Last week $600,000 was stolen from Joel Osteen’s Lakewood
Church. Some of Joel’s antagonists have already begun to turn this into another opportunity to impeach his character. While his teachings may be dangerously vacuous, slandering him is not an option: “Let all wrath and anger and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Eph. 4:31).
As troubled as I am by Joel's teachings, I believe he is a brother who is greatly deceived. John says, “How can you say you love God, if you hate your brother?” (1 John 4:20). Even to those who are disobedient to the Word, Paul counsels: “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:15). Any censure of Joel Osteen will have to follow this biblical rule of ‘etiquette.’
So let us pray for Joel as we would a brother, that he will realize the opportunities afforded him, and the consequent responsibility to “accurately handle the Word” (2 Tim. 2:15)—to fulfill the mandate of every teacher, to “present every man and woman complete (mature) in Christ” (Col 1:28).
As troubled as I am by Joel's teachings, I believe he is a brother who is greatly deceived. John says, “How can you say you love God, if you hate your brother?” (1 John 4:20). Even to those who are disobedient to the Word, Paul counsels: “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:15). Any censure of Joel Osteen will have to follow this biblical rule of ‘etiquette.’
So let us pray for Joel as we would a brother, that he will realize the opportunities afforded him, and the consequent responsibility to “accurately handle the Word” (2 Tim. 2:15)—to fulfill the mandate of every teacher, to “present every man and woman complete (mature) in Christ” (Col 1:28).
My short response: AMEN!!!
ReplyDeleteI recently heard a debate between Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. James White that was very well presented from a technical standpoint, but the thing that really blessed me was the spirit in which it was conducted. You can check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmeMOo4nINA
Galatians 6 begins with "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." That's the spirit!
Love and Prayers,
Peter (friend of Larry)
Thank you for adding some more scriptural weight to this discussion.
ReplyDelete