Joseph Prince Renounces The New Covenant

October 2, 2013 by Peter Michael Martinez

I’m sure I’m going to take a lot of heat for writing this article. I have no personal axe to grind with Joseph Prince.

Before we get too far, let’s examine the word we KNOW is a sure word. Jesus said this.

Matthew 5:17-19 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

 Now let’s look at what our Father in Heaven says …

Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”

Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them”

Proverbs 28:9 “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”

Joseph Prince Renounces the Law

In many of his public teachings many of which are available on Youtube, Joseph Prince flat rejects the notion that law has any place at all in the life of the Christian. He flat REJECTS the words of Hebrews when he says, “the Law is no more” in this video.

“They put themselves under law.” says Joseph Prince speaking of the children of Israel.

He states blatantly that Israel was in “pride” when they received the Torah/Law of God and arrogantly received the Ten Commandments.

This declaration is beyond blasphemous.

The inference is that had Israel continued in “grace” they would never have come “under the law” and so, this was a mistake according to Joseph Prince.

Joseph Prince believes we need to “cast the Law out” and that there is NO PLACE for any of GOD’S law in the lives of New Covenant believers. He is NOT bashful about his doctrine. He is blatant and bold. Unfortunately, he is completely incorrect.

Under the doctrine of Joseph Prince, the “christian” under “grace” never needs to feel guilty or repent because the Passover lamb took care of everything so that you don’t need to repent of anything once you are saved.

He said, “You must be finished with guilt, condemnation, feeling guilty … even when you fail … you should not be feeling this anymore” inferring that this is all the work of the law and that it is not for us today. The Law Is No More!  See This Video

This is a fable and should have caused people to walk out of the meeting but instead, he is cheered and adored by millions.

According to Joseph Prince’s gospel, Israel “fell from grace in accepting the Torah”, the Law of YHWH God. The subtle message this man is preaching is that they should have rejected the commandments and continued in “grace” straight through to the promised land.

There is no question that this man preaches “lawlessness” or “Law-FREE living” and behind his message, the LAW of YHWH GOD is supplanted by Grace.

He even goes so far as to say we must “cast out” the law. See this video.

The popular T.V. Preacher Joseph Prince from Singapore has a message that some believe is uplifting and encouraging. Others believe it is heresy and will lead many to die in their sins rather than repent of sin they know they need to repent of.

Whether or not Joseph Prince is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” or not will be for you to decide for yourself, and ultimately for YHWH God to judge for eternity. We cannot judge his soul nor his destiny, but we are commanded in the scripture to “judge a tree” by its fruit and to “test the spirits” because of the perilous days we live in.

While I have no personal axe to grind with the likeable Joseph Prince, there are things that this man has preached to the nations that I believe are “gainsaying” or contradicting the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Messiah and the Apostles.

While he often quotes Apostle Paul in many of his sermons, he places a specific bent or spin on the scriptures he quotes to affirm his “message” of “mother grace” and consequently undermines the message of redemption, repentance, holiness, and righteousness as ministered by Messiah.

We are warned by MESSIAH that in the last days, MANY false prophets shall rise and DECEIVE. What is the deception that they will be walking in? I believe the key is in the following passage.

Matthew 24:11-13 “And MANY false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive MANY. And because INIQUITY (Lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

What is INIQUITY? I looked it up …

1) the condition of without law

a) because ignorant of it

b) because of violating it

2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

Matthew 7:14-15 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

All sober and watching Christians understand the warnings of Jesus and the Apostles concerning the last days were dire and serious. We are called to be “sober and vigilant” in these days like never before.

Jesus told us that we would know a wolf in sheep’s clothing by their fruits.

We can see by the passage in Matthew 7 that these wolves will:

Cast out devils
Prophesy in Jesus’ name
Do many mighty works
So it may be difficult to discern them based on their popularity or their bold preaching. Instead, Messiah gives us the way we can know for certain that they are indeed wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Notice the fruit that Messiah indicates would separate the wolves from authentic shepherds.

Wolves “work iniquity” or “lawlessness” which as we have already seen, is to discard the law that was prophesied to be written in the hearts of the New Covenant believer. Is Joseph Prince working against the Law written in the hearts and minds of New Covenant believers? You decide.

It seems pretty clear to me that he has renounced the premise of the New Covenant and rejects any form of the Holy Law of YHWH God from being in his heart or mind. As he has already said, Grace and Law cannot abide under the same roof. As he has clearly stated, we must “cast out the law” and walk entirely under his doctrine of grace.

The Law and the New Covenant Believer

Now, while it is TRUE that no law is required for SALVATION. Just blood on the doorposts. We see this pictured beautifully in the Exodus from Egypt. The Passover Lamb’s blood on the doorpost by faith was all that was needed for salvation from Egypt.

After being saved, delivered from their enemies, baptized in the Red Sea, and LED OF THE SPIRIT by day and night … where did YHWH bring HIS now DELIVERED HOLY PEOPLE? Clearly they were SAVED BY GRACE … so where did HE bring them?

To a mountain … to teach them WHO WERE SAVED … how to act right.

Law came after salvation which is why Paul wrote Galatians. Man is not justified by the works of the Law for by the works of the LAW can no flesh be justified … just blood.

Following the salvation from Egypt, Israel was taken by the Holy Spirit to the Mount Sinai where they received the Torah/Law of YHWH God. This was a type and shadow of the New Covenant where once a believer received the atoning blood of the Lamb of YHWH GOD, Jesus Christ, the LAW of GOD would be written on their hearts and minds.

THIS IS the New Covenant as declared by the Messiah and the Apostles. Joseph Prince rejects that. He says, “the law is no more.”

According to Joseph Prince, he says “grace and law cannot abide under the same roof” thus contradicting the word in Hebrews which states that YHWH God will write His Laws on the hearts and minds of all New Covenant believers. This IS the promise of the Father sealed by the Holy Spirit. According to Joseph Prince, this is replaced by “grace.”

Taking Paul’s comments in Galatians out of context, he preaches that we are to REJECT the New Covenant and the Holy Laws of God written in our hearts to instead walk in GRACE.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

Source: Joseph Prince Renounces The New Covenant

Joel Osteen Rebukes Apostles Paul, Peter, and John

August 27, 2013 by Peter Michael Martinez

According to Joel Osteen – Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, these first century apostles are wrong and outdated and he has come out boldly to imply that Apostles Paul, Peter, and John who wrote much of the New Testament were wrong and need to be corrected and rebuked.

When asked directly by Oprah Winfrey if people who are openly practicing homosexuals are accepted into the Kingdom, Joel Osteen responded with “Absolutely, anybody is.”

Joel does acknowledge that some things are “sin” but says, “I don’t address these things from the pulpit. They only come up in interviews.” When asked by Piers Morgan if openly practicing gay/homosexual people will be accepted into heaven, Joel Osteen responded, “I believe they will.”

John 7:16-18 “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

He that speaketh of himself (his own opinion) seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”

Joel makes no mention of the need for repentance nor does he ever even use the word.

2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

Listen to this interview.

Oprah asks, “will a gay person be accepted into heaven, as you see it” at about 1:10 into the interview.

You’ll hear him say point blank, “well I believe they will.” Joel says YES, Apostle Paul, Peter, and John say … NO!

Now read Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) answer the same question here. You’ll see a very different answer!

http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/evangelism-missions/560-evangelism/20282-franklin-graham-answers-can-gay-people-go-to-heaven

Since Joel is telling us all what he believes, I will say what I believe. I believe he took a position contrary to the word of YHWH God as established by Messiah and the Apostles and what follows is my reason for believing that. You may or may not agree with me.

While he did not come right out and say Apostle Paul, Peter, and John were wrong in so many words, his inference is clear to any who pay attention to what he’s saying. The answer he gives to a question already answered by the Apostles is the OPPOSITE of what they wrote. So, you decide if what you hear him say is what Heaven is saying.

I have no personal axe to grind with Joel Osteen. I say Father, Forgive him, he knows not what he is actually saying. Please forgive him Father.

I always pray that we all come to the UNITY OF THE FAITH as Ephesians says. Nevertheless, millions of people listen to this man and when he says something concerning a critical issue discussed clearly in scripture, we are responsible as watchmen to “test the spirits.”

If even one soul perishes because of any error, I believe we can all agree that one soul is one too many.

In my assessment based on the comments that Joel continues to make publicly, he is establishing a doctrine that is VERY different than that which was preached by the Apostles Peter, John, and Paul. He may not believe that and his supporters may not see it, but hundreds of thousands, if not millions of other born-again believers certainly do.

What follows is my reasons for believing that essentially he is correcting Apostle’s writings with what “he believes” when speaking concerning these issues. When he speaks contrary to the clear word of Apostles, he leaves no alternative in my view but for one to be right and the other wrong. You are welcome to draw your own conclusions.

If you believe Joel is correct, then by extension, you have to conclude the Apostles are incorrect as you will see … or vice versa. You may discern for yourself.

Either way, it is my prayer and the prayer of all saints that all who sin come to repentance no matter who they are … for our father in heaven is not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL would come to REPENTANCE!

Under no circumstances should you ever “fake it till you make it” in your walk in the Kingdom with God or your brothers and sisters.

You cannot accurately arrive at your destiny if you fake the journey.

You serve a REAL GOD who sent his REAL SON and you are empowered by the REAL HOLY SPIRIT … so be a REAL VESSEL.

Joel Osteen Brings Us Universalism

The doctrine of universalism is the belief that all people are “saved” with or without repentance.

This is a new version of the “good news” that is MUCH BETTER than the message the Jesus and the Apostles preached 2,ooo years ago which was far too narrow according to the way Joel Osteen explains his “message.”

“I’m for everybody” says Joel Osteen, “I’m not into excluding people. Jesus can reveal himself to anybody.”

The idea is that since no one would be accepted if we are called to be “holy” then all have to be accepted. So goes this logic. This doctrine also believes that all roads lead to heaven so there is no one “way, truth, and life that leads to the father.”

According to Joel, “sin means to miss the mark” which, while that is correct, let us remember that Kingdom of Heaven is the mark. If we sin and do no repent, then yes, we are in danger of missing the mark which means, we miss eternal life. That’s the mark.

1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.“

According to the Bible, the “wages of sin is death” for which blood is required and for which a sacrifice was presented.

It sounds a lot more harsh to say SIN is TREASON punishable by death than to say it is “missing the mark” which is a bit incomplete unless you understand that the mark is the Kingdom of heaven. Sin is also  “to incur guilt, incur penalty” which according to the scripture is death.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

When asked about people who live in open sin, Joel smilingly said, “I’m not going to bash those people. I’m not going to be against those people. They’re good people.”

So by contrast, Apostle Jude, using Joel’s definition is “bashing people” when he said:

Jude 1:14-16 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Joel’s wife recently said to Piers Morgan. “It’s the people that we’re after. We’re not trying to judge their sin. We want to encourage them and love them. You’re only going to win people by reaching out to them.”

While we are certainly understanding of their goal of church growth, the Apostles were concerned with the KINGDOM. Joel Osteen wants to teach that you and I be accepted without having to discuss anything like repentance or righteousness. These are “judgmental” subjects that we just don’t need, according to the comments Joel makes.

These modern day ministry giants have gone on national television to essentially correct Apostles Peter, John, and Paul to say … they are wrong … if you listen to Joel Osteen. So many across the nation are so proud of this Pastor and his courage in confronting the church fathers!

According to Joel Osteen, Apostle Paul erroneously stated to the Corinthians …

1 Corinthians 6:8-10 “Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.“

In saying this, according to Joel Osteen, Apostle Paul is being “exclusionary” and should be rebuked and corrected. He is obviously wrong and should never have said these things to the Corinthian church.

Corinth was known for its sexual openness and promiscuity so for Paul to “condemn” all these “good people” was completely out of order and he needs to be rebuked.

When Paul wrote to the Romans he also was in complete error in stating the following in the first chapter of his letter, according to Joel Osteen.

“And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

According to Joel Osteen, Paul was “bashing people” when he states that being a homosexual is a sin is being “judgmental” and should not be tolerated. It is just wrong according to Joel Osteen. Many people agree with Joel Osteen today and so, Apostle Paul is apparently misguided and incorrect in his letter. You can’t have it both ways.

Joel goes on to point out the additional errors in the words Apostle Paul wrote.

“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Paul went on to write in the first chapter of Romans, which according to the words of Joel Osteen, he is deeply misguided and mistaken.

Apostle Paul should repent for saying such things according to Joel Osteen. A growing number of people in America agree with Joel that Apostle Paul should be rebuked for ever saying such things because Paul isn’t accepting of people like Joel Osteen is.

Equally misguided and incorrect according to Joel Osteen is Paul’s words to the Galatian church. In his writings, Apostle Paul made stunning comments that were clearly exclusionary statements concerning the Kingdom and those who are accepted, and in so doing has made grave error according to Joel Osteen.

See if you can detect the absolutely false statements that Apostle Paul made to the Galatian church according to the stated doctrine of Joel Osteen.

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.“

You can clearly see what has Joel Osteen so unhappy that he’s gone on national television to correct this! It is this type of rhetoric, according to Joel Osteen, that is completely false and misrepresents the God he serves.

Joel Osteen’s God loves everybody and there are no exclusions because then, according to Joel, “none of us would be saved.” So again, Apostle Paul was completely incorrect and should never have written such harsh and insensitive words to the Galatian church according to Joel.

I imagine Joel Osteen would say “shame on Apostle Paul for ever writing such hateful words!”

Now, not only is Joel out to correct the misguided Apostle Paul, but Apostle Peter was also brought into serious question for clearly being exclusionary when he wrote these words.

1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

According to the doctrine Joel Osteen has now shared with us all as “his message,” being clearly more evolved and enlightened than the archaic Apostle Peter,  no one can be holy. We are left to conclude that Peter is misguided and is being judgmental. What a terrible yoke and condemnation Apostle Peter is trying to put on the good people he is writing to.

Additionally, Apostle Peter goes on to say things that are completely against the Lakewood Church Pastor’s God when he stated the following.

2 Peter 2:6-8 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)”

According to Joel Osteen’s public comments, one could conclude that Apostle Peter was in complete error and deceived when he wrote such things. What a terrible condemnation. He clearly did not know the doctrine that Joel Osteen preaches or he would never have said such awful and critical things.

Joel Osteen indirectly implies (subtly) that these apostles were false and were critical and judgmental and should NOT be listened to in America today. We all need to listen instead to Joel Osteen and Oprah Winfrey.

Now Apostle John made even greater errors if the benchmark is Joel Osteen’s “message” when he stated some of the thing that he wrote which, according to Joel Osteen, is just plain and simply not true.

It takes a lot of courage for Joel to stand against these writings but he believes strongly in his “uplifting and encouraging” doctrine that does not endorse such harsh and judgmental statements as written by these ancient Apostles.

We should all pray for Joel Osteen because he needs our prayers if he’s going to continue to champion the cause of those oppressed and condemned by the writings and statements of Apostles like Paul, Peter and John.

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

You see, according to Joel Osteen in a recent interview, “God doesn’t see any sin as worse than another” and all are going to heaven. Apparently in Joel Osteen’s bible, he has redacted the unpardonable sin. So if you’re a follower of Joel Osteen’s then this statement by Apostle John must seem just plain wrong.

Apostle John doesn’t know what he’s talking about and we need to listen to the wisdom of Joel Osteen. Apostle John clearly was in error and should be rebuked for suggesting that people who tell lies are going to have their part in the lake of fire.

What was Apostle John thinking writing such judgmental things???

That’s a terrible thing to say and no one, certainly not Apostle John, should be allowed to say such things. As Joel says, “there’s enough condemnation in the world” and we don’t need anymore.

Additionally, in his letter, Apostle John says things like …

1 John 3:8-10 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

Now according to Joel Osteen and the thousands that agree with his “message,” this entire passage should be removed from the pages of the bible and no one should be saying such things. In fact, Joel goes on to share that it is this exact kind of preaching that will hinder “church growth.”

Apostles Paul, Peter, and John listen up. Joel Osteen rebukes you all.

Now listen, Joel Osteen and his ministry in Houston are all about people. He is standing up for your rights! He is taking a REALLY BIG RISK because … if he’s wrong, and Apostle Paul is right … then he stands to be cursed! So he needs your support in prayer NOW!

Galatians 1:9 “As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Instead, you all need to listen to his message of universal acceptance and lawless living without any condemnation so we can all “lift our spirits” and be “encouraging and loving” to all people no matter what lifestyle or choices they make. After all, according to Joel, God loves us all and everyone is going to heaven so lighten up!

There is no exclusive path to the Kingdom. According to Joel Osteen, we need to hear this message because it’s the right  message and anyone that says that there is an exclusive path to God is wrong.

Joel would know, look at the size of his church! He is clearly telling you the truth more than anyone in history.

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

 Exactly how much error is too much?

Sources:

Joel Osteen on Oprah:… Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/7XXUfTNCkzc
Joel Osteen meets with Larry King … Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/KwL1DThtxYg
Joel Osteen meets with Piers Morgan … Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/tgCpRNfBzys

To his credit, in this interview Joel does call out sin, however, he softens it and backs away from talking about repentance … and when he is asked “what would you say” his comment is that he doesn’t understand. You’re leading the largest church in America and you don’t understand REPENTANCE?

The quotes are taken right from what Joel himself has spoken. He positions himself on his own without being told how to answer. On the one hand he wants to appease his Christian followers by saying “the bible says” but on the other he clearly fellowships with darkness and facilitates those who deny the power thereof.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Based on what I observe, I believe there are spirits at work to undermine the clear preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom in America. I believe that there are compromises being made to yield to pressure of modern culture as if somehow the WORD of the LIVING GOD was subject to private interpretation. You may not agree with me. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that.

Nevertheless, tens of thousands if not millions of born-again believers and disciples of Messiah believe that what Apostle’s Paul, Peter, and John wrote is indisputable and anyone who deviates in any way from the clear and direct teaching of the Apostles is preaching “another gospel.”

Let us keep praying for the “unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

Source: Joel Osteen Rebukes Apostles Paul, Peter, and John

Self-Promotional Churches Will Soon Be Judged by BERT M. FARIAS

I believe that much of what the Lord is doing today is completely counter to Christian pop culture and the flow that we are seeing in the Western Church. It is typical in such times that there will be a counterfeit that runs parallel to the real.

There will be an echo arise right alongside the authentic voice. Some of these echoes are very deceptive and hidden from the casual hearer, while others are rather obvious and easy to discern. For instance, there's a false teaching out there that says the Christian doesn't need to repent—that God has forgiven all your past, present and future sins. Yet there's never been a greater need for repentance in the church world than today.

In a recent poll done by ChristianMingle.com, single Christians between the ages of 18 and 59 were asked, if given the opportunity, would they have sex before marriage. A whopping 63 percent stated that they would. How does that happen? It's simple. Either they are hopelessly backslidden or they've never repented of their sins and experienced true conversion. A majority of them belong to a church culture that is perhaps trendy and popular, but has no interest in fulfilling the demands of Christ. Many of them serve an "American Jesus" who lets them live as they please, and of course, will never judge them. Amidst all of the frenetic religious activity going on today, we need the ability to recognize the real Jesus, the Lamb of God.

In John 3, John the Baptist who was filled with the spirit and power of Elijah, and who ministered with Divine authority, declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Then he declared again, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

John's ministry was not one of self-exaltation or self-promotion as is so common today, but he was separated by God for the sole purpose of exalting the Lamb of God and preparing a people for Him, a bride for the bridegroom.

"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice" (John 3:29).

Those who are true friends of the Bridegroom hear His voice, not an echo. The voice of His messengers, who are filled with the spirit and power of Elijah, will point people to the Lamb of God, not to their own ministries, personalities, and agendas. John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness. The entirety of his ministry was focused on the Lamb and His bride.

If a ministry is not pointing people to the One who was, and is, and is to come it, will be judged harshly in this hour. Those who are exalting the Lamb of God have no interest in being seen or heard. They are not looking for a platform to promote themselves. The things that denote ministerial success in our day, such as large buildings, large followings and popularity, are of no interest to the true messengers of the Lamb.

Actually, the Lord is leading ministers right now to do the opposite of what it takes to build a large ministry. He is stripping away human wisdom and all we've utilized in our own efforts to build things, for He will not share His glory with another.

The Ephesians 4:11 gifts are to equip the saints for service and to prepare a bride for the Bridegroom, or a wife for the Lamb. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" (John 1:6). There is a present-day ministry with a mandate just as John the Baptist had, to turn hearts back to the Lord, to make a people ready for Him.

One of the great emphases of the Lord in this hour is on the preparation of His bride. There must be a distinction made between the church world and the bride of Christ. This is more than a salvation issue. It is more about the Lord possessing our vessels for His eternal purposes. This is the spirit and power of Elijah that was upon John the Baptist, and would also be a characteristic of those who would minister before His second coming (Mal. 4:5-6).

God's invitation is to everyone, but that invitation demands a dedication and a consecration. Counting the cost and paying the price are no longer terms we hear today in the marketplace of Western Christianity, but this language is found everywhere in the Scriptures.

It is time to wake up the sleeping church! She can be awakened kindly with a kiss or be shaken with the Lord's severity (Rom. 11:22). It's our choice. If we put it off to the future it will demand His shakings, which often come in the form of tests and trials, or a crisis that will expose our pride and crooked ways. Wholeheartedness is what the Lord desires.

In the times of Elijah we see this ministry in manifestation in the spirit and power of Elijah as he stood on Mount Carmel and contested with the false prophets of Baal. The fire fell and consumed the sacrifice along with the wood, stones, dust and even the water. This mighty manifestation caused the people to fall on their faces and declare the Lord as God.

"Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'" (1 Kings 18:39).

We also see this ministry exercised in the days of Moses as he stretched forth his rod, and the Red Sea swallowed up and drowned the Egyptian armies. The results of this anointing and authority are noted in Exodus 14:31: "Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses."

This anointing administered in the spirit and power of Elijah will be seen again. Its purpose is always redemptive—to bring forth true repentance and cause the hearts of the people to turn to the Lord.

We are in the infantile stages of the release of this authority. This will include a worldwide company of men and women who have been summoned by the Lord to be His messengers.

In the times of Moses and Elijah, great severity was necessary to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord. Often people quote the scripture in Romans 2:4, properly stating that it is the goodness or kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance. But when the Lord's goodness does not lead to repentance, then He is forced to move us into the realm of Divine severity.

Too many people have taken the Lord's goodness to further their pleasurable, worldly and even sinful lifestyles. Therefore, for the sake of their salvation and perseverance of their souls, the Lord has to administer His severity.

And so we will see both the manifestation of the goodness and severity of God side by side in the days ahead. Bittersweet times are upon us. We will choose our own medicine. These things will come with great cost and great loss to many as well as great glory and victory to others.

I find the scriptural reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God very rare until we get to the book of Revelation. There the Lamb is referenced 27 times. That is more than the rest of the entire New Testament combined. It was the revelation of the Lamb that ushered in His first coming, and it is that same revelation that will usher in the end of the age. It is only in the Lamb's meekness that we will triumph. Let's make ourselves ready!

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7, emphasis added).

Bert M. Farias, founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of The Real Gospel and co-host of the New England Holy Ghost Forum. He is a missionary evangelist carrying a spirit of revival to the church and the nations. Follow him at Bert Farias on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

City Harvest Church leaders tried to "bamboozle" auditor: Prosecution

By Alice Chia : 25 Sep 2014 Channel NewsAsia

Messages between church leaders Sharon Tan and Chew Eng Han were cited by prosecutors as proof that they tried to not let the church's auditor find out that church funds were used to redeem Firna bonds.

• APTION 

SINGAPORE: At the City Harvest Church trial on Thursday (Sep 25), the prosecution said finance manager Sharon Tan was not the "innocent follower" that she tried to paint herself as, when it came to plans to use church funds to redeem sham bonds.

Tan was taking the stand for the tenth day. She is one of six church leaders who are accused of using millions of dollars from the church's building fund to buy sham bonds in two companies, Firna and Xtron.

Lead prosecutor for the case, Mavis Chionh, showed the court messages between Tan and co-accused Chew Eng Han, in which Tan proposed using a third party to redeem the Firna bonds. She had proposed using Pacific Radiance, a company linked to member John Lam who is one of those on trial.

In one message, Tan said that even if church auditor Mr Sim Guan Seng suspected that church monies were used to redeem the bonds, "he can't fault or pinpoint". The prosecution accused Tan and Chew of trying to "bamboozle" Mr Sim and not let him find out that church funds were used to redeem the Firna bonds.

Tan disagreed and said that she was worried about "disclosure" as she had the understanding that the drawdown from the Firna bonds would be used to support the Crossover Project, which involved church co-founder Sun Ho recording and launching secular music albums.

The prosecution also showed a chart drawn by Chew during a meeting on Sep 29, 2008, with co-accused Serina Wee and Tan. The chart illustrated the flow of funds and transactions for the redemption of Xtron and Firna bonds. After the meeting, Tan updated deputy senior pastor and co-accused Tan Ye Peng about the plans.

It is the prosecution's case that these were not genuine investments and that the four accused were planning to use church funds to redeem the Firna bonds by roundtripping the funds in a series of transactions.

For example, in one chain of transactions, the church would invest S$11.4 million in a Special Opportunities Fund by investment company AMAC Capital Partners (AMAC), which has Chew as its sole director.

AMAC would then loan the amount to Ultimate Assets, a company owned by Indonesian businessman and church member Wahju Hanafi. Ultimate Assets would in turn loan the amount to Firna, which would use the money to redeem the bonds.

- CNA/xy

The Wrath of God Is Coming

MICHAEL BROWN



The Bible speaks of the day in which Jesus will "tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty" (Rev. 19:15), a day when He will come "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:8).

Almost all the writers of the New Testament spoke of this day when the wrath of God would be poured out on the earth. Why is it that so few of us speak about it today? Why aren't we sounding the alarm?

When Paul exhorted believers to live holy lives and to abstain from sin, he reminded them that wrath was coming on the disobedient and ungodly.

To the Ephesians he wrote, "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them" (Eph. 5:6-7).

To the Colossians he wrote, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming" (Col. 3:5-6).

Did Paul know something we don't know? Was there a reason he wanted to remind the godly about the fate of the ungodly? Did he feel it would help us not play games with sin?

Paul actually wrote about God's wrath one-fourth as many times as he wrote about God's grace. Do we follow his lead?

In his short little book, Judah (Jude) found it important to quote this prophecy from Enoch, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him" (Jude 1:14-15).

Why did he emphasize this? Why not just speak about the love of God (which he does as well; see v. 21)? Why remind the righteous about the coming judgments on the unrighteous?

Some teachers today try to downplay this theme by claiming that the verses that speak of Jesus coming in flaming fire and wrath referred to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Are they right?

Certainly, Jesus did warn about the coming destruction of Jerusalem both directly and in parables (see, for example, Matt. 23:37-39; Luke 19:42-44; Matt. 21:33-45).

But it is the height of absurdity to reinterpret all these wrath-related Scriptures to fit that singular event, especially in light of Paul's frequent references to the coming wrath, as if he was saying to believers in Ephesus, "Don't play games with sin, because Jerusalem will soon be destroyed." Hardly!

Worse still is the tendency in some hyper-grace circles to eliminate the wrath of God by simply removing it from the Scriptures, as the Mirror Bible does at times.

As I pointed out in my book Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Message, in the ESV, Romans 1:17 reads: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." In the Mirror translation, it becomes: "The righteousness of God that is endorsed in the heavens is in such contrast to the counterfeit earthly reference that blindfolds people in their own unrighteousness." What happened to God's wrath?

Or consider Colossians 3:6, which we quoted earlier: "On account of these the wrath of God is coming." In the Mirror translation, it becomes, "These distorted expressions are in total contradiction to God's design and desire for your life." Yes, "wrath" has completely disappeared once again!

But most teachers and preachers today have not gone so far as to eliminate God's wrath from their Bibles or to interpret it away. They simply ignore it. Why?

Revelation 6 presents this shattering, overwhelming account: "Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'" (vv. 15-17)

Do we just ignore this because Revelation is hard to understand? Shouldn't this rather shake us to the core because, as surely as God is God, His wrath will one day be poured out on a sinful and rebellious world?

Peter, like Paul, told us that this should affect the way we live today.

First, he describes what is coming: "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."

Then he makes application: "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!"

And he adds this promise: "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace" (2 Pet. 3:10-14).

The wrath of God is coming, and a new heaven and earth are coming.

How then should we live, and what then should we preach?

Michael Brown is the author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

'Hyper-Grace' Message Creating Culture of Lawlessness

DANIEL K. NORRIS




I had just finished praying in the altars on the last night of an extended revival. A young man who was studying for ministry approached me with tears in his eyes. As I placed my hand on his shoulder, he said, "I need to apologize to you. I judged you too soon. Anytime I hear someone preach what sounds like 'law' it makes me angry and I instantly shut them out. I can see now I was wrong and missed out on what God could have done in me this week." My heart welled up with compassion for him, as my mind replayed the past week searching for the offense. I took a few extra minutes to minister and pray with him there at the altar and the next few days thinking about our conversation.

To be clear, I am a preacher of the gospel, not the law. As an evangelist, I have no other message than that of Christ and Him crucified. It is a message not only of grace, but of love, forgiveness, salvation, redemption, faith, freedom and power!

That said, I have noticed that anytime I make reference to the law, sin, conviction and repentance alongside grace, I feel barriers go up in the atmosphere. At that moment it often becomes necessary to stop and define these terms as they have become so distorted by the toxic theology that has been taught in recent years.

Focusing solely on the grace of God without preaching the divine law, justice and judgment of God is unbalanced. Remember, John 3:16 doesn't just tell us that God loved us and gave his son to us, it also tells us we will perish unless we believe upon Jesus.

It seems to me that we have created a culture in which God's law isn't just physically taken down from courthouses across the nation, but spiritually it has been removed from churches as well. What a shame!

David wrote, "I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times" (Ps. 119:19). Today if you take delight in God's law you are certainly regarded as a stranger here on Earth. Messages of lawlessness, disguised as grace, abound within the body of Christ in these last days to the point that any discussion of God's law is immediately deemed as old-fashioned, legalistic and anti-grace.

As the message of grace has become the vogue message in today's church culture, have we become unbalanced? Does the law have a place in our preaching alongside grace? Is it possible to once again take delight in the law of God? Bear with me as I ask a few of these important questions. Let the Holy Spirit speak, and may He bring the light of truth.

Is God's Law Still Relevant for Today?

Yes! The law was not a set of random rules that God made up to restrict his people as they gathered around the foot of the mountain. It was an expression of his divine nature. His way of showing former slaves what a life of righteousness looked like. They were not given to restrict his people from freedom, but to release them into it! As James states, "whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do" (James 1:25).

I wonder which one of God's laws is no longer relevant today in the 21st century with our new revelation? If we are under grace, why hold people accountable for lying to you? Why not invite your neighbor over to sleep with your spouse? Why prosecute a murderer? Why pay for anything at Walmart when you can just take it?

Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matt. 5:17). Jesus then revealed what that law—fulfilled in himself and within us—looked like.

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. ...You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:21-28).

Where is the higher standard? With Moses when adultery was done with the body or with Jesus when adultery was done with the heart? Jesus was able to teach the law this way, because with Moses the law was external to the man, written upon stone, but under grace the law was internal to the man written upon his heart (Rom. 2:15, Heb. 10:16, 2 Cor. 3:3). Under the law, man was told what he had to do to live righteously, but under grace, man was enabled to actually be righteous.

Is It Possible to Take Delight in God's Law and Still Be Under Grace?

David said, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands" (Ps. 112:1). I am a man who stays in awe of God's love and grace. I also take great delight in all of his word—including the law. I have found that grace doesn't render the law irrelevant to me but actually makes it even more relevant for me.

Under the law, man was provided the PRECEPT—that is, the divine rule that taught godly behavior. Every precept of God is based upon a PRINCIPLE—that is, the divine reason behind the rule. Under grace we come to fully understand the principles that drove the precept. Paul was right when he said, "the law was our tutor" (Gal. 3:24).

The Pharisees found satisfaction in their strict adherence to all 613 precepts. Outwardly they looked incredibly religious. Jesus said they were whitewashed tombs, filled with dead men's bones. They knew the precepts but couldn't grasp the principles. Jesus was the perfect picture of not just the precepts but the principles as well. He taught that all the law was based on love. Love for God and love for others. Without love, you'd never understand the law, let alone uphold it (Matt. 22:40, Gal. 5:14).

The Pharisees would criticize Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. To them this was work, which dishonored the precept. Their understanding of the law would rather leave a man sick, lame or dead than to see him made whole on a holy day. How absurd! That's exactly what religion is—absurd! Jesus told them that they didn't understand the principle. "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).

When we see the principles behind the precepts, we begin to see God's truth, which leads to wisdom. These truths can then be applied to every aspect of life. God's wisdom always produces the greatest blessings. The more I understand and utilize the truth of God, the more I am blessed.

So like David, "I meditate on your law all day long. Your commands make me wiser" (Ps. 119:97).

Should the Law Still Be Preached Today?

Paul said, "I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law" (Rom. 7:7).

The law has a purpose. It reveals God's perfect nature and at the same time it reveals our imperfect nature. The law is a picture that shows God's perfection as well as a mirror that shows our imperfection. It's just as much a work of grace to show the sinner his sin, as it is grace to show the sinner the way out of his sin.

Today the lawless preacher says, "don't preach the law, only grace! It's the kindness of God that will lead them to repentance." My friend, grace does not withhold the truth! Jesus came in grace and preached the truth. Likewise, if I truly love you I must point to the problem, then offer the solution.

The law is not bad, "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good" (Rom. 7:12). Oh for the day that preachers would once again realize that God's law is good! Oh for the day that ministers would no longer withhold truth for the fear of man, but with a burning fire begin to proclaim truth with the fear of God!

The law is not the problem, sin is! Today man tries to erase sin by deleting the law and then calling that grace. However, Jesus said, "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void (Luke 16:17). The law points to the sin, "in order that sin might be recognized as sin" (Rom. 7:13).

Once the problem is fully identified, then and only then will man cry out, "What a wretched man I am!" (Rom. 7:24). How will a man ever find his Savior, unless he realizes he is in need of saving? Today sinners find it easy to sit in comfort within our churches never once feeling convicted for their sins. Is it grace to let a drowning man drown lest we offend him? Is it love to watch him sink below the surface hoping one day he might stumble upon the answer?

Grace never withholds the truth! It goes to the furthest extent to rescue us from our sin. Nor does it leave us as it finds us. It transforms us, enabling us to become everything Jesus intended us to be.

Jesus said in the last days "lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matt. 24:12). The unbalanced message of distorted grace is creating a culture of lawlessness within the body of Christ. As the curtain continues to close and the time of His return draws near, we must right this tilting ship by continuing to preach grace and once again taking delight in his law!

Daniel K. Norris is an evangelist who worked alongside Steve Hill bringing the message of revival and repentance to the nations. Together, they co-hosted a broadcast called From the Frontlines. Norris also hosts the Collision Youth Conference that is broadcast all over the world. He can be contacted at danielknorris.com.