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| Gospel | 33% | 233 votes | Total: 701 votes | |
| Feel good | 67% | 468 votes |
Gospel
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Add to Favorites-First we need to know what the word Gospel means. The word Gospel means, "something regarded as true and implicitly believed". Do people believe what Joel teaches? Yes and No. It is a personal choice. For those that do believe it makes them feel good about themselves and their life.
Now is it the gospel of Jesus Christ? Most definitely. In the bible it tells us about false prophets and teachers. In 2 Peter 2:1, it says "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." If you read this verse, it not only talks about in that time, but also our times. The words, among you, are the ones that live on earth today.
In the book of the bible 1 Timothy we are warned against these false teachers. Verses 4:1-2 that "Now the holy spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead." Does I this sound like Joel? Not to me. I have not heard lies from his teachings. Joel does not deny Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Joel makes people feel good with his teachings. He also makes us see things that we need to correct in our lives and tells us how to do this.
There is another way to know if Joel is teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, in 1 Timothy 6:2, "And they that have believing masters, let them not despise [them], because they are brethren; but rather do [them] service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort." It tells us to go and teach if we believe these things. Isn't that what Joel is doing? I think so.
If you have a personal relationship with Jesus, then you know what love is, for those that do not, here is what love is, taken from the NKL translation of the bible, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever..."
If anyone still has doubts about Joel, then ask these simple questions, Does he deny Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Does he use the bible to back up his teachings? Does he try and hurt people or help them? If you do this, then you will have your answer.
Learn more about this author, Rhonda Moore.
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Feel good
In order to answer this question, we must answer what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and then answer what Joel Osteen is spreading. There is a difference of opinion as to what the Gospel really is, so I will give you what I understand it to be. I received a degree in Biblical Studies, so I believe that I have a more precise understanding since I have devoted years of study into the Bible. Also, if you were to poll Americans today, most would not know what the Gospel is or what it means.
I read a recent report from the Barna Research Group that detailed some of the trends of religous belief in the United States. The report asked numerous questions but split those who were questioned into two groups. One group was labeled as "liberal" Christians and the other one as "conservative" Christians. In this report, only 33% of "liberal" Christians believed that Jesus did not commit sins. On the "conservative" Christian side, 55% believed that Jesus did not commit sins. The same poll revealed that 77% of the "liberals" believed that a person could earn their salvation while 63% of the "conservatives" believed the same.
You are probably wondering what these statistics have to do with Joel Osteen. The problem that is presented by these statistics is that it reveals that the majority ignore what the Bible teaches. Jesus, declared himself to be one with God in John 10:31. This is a great problem for those that claim that Jesus sinned. How can God sin? God is perfect. Next we have the problem that a majority of Christians believe that they can earn their way to heaven. This is impossible. As throughout the Bible, faith is the means by which men and women are saved. In the book of Romans verse 17, the apostle Paul tells us, "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." The apostle Peter tells us in his first book that Jesus was without sin.
What all does this mean? If we take a look at the whole Bible we will find a theme of God being just and righteous, requiring discipline and judgment for sin. Since all men have sinned except for Jesus, who was both God and man according to the Bible, there must be a penalty paid for the sin of all men. Since Jesus was the only one able to bear the penalty of sin for all men and women, he was sent here by God the Father, to save those who would believe in him. This belief did not guarantee them a life of luxury on earth. Jesus told his disciples that they would face persecution and go through trials and tribulations. He told them in the book of Matthew that if they were to follow him, they must deny themselves and take up their cross. This is a hard teaching for us to understand today. The cross represented a horrible death with suffering and persecution until the person died.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is in essence the story of Jesus Christ fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies by being born of a virgin, living as a man, dying for the sin of all mankind, and being raised from the dead. The message that Jesus preached was that we will not all have lives free of suffering and persecution. What Joel Osteen preaches is that we can "Have our best life now". The greatest problem with this preaching is that it does not represent the truth of the Gospel. I have watched a few of Joel's messages and he never teaches about this fundamental concept. He is constantly teaching that God loves all people and just wants the best for us here on earth. That is not what Jesus taught, nor his disciples. Most of the disciples were murdered for their beliefs and teachings. Would they have been murdered for the teachings that Joel has?
Learn more about this author, Jeremy Stewart.
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