False Prophets are Without Sin

I write a blog nearly everyday. Although I write of the things of God, let me be honest and transparent. I still sin! I sin everyday in some manner. No, I don't do "acts" of sin very often, but I sin in my heart every day. Even President Jimmy Carter admitted to this form of sin:

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Any person can substitute any sin where "lust" appears above and "person" for "woman".  Each of us have different secret sins; the ones which can't be seen because we don't "do" them, but we do think them. Sometimes I think about stealing. Satan uses that against me because when I was a youth I stole from people. Satan doesn't want me to forget that, but God already has! However, I haven't bowed to temptation, but a few times since my teen years, and I rationalized it by thinking "It's just a tablet!" or "It's just an o-ring!" Theft is a sin without degree of theft! (I took the o-ring back after I thought on it).

When I was a youth I admired my church deacons. My thoughts are "They are without sin!" and I knew that I would never be as they were. Surprise!

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."

I suppose this could be interpreted to mean that a Christian sins too, or on the other hand, it applies to non-Christians which includes those Christians before their salvation. However, Paul himself, the model of Christlike behavior sinned, and he was a strong Christian. Paul used the present tense when he said this:

 1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Paul, in other places, speaks of his current struggles with sin. He wanted to live free of sin, but his flesh made him do that which he didn't want to do. We all have that struggle! That's not a ticket to sin because we're all called to be holy, but if we were able to, our dependence would be on "self", not on Christ!

I want to "like" Joel Osteen. He seems like he's a really nice guy! He is certainly a great motivational speaker because he draws a huge crowd and has a worldwide following. However, because people "like" a person doesn't make them "right", and it certainly doesn't make them a man of God. I can write about God all day long, but unless I live and teach the words of Jesus, I'm merely a false teacher. In spite of my knowing how bad I really am inside, my desire is still to be as Jesus! He helps me to change and change I must!

1 Peter 1:16 "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

First off, a person should ask "Where 'is it written'?" Among several places here's one:

 Leviticus 19:2 "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy."

How are we to be holy? Love God and love others! And how is that operationalized? By obeying his commandments!

Let's take a look at the following interview:


CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Interview With Joel Osteen

Aired June 20, 2005 - 21:00   ET (Underlines mine)
KING: The natural scheme of life is temptation. It's in front of you every day.
OSTEEN: Sure.
KING: Have you ever been tempted?
OSTEEN: Absolutely. I think we all are, you know. But you have to resist, and you have to keep your mind and your thoughts pure. But I think we all are. And the Bible talks about, you've got to pray to not enter into temptation. It doesn't say to pray that you won't be tempted. We all are.
KING: Had a near slip?
OSTEEN: I never have.
KING: Victoria?
V. OSTEEN: No.
KING: You get tempted to?
V. OSTEEN: Yeah. I eat that pie when I know I shouldn't. 

Joel Osteen has never sinned, according to him! King asked "Had a near slip?" in answer to the topic on temptation. Slipping from where to where? Temptation to sin! Osteen has never slipped and sinned.

Then he asked the same question of Victoria. Yes, Victoria has sinned! She slipped and ate a piece of pie! That's not sin; eating one piece of pie. In effect neither has Victoria sinned! It's strange that Paul, the most faithful of all apostles, sinned, even as he preached, but Joel and Victoria are without sin. They must be proud of themselves and surely are. (Incidentally, "pride" is a sin as in "lying"!)

Joel's and Victoria's prideful attitude really bothers me! I hope and wish that they don't sin, but I believe they do. Scripture tells me that they are wrong and terribly wrong. Here's how wrong they are:

1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Regardless of how many people love Joel Osteen's ministry, regardless of how many who attend his church and regardless of how many people listen to him on television; Joel's still a false teacher because "his word is not in us", referring to those who deny they've sinned!

 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

By not having the Lord's word in him, Osteen is a false teacher. I wish he wasn't. He may be sincere, but that's because he's deceived by the evil one. Osteen should know scripture better than he does and he doesn't teach what Jesus taught! It may be done in innocence, but as a so-called "preacher" it's his job to know and teach the word without regard to how well people like it! Nice guys are "nice", but "nice" guys can be wrong! The gate is narrow:

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

 False teachers make it harder for sincere people to find that straight gate. They narrow the path further; the one which leads to eternal life. Few will find that way because they will be deceived! Yes, God offers a very positive opportunity; eternal life, but on the other hand, Jesus will be the judge:

Romans 14:10b "...we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

Christ will judge each and everyone of us. Judgment doesn't mean that everyone will be condemned, but with a "narrow way" most people will be judged "unrighteous" and their penalty, unfortunately, is eternal death in hell. Yes, the "good' Jesus must administer justice! He died for us all, but most will reject Jesus who already paid for our ransom. It's just like a guilty person going before a judge who says "Joshua paid your fine. You are free to go if you wish!" Then, the guilty person in his pride says "I don't accept that the fine is paid. I'll do my own time!"

People are not thinking that way, but that's what they're doing! Jesus paid the ransom, yet people decline his mercy! They damn themselves while the lenient judge cries for them. It's not Jesus who condemns; it's sinners who condemn themselves!

Pray that Joel Osteen sees the light! His ministry has potential if he really understands God word. Right now he's on the wrong track, but if enough Christians challenge his doctrine and methods, maybe God will give him the gift of discernment which is sorely lacking! This is just one error made by Osteen and there are many! Only God can change him and that IS God's will: "that he get it right"!