THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 2
THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 2
By: Jack Guyler
I covered two of the primary flaws and errors in this movement in Part 1. I want to cover two additional errors of this movement here in Part 2.
FALSE TEACHING #3
POWER & COMFORT ARE SIGNS OF GOD’S BLESSINGS
There is a teaching that is derived from the Old Testament that says “don’t touch God’s anointed.” This has become a catch-all phrase in many Charismatic and Pentecostal circles that insulates pastors, teachers and other leaders from even being asked to address anything they are doing that might not be in good character, let alone abusive. Even when people know their leaders are doing wrong, they have been indoctrinated to turn a blind eye and say “we can’t say or do anything to God’s anointed.” The real belief here is, if they say or do anything against their leaders, something worse will happen to them – like karma coming back to bite them!
This allows many leaders to run free and do what they want with little to no accountability. This is one of the reasons why you see so many high profile pastors and teachers living such extravagant life-styles and getting away with perverse and abusive behavior for long periods of time. It is also why they get away with teaching false doctrines such as Word of Faith because no one would dare challenge them.
The real issue with false doctrine and teaching (when persons stray from the basic core tenants of Christianity established by the early church and confirmed by various church councils and creeds) is not just that it is bad teaching. But bad teaching leads to bad thinking; and bad thinking leads to corrupt behaviors, patterns and habits. And over time, these become the norm or status quo. When these are established as such, no one much questions them anymore. And then they are passed around as “truth” and passed down from one generation to the next, no one thinks to look deeper into them anymore and they become an established way of both thinking and behavior. Unfortunately, these types of thoughts and behaviors don’t align with the righteous and holy teaching of scripture.
And because of this, many Word of Faith teachers are telling the people in the pews and their online audiences that when they see power and comfort, it is a sign that these people are walking with God. This justifies their own self-centered life-styles and it encourages people to pursue wealth, power, prestige and comfort more than Jesus. So you can see how this teaching is the very antithesis of the true Gospel.
What does the true Gospel teach? It isn’t all doom and gloom, but it is about sacrifice and surrendering to the Lord. In fact, the Apostle Paul said his greatest joy and peace came from knowing and even suffering for the Lord. He wouldn’t exchange his life style as a Pharisee with great power and prestige, for knowing Christ. He wouldn’t go back to this life if he could have. Paul learned the true power of the Gospel. Listen to what he says:
“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ…”
Paul also learned that power was found in weakness because it was in this place where he really found connection with Christ, not in the pursuit of money, power, prestige and worldly things. Listen again to what he says:
“Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
God’s real favor is not found in power and prestige as the Word of Faith lies to you about, but rather in weakness that leads to knowing Christ. Do you see the error of this teaching?
FALSE TEACHING #4
YOU CAN CREATE REALITY WITH YOUR OWN WORDS
This is derived from the early words in Genesis where it is written, “And God says…” and then He created all various aspects of our universe including humans. They then take a big leap and say, because God created and brought things into existence with words, because we have the capacity to speak words, we too can create new realities and bring new things into existence.
While human words are powerful, and ideas are equally powerful in helping us see things in a new way and gain new perspectives and insights; only God can actually create things out of nothing and create new realities. This is really a mix of other religions with humanism. It is placing ourselves in the position of God. As I recall, the first humans tried to act and become like God. How did that work out for them? The truth is, this has been repeated by every human being that has ever lived. We all try to be god in their own lives and often in the lives of others. I can tell you it never works out well!
There is a reason God is God and we are not. We don’t have the power, insight, knowledge or eternal substance to be God. We are dependent creatures on the Creator – but for some reason, this is a very difficult lesson for us to learn. And the Word of Faith movement continues to perpetuate this lie by telling you that you can create reality with your words. Yes, it is true that we can live out self-fulfilling prophecies to our detriment; and yes thinking positively can help us in many situations, but we can’t create new realities with our words.
The one eternal change we can make using our words is found in Romans 10:9-10
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him form the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
May we use our words wisely in prayer and in sharing the Word of God rather than trying to use them simply for our own purposes. The Word of Faith movement looks to use words to benefit themselves, not glorify God and build up others.
