If Kenneth Copeland gives an altar call for believers to make a commitment to follow Christ or a commitment to Christ, then he just led them in a bondage to His teachings and not to rest in Jesus, Himself, that they are saved by simply believing in Him.
On the internet, there is an awful lot of talk about Copeland's commitments which are promises towards Christ & the believers. That is a testament to Kenneth Copeland of his work in serving the Lord; that is towards His glory; that is not a testament of his faith in Jesus Christ as His Good Shepherd in leaning on Him to minister to others; indeed, it speaks against that faith in Him when he is resorting to his own power in serving Him. So it is a double-minded altar call.
Are they saved? Yes, but no sooner than they are saved, they are laboring in vain, finishing by the flesh what was begun with the Spirit.
The altar call to make a commitment to Christ or a commitment to follow Christ as a means of salvation is why many believers doubt their salvation by their failure in keeping that commitment for by that commitment is the knowledge of sin.
That is why some believers are honest with themselves and quit because no matter how zealous they are, they can't do it.
That is why some sinners are turned away from Him when they do not see it in their sinful nature to make a commitment to Christ in coming to Him for salvation, especially when in bondage to sin & to death, getting worse & worse, they cannot fathom any religious will power to follow Him when their sins mess them up daily.
By the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour we are saved, and so by the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd is the only way we can follow Him. That is why little children are free to come to Him because all they can do is take Him at His word; to trust Him; to believe in Him, and that is how we are saved and that is how we are to follow Him as well since it is written that the just shall live by faith.
So you may be disheartened to see many popular preachers are leading many astray religiously; even Billy Graham and now, his son, Franklin Graham for they are giving the same altar call "If you are not sure you are saved... come forward and make a commitment to follow Christ..."... but those are the signs of the times.
Luke 6:[SUP]26 [/SUP]Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
When we are nothing, but God gives the increase, then that is why these men are credited because they led them to make promises/commitments to Christ. They led them by their zeal for God in religious bondage. They may try to deflect the credit all they want, but they can't. Many will say.. look at what they did... because they led them to make commitments.
Do we read that in the Bible? How about the Book of Acts? No. They preached the word, they believe, and they had received the Holy Ghost. There is no call to make a commitment nor a promise to Christ when they are to rest in Him not just for salvation, but for following Him since we cannot save ourselves, then neither can we follow Him except by faith.
Luke 9:[SUP]23 [/SUP]And he said to them all, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
John 7:[SUP]18 [/SUP]He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Galatians 2:[SUP]17 [/SUP]But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. [SUP]18 [/SUP]For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. [SUP]19 [/SUP]For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. [SUP]20 [/SUP]I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. [SUP]21 [/SUP]I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 3:1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?[SUP] 2 [/SUP]This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?[SUP] 3 [/SUP]Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?[SUP]4 [/SUP]Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.............[SUP]13 [/SUP]Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:[SUP] 14 [/SUP]That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.....[SUP]26 [/SUP]For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. [SUP]27 [/SUP]For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. [SUP]28 [/SUP]There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. [SUP]29 [/SUP]And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
....[SUP]5 [/SUP]For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Kenneth Copeland is preaching the Prosperity Gospel, but you should know what else he is preaching. This link will address his errors in regards to the prosperity gospel, but there are links to other errors by Kenneth Copeland, however, I have not reviewed them all, but I do find a believer's commitment is a heretical practice of Kenneth Copeland. That is enough to say you should discern everything by Him at that throne of grace, because we are living in the latter days where faith is hard to find which is why God is judging His House first at the pre trib rapture event to restore the wayward that are left behind to the path of righteousness for His name's sake.
False Teachings of Word of Faith Teacher - Kenneth Copeland
