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John Claeys Ministries
http://johnclaeys.com/joel-osteen-and-the-state-of-the-church/


In an interview with the Washington Times, the pastor of America’s largest church,
Joel Osteen, stated that Mormons are Christians.

Perhaps one could overlook this statement from the perspective that there are various definitions of what a Christian really is. Some consider the definition of a Christian to be one who attends church (any church) or one who believes that the historical Jesus (the Jesus of the Bible) is the Son of God. Others believe that a Christian is a Christ-follower, a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, while, yet, others understand a Christian to be one who is “born again”—that is, one who has put his trust in Jesus Christ for his eternal destiny.

Or even if Osteen believes a Christian is a person who is born again, one might disregard his comment by assuming that he has not studied Mormon theology. This is because Mormon teaching has a different definition of a Christian.

In addition, whereas evangelical Christians believe that only born again Christians go to heaven, Mormon doctrine presents heaven, or paradise, as attained by almost everyone, except for the vilest of sinners, though there are different levels in paradise, with the highest level belonging to the best Mormons. But perhaps Pastor Osteen does not know Mormon teaching.

However, what is more concerning than his answer to the Washington Times interviewer is his response to a Chris Wallace interview in 2007. Wallace posed a question in this way: “So, for instance, when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, and the golden tablets in upstate New York, and God assumes the shape of a man, do you not get hung up in those theological issues?” Here was Osteen’s answer: “I probably don’t get hung up in them because I haven’t really studied them or thought about them. And you know, I just try to let God be the judge of that. I mean, I don’t know.”

It is one thing not to understand Mormon theology because one has not studied it, but it is an entirely different animal to be presented with it—that the Church (the “true” Church) was formed by Joseph Smith, NOT the apostles, as per Ephesians 2:20, and that God is a man—and then to say that he does not know! [Note: Wallace did not pose his statement accurately.

The real issue in the Joseph Smith teaching is not that God assumed the shape of a man, because He did in Christ (see Philippians 2:5-8); instead, the issue as presented by Joseph Smith and Mormon theology is that God was once a man as we are, but He evolved into godhood. Furthermore, we can do the same if we follow Mormon doctrine and principles.]

Based on the Joseph Smith theology presented to Pastor Osteen by Chris Wallace, it appears as if the leader of the largest church in America is saying that he does not know if the Church was founded by Joseph Smith or if God was once a man who became God! If so, it is a huge black mark on the Church that 40,000 per weekend attend to listen to a man who does not know basic Biblical theology, and hundreds of thousands watch him on TV and buy his books to learn what God has to say.

Thus, this is not written to blast Pastor Osteen, who appears to be a very likeable man. Instead, it is a chastisement of the Church that he is one of the most recognized and popular Christian leaders in America. It is very telling of the Church, as a whole, and seems to be an illustration of the warning given by the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:3-4—that, one day, believers in Christ would “not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires [would] . . . heap up for themselves teachers.” This appears to be where we are in the Church today.

As a result, the Church has become more ineffective at reaching the world for Christ. In fact, the statistics demonstrate that the conversion rate to Christianity is falling farther and farther behind the growing global population.

As presented in Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock—What Does the Bible Say?, it seems that one major reason Jesus will remove the Church (at the rapture of the Church) when He does is due to the growing ineffectiveness of the Church to reach the world for Christ. After all, God loves the world so much that He gave His own Son to save it; so how can He continue to watch growing numbers of people go to hell on a daily basis? He will not; instead, He will remove the Church and start over with two Jewish prophets.

They will reach Israel with the gospel, and Israel will then become a “light to the nations” by sending out 144,000 Jewish evangelists with the gospel of Christ. Thus, in a way that will glorify Him in the greatest way, God will reach the world with the gospel—in seven years, beginning with only two evangelists! (It will greatly glorify God and put the Church to shame.)

As the illustration of Pastor Osteen’s interviews indicate, we may not be far from the day the Lord pulls the Church from the face of the earth; for the Church appears to be practicing what Paul warned would occur in the last days. So keep looking up!

[John Claeys serves with John Claeys Ministries through writing, speaking, and radio ministries and is the author of Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock—What Does the Bible Say?, a riveting look of the events leading up to the return of Christ. See www.JohnClaeys.com for more information.]



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Hi Sgb,

Thanks for this post....may we pray for Joel Osteen (repent)and to teach Jesus is the WAY THE TRUTH and the LIFE! (John 14:6)


Pray for the followers that have been deceived to have "revelation"( have a devine true "conversion"} and seek JESUS and HIM Crucified.


God Bless...

ybic

Steven