Other Distorted Views of Positive Thinkers

The faith teachers have misread the plain meaning of the words of the Bible in their context.  Gloria Copeland, Kenneth's wife, is a good example of how the faith teachers not only misinterpret but occasionally deliberately delete the words of Scripture that deny their view.  For example, Gloria Copeland quotes Daniel 3:17, 18, which is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo where they told the king that they would not serve their gods.  These men tell us they believe it could be God's will not to save them, but they will still trust and serve Him just like Job . . . .  But this goes against the theology of the Copelands and other faith teachers who say Christians should overcome in every circumstance.  Since the words of Daniel 3:18 didn't fit her view, Gloria deleted them.  She leaves out the words "but even if He does not".  She actually cites a Scripture in her defense that were it quoted in full would disprove the point she is making.

Consider the following areas that the faith teaching has distorted.

God

Faith teaching has distorted both the sovereignty of God and the will of God.  God is no longer sovereign if He can be forced to act on the basis of what men do.  Thus, in some cases, His will can be replaced with man's will.  In essence, what God's sovereignty lacks, human sovereignty supplies.  Not even God will interfere with the believers "divine rights."

Jesus and the Atonement

Faith teachers have redefined the mission of Jesus Christ to incorporate their beliefs.  For example, J. Osteen teaches, "did Jesus die for your prosperity?  Yes."  Robert Tilton teaches, "Jesus came to deliver man from failure, and to cause him to be once again a success . . . Christians who do not believe in divine healing, who do not believe in prosperity -- they do not believe in what was atoned for  at Calvary."  Charles Capps teaches that Jesus came and died for us to get Adam's power back to rule and dominate the earth.  Gloria Copeland states, "You have a titled deed to prosperity.  Jesus bought and paid for your prosperity just like He bought and paid for your healing and your salvation . . . .  This prosperity already belongs to you."  Here you can see these four faith teachers are saying that because of Jesus' death on the cross, He bought and paid for your healing or success now.  Their conclusion is that (even if it takes time to manifest) you can claim success or immediate healing by faith.

This is wrong.  Why?  First, because it is another misinterpretation of Scripture; namely, Isaiah 53:4, 5 and Matthew 8:17.  

Secondly, it is wrong because the Bible plainly teaches that the average Christian, the Apostles, and Jesus Himself did not teach or hold this view.  Physical healing is not the instantaneous gift assumed by the faith teachers.  The Apostle Paul himself had a physical infirmity or bodily illness he simply had to live with.  Paul told Timothy to take a little wine "for the sake of your stomach [problems] and your frequent ailments."  Paul said, "Trophimus I left sick at Miletus."  Paul never once told Timothy or anyone else to "claim your healing."  He clearly did not believe the death of Christ healed believers' illnesses.  Otherwise, how did such great men of faith as Paul and Timothy fail to know and teach that Christ died for our illnesses?  Nor was Christ's death a guarantee of success in this life.  To the contrary, by worldly standards, Paul, the apostles, and the early church were highly unsuccessful.  These godly men accepted the fact of their sickness and tribulations.  Even Jesus also accepted and expected sickness and hardship among believers.  In fact, Jesus Himself taught that sickness could be to the glory of God.  Jesus said of Lazarus, "this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it "(John 11:4).

Faith

In prosperity thinking, faith is similar to the power of magic.  J. Osteen states, ". . . faith reaches out into the invisible area.  It creates the physical realm out of invisible truths."  Here the faith teachers ascribe faith as a force to be exerted upon God forcing Him to act in our behalf.  But this is wrong.  The Bible nowhere states that God relinquished His will to each one of our wills.  He knows that would be chaos.

Man

In Positive Confession,  man is considered "a god" or a godlike being.  In some ways man is the ruler of God, who is his servant.  Like the genie in the bottle, man decides what he wants and then commands or demands God to do his bidding.  In some teachings, man comes close to deification.  

As Charles Capps states, "natural men can become supernatural" . . . and are no longer totally subject to their natural ability."  For example, the miracles done in the book of Acts were not done solely and directly by God but by believers exercising their supernatural powers and influence on others.  In Acts 14:8-10 when Paul told the cripple "stand up," the result is that "spirit words received into his spirit released spiritual power in his physical body.  This creative ability of spirit words formed in his spirit and produced physical results."

Nevertheless, the idea that men are gods is denied in the Bible.  Even Paul, a man of great faith, never considered himself a god.  

Angels

The prosperity movement is overly obsessed with the demonic and has distorted biblical teaching on the angels.  Many teach that physical illness results from demons.  They do this even though Scripture clearly distinguishes physical illness and demon possession (Luke 8:2).  Frances Hunter, for example, teaches "a demon takes a look at a woman and says, 'Wow, I think I will lay a little cancer on her. . . ' so he jumps into her body . . . and before long, the woman discovers she has cancer of the breast . . . . "  Not only does such teaching produce fear of demons in people, it offers a cruel and false hope of a "quick fix" by "exorcism" to those with serious illness.  The logical conclusion of reading some of the faith teachers' instruction has been to lead many people into fear and bondage to demons.  An example of how far this can be taken is seen by Don Basham's teaching that post-nasal drip, fingernail biting, and arthritis of the knees, among many other normal ailments, can be caused by demons. 

Conclusion

Many people have been influenced by false teaching in the church.  Some of them have been hurt because these teachings have not worked.  For example, the "faith assembly" of Hobart Freeman has resulted in the deaths of almost 100 people because his people were told that seeking medical help was supposedly "a sin" and "denial of faith."  Instead they were to claim their healing.  But sadly in claiming their healing the sick all died one by one.  This is just one of the terrible consequences of false teaching.  Not surprisingly, many of the other people felt betrayed and felt like giving up on Christianity.

Jesus stated that false teachings will lead to harmful consequences (Matthew 7:17; 24:11, 12: Acts 20:30), but He said there is a way out.  Those who truly live by His Word , the Bible, can stand the pressures of life because their lives are built on His Word, the solid rock (Matthew 7:24-27).  He promises those who know and obey His Word, that they will be set free (John 8:31, 32).  Have you neglected to learn and obey His Word, relying instead on spiritual experiences and unbiblical faith?

If you are hurt, feel betrayed, and feel like giving up on Christianity, what can you do?  First, you should not continue to fellowship where false teachings are taught (Romans 16:17).  Diligently search until you find a church where the Word of God is honoured and taught accurately, where the pastor has spent years of study in an evangelical seminary.  

Second, you must learn the Word of God yourself.  Take the time and effort to learn the basic doctrines of the Bible so that you will know when it is being "wrongly divided" (misinterpreted).

You should visit a Christian bookstore and purchase some good commentaries.

Try and help those still caught in false teachings.  The Bible encourages us to reprove those following false teachings "severely that they may be sound in the faith" (Titus 1:13).

Finally, we ask some of you to consider whether you have substituted a technique of salvation for salvation itself.  Is what you consider "faith" in God really nothing more than a mechanical technique to manipulate God for your own ends?  In John 6:26, 27 Jesus said that many people followed Him only to satisfy their own hunger.  He said instead of following Him for "food that perishes" they should rather seek the "food that endures to eternal life."  Jesus went on to explain that His food that endures to eternal life was not anything material that we can possess; rather it is true knowledge of God Himself (John 6:33-35).

Augustine spoke of this true knowledge in his commentary on Psalm 73.  There he said that God Himself should be our only treasure and reward.  To seek anything but God alone is not to seek for God.  Does this depict you?  Do you love God for Himself alone or for what you can get out of Him?

-  John Ankerberg & John Weldon

For more information on Victory Churches and the Faith Movement, go to the Reference Library.  Click on any book title to get a brief overview of the book.  All books on the list are available through www.amazon.com. 

Angels, the Occult and the Faith Movement

Contacting alleged angels is an increasingly popular activity in our culture as illustrated by the 1992 "American Conference on Angels." Unfortunately, the messages these "angels" give prove they are lying spirits which the Bible identifies as demons. Most Faith teachers also claim they have unique relationships to angels -- as, allegedly, anyone can who applies the principles of the Faith Movement. Faith teachers believe multitudes of angels are standing by just to do our bidding, anxiously waiting to be commanded by "Faith words" which, when spoken forth, puts them into action and brings miraculous results.

Gloria Copeland and Charles Capps suggest there may be 40,000 to 72,000 angels assigned to each believer just waiting to serve us.

But the idea that people can command angels to do their bidding is an occultic belief, not a biblical practice. The idea of having power over creation mediated through alleged spiritual laws and our own mental and verbal powers (mediated through the help of spirits) is a tenet of the occult, not Christianity.

Further, these angels are angels of a particular kind -- they are spirit beings who actively support Faith practice and teaching. This raises an interesting point. If we compare the principles of occult magic and those of the Faith Movement, we can see the similarities. The question is: Would godly angels endorse such a teaching?

If godly angels would not endorse the Faith principles, what kind of angels are those that do? We offer the following to show that the leaders in the Faith Movement at the least claim that they can manipulate angels to do their bidding (an occultic practice).

Kenneth Copeland teaches that through Positive Confession, angels "are obligated to follow your command"; Gloria Copeland says, "Your words put the angels to work on your behalf to bring to pass whatever you say."

Charles Capps asserts that God told him that he was to "give orders" to angels to accomplish our desires. He teaches, "You need the supernatural beings of God working for you here on earth." And, "Angels...will work for you! They will become involved in every area of your life -- your home, your business, everything -- but only to the extent that you allow them to operate."

Kenneth Hagin claims that Jesus appeared in front of him with an angel next to Him and told him that this was "his angel" who would guide and direct his life. Jerry Savelle says that when we apply the principles of the Faith Movement "...the angels come on the scene to see that what you say comes to pass." John Osteen [father of Joel Osteen] teaches that, "When you become a covenant-person, God assigns angels to watch you and your family..."

Robert Tilton says, "When you talk positively about your dream, you not only release its substance, but you release the angels to work for you, causing your dream to come to pass." For those who tithe faithfully to his ministry he says, "I prophesy these miracles are coming to pass even this very moment. Angels, I send you forth as ministering spirits to cause these supernatural miracle[s] to come into my friend's [life]." But for those who make vows to his ministry and later renege, he also warns, "If you say your vow was a mistake, your angels will hear it and the work of your hands and what you are believing God for will be cursed instead of blessed...It stops God from telling the angels to go out and round up the money..."

Benny Hinn also accepts the ministry of the "Faith" angels.

Of course, no one denies that the Bible teaches that angels do serve God's interest in the life of the believer, or that some believers have entertained angels unaware (Hebrews 1:14; 13:2). But this is the point: Angels serve God's purposes in the life of the believer -- and the Faith Movement/Positive Confession isn't one of them. And angels usually do operate unaware -- behind the scenes. We cannot command angels to bring us money, nor are we to pray to them, nor will they teach us and guide us into things that are against the Word of God.

(from The Facts on the Faith Movement by John Ankerberg and John Weldon)

False Claims of New Revelation from God!

Many of the leaders in this movement claim that God, Jesus, or angels appeared to them and taught them these ideas. But we must ask, "Are these revelations biblical if they condone actions that are unbiblical or foolhardy?" In fact, the supposedly divine visions, revelations, prophecies and interpretations are often so false or unbiblical that one wonders if these visions are from their own mind or, worse yet, from the devil. For example, the history of the Old Testament is not without persons claiming to be spiritual leaders who thought that the visions of their own mind originated in God. But God told them, "The prophets are prophesying lies in My name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries, and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14, NIV).

Nevertheless, almost to a man, the Faith leaders claim God as their authority. Kenneth Copeland implies many of his teachings are a result of divine revelation. For example, his Prosperity: The Choice Is Yours "has been birthed by a natural flow of revelation knowledge from my heart to yours." The Jesus Copeland spoke to told Kenneth that he must "believe that your words have power, and the things you say will come to pass. The result is that you can have whatever you say when you believe."

Kenneth Hagin teaches "The Lord Himself taught me about prosperity ... I got it directly from heaven." For example, Hagin claims, "The Lord spoke to me and said, 'Don't pray for money anymore. You have authority through My name to claim prosperity.'"

Oral Roberts claims that his "Seed Faith" principles and other materials in his books were revealed directly to him by Jesus as, "fresh revelations straight from the throne room of God." Paul Yonggi Cho also claims his "fourth dimension" ideas and other teachings were given by God.

In Jerry Savelle's prosperity series we are told, "The revelation knowledge in this set was given to Brother Savelle supernaturally by God." Savelle himself claims, "The Lord supernaturally appeared to me in my hotel room...He said this to me 'My people are in financial famine and I'm giving you the assignment to go tell them how to get out.'" Savelle claims several other of his books were received "through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."

In God's Creative Power, Charles Capps claims that God spoke to him directly in August of 1973: "The Word of the Lord came unto me saying, 'If men would believe me, long prayers are not necessary. Just speaking the Word will bring what you desire. My creative power is given to man in Word form. I have ceased for a time from my work and have given men the book of MY CREATIVE POWER...but for my Word to be effective men must speak it.'" Thus "Jesus" told Capps "I have told my people that they can have WHAT THEY SAY..."

In God's Miracle Plan for Man, Robert Tilton claims "In this book, God directed me by His Holy Spirit to write certain things to you. I have leaned on Him for every word...Contained in these pages are special words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and prophecies from the Lord..." In Solving the Mystery of the Miracle Money, Tilton claims, "The words in this book are not my words; they are the words of ... the Holy Spirit..." In God's Laws of Success he even implies that his books are on the same level as those of the New Testament. Thus, he does not blanch when he claims, "The Spirit of the Lord has given me this prosperity message to share with you."

In summary, all these men claim direct counsel from God. But is this really true? The inspiration supposedly given by Jesus and the angels and the words they spoke to these men do not sound at all like the biblical Jesus or the angels that speak for God in the Bible. Proof of this can be seen in the consistent misinterpretation of the Bible that such inspiration has produced.

(The Facts on the Faith Movement by John Ankerberg & John Weldon)