The Judas Church

The TC was for wicked unbelievers. Good people (born again) do not need them. If you do, you might not be born again.

Both Christ and Paul prophesied that there would be a time of falling away -- apostasy -- within the churches before the coming of the Antichrist (called the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition). That is what you are seeing around you.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away* [ἀποστασία (apostasia)] first, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition (2 Thess 2:3)

*Strong's Concordance
apostasia: defection, revolt
Original Word: ἀποστασία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: apostasia
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah)
Definition: defection, revolt
Usage: defection, apostasy, revolt.

This apostasy began in the 19th century with attacks on the Bible and on fundamental Christian doctrines (Theological Liberalism). It has been growing ever since. It first infected the mainline denominations, and now it has crept into the evangelical and fundamental churches. This is what the Emergent Church Movement and the Word of Faith Movement are all about.

"Most groups [in the Emergent Church Movement], however, embrace post-modernist thinking, which eventually leads to a very liberal, loose translation of the Bible. This, in turn, tends to liberal doctrine and theology."
https://www.gotquestions.org/emerging-church-emergent.html

This does not mean that Bible-believing Christians should throw up their hands and accept this state of affairs. Those who are like-minded can meet with others in their homes and follow the teachings of Christ and the apostles, while fulfilling the Great Commission. If they grow in numbers they can always rent a meeting place.

On behalf of Joel Osteen, I want to thank you for your responses.

https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-os...4g8XzvMVPKv6Vdk5H02ivnwJ_626Se1DfK069X7e7NwsY

John Piper gives an interesting take on Judas and the Prosperity Gospel.

Notice how Joel Osteen twists the message of resurrection around to a man-centered gospel.

The resurrection is about Jesus' defeat of sin and death, not man-centered new beginnings.

Typical of free-willer theology which focuses on man.

A servant is worthy of his hire, but I think some servants feel more worthy than others.

In a sense, it is a business.
It takes money to run a church, especially a large church, unless it is done in the homes.
Elaborate how the church, while running it like a business is moving away from God.
Do you know the hearts of the people?
God forbid any child of God should prosper in the church.

Judas, the instrument of God,sold the betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver,about $600.

Oh so much much more was the worth of our salvation price.

God came unto man in the flesh,born of a virgin,to redeem us out of His enemies hands.

What little value was placed on the greatest riches of God,that He sent His only son for our redemption.

When churches ( buildings of denominations) take their eyes off Jesus and following Him,they condemn themselves as the son of perdition did!

No.
Explain yourself.
How it he twisting scripture according to you?

In a sense it is a business God's as the things of God. A sign or ceremony to the world not to themselves. self -righteous .self-edifying Making it into things of men it becomes a sign against themselves. The church is a representative of the glory not seen. Not the glory itself .That's a Catholic things of men.Showing they make the things of God not seen without effect.

Listen to his description of Easter.

He focuses on what man can do, rather than what Jesus has done.

The main point concerning the resurrection, which is what Easter is about, is what JESUS has done on the Cross.

He has defeated sin and death.

Any pastor worth his salt will be focusing on this theme. The job of the pastor is to point toward Jesus, and not toward man.

I guess it takes a Reformed mindset, one that is God-centered and not man-centered, to see the problem with his direction.

Specifically, what did He say man can do, concerning Easter?

This is the issue. He didn't focus on what Christ has done, in defeating sin and death.

This is Easter 101.

Now, you may think it's all about man having new beginnings, but it is about Jesus who has defeated sin and death. His focus is man centered.

Jesus has defeated death and sin, therefore redeemed man can experience a new beginning which involves liberty from sin.

It really doesn't take much to figure out that he blew his brief moment to summarize the Gospel.

Even I as a relatively untrained believer would know that if I am being given the opportunity to showcase JESUS, that is what I need to do.

MAN'S GLORY IS NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. GOD'S GLORY IS THE CENTER OF ALL THINGS.

So its not so much what the guy did say as it is what he didn't say, that has you upset?
Are you saying, he never mentioned Jesus by name or gave Him any glory by telling his audience about what Jesus did on the cross to them that believe?
Was he addressing church member or sinners?
If it was to church members, then they would already know most of what Jesus did for them, and so move on to bigger and better things. Right?
I personally find it boring to hear the same old message of Jesus dying for me on the cross.
I'm not there anymore.
I need to hear what comes after I'm already born again.
Does God care more about preaching to the sinners than He does to His own children?
The messages, cannot only be to the lost on Easter.
The church needs instructions more than what took you less than a minute to say to the lost.
I am sure the guy did not center on man, since you couldn't give me even one example of what he said.
I think you are being a little critical, nitpicking trivial matters.

You are correct in my assessment that what he didn't say is the issue.

However, behind this once incidence is an overall trend in Osteen's teachings. He is little more than a motivational teacher who has a man-centered gospel.

I will note that in this message he is giving a head-nod to God by stating that God is in control, which is an improvement. His usual message is how great YOU are, rather than focusing on God.

Did Osteen consider his audience when speaking? Does he think that the individuals watching the news are mostly saved or mostly unsaved? If so, what message would have been appropriate? Is it unreasonable to think that mentioning Jesus and the power of the resurrection is honoring to God when he is talking about Easter?

And, by the way, if you think the message of the Cross is boring, I have some serious doubts about you. I really can't see a true Christian saying that. Are you sure you are a believer? Or, have you simply signed your name on a piece of paper or said the sinner's prayer?

I can't ever see me saying that I think the message of the Cross is boring. That's like the ultimate put-down to Jesus and his redemptive work on the Cross. It isn't as bad as denying the reality of the Cross, like a Muslim would, but I really can't see a sound Christian uttering such words.

The Cross is the ultimate event of all human history, and NO BELIEVER should ever say that hearing about it is boring. Maybe this is because you are part of some church who is spiritually dead or something..I don't know. Better find another church if that is true.

Joel Osteen wants to breed a group of believers who sit in front of the mirror staring at themselves and declaring how awesome they really are, rather than believers who realize how awesome their Savior is.

And, by the way, the real believer is joined to Christ, and Christ is his identity. He rejoices in what his Beloved has done for him and all of God's other children, and loves to hear about it.