Beware of False Teachers

Oprah Winfrey: Billionaire Blasphemer

Joseph R. Chambers - jrc@pawcreek.org

Oprah Winfrey is a blasphemer against the God of Holy Scripture. How does a very intelligent lady come from a deeply Christian home of an apparent Godly grandmother to become a full-blown New Ager? It is reported that she began public speaking by reading or quoting the Bible and sermons to her grandmother’s church family at the age of three. She was actually named after Orpah, the sister of Ruth from the Bible; but the name was misspelled on her birth certificate. Being raped by a family member for years certainly had a chilling effect on her young life.

The sad story is that her incredible mind and personality has been turned into a force for occultic powers. Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking the best and the smartest lives to use for his kingdom of defiance against the God of the Bible. The New World Order of the Antichrist is exploding and he needs teachers and devotees to spread his high-sounding deception. Oprah Winfrey has become one of his most successful tools to help lead a multitude to hell. The present day acceptance of all religions on an equal level sets the perfect stage. In this atmosphere the villains are saints of God that identify these lies. Hatred for Biblical Christianity has never been so loud.

Oprah has made numerous statements that show her devotion to New Age ideas, but the real proof is in her key radio series for 2008. The entire year has been proclaimed as a study on the book, A Course In Miracles. First, let’s document the source of this study. An atheistic psychologist received this course by demonic revelation in 1965. This same study has been a mainstay with Robert Shuller’s church for years and probably played a large part in the confused mind of Rick Warren. This study came to this psychologist by “mind dictation” and the source identifies himself as Jesus Christ. She recalled, “The voice made no sound, but seemed to be giving me a kind of rapid inner diction, which I took down in a shorthand notebook.”

Another psychologist with whom she is reported to have had a very troubled relationship agreed to participate in these dictations and serve as a kind of secretary and confidant. For several years William Thetford was often with her as she received the volume of materials that constitute this course. He believed she was receiving the original teachings of Jesus Christ to give to the world.

The Oprah Winfrey Enterprise has now become the window to the world for these satanic teachings. It is scary when you consider her entrance into the political campaign of Senator Barack Obama and the impact the media suggests this is having on his candidacy. Satan is determined to put the prettiest face with the least substance in the American White House. With all of our sins and failures, America and Israel are still the two nations hated by the unbelieving world. To think of having a president that believes in the ideas of Oprah Winfrey and A Course in Miracles should drive us to our knees.

Let’s review the heart of this dubious course in miracles. You will find that every idea is totally foreign to the Holy Scripture. It is basically the language of humanism, psychology, and the occult. It has no kin to the Lord Jesus Christ and above all it hates the sacred blood of the cross. If there is one thing Satan and all his ilk love to attack, it is the blood and the very purpose of that blood, which is to cleanse sin.

A Course in Miracles states, “The atonement is the final lesson he (the human family) need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.” (Text, p. 237.) That statement is the unfailing love of the devil. There is no such thing as sin to Lucifer. To admit sin is to admit righteousness and rebellion against righteousness. And that truth demands a Sovereign God that is an eternal being that gave His only Son to redeem man out of sin. The heart of this false system is the denial of the Holy God that rules in His universe.

The false premise of the above statement moves quickly to the next main thrust that is the heart of Pantheism or New Age teaching. Here are the author’s words, “The oneness of the creator is your wholeness, your sanity, and your limitless power.” (Text, p. 125.) This incredible statement is claiming that the universe is God, that every part is part of the whole, and that we fit in the whole as a cog in the wheel. There is no separate individual, either God or ourselves. It is all an illusion, and we move up the ladder of that elusion by our positive mindset. Of course, we move in the reverse when we are negative or harbor negative thoughts of sin, sickness, or failure.

It can only get worse when you start with such rebellion against the Heavenly Father. Here is a list of dark things in this book:

"There is no sin." (Text, p. 9.)

"A slain Christ has no meaning." (Text, p. 10.)

"The journey to the cross should be the last useless journey." (Text, p. 11.)

"The name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol ... it is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray." (Text, p. 13.)

Oprah Winfrey has probably crossed the line in the sand to which there is no return. Believe me, the great Creator and His Eternal Son is beholding it all and the cup of wrath is near the top. The crash of a life like Oprah will leave a heartrending aftershock. We may not hear it here, but the sound will touch eternity.

Tell every soul that you have opportunity to tell that judgment is near at hand. Do not fail to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and Saviour of all that call on Him in surrender.

Joseph R. Chambers

jrc@pawcreek.org

Is it right?

The Doctrine Of Transubstantation

Q. In all of scripture I have found but one verse that appears to back up the traditionally Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (i.e. Presence of Christ dwells literally in the bread and wine). That being 1 Corinthians 10:16 “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”

I just wanted to get your take on this verse, which has confounded this ex-Catholic.

A. According to their doctrine, at the moment a Catholic takes the communion wafer it becomes the Lord’s actual body and blood. This is a case of taking something literally that the Lord clearly meant to be allegorical. In John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” In the context of the passage, He was comparing Himself to the manna that God had given the Israelites in the desert, calling Himself the Bread of Life. No one would interpret that verse to mean that he expected to be literally eaten by His followers.

Later in instituting the communion memorial at the last supper, He explained what He meant. The bread is supposed to represent His body, and the wine His blood. Whenever we eat it we’re supposed to remember how He gave His body and shed His blood for the remission of our sins. It’s a reminder of the extent to which He went to save us.

In 1Cor. 10:16 the word translated participation literally means fellowship. Paul was reminding us that by eating the bread and drinking the cup we’re declaring ourselves to be one of the Lord’s followers, and that sets us apart from the world. Therefore we should no longer follow the world’s ways. The verse does not in any way support the doctrine of transubstantiation.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Prosperity in perspective

Christian Prosperity Crisis

Wilfred Hahn

www.raptureready.com

Researchers point out that one of the main differences between the U.S. financial crash and others — for example, that of Japan in the 1990s — was that it was households (individuals and families) that became heavily overindebted. This was not the case in Japan, nor the Asian crisis of the late 1990s, nor those in Scandinavia in the early 1990s. There, it was more the actions of companies and governments that led to these crises. But why in the case of America’s situation, did people became so easily seduced to take on such huge amounts of debt and to accept the vain predictions of perpetual prosperity? Responsibility of stewardship was thrown to the wind and the idea that prosperity and wealth was both eternal and effortless was the common belief.

It may have to do with another main difference. Namely America’s major religion—a post-modern, utilitarian aberration of the Biblical Christianity. This may seem a harsh statement, but I believe that the facts well support it. Most definitely, America is the most Christian-professing, major nation in the world. That religious belief and philosophy had an impact on economies and financial markets is a well established fact. Why do Chinese households save so much? Could it be that their Confusion culture is predisposed to such behavior? Max Weber (see The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism) and other social economists developed a framework for such religious/economic connections.

Crucially, only in North America do we find such a significant influence of the Prosperity Theology. It is a teaching that will have played an insidious and contributing (perhaps causal) role in America’s final slide into financial crisis and decline. We want to examine this connection further by investigating some of the doctrinal distortions behind this movement which merges Christianity and money into the eschatological timeline.

Deeply Rooted False Prosperity Beliefs.

While Prosperity Theology tends to be more associated with the charismatic segment of North American Christianity, it could be said that virtually all of North American Christianity has been infected with its influences. This perspective co-exists comfortably with the ideology of the American Dream. For centuries the “Christian nation” of America has been a land of opportunity, espousing upward mobility and success for all who seek it.

Prosperity thinking is therefore subtly imbedded in the psyche of Western Christians. It is almost considered an entitlement in some circles. Of course, most will perhaps not swallow the teachings and techniques of the likes of Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar and Peter Popoff — he of the “divine transfer” — and many others. After all, some of these more extreme teachers in this community even go so far as to claim that if you have much faith that you can “get wealth.” Just send in your seed faith offering and you may get a “divine wealth transfer” or “100-fold” return.

In this bartering system with God, one is taught to expect that He may choose to reciprocate your seed offering with a monetary or material blessing of some kind. It could be a sizable check arriving in your mailbox from a mysterious source or some other lucky happenstance. Unfortunately, this erroneous teaching about money promotes the notion that God runs His kingdom on the principle of monetary and material incentive. How crass. God manipulates Christians to love Him and to obedience through the carrot of material wealth and well-being? They confuse the realm of Mammon for the Kingdom of God.

Theological Wealth Distortions Everywhere

False gospels are deadly, their heresies distorting virtually every doctrine, world view and eschatological perspective. In like manner, Prosperity Theology radiates its destruction into many doctrines and perspectives. If its destructive contributions to America’s recent demise were already not convincing enough, there is yet more to consider. A sure sign of all false gospels is their perspective on money.

Every single false teaching or heresy mentioned in the New Testament epistles was associated with greed or an inordinate affection with money and wealth. This is evident today as it was then. If anything is different, it is that some of these heretical perspectives have become much more systemized than they were in New Testament times.

Though beliefs held by certain Christian sects may appear rooted in scriptural teaching, it is disturbing to discover how subjective and unfounded these are. These beliefs simply do not hold up under the scrutiny of all Scripture. This theology even merits an entry on Wikipedia which points out that this “somewhat similar (yet strikingly different) belief appears in most "New Thought" religions, Unity, Religious Science, Divine Science denominations.” It should seem strange that such commonality is found with these other religions.

Moreover, Prosperity Theology does not even pass the test of common sense. If the promises of Prosperity Theology were legitimate and observable, then it should be discovered that its adherents indeed would be wealthier than the general population. Yet, the opposite is true.

According to the surveys of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life2, the average income level of all Christians is less than that of other faiths. For instance, the percentage of protestant Christians with incomes over $100,000 per annum is 15%. This is less than Muslims (16%), Jews (46%), Buddhists (43%) and Hindus (43%).

Drilling down into comparisons between Christian denominations themselves, the same non-confirmation is evident. If one assumes that prosperity teaching is to be most prevalent in evangelical Pentecostal sects, the falsehood of this teaching is found to be most fraudulent. The Pentecostal demographic is the poorest of all, with the exception of Baptists in the Historically Black Tradition.3 48% of Pentecostals have incomes less than $30,000; only 7% greater than $100,000 per annum. That compares to 31% and 18% in the Christian population overall, respectively.

Clearly, the promises of Prosperity Theology are a hoax. Much worse allegations could be made. It would be considered a financial sham were its promoters to be seen to be preying on the hopelessness of its congregants. In that sense, it would not be much different than the consumer credit business. Just which demographic has historically proven to be the most profitable credit market for financial institutions … at least up until the GFC? The poor. It is these people that are made to pay high loan fees and interest rates and tend to run high balances on their credit cards with exorbitant charges. This gospel is certainly not “releasing the oppressed” as was Christ’s mission. (Luke 4:18)

Why is it that Christians are so gullible? It may be for the same reason that the thickest complaint file of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in America is the category of religiously-associated fraud. When con artists or teachers imply a relationship with God or make a purported scriptural reference promising prosperity, the wallets are opened unthinkingly. Charismatic churches time and again have proven themselves most vulnerable to the flimsiest of Ponzi schemes. It is simply astounding.

This quote from an op-ed article published just recently in the Russian online news portal, Pravda, offers a disturbing perspective. The journalist, though somewhat irreverent and an apologist for the official Russian Orthodox Church, does make some connections between America’s economic slide and liberal Christianity:

“First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their “right” to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our “democracy”. Pride blind the foolish. Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different “branches and denominations” were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the “winning” side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the “winning” side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.”4

In the populist mindset of prosperity and easy money, what Christian might not be tempted to think that God and country abandoned them should they experience hardships and trouble during an economic downturn such as the Global Financial Crisis (GFC)? What Christian would not be inclined to whine to God, as did Jeremiah: “Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?” (Jeremiah 15:18) Jeremiah figured that since he was walking with God and answering His calling, that he deserved special treatment. He bargained with God, saying “I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me, and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable?” (Jeremiah 15-17-18)

How did God respond? He didn’t even acknowledge the complaint. He simply said this: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me.” (verse 19)

No doubt, all 12 of the New Testament apostles settled this same issue in a satisfactory manner. They were doing the Lord’s will and were all blessed with rich robes and fine foods. Actually, directly to the contrary. 11 of them died an unnatural death. All of them physically suffered for their beliefs. Was this just? Said Paul, “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love […]” (2 Corinthians 6:4-6).



Notes

1. Prosperity theology, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology, accessed April 25, 2009.

2. U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, February 2008, Table: Income Levels of Major Religious Traditions, pg. 60.

3. Ibid, Income Level by Protestant Denominations, pg. 80.

4. Stanislav Mishin, Op-ed, Pravda Russia, June 1, 2009



About the Author:

Wilfred Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst and one-time head of a large global investment company with worldwide operations, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His most recent book is The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free. For resources on "endtime economics" and to subscribe to the free newsletter, Eternal Value Review, visit Wilfred's website www.eternalvalue.com

Theology & False Doctrines

Seven Men Named Jesus

This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley

www.gracethrufaith.com

A recent poll claimed that about half of all professing Christians don’t believe that Jesus is God, or that the Holy Spirit and Satan even exist. Smaller but still significant percentages don’t believe that Jesus lived a sin free life or that He is the only way to salvation. This has prompted questions about whether this means they aren’t really saved. I remembered an article on this subject that I wrote a number of years ago and in response to these questions I have updated and expanded it. I believe it will explain what you have to believe about Jesus to be saved. Let’s read it.

The Other Six

Ever suspect while talking with someone that you may have a mutual friend? Then as you get further into the conversation you realize that you are describing two different people who happen to have the same name? So it is with discussions of Jesus. The name’s the same but the descriptions vary widely. Over the years I’ve collected numerous descriptions of men named Jesus. Which one do you know?

First there’s the Jesus of Judaism. He’s known in Jewish writings as the illegitimate son of Miriam (Mary). He lived in the first century CE (they don’t use AD) and led people away from main stream Judaism into a cult. His followers were first called Netzerim (people of the branch) and later Christians. In his name Jews have been persecuted unmercifully over the centuries. Jews who admit to believing He was their Messiah are often considered dead to their families. Jews don’t believe in a second coming because they don’t believe there’s been a first one.

Then you have the Jesus of Islam. He was a prophet and teacher on a par with Mohammed. His role was to help prepare people for the great leader from Allah coming at the end of time to judge the world. He was born of a virgin but was not the son of God because the Quran says “God begets not, nor is he begotten.” He didn’t die for the sins of the people because in Islam salvation comes from good works. Neither was he resurrected. Instead, in a time of confusion God took him live into heaven and someone else was crucified. He will return at the end of the age to defeat the anti-Christ, call everyone to Islam, and prepare the world for judgment.

The Jesus of Mormonism is the spirit brother of Lucifer. Both are sons of a god who was once a man and one of his many wives. This Jesus became a human as the result of a sexual union between the Mormon god and an unmarried Jewish girl named Mary. He’s often called the Savior but never Lord, because although he’s one of god’s sons, he’s not god. If he determines that you’ve done everything you possibly can to earn your own salvation and are still short, he’ll graciously make up the difference. He’ll return at the End of the Age, having protected his saints through the time of Great Tribulation, to set up his kingdom.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a Jesus too. He’s a son of Jehovah, but He’s not God. Rather, he was a perfect man just like Adam originally was. Before he became a man he was the Archangel Michael, who The Witnesses believe to be Jehovah’s first created being. Just believing in Jesus is not enough to save us. we also have to become a Jehovah’s Witness, be baptized, and obey God’s laws all of our life to prove ourselves worthy. Their Jesus wasn’t physically resurrected, but came back to life in Spirit form. He returned to Earth in Spirit form in 1914 and will become a physical being again at Armageddon.

Then there’s the Jesus of the liberal denominations. He’s a first century man who lived an exemplary life of such gentleness and grace that it was almost as if he was God. He’ll see that everyone who joins their denominations gets accepted into heaven whether they’re born again or not. Some proponents of liberal theology claim that he’ll also see that everyone who was sincere in whatever other religion they practiced will get to heaven too. For the most part, liberal denominations don’t believe in the literal fulfillment of End Time events. For many, the 2nd Coming happened to each person when they first believed in Jesus.

The New Age Jesus is really one of the oldest. He originally appeared in first century Gnosticism. This Jesus was a man who like 40 other “ascended masters” holds the key to knowledge (gnosis) that when learned will bring about the next phase of human evolution, a spiritual growth that will finally make peace on earth possible. He didn’t die for our sins because there’s no need for us to be saved.

You’ll find variations on these six themes in nearly every major religion and cult around today. It seems every body wants you to think they know a man named Jesus, even if they have to redefine him to suit their beliefs.

The Real Jesus

But there is one more man named Jesus. He is not a created being. On the contrary He is our Creator. As Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16, By him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He’s not an angel and he’s not a mere man, because He created both. The archangel Michael might be the first created being, but if he is, Jesus is the one who created him. And Lucifer may have many brothers, but if he does, Jesus created them all.

This is the Jesus of the Bible. He claimed to be God in the form of man (John 10:30 and 14:9). Men who knew Him agreed. Paul taught the Deity of Jesus in Colossians 1:15-16. So did John (John 1:1-3). The writer of the Book of Hebrews also agreed (Hebr 1:3) and included a quote from Psalm 45:6-7 that shows God Himself addressing Jesus as God (Hebr 1:8). And this is not just a New Testament idea. In his prophecy of the Messiah’s birthplace, Micah said He was an eternal being whose goings forth were from days of eternity. Literally from before time and perpetual. (Micah 5:2) He is the eternal God.

Here’s where your knowledge of Scripture becomes really important, because in order to be all the Bible claims, Jesus has to be both 100% man and 100% God. If He isn’t a man He couldn’t have been made like us in every way and suffered our temptations as Hebr. 2:17-18 claim; he couldn’t be our High Priest as Hebr. 4:14-15 assert; and he can’t be our redeemer because he wouldn’t be our next of kin as required by Lev. 25:47-48 and explained in Rom 5:18-19. If He isn’t God He couldn’t be King David’s Lord (Matt 22:41-45) He couldn’t be sinless (Rom 3:20) and He couldn’t be our Savior (Mark 2:6-12 and 1 Ptr 1: 18-21).

Is This a Cult?

Three things distinguish Christian cult beliefs from orthodox theology. The cults deny the doctrine of salvation by grace alone. You have to earn at least part of the salvation they offer. They also deny the notion of eternal punishment for sin. Everyone goes to some kind of Heaven. And most importantly, they deny the deity of Jesus. They portray Him as a great man and role model; a great teacher, a prophet, even a social revolutionary, but certainly not God.

In truth Jesus was all of that. But He was also much more. He was God in the form of man; the Father dwelling in the Son (Col 1:19). To think of Jesus as anyone other than God is to reject the truth concerning Him revealed throughout His Word, and to put yourself at risk of trusting in the wrong Jesus for your eternal destiny. The Jesus of the Bible is the only one of the seven men named Jesus who is able to save you.

Bride?

Who Is The Bride?

Q. I’ve recently heard a well known teacher who claimed that at the rapture some of us will become the bride to reign with the Lord, while others will either be consigned to the outer darkness or to Gehenna. Do you believe that the entire church is the Bride or just those who endeavored to mature and press in to God? Will you sight scripture please?

A. The phrase “outer darkness” is used only 3 times in the New Testament and never in a context that involves the Church. In Matt. 8:12 it refers to Jews who reject the Messiah, and in Matt. 22:13 and 25:30 the subject is tribulation survivors. Gehenna is a Hebrew term that’s derived from the Valley of Hinnom, which was the location of Jerusalem’s garbage dump. Since it was always on fire, it became a euphemism for the eternal fire where the unsaved will go. It’s the Jewish version of the Christian concept of Hell.

Ephes. 5:25-27 says,
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

This verse, and several others like it, tell us that it’s our acceptance of the Lord’s death on our behalf that makes us holy and blameless, not our efforts at spiritual maturity. Paul said that our righteousness is imputed to us by faith. (Romans 3:21-22)

The idea that we have to earn our position as the Bride is not supported by any scripture. It’s the latest in a long line of heresies that twist the Scriptures to combine grace and works in an effort to convince us that we have to be “co-saviors” with the Lord, as if His death was not sufficient.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com