Is the Word of Faith movement biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Today's question is, Is the Word of Faith Movement Biblical? In this video I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective and afterwards, as always,

I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end. Word of Faith teaching is decidedly unbiblical.

It is not a denomination and does not have a formal organization or hierarchy. Instead, it is a movement that is heavily influenced by a number of high -profile pastors and teachers, such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price.

The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. Its founder was

E .W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical, new -thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science, where name -it -and -claim -it originated, was combined with Pentecostalism, resulting in a particular mix of Orthodox Christianity and mysticism.

Kenneth Hagin, in turn, studied under E .W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most

Word of Faith teachers align themselves with. At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the force of faith.

It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith force and thus actually create what they believe

Scripture promises—health and wealth. Laws supposedly governing the faith force are said to operate independently of God's sovereign will, and that God Himself is subject to these laws.

This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith and, by extension, ourselves into God.

From here, its theology just strays further and further from Scripture. It claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods.

Before the Fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith force.

After the Fall, humans took on Satan's nature and lost the ability to call things into existence.

In order to correct this situation, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took

Satan's nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God's nature.

After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the incarnation in believers so that they could become literal gods, as God had originally intended.

Following the natural progression of these teachings as little gods, we again have the ability to manipulate the faith force and become prosperous in all areas of life.

Illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith and are remedied by confession, claiming

God's promises for oneself into existence. Simply put, the Word of Faith movement exalts man to God's status and reduces

God to man's status. Needless to say, this is a false representation of what Christianity is all about.

Obviously, Word of Faith teaching does not take into account what is found in Scripture. Personal revelation, not

Scripture, is highly relied upon in order to come up with such absurd beliefs, which is just one more proof of its heretical nature.

Countering Word of Faith teaching is a simple matter of reading the Bible. God alone is the sovereign

Creator of the universe, Genesis 1, verse 3, and does not need faith. He is the object of faith,

Mark 11, verse 22. God is spirit and does not have a physical body, John 4, verse 24.

Man was created in the image of God, Genesis 1, verse 26 and 27, but this does not make him a little god or divine.

Only God has a divine nature, Galatians 4, verse 8. Christ is eternal, the only begotten

Son, and the only incarnation of God, John 1, verse 14. In Him dwell the fullness of the

Godhead bodily, Colossians 2, verse 9. By becoming a man, Jesus gave up the glory of heaven but not

His divinity, Philippians 2, verses 6 and 7, though He did choose to withhold His power while walking the earth as a man.

The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people, causing them to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical.

At its core is the same lie Satan has been telling since the Garden, "'You shall be as God ',"

Genesis 3, verse 5. Sadly, those who buy into the Word of Faith movement are still listening to him.

Our hope is in the Lord, not in our own words, not even in our own faith, Psalm 33, verses 20 -22.

Our faith comes from the Lord in the first place, Ephesians 2, verse 8, and it is not something we create for ourselves.

So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.

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