges every son and daughter He loves and receives:
“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons” (Hebrews 12:6-8 MKJV).
Frankly, the Osteens lead a pack of bastards, people who despise chastening. Not so, with God’s people:
Ezekiel 20:33-38 MKJV
(33) As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, I will reign over you.
(34) And I will bring you out from the people, and I will gather you out of the lands in which you are scattered among them, with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm and with fury poured out.
(35) And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
(36) Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD.
(37) And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
(38) And I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who sin against Me. I will bring them out from the land where they reside, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD.
Those who aren’t subjected to fire, wilderness, and warfare aren’t God’s people. Those whom the Osteens lead aren’t God’s people. They are lovers of the world. They pacify their consciences in the Name of Jesus Christ, however, seeking the best of both worlds. They wish to be flattered, pampered, and assured with promises of success and glory.
Does that remind you of anything? There’s only one way a man like Osteen can have the glory and popularity of this world in the Name of God, as he does:
“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8-9 ESV).
But what are Satan’s wages?
“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full! For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you! For so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:24-26 MKJV).
How popular was Jeremiah in his day?:
“And I, behold, I make you [Jeremiah] this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:18-19 ESV).
You say, “Osteen hasn’t been called on by God to deliver the terrible messages Jeremiah was commissioned to deliver, so why should they fight Joel?” But what real man of God has ever had a message that was popular with the people? Can you think of one? Just one? Something to think about.
The people hated and persecuted every one of the prophets and apostles. Jesus declared this and explained why it is so:
“You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for My Name’s sake” (Luke 21:16-17 ESV).
John 15:18-21 ESV
(18) “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
(19) If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
(20) Remember the Word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.
(21) But all these things they will do to you on account of My Name, because they do not know Him Who sent Me.”
Is Osteen persecuted for true righteousness’ sake? If he’s suffering negative publicity, is it any different from the adverse reactions many of the world in business, politics, government, and other occupations experience?
Are Osteen’s fans and followers suffering persecution? Are they living godly in Christ Jesus?
“Yea, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 MKJV).
No, false men of God and their followers suffer no persecution for the Lord’s sake. They are loved and not hated, even as Jesus said (Luke 6:26). That is because they aren’t identified with the One they profess to preach, worship, and serve, the One the world hates with a passion. “In vain do they worship Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me,” says the Lord of these.
Can these words be spoken of Joel Osteen and his wife?:
“Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and when they shall reproach you and shall cast out your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For behold, your reward is great in Heaven. For so their fathers did according to these things to the prophets” (Luke 6:22-23 MKJV).
Millions love Joel. Cheering, they hold placards that say, “Joel, we love you!” You need to ask yourself, “Is that the popularity of God or of men, of the Spirit or of the flesh?”
To such as these, the Lord says:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, You seek Me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for that food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you. For God the Father sealed Him” (John 6:26-27 MKJV).
There are indicators without number of the “Osteen Ministry” that tell us whether it is from Heaven or from men. From Charlotte Gerhardt’s blog, we find she was a follower of John Osteen, Joel’s late father. She writes:
“Every message Pastor [John] Osteen preached started with ‘Hold up your Bible and make the Devil mad, and Jesus glad. Repeat after me, ‘This is My Bible, I am what it says I am, I have what it says I have, I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess, My mind is alert My heart is receptive. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living, seed of the Word of God. I will never be the same…Never, never, never, I will never be the same in Jesus name!‘ (John Osteen)”
I’m told Joel often repeats that declaration, which is Bibliolatrous because it upholds the Bible and the worshipper, but not the Lord.
It is presumptuous and assumptive to declare this, because the Bible portrays both good and evil. For example, are they affirming Romans 3:10-18 and Deuteronomy 27:13-26, among other numerous like passages? No, they apply to themselves the good things that can only come when the evil within is faced and dealt with.
It is self-righteous to do this, because the one pronouncing the words, not the Lord, is in the driver’s seat.
Those aren’t even Joel’s words of prayer, but his father’s. Joel simply parrots something from the flesh, as good as it seems to be. There’s a great difference between words inspired by the Heavenly Father and words inspired by an earthly father. Just that prayer alone, and its repetition, tells much.
Here’s the bait for the hook that is so successful for Joel, the fisher of men and mighty hunter of souls after Nimrod’s heart. His site says:
“Joel’s extraordinary success can be found in his core message: That our God is a good God who desires to bless those who are obedient and faithful to Him through Jesus Christ. It is Joel’s deepest desire that his own life be an example of that principle and that everyone who hears this message of hope and encouragement would choose to accept God’s goodness and mercy and to become all that God wants them to be.”
Sounds very good, doesn’t it? Indeed, that may be a significant part of the secret to his extraordinary success in the world. You see, Joel doesn’t talk about sin. He doesn’t call for wholesale repentance. He’ll never call on his hearers to accept the Lord’s chastening. How often will you find him preaching the following words?
Hebrews 12:5-11 MKJV
(5) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;
(6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives.”
(7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?
(8) But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons.
(9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
(10) For truly they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.
(11) Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.
Not exactly the worn part of his Bible, is it?
Joel doesn’t rebuke the wicked or reprove the works of darkness. He doesn’t speak of both the goodness and severity of the Lord (Romans 11:22). He wouldn’t dream of calling out to the multitudes as did John the Immerser:
“Then [John] said to the crowd that came forth to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Luke 3:7 MKJV)
I called him a “fisher of men.” Does that equate to a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the Biblical analogy, as the simple may surmise? No. I tell you that Joel casts the net into the water and brings in many fishes. He gathers them to shore and sorts them out, but unlike the Lord, he keeps the bad and casts the good away. So where does that leave his ardent supporters, those deceived into thinking they are being received into the Kingdom of God?
Let’s see some examples of his stance on sin and sinners:
I quote John MacArthur: “Jesus is a footnote that satisfies [Osteen’s] critics and deceives his followers.” Very true.
John quotes Osteen from his book, Your Best Life Now, as saying, “Anyone can create by faith and words the dreams he desires – health, wealth, happiness….”
He goes on: “If you develop an image of success, health, abundance, joy, peace, happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you.”
Another quote by Osteen: “All of us are born for earthly greatness. You were born to win.” (“Win what?” John rightly asks.) “God wants you to live in abundance. You were born to be a champion!”
More quotation: “Get your thinking positive and He will bring your desires to pass. He regards you as a strong, courageous, successful person. You are on your way to a new level of glory!”
MacArthur poses before his audience a question to Osteen: “How do you get there?” He then gives Osteen’s answer: “Believe, visualize, and speak out loud. Words release your power. Words give life to your dreams.”
Another quote from Joel’s book: “Friend, there’s a miracle in your mouth…I know these principles are true because they work for me and my wife.”
“Oh,” replies John, “so that’s the test of truth? Are you kidding?” He continues Joel’s words, “Even finding a perfect parking spot at the mall…God’s already done everything He’s going to do…the ball’s in your court.”
John identifies the source of such doctrine. He plainly states it is Satan. John’s absolutely correct. It is Satanic; for a deeper understanding of that, read The Origin and Identity of Satan.
John asks his congregation a question, and gives the answer:
“Why do I say that? Because health, wealth, prosperity, the fulfillment of all your dreams and desires – that’s what Satan always offers. That’s called ‘temptation,’ based on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life [1 John 2:16]. That’s exactly what corrupt, fallen, unregenerate people want! That’s why it works so well, right? You can go right into Satan’s system, make everybody feel religious and turn out their desires, their temptations into somehow honorable desires.”
John MacArthur is dead on. He compares Osteen’s gimmicks with the temptations Satan presented the Lord with, in the wilderness – self-service and preservation, glory-seeking and success.
“And why are these false teachers so successful at what they do?” John asks.
He answers, “Because they’re in cahoots with the Devil. Why is Satan so successful? Because his temptations, although they might appear noble on the outside, are in perfect accord with all the fallen, corrupt, selfish, proud, evil desires of sinners.”
John then says, “This is a false kind of Christianity and a false view of God.”
He goes on to say (emphasis ours), “And I think preachers like this who preach this stuff hate the true God…and they are afraid to death that somebody might find out Who He really is.”
John is absolutely right.
(While at that link, I found John’s criticism of the gift of tongues. There was little there he said that wasn’t true. As the video played, people in spells and ecstasies in church meetings were presented, including vile imposters like Benny Hinn and Todd Bentley. It was all wickedness; it was demonic. Such activity is to be utterly condemned. Damned fools are they all who are seduced by these mockers of God.
I do wonder, though, if John would acknowledge the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 as valid today. Nowhere in the Bible will one find a shred of evidence that they aren’t. I suspect John would think otherwise. If so, he’s wrong, and the only way he can be wrong is if he hasn’t received the Holy Spirit of God, notwithstanding the knowledge and understanding the Lord has granted him.
Yes indeed, there is the counterfeit, John, and almost all manifest out there is counterfeit, but there is the true. We have the true, as have others. You mention visions and dreams, for example. Along with all the other gifts, we have had many visions and dreams from God over the years. Read Victor Hafichuk’s Theo-autobiography, Victor Hafichuk’s Testimony, and Victor’s First Three Dreams from the Lord for testimony of the real gifts of the Spirit in this day.
You can’t argue with Scriptural truth and reality manifest in one’s life, with fruits of faith, obedience, true holiness, and godliness. No demons or crazies here, only saints who were once sinners, undoubtedly with faults and weaknesses, being men, but now saved by His grace.)
More exposure of Osteen comes from CNN’s site – Piers Morgan Tonight.
An excerpt: “But one part related to a topic Osteen rarely discusses – sin. Specifically, why homosexuality is a sin, and according to the scriptures, Elton John is a sinner.
‘The scriptures shows that it’s a sin,‘ said Osteen in the interview. ‘But you know, I’m not one of those that are out there to bash homosexuals and tell them that they’re terrible people and all of that. I mean, there are other sins in the Bible too…I don’t believe homosexuality is God’s best for a person’s life.‘
Piers Morgan noted Osteen does not usually discuss this, and he admitted in the first interviews in front of the camera ‘this was all new to me‘ and ‘people say I don’t talk about sin.‘ As for Elton John, there was this exchange:
MORGAN: Say a friend of mine like Elton John watching this at home, who with his partner – a civil partner, David Furnish – have just had a surrogate child which was born on Christmas day. They’re going to be pretty angry what they hear. They’re going to think who are you to call them a sinner.
J. OSTEEN: Yes.
MORGAN: But why are they sinners in your eyes?
J. OSTEEN: Well, it’s strictly back to what the scripture says. I mean, I can’t grab one part and say God wants you to be blessed and live an abundant life, and not grab the other part that says, you know what? You know, live that kind of life. So it comes back to the scripture. I’m not the judge. You know, God didn’t tell me to go around judging everybody.”
Morgan opens the interview with Joel saying Joel’s position on homosexuality wasn’t very clear by interviews he’d seen, and so wanted to establish clarity. He goes on to say “You don’t normally talk about sin. That’s the first time I’ve actually heard you spell it out.”
To seldom speak of sin is an indictment against those who profess to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this interview, Osteen not only refuses to unequivocally condemn homosexuality, he calls homosexuals “good people.” But the Bible he presumes to believe teaches there are no good people at all (Romans 3), so how does he get the idea that those who commit particularly egregious sins in God’s sight are “good people”?
It’s very clear the Bible condemns homosexuality. Is it a matter of interpretation or opinion? True, it isn’t Joel’s or anyone else’s job to “bash homosexuals” or zero in on any other kind of sinner. Osteen is right there. However, how is it that homosexuality is viewed by the world as something other than sin? How is it that homosexuality is sanctioned as legitimate, while murder and theft aren’t?
Piers Morgan wasn’t suggesting murderers would be angry with Osteen if he spoke against murder, but he sees homosexuality as innocent of any offense against God and man.
It is argued that homosexuality isn’t a matter of choice, but of nature. “They were born that way,” it is commonly said. This isn’t true. If it were true, God wouldn’t condemn it, but He does. The Scriptures are clear on that. Truly, to cast off all restraints and satisfy their lusts, men call God a liar and hypocritical tyrant. They accuse Him of deception and injustice, the things of which they themselves are guilty. While He is speaking to save them, they speak to destroy Him.
The supposed science and studies declaring homosexuality to be a natural occurrence are false. Here are two writings that give ample evidence and testimony against the fraudulent claims that homosexuality is a matter of nature, not nurture and choice:
The Big Lie: “No Evidence of Change”
And here’s an exchange we had with the Helena, MT community on the subject of homosexuality:
Despite Piers’ egregious error, mass confusion, and destructive activity, Joel gently passes over the issue as though another fly just buzzed by. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, cities that had descended to horrific decadence, one of the symptoms of which was homosexuality (Genesis 19), and all this “man of God” can say is, “I don’t believe homosexuality is God’s best for a person’s life”?
Shouldn’t a man of God correct blurred perspective on sin? Shall he not give the trumpet a certain sound? How impossible it is to speak the unapologetic truth for those who are trying to please men! “Fear of man brings a snare,” the Bible (God) declares (Proverbs 29:25). Billy Graham also won’t speak against sin. He defends himself as one who is righteously uncontroversial. But what man of God is not controversial? What rosebush has no thorns? What sky never has clouds?
Joel weakly makes the point that he believes the Scriptures and has an obligation to speak their whole counsel. But he is oblivious to the responsibility of teaching the unpleasant, though necessary, portions. He defends himself about not preaching against homosexuality by saying the Bible speaks of other sins, as well; however, he avoids the issue of sin altogether, even though the first step of the Gospel is all about repentance from sin.
Truly, as Morgan points out, Osteen speaks very little about any sin, but homosexuality is so grievous, it warranted the death penalty in God’s eyes, and it’s the job of a man of God to declare how serious it is. That isn’t “bashing homosexuals,” it’s warning against destruction by speaking God’s truth without compromise.
Is God guilty of “gay-bashing” when He condemns homosexuality as a deadly sin? His motive is to save and not condemn! He is notifying mankind of what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s good and what’s evil, what gives life and what gives death. What’s wrong with that?
And we do the same, not to “bash” sinners, no matter what kind of sin, but to point them in the right direction for healing. We know of people who were all-out homosexuals for years, but turned from it, realizing it was wrong in God’s sight. They weren’t captive to nature, but were able to exercise choice.
Will someone foolishly argue homosexuals have no choice, it being a matter of nature? How could it be, then, that the nature of those who freely and thankfully turned to a normal lifestyle suddenly changed?
The problem is that homosexuals and their apologists don’t believe what God has to say. They prefer their sins and are ignorant of the consequences. Joel, perhaps, knows that (perhaps not), but would rather have the esteem of men than the esteem of God, so he tries to break it as sweetly as he can, if at all – “I don’t believe homosexuality is God’s best for a person’s life.” How diplomatic! But is it a man of God’s place to be politically correct? Did Jesus and His disciples mince words? Were they downplaying any sin?
The clarion call of Jesus Christ, the prophets, apostles, and all true men of God was for repentance of sin. Why doesn’t Joel acknowledge and live that reality? It’s because he’s trying to please men. How else could he gather such a following and be so popular? You can’t serve God and mammon.
What about Elton John? Is he someone so special that he should never be confronted about his sin? So what if he’s a child prodigy? So what if he plays the piano and sings well? So what if he’s a great and popular showman? So what if he performed for Princess Diana’s funeral? Shall the preacher of the Scriptures not say, “Keys are black and white – let the chips fall where they may”?
Morgan tweaks his case, saying Elton John and his partner “just had a surrogate child which was born on Christmas day.” Christmas Day! You don’t say! That should make Joel’s preaching against such exemplary homosexual behavior all the more heinous, shouldn’t it? Does Piers know, however, that Christmas is the celebration of the anti-Christ, not of the Christ? Even Joel Osteen doesn’t know that, and that is why Joel, in his weak defense, falls to Piers Morgan.
Osteen doesn’t know what he’s talking about. For example, he applauds Mitt Romney, a Mormon, as a true Christian. Joel’s excuse is that he doesn’t know much about Mormon theology. If he was familiar with it, and knew the Lord and the Scriptures, he wouldn’t be able to acknowledge any Mormon as a worshipper of the Jesus Christ of the Scriptures. Read from our section Mormonism.
Mitt Romney speaks of the Jesus Christ of the Book of Mormon, of Joseph Smith’s theology – a very different Jesus Christ, “another Jesus,” as Paul puts it (2 Corinthians 11:4). Romney is the product of a counterfeit gospel, and Osteen authorizes it.
Shouldn’t a man of God be able to tell false brethren from true? How shall he shepherd God’s flock if he can’t tell a wolf from a sheep? “Mitt Romney professes Christ as his Savior, so that’s good enough for me,” Osteen tells Morgan.
Osteen holds up the Bible, declaring, “This is My Bible, I am what it says I am, I have what it says I have, I can do what it says I can do.” Has he believed any of it? Here’s what it says about believing what men say:
“But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, ‘That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged’” (Romans 3:4 MKJV).
Jesus warns that we can only tell a man by his fruits, not by his claims. Would you allow a stranger into your home simply because he told you he was honest and had your best interests at heart?
“In vain do they worship Me with their lips,” Jesus said, “but their hearts are far from Me.” Where is Osteen’s discernment of spirits, and of good and evil, if he is a man of God? He believes liars because he is a liar himself.
Men of God see and understand these things. Osteen doesn’t, because he isn’t a man of God. His words and actions belie his claims at every turn. Not a minute passes, nor is a word spoken, wherein Osteen doesn’t manifest his falsehood. It only remains for observers to have the grace of God to see, hear, and understand what Osteen is all about. The blind don’t see the obvious.
Back to Piers Morgan: If Osteen were a true man of God, he likely wouldn’t be on Morgan’s show, but if he were (it is possible), he might ask Piers a few questions:
“Piers, do you believe the Bible?”
“Do you believe God wrote it?”
“If I am a preacher of the Bible, do I, or do I not, have the obligation, if not the right, to preach what it says?”
“If I am a man of God, should I not speak what God commands me to speak, not what sinners like to hear?”
“Should I be taking sides with those against whom the Bible testifies, or should I be preaching what God declares?”
“Who are you, Piers Morgan, to determine what God would have me preach? While my authority is God and the Scriptures, what is your authority? Are you simply asking provocative questions to get ratings for your show?”
But, being rich by pleasing and placating men, Joel and Victoria Osteen can’t speak that way to the world, not if they don’t want to lose their lives, as all children of God must.
“Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it” (Luke 17:33 EMTV).
Put it this way: When Moses and Aaron walked into Pharaoh’s throne room, they said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Do as I say, or else….’” When Joel and Victoria walk into Morgan’s throne room, they say, “We’re not here to judge, but to reason. Please try to understand. We mean well.”
And did you not notice that it was Moses and Aaron, not Moses and his wife, Zipporah? Many of these modern-day ministries try to present themselves as a glamorous husband/wife team. Why? Family values? Gender equality? Social acceptance? Wherever does one find a husband/wife ministerial team in the Scriptures?
It didn’t happen, not once (Aquila and Priscilla weren’t ordained ministers of God, only a husband and wife sharing their testimony, knowledge, and faith). We have a devious enemy in the serpent, operating with a man-pleasing agenda seeking consensus anywhere and any way possible. A husband/wife team is only one of those ploys. The whole of nominal Christendom is corrupt to the core.
Joel is anything but a man of God. If he wishes to be a positive thinker, fine, but don’t go presenting positive thinking as the answer of life and portraying Jesus Christ as a positive thinker. Jesus was much more than that. His mission was to die, not live, calling men to die, so that they might have life. Joel’s mission and message is the very opposite – to live life to its fullest, by making it happen yourself by attitude and misinterpretation of God’s promises.
Osteen is, simply put, using, not preaching, Jesus Christ. Though giving the impression otherwise, he presents “another christ,” one who never died. He doesn’t dare preach Christ and Him crucified. There’s no cross anywhere near Osteen’s gospel.
Victor Hafichuk