Joel Osteen on 60 Minutes
Denny Burk's anaylsis of Joel Osteen and his message is dead on. Osteen is a likeable, obviously sincere person. This is what makes criticism of him so difficult. But I agree wholeheartedly with Michael Horton's statement in the 60 Minutes interview that Osteen's message is heretical. It is an anti-gospel message. These words carry weight and I do not utter them casually. Osteen's message is deceptive. While his motives may not be deliberately sinister, he leds as one who deceives and is himself deceived (2Tim 3:13). Several years ago I sat at the beside of a young man whom I love who had cancer. I asked him what had strengthened his faith during the dark days of cancer. He said it was Osteen's book Your Best Life Now. My heart broke when I heard those words. Why, you may ask? Because he found comfort in a message apart from the gospel, and there is no comfort, no salvation, no security apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Once again, Burk gets is right:
I am writing this blog because I think Osteen is dangerous. The prosperity “gospel” that he preaches makes the Almighty into a cosmic slot machine; just believe hard enough and you’ll hit paydirt and have your “best life now.” Yet the Christian gospel explicitly teaches that if a person tries to have their best life now, they will forfeit eternity: “Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:25-26).
Listen to Joel Osteen at your own risk. He is peddling death. And he is affable enough to make you feel like it’s life. But do not be deceived. Nothing could be further from the truth.
You can read the whole post here.
posted by Aaron @ 9:41 AM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
Those are some frightening comments Joel made. I wonder if he has just blatantly chosen to ignore the teachings of Christ about the rich man and heaven or suffering in the Christian walk. How does he comfort people who are diagnosed with cancer or who have lost a loved one? I wonder what he says..."Best life now!" It's sad to think that people believe this life is the best they can have because honestly, even when it's good, it's just not that great; if this is the best we can have, what does that say about God? I know that God is bigger than our vaporous existence and that, yes, we can begin living for Him eternally in this life (in fact, called to do so), but there is so much more awaiting us. It just breaks my heart that Joel's church members and TV viewers may never understand that and in turn reap devestating consequences.
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