The Word of Faith Movement: Justin Peters Call for Discernment Part 4 final.

Justin Peters is quickly gaining respect for his thorough and non-caustic treatment of the Word of Faith Movement. Though Justin is known for his work as an expository preacher, his seminar A Call for Discernment: A Biblical Critique of the Word of Faith Movement has become his magnus opum. This is a clip of one of the three sessions Justin taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also featured in a stunning documentary on the WoF Movement entitled Suffer the Children. Justin's message is clear, "this is another gospel."

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3


DD: Speaking of your seminar, A Call for Discernment; I saw a clip about Joel Osteen. Where does he fit into the scheme of this movement? Just thinking through some of his statements on Larry King, when Larry King asks him, “What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?” and Joel Osteen’s response to Larry King when he (Larry King) says if you believe in Christ and He’s the only way, then everyone else is wrong, and that the Jews and Muslims are wrong. I have the statement from Osteen here:

OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and
what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.

JP: This is a stunning statement from a man who’s the pastor of the largest “evangelical” church in the country. On national television he’s asked three different times about the exclusivity of the gospel where Jesus is the only way to be saved and Joel Osteen responds that way by saying, “I don’t know. I’ve been to India with my father. I don’t know much of the Indian religion but I know they love God.” He’s talking about Hindus. Hindus don’t love God because they don’t know God. They reject the God of the Bible. So, how can you love someone you don’t even know?

Then he said, “I know for me and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.” Well that’s spoken like a true relativist. He’s saying, “For me I want to have a relationship with Jesus, but what’s true for me may not be true for someone else.” Of course that flies in the face of the entire testimony of Scripture.

Joel Osteen, I do not doubt he’s a nice man, I don’t doubt that he’s a sincere man, but sincerity is not the issue. Truth is the issue. Joel Osteen, by his own admission, will not preach on sin, will not preach on repentance, self sacrifice, taking up the cross, all these things Jesus preached about, Joel Osteen won’t. He says, “I don’t use the word sin.” Well, until people are confronted with their sin, they’re made to realize they are sinners, they won’t see their need for a Savior.
Joel Osteen, I’m afraid, is a ear-tickler that Paul talked about in first Timothy, “People will not endure sound doctrine in the latter days but will heap to themselves teachers who will tickle the ears.” Joel Osteen a preeminent ear-tickler of our day. By not preaching the gospel, the clear, pure gospel, I’m afraid that Joel Osteen is tickling people’s ears all the way to hell. All the way to a Christ-less eternity.

DD: Hasn’t Joel put an apology out for his statements?

JP: Yes, he has. In fairness I want to address that. He received a great deal of criticism, and rightly so, for his statements on Larry King. And he apologized for not being as clear as he should have been. I don’t think that apology holds a great deal of water because the Bible says, “Out of the fullness of the heart a man speaketh.” But also, since that apology, on other national television venues, he has made almost identical statements. So, he continues to preach this watered-down, feel-good gospel that is completely devoid of sin. And any gospel message that is devoid of sin makes the cross null and void. It’s an empty gospel. It’s a different gospel.

DD: I’ve heard you say in your seminar, “Love devoid of biblical truth is not love.”
What is your purpose for traveling and speaking and doing all of the things that you do?

JP: Dustin, my motivation for bringing this seminar to people across the country is not out of bitterness or out of a personal attack. My motive is this; I love the Lord, I love His Word, I’m driven by the truth of His Word, and I’m growing weary of seeing false christ’s, false prophets, false teachers, preying upon God’s people. I want to help open eyes to just how dangerous this movement really is, how unbiblical it really is. But not only to show them the error and the heresy, but also to show them the truth of what God’s word really is. And then, by this people will be equipped to go out and do as Ephesians 4:15 tells us to do: speak God’s truth in love. Lovingly, gently, and firmly guide people away from the false doctrinal system that’s out there to do them harm physically and spiritually.

DD: Thanks so much for you time Justin, and your seminars and your work.

JP: You’re welcome, Dusty. My pleasure.

• Read an interview Justin did with CBS News on Benny Hinn.
• Watch Do You Believe in Miracles a documentary done by CBS news (41 min) with Justin as a contributor.
• Read the three previous three posts in this series.