You Wouldn't Believe If I Didn't Show You | John MacArthur

They are people who, in the name of Jesus, pervert the gospel and misrepresent Jesus. And they must be contended with. They must be refuted. They must be exposed.

Whether Joel Osteen Is a False Teacher

Are these Christian teachers actually false teachers? Or are they just flawed, but still at least somewhat legitimate Christian teachers? Make sure you watch until the end, because we make some very important qualifications.

Some argue Joel Osteen is a false teacher.

He says God has already done everything he's going to do. The ball's in your court. You have to take that part of God which exists in you and create your own reality. What is the source of this? Where does this come from?

Answer? Satan. This is satanic. He continues to deny that Jesus is the only way to be saved. And so Joel Osteen is a false teacher. He is a false prophet.

Some argue Joel Osteen's teachings are filled with problems, but Osteen may still believe the true gospel and be saved.

I've done this with several people who are even prominent teachers, like Joel Osteen, who I, yeah, I've got a reason to wonder whether that guy's really saved or not. But I lean, and I lean hopefully on the side that, you know, he does seem to proclaim the true gospel of Christ.

And if you say he doesn't, show me specifically where he says how you get saved is XYZ, and it's not the actual biblical gospel. Like, I haven't seen that, so I can't say that.

Of course, Osteen teaches some version of the prosperity gospel.

Why would anybody criticize you for preaching prosperity? Because what kind of God wants you.

To be poor and miserable? That's the way I feel as well. And he also teaches word of faith doctrines.

I want to talk to you today about how your words become your reality. Words are like seeds. When you speak something out, you give life to what you're saying. If you continue to say it, eventually that can become a reality.

Whether you realize it or not, you are prophesying your future.

I actually used to be somewhat on Mike Winger's side, believing that although I would never recommend Osteen to anyone, I wasn't sure if I would go so far as to say he is a blatant false teacher. I thought, maybe there's a way to interpret what Osteen is saying in a way that isn't blatantly heretical.

I'll try to interpret what he's saying in the best possible light. But the more I learn about Osteen and all that he teaches, the more convinced I am that he clearly falls in the category of false teacher.

The strongest argument for me is his view and treatment of Oprah, who is very, very clearly not a Christian and not saved. There are millions of.

Ways to be a human being and many ways, many paths to what you call God. Yet when Oprah visits.

Lakewood, Osteen goes out of his way to recognize and praise Oprah. Today we are so honored to have.

A world changer, a history maker, one of the great voices of our generation,.

Miss Oprah Winfrey is right here on the floor with us. And when Osteen is on Oprah's show, he happily has Oprah and her audience declare I am statements, even though these statements are really only true for those who have repented of sin and put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.

I'm excited about my future. I'm victorious. It seems quite clear that Osteen believes Oprah is saved and does not need the gospel, which tells us that Osteen really does not understand the gospel at all.

Osteen is taught that people are basically good.

And dealing with people for several years, thousands of people. One thing I can tell you is 99 .9 of people are not bad people. They may make poor choices, but deep down they've.

Got a good heart. Friends, 99 .9 of people are not good people. 100 of people are bad people.

And he seems to believe that anyone who professes faith in Christ or has prayed a simple prayer.

Is saved and born again. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again.

This shows that Osteen does not truly understand sin nor salvation. And for this reason, I now firmly believe that Osteen clearly falls into the category of false teacher. T .D. Jakes is quite a bit simpler than Osteen regarding the question of whether he is a false teacher.

T. D. Jakes and the Trinity

Of course, there are some who try to defend Jakes as a legitimate Christian teacher.

Oh, T .D. Jakes said this. He ain't say they weren't pure to the Bible, but then they can't tell you a black pastor that they liked. It's a divide in Christianity. But the most obvious.

Reason we should consider Jakes a false teacher is his view of the Trinity. Jakes has never unambiguously repented of being a modalist, which is a heretical view of God that says God doesn't exist in three distinct persons, but rather in three distinct modes or manifestations.

It's an everyday. Jakes tried to please both sides in an episode of The Elephant Room, but he basically doubled down on his insistence on using the word manifestations.

I'm not crazy about the word persons. And this is most people who know me know that that is really my doctrinal statement is no different from yours, except for the word manifestation manifest instead of persons, which you described as modalist and I described as Pauline.

There is simply no evidence that Jakes has changed his view of the Trinity, and denying the true Trinitarian nature of God is a heresy that clearly puts Jakes in the category of a false teacher. And of course, Jakes is one of the worst proponents of the prosperity gospel.

Common sense says you feed what's feeding you.

And like Osteen, Jakes quite clearly praises Oprah and believes her to be saved.

He chose her, called her. He made her a promise to protect her under the pendants of his mighty.

Wings. So there's little question in my mind that Jakes is clearly a false teacher who should be completely avoided. Like with Osteen, I used to err on the side that although Stephen Furtick teaches a lot of very wrong things, I wasn't sure I would go as so far as to call him a blatant false teacher.

Stephen Furtick, Human Nature, and the Trinity

But again, like with Osteen, the more I learned about Furtick, the more convinced I am that he falls into the category of a false teacher. First, Furtick absolutely adores both Joel Osteen and T .D. Jakes.

Among many other extremely problematic Christian teachers. And the fact that Furtick doesn't seem to see any problems with Osteen or Jakes tells us a lot about him. Second, it appears that Furtick has a view of human nature that.

Is heretical. And the process of discipleship is not God changing you into something else. It's him revealing who you've been all along. I want to preach for a moment and God told me to.

Tell you this, it's always been in you. Furtick seems to have, at best, an extremely weak view of the sinful nature of humanity, and at worst, a heretical view of human nature that is basically positive.

And his wife has taught that God sees the fighter in us, which lends support to the idea that they have a very non-Christian view of human nature. And God is not looking for perfection,.

Because if he was, he wouldn't have picked us. He wouldn't have picked me and he wouldn't have picked you. He's looking for potential. He is perfectly okay with the space between who you are right now in this moment and who you're going to become, because he sees the fighter in you.

And if you look through all of Furtick's sermons on YouTube, it's pretty much impossible to find Furtick teaching about sin, God's wrath, hell, or what true repentance looks like. And third, it seems that perhaps Furtick's adoration of T .D. Jakes has led him to have a view of the Trinity that is similar to Jakes and similarly heretical.

And now Jesus is taken from their sight and.

Hidden in a cloud, but he did not leave. He just changed form. He did not disappear. He just was.

No longer visible. Instead, he was internal. Really, the strongest reason I have for believing Furtick falls into the category of false teacher is his unabashed adoration of T .D. Jakes. To not only be ignorant of how problematic Jakes is, but to also praise Jakes without any qualifications tells us what we need to know about Furtick.

Joyce Meyer, the Prosperity Gospel, and the Little Gods Doctrine

Joyce Meyer is another interesting Christian teacher to consider. She is extremely popular among Christians, even today, and Chris Tomlin has led worship at one of her conferences. The 40th anniversary celebration.

Of the Love Life Women's Conference just got even bigger with a live concert featuring Chris Tomlin.

But like with T .D. Jakes, I find Meyer to fall quite clearly in the category of false teacher. Although she doesn't really seem to teach these things anymore, or at least not to the degree that she used to, Meyer has been one of the worst proponents of the prosperity gospel.

Sometimes your message will be heard by someone in the most dire circumstances. It's a sort of roulette wheel, a sort of gamble with God. Okay, well, I can't pay the rent, but I'll give it to Joyce and we'll see what happens.

Do you worry at all that that happens? I totally know I don't worry about that.

Meyer taught the heretical little gods doctrine. He said, you know, why do people have such a fit.

About God calling his creation, his creation, his man, not his whole creation, but his man, little gods. If he's God, what's he going to call him? But the God came.

Meyer taught that as a Christian, she was able to stop sinning.

I didn't stop sinning until I finally got it through my thick head. I wasn't a sinner anymore. And the religious world thinks that's heresy and they want to hang you for it. But the Bible says that I'm righteous and I can't be righteous and be a sinner at the same time.

Meyer taught that Jesus needed to be born again.

Do you know something? The minute that blood sacrifice was accepted, Jesus was the first human being that was ever born again. That was sealed. I mean,.

It happened when he was in heaven. Meyer gave a quasi-apology about the excesses of her word of faith teachings, but there really was no true repentance or retraction here.

I'm glad for what I learned about prosperity, but it got out of balance.

And of course, Meyer loves, endorses, and is endorsed by Osteen.

And how blessed are we all to have Ms. Joyce Meyer with us today? I don't have to tell you, but Joyce is one of our very favorite. Still going strong, just her humor, her practicality, her anointing. Joyce, you are one of a kind and your love no more than at Lakewood.

We love you and we appreciate you sowing into our ministry coming twice a year. Well, get ready, Lakewood.

Come on, make her feel home. Jake's in furtive.

The greatest Bible teacher alive today, the one and only Joyce Meyer.

The fact that all these popular teachers are so close to one another and endorse each other without any warnings or qualifications points us quite clearly in the direction that they all fall into the same category of false teacher.

Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn

We probably don't need to spend as much time on Kenneth Copeland. Copeland teaches so many blatant heresies that it's hard not to clearly put him in the category of false teacher. Copeland calls himself a prophet of God.

Standing in the office of the prophet of God. Copeland believes in the atrocious little God's doctrine.

When I read in the Bible where he says, I am, I just smile and say, yes, I am too.

Copeland is obsessed with money and the prosperity gospel.

Whatever you do right now, don't you stop tithing? Don't you stop sowing offerings? Well, they won't let us go to church. Well, email it in there, text and give or something,.

But you get your tithe in that church. And there is so much more we could point to, to support the case that Copeland is clearly a false teacher, that all Christians should completely stay away from. Benny Hinn is similar to Kenneth Copeland in that there's really little doubt concerning Hinn's status as a blatant false teacher.

Like Copeland, Hinn teaches the heretical little God's doctrine. He's a little God walking in a little body.

Even better than that, let's say I am a God man.

Hinn taught an absolutely ridiculous view of the Trinity, probably to try to impress his audience with novel ideas.

If I can shock you, and maybe I should, there's nine of them.

Like Copeland, Hinn is a blatant proponent of the prosperity gospel.

I want to pray with you right now for your financial breakthrough.

Hinn supposedly repented of teaching the prosperity gospel.

The gospel is not for sale. The blessings of God are not for sale, and miracles are not for sale, and prosperity is not for sale.

But he continued teaching it soon after his supposed repentance.

You need to make a vow to God and say, Lord, I want to do such and such for you. Please bring me out of this problem. You will see God move on your behalf real fast.

And of course, Hinn is a charlatan faith healer who meticulously controls who is allowed to come on stage at his crusades.

Linda Tyson and her son Shandes, who were turned away the first night of the crusade, also failed to get in the second night. But they were taken backstage where Benny Hinn briefly laid hands on Shandes and prayed for him.

Shandes' condition has not changed.

There is really little doubt that like Copeland, Hinn is very clearly a false teacher. Bethel and Bill Johnson have been the subject of some interesting debate recently, with some arguing that Johnson is clearly a false teacher, and others arguing that although Johnson teaches a lot of extremely problematic things, calling him a false teacher goes too far.

Bethel, Bill Johnson, and the Kenosis Heresy

Mike affirms Bill Johnson's gospel as sallific. That is, Mike believes that Bill Johnson understands the true gospel to the point where he understands and he is saved.

One strong argument for Johnson being a false teacher is his teaching of the kenosis heresy.

Do you know that Jesus so restricted his function on earth that he actually couldn't heal anyone?

Probably because of this controversy, Johnson attempted to clarify his beliefs concerning kenosis.

So my point is we are called to follow an example. I can't mimic God, but I can follow Jesus who chose to be dependent on the Father.

I still see some very serious problems with what Johnson is saying here, but perhaps some people might be satisfied with his clarification. Johnson has also taught that Jesus needed to be born again.

Did you know that Jesus was born again?

Again, Johnson later attempted to clarify his position.

And I'll say things that sound completely wrong or questionable just to get people to think, and then we process it and iron it out to where it's good.

So it would seem that Johnson's position might not be as bad as we thought, but the fact that he would say something like that just to shock people and make them think does still seem like a significant issue to me.

And of course, Johnson's position concerning healing is of major concern.

Does God ever choose not to heal? No, God chose 2 ,000 years ago to make a purchase.

And Johnson is willing to be called an apostle.

And so run with whatever title, but that's not the point. The point is just is that we have that kind of a respect and a value for one another. And I don't mind calling somebody else apostle or prophet or pastor or whatever.

Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry is supposedly taught by prophets and apostles. So do Bethel and Bill Johnson fall into the category of false teacher? I would argue yes, because his extreme teachings concerning healing and miracles lead him to teach some things about Jesus that are either heretical or border on heretical.

And if you get Jesus wrong in such a fundamental way, there's a strong likelihood that you get the gospel wrong. Do we appreciate people like Mike Winger's critiques of Bethel and Bill Johnson? Yes. Do we disagree concerning just how bad Bethel is?

Also yes. But I think this disagreement is okay. And I still respect Mike as a brother in Christ. Todd White is a pretty interesting case. He preached a sermon expressing repentance. And he certainly said some very, very encouraging things.

Todd White, Repentance, and Remaining Concerns

Because I feel like I haven't preached the whole gospel. And I repent. I repent. There is a day of wrath coming. It's no joke.

But at the same time, White has never repented of being a charlatan who faked leg lengthening healings.

Charlatans and snake oil salesmen have been doing this trick for decades.

It's sleight of hand. So Father, I thank you in Jesus' name. Left leg, I command you grow.

White has never repented of believing himself to be sinless.

When you stand before him. You can actually have the word so strong inside of your heart that you never have to slip. People are like, well, that's false. That's not true.

Well, you're wrong. I live with me. White has taught some atrocious things about Jesus.

Jesus became child molester on a tree.

That is absolutely disgusting. Utterly reprehensible. Disgusting. Blasphemy. Utter and sheer blasphemy. I have never, I don't think I have ever in my life heard anything more disgusting than that.

White praises and endorses Kenneth Copeland.

Kenneth Copeland has taught me so much. So has Todd White a false teacher?

This one is a little trickier because in his repentance sermon, White seemed to believe and affirm the true gospel of Jesus Christ. At the same time, the fact that White has not yet repented of lying and teaching heresy is extremely concerning.

If you like this video, subscribe to help spread the truth. I probably wouldn't put White as clearly in the category of false teacher as the other Christian teachers we've mentioned so far. Since if White now teaches what he talked about in his repentance sermon, people can clearly be saved by this gospel.

But until White actually repents of the things we've mentioned, I would still warn people to stay away from White and learn from Christian teachers without so much baggage. Hillsong is unique in that it has multiple locations and multiple pastors.

Hillsong, Carl Lentz, and Brian Houston

So it's really difficult to say that Hillsong as a whole is a false church. Because it's very likely there are at least some pastors within Hillsong who teach the true, saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, the two most notable pastors within Hillsong were Brian Houston and Carl Lentz, who have both stepped down because of scandals.

ABC News exclusive, the woman allegedly behind the affair that brought down Hillsong Church celebrity pastor Carl Lentz.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has quit the megachurch following an internal investigation revealing inappropriate behavior towards two women.

Houston taught at least some version of the prosperity gospel, although he tried to soften his position by saying that he taught prosperity with a purpose. But Houston's book, You Need More Money, really tells us a lot about Houston's prosperity theology.

If you say, well, I don't need more money, then I would say you have a very poor outlook on life.

Houston did preach a sermon about the seriousness of sin. But in this sermon, he downplayed the seriousness of sin by saying that people already know how sinful they are.

And you hear people say, you don't preach enough about sin. You don't preach enough about repentance. But you know, I actually think what they're saying is, you don't beat people up and you don't have to remind people they're sinners.

They know. Houston and Hillsong partnered with both T .D. Jakes and Bethel's Bill Johnson for its conferences.

So fun to be here. This is like the largest family reunion on the planet.

Carl Lentz works so hard to be approved of by Oprah that he said this.

Do you believe that only Christians can be in relationship with God? No.

And Lentz adamantly refuses to say what the Bible teaches about controversial moral issues like abortion and homosexuality.

So it's not a sin in your church to have an abortion?

That's the kind of conversation we would have, finding out your story, where you're from, what you believe. Yeah, I mean, God's the judge. Because we try to be like Jesus. Very rarely did Jesus ever talk about morality or social issues.

I probably wouldn't put Hillsong in the exact same category as T .D. Jakes and Bill Johnson. But the fact that it partners with them without any warnings of qualifications is an enormous red flag. I'm not sure I would go as far as to call Hillsong as a whole, a false church.

Since I haven't really heard anything that's blatantly heretical, but because of everything we've talked about, like with Todd White, I would still warn people to stay away from Hillsong. Chad Veach, Judah Smith, and Joseph Prince are several more popular megachurch pastors, whom I'll group together, because my conclusions about them are pretty similar.

Chad Veach, Judah Smith, and Joseph Prince

Chad Veach, pastor of Zoe Church, the pastor that Chris Pratt attends, refuses to comment on controversial moral issues, because he says that would drive people away, and Jesus is supposed to be fun, right?

Judah Smith teaches that salvation is about a moment of receptivity.

If you just raise your hand right now at a moment of receptivity and say, I believe, or I receive the forgiveness of Jesus, you are forgiven forever. And I want to say to you, sir, to you, ma 'am, congratulations, and thank you for making the most important decision of your life.

Joseph Prince has a very unbiblical view of repentance.

Repentance, like Joel said, is from the Greek word metanoia, which literally means change your mind. And every time, like Joel or me preaching the Word, without using the word repentance sometimes, but people's minds are being changed all the time, from thinking this way negatively to thinking positively, from depression to having a positive expectation of good.

You know, repentance is going on all the time in Joel's church, in my church, and hopefully in your church as well.

And all three of these pastors are big fans of Joel Osteen. Veach tweeted, best time with at Joel Osteen today. Smith posted on Facebook, it was such an honor to be with the Osteen family this past weekend and to have the opportunity to preach Lakewood Church.

And of course, Prince praised Osteen in that interview clip we just saw. I might not label these three pastors as blatant false teachers, because I simply don't know as much about them as I do about pastors like Joel Osteen and Stephen Furtick.

But their unashamed praise and endorsement of Joel Osteen is an enormous red flag. So I would certainly warn Christians away from their ministries. Creflo Dollar has been known to be one of the worst proponents of the prosperity gospel.

Creflo Dollar and the Prosperity Gospel

Dollar also teaches the heretical little gods doctrine.

You are God, little G. You are God because you came from God and you are God. You're not just human. The only human part about you is this physical body that you live in.

Dollar preached a sermon recently where he supposedly repented of teaching the prosperity gospel.

Throw away every book, every tape and every video I ever did on the subject of tithing, unless it lines up with this.

However, Dollar said that he wouldn't apologize.

I won't apologize because if it wasn't for me going down that route, I would have never ended up where I am right now.

And then later in the sermon, Dollar kind of revealed that he actually still does teach the prosperity gospel.

My bless you. I'm sorry you don't want to receive it. I apologize that you hate the prosperity gospel, but that's still not going to stop his abounding provision.

And of course, Dollar has never repented of teaching heresies like the little gods doctrine. Is Dollar a false teacher? Like with Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn, we would say it's pretty clear that he falls into that category.

John Piper, Justification, and Final Salvation

John Piper has been called a false teacher for some things he has said about justification. In an article titled, Does God really save us by faith alone? The key sentence is this. In final salvation at the last judgment, faith is confirmed by the sanctifying fruit it has borne.

And we are saved through that fruit and that faith. Now let's recognize that the doctrine of justification through faith alone is foundational to the Christian faith. And to get this doctrine fundamentally wrong is a serious, serious error.

Yikes.

Okay. Now, immediately all Piper's defenders are going to start chiming in and getting all upset. Oh, you're just interpreting him in the worst possible light. And, you know, even John Gerstner and others have said that works are necessary for salvation.

Of course, you would need to explain yourself. They are a necessary fruit. They necessarily accompany true faith in Christ, but they are not and do not form any part of the grounds of getting into heaven, which is our justification.

Would I consider John Piper a false teacher? This is, of course, the hardest one out of all the pastors we've listed so far. Piper has taught many, many great things that have undeniably benefited me and countless other Christians.

I really want to give Piper the benefit of the doubt. Although Piper has been quite clear about distinguishing his position from the standard justification through faith alone position.

How do you get into heaven? You don't get into heaven by faith alone. You get justified by faith alone. You get into a position where God is 100 for you by faith alone. And in order to get into heaven, that faith must bear the fruit of love.

Pursue the holiness without which you will not see the Lord. So essential to the Christian life and necessary for final salvation is the killing of sin.

He uses that phrase like, God is 100 for you. But evidently, evidently, from what it sounds like, and he makes it pretty clear, people for whom God is for 100 can still go to hell. So very, very troubling.

So here's where I currently am concerning John Piper. I think his teachings concerning justification are, at best, extremely problematic, and at worst, heretical. I also think we should weigh what Piper teaches about justification against the very true things he has taught about the gospel.

So is John Piper a false teacher? I hope not. Would I tell Christians to stay away from his teachings? I don't think I'm quite there yet. But I would warn Christians to be very careful about some things Piper teaches.

Now, we're not saying that everyone who attends the church of a false teacher is not saved. But what we are saying is that people who are saved through their teachings are saved in spite of their teachings, not because of them.

God is powerful enough to use even the teachings of false Christian teachers to save all of his people.