What Does it Mean That “By​​ 

His Stripes We Are Healed”?

​​ 

​​ Editor: ​​ Jan Lilleby

This article is found on a website, …gotquestions.org, and I found it very interesting because there​​ is a misunderstanding out there regarding this. In Pentecostal/Charismatic circles this is most often taken as a “guarantee” from God, that we as believers can​​ just grab miraculous healing.​​ The brutal punishment and afflictions laid upon Jesus Christ, as​​ He was crucified, are used not only to give us salvation and forgiveness of sins, but also healing from sicknesses!

But as we scrutinize this topic to learn whether this is so, it is revealed to us by the Scriptures that the stripes and sufferings and death of Christ, were not for anyone’s sicknesses and earthly troubles physically, no, it all has to do with our fallen nature and spiritual lacking.

I can add to this article from​​ gotquestions.org​​ that it is proven that the ‘stripes and wounds’ of Jesus were for the sake of the​​ national salvation of Israel. God points to the​​ restoration​​ of the Davidic Kingdom, as we read Paul quoting Isaiah 6 to the Sanhedrin Counsel at Rome, Acts 28:25-28. ​​ It goes,

Ampl. Bible – verse 27, ​​ “For the heart (the understanding, the soul) of this people (Israel) has grown dull (stupid, hardened and calloused), and their ears are heavy and hard of hearing and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they may perceive and have knowledge and become acquainted with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their souls and turn (to Me and be converted),​​ that I may heal them.” ​​ (My emphasizing).

It does not say “that I may heal their sicknesses and diseases” – leaving no other realistic alternative than to understand that God offered to Israel to​​ restore Israel​​ as a nation – the same issue which His disciples brought up, after Jesus’ forty days of teaching on the Kingdom of God (the millennia) as we read Acts 1:6,

“So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is​​ this the time (Jesus spoke of the baptism with the Holy Spirit in v. 5)​​ when You will reestablish the kingdom​​ and restore it to Israel?”

But someone might object still: What then of Jesus’ healing the sick in His earthly ministry? ​​​​ And to – sort of – trying to fill this ‘gap’ they come up with yet another heresy to try to defend the present one regarding ‘healing in Jesus’ stripes’ – they go quoting Hebr. 13:8 on Jesus being the same today as He was in the past, thus He will heal the sick in our time. But​​ I have dealt with that heresy in another article here on my website. Hebr. 13:8 speaks not of Jesus still doing things…healings for instance…but it is regarding His unchangeable everlasting​​ character and person! He​​ IS​​ THE SAME, and it never meant​​ DOES​​ THE​​ SAME.

When checking out what usually​​ comes from Pentecostalism and the Charismatics, we find that Hebr. 13:8 plus quoting Isaiah 53:5 on the stripes of Jesus, are absolute​​ favorite quotations​​ in every campaign they arrange, especially when the topic is miracles/healings! Among the first known evangelists and pastors using these passages, we find T.L. Osborn, A.A. Allen, Oral Roberts, William Branham, and a long, long list of followers up until our time. Several of their historic campaigns can be viewed on YouTube. You can hear them and see them as they kept on in their derailed Bible quoting. Yes, they promoted lies as they took these Bible passages over into a misunderstood sphere…into a ‘dream-scenario’ using it as a magic occult formula.

So, here starts​​ the article of ​​ gotquestions.org:

“Stripes,” (Isaiah 53:5;​​ 1 Peter 2:24) in the language of the King James Version of the Bible, and in some others, means “wounds,” as seen in more modern translations such as the New International Version. These stripes were administered by whipping the bare backs of prisoners whose hands and feet were bound, rendering them helpless. The phrase “by His stripes we are healed” refers to the punishment Jesus Christ suffered—floggings and beatings with fists that were followed by His agonizing death on a cross—to take upon Himself all of the sins of all people who believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The whips used were made of braided leather, with pottery shards and sharp stones affixed to the ends, which tore open the flesh of the prisoner with each cruel swing of the whip. When we picture this terrible, inhumane form of physical punishment we recoil in horror. Yet the physical pain and agony were​​ not all Jesus suffered. He also had to undergo the mental anguish brought on by the wrath of His Father, who punished Him for the sinfulness of mankind—sin carried out in spite of God’s repeated warnings, sin that Jesus willingly took upon Himself. He paid the total price for all of our transgressions.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” In​​ Isaiah 53, Jesus’ future life on earth was foretold in the clearest of terms, to include his eventual torture and death: “But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by​​ His wounds (stripes) we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5;​​ 1 Peter 2:24).

Although these two verses are central to the topic of healing, they are often​​ misunderstood and misapplied. The word “healed” as translated from both Hebrew and Greek, can mean either spiritual or physical healing. However, the contexts of​​ Isaiah 53​​ and​​ 1 Peter 2​​ make it clear that they are referring to spiritual healing, not physical. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The verse is referring to sin and righteousness, not sickness and disease. Therefore, being “healed” in both these verses is speaking of being forgiven and saved, not being physically​​ healed.

Matthew uses​​ Isaiah 53:5​​ and speaks of its fulfillment in the context of Jesus’ healing ministry: “Many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Matthew 8:16–17). Jesus was not actually bearing sin in​​ Matthew 8, but He was bearing some of the​​ consequences​​ of sin; thus, Jesus showed Himself to be the true Messiah prophesied by Isaiah. In healing the multitudes of their physical ailments, Jesus proved​​ His power to also heal them of their spiritual ailments (cf.​​ Mark 2:8–12). Matthew finds in Jesus’ healing miracles a foretaste of Jesus’ atonement for sin: the bearing of the diseases was emblematic of the removal of sin. The ultimate cause of sickness, the sin of the world, would be borne later on the cross, and our ultimate physical healing, with resurrection, will come at the end (1 Corinthians 15:42).

www.gracepano.com

Is Heb. 13:8 On​​ Jesus,

Like, He Does the Same Miracles

And Healings Today?

No, not at all. The passage speaks

Of Jesus regarding His unchangeable, eternal

And Saving character!

JAN LILLEBY

 ​​ ​​​​ Heb. 13:8 has always been one of the main ‘slogans’ that you hear the tele-evangelists shout…in their sermons when trying to convince the viewers that Jesus will perform a miracle to the eventual sick believers watching their TV-​​ broadcasts.​​ 

Oral Roberts used that slogan in his tent-crusades (you can see him on YouTube), as did T.L. Osborn, as did A.A. Allen of ‘Miracle Valley’…yes, just about all Pentecostal camp, not to mention Word of Faith camp (!)​​ use this passage as a slogan to try to have their audiences believe that Jesus performs healing miracles in our time.​​ They are lying about the Lord.

But I have news for you, if you have bought their hoax: Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday – but that is in​​ character,​​ and not in works such as healings and things like that! The passage has nothing to do with what Jesus did in His earthly ministry as such. Miracles and healings for believers are not at all included in Heb. 13:8. But you don’t have to take just my word for it.

Check out what known recommended Bible commentators say,

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Jesus Christ the same . . .—Rather, Jesus Christ is yesterday and to-day the same; yea, also forever. Their earlier guides have passed away (Hebrews 13:7); their Lord and Saviour abides the same for ever. He who is the subject of all Christian teaching is the same, therefore (Hebrews 13:9) “be not carried away​​ by divert teachings.” Thus, this verse stands connected both with what precedes and with what follows. “Yesterday” carries the thought back to the lifetime of the teachers now no more; what the Saviour was to them, that will He be to their survivors. The whole period since He “sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12-13) is covered by this word. What He was “yesterday and to-day” He will be forever. (See​​ Hebrews 1:11-12.)

MacLaren's Expositions

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​  ​​​​ THE  ​​ ​​​​ UNCHANGING CHRIST



How far back does this ‘yesterday’ go? The limit must be found by observing that it is ‘Jesus Christ’ who is spoken of - that is to say, the Incarnate Saviour. That observation disposes of the reference of these words to the past eternity in which the eternal Word of God was what He is to-day. The sameness that is referred to here is neither the sameness of the divine Son from all eternity, nor the sameness of the medium of revelation in both the old and the new dispensations, but the sameness of the human Christ to all generations of His followers. And the epoch referred to in the ‘yesterday’ is defined more closely if we observe the previous context, which speaks of the dying teachers who have had the rule and have passed away. The ‘yesterday’ is the period of these departed teachers; the ‘to-day’ is the period of the writer ​​ and his readers.

But whilst the words of my text are thus narrowly: limited, the attribute, which is predicated of Christ in them, is something more than belongs to manhood, and requires for its foundation the assumption of His deity. He is the unchanging Jesus because He is the divine Son. The text resumes at the end of the Epistle, the solemn words of the first chapter, which referred the declaration of the Psalmist to ‘the Son’ - ‘Thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.’ That Son, changeless and eternal by divine immutability, is Jesus Christ,​​ the incarnate Redeemer.

This text may well be taken as our motto in looking forward, as I suppose we​​ are all of us more or less doing, and trying to forecast the dim outlines of the coming events of this New Year. Whatever may happen, let us hold fast by that confidence, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.’

I. I apply these words, then, as a New-Year’s motto, in two or three different directions, and ask you to consider, first, the unchanging Christ in His relation to our changeful lives.

The one thing of which anticipation may be sure is that nothing continues in one stay. True, ‘that which is to be hath already been’; true, there is ‘nothing new under the sun’; but just as in the physical world the infinite variety of creatures and things is all made Out of a few very simple elements, so, in our lives, out of a comparatively small number of possible incidents, an immense variety of combinations results, with the effect that, while we may be sure of the broad outlines of our future, we are all in the dark as to its particular events, and only know that ceaseless change with characterize it. So all forward looking must have a touch of fear in it, and there is only one thing that will enable us to front the else intolerable certainty of uncertainty, and that is, to fall back upon this thought’ of my text, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day,​​ and forever.’

The one lesson of our changeful lives ought to be for each of us the existence of that which changes not. By the very law of contrast, and by the need of finding sufficient reason for the changes, we are driven from the contemplation of the fleeting to the vision of the permanent. The waves of this stormy sea of life ought to fling us all high and dry on the safe shore. Blessed are they who, in a world of passing phenomena, penetrate to the still centre of rest, and looking over all the vacillations of the things that can be shaken, can turn to the Christ and say, Thou who movest all things art Thyself unmoved; Thou who changest all things, Thyself changest not. As the moon rises slow and silvery, with its broad shield, out of the fluctuations of the ocean, so the one radiant Figure of the all sufficient and immutable Lover and Friend of our souls should rise for us out of the billows of life’s tossing ocean, and come to us across the seal Brother! let the fleeting proclaim to you the permanent; let the world with its revolutions lead you up to the thought of Him who is the same for ever. For that is the only thought on which a man can build, and, building, be at rest.

The yesterday of my text may either be applied to the generations that have passed, and then the ‘to-day’ is our little life; or may be applied to my own yesterday, and then the to-day is this narrow present. In either application the​​ words of my text are full of hope and of joy. In the former they say to us that no time can waste, nor any drawing from the fountain can diminish the all-sufficiency of that divine Christ in whom eighteen centuries have trusted and been ‘lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.’ The yesterday of His grace to past generations: is the prophecy of the future and the law for the present. There is nothing that any past epoch has ever drawn from Him, of courage and confidence, of hope and wisdom, of guidance and strength, of love and consolation, of righteousness and purity, of brave hope and patient endurance, which He does not stand by my side ready to give to me too to-day, ‘As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of Hosts,’ and the old Christ of a thousand years ago is the Christ of to-day, ready to help, to succour, and to make us like Himself.

In the second reference, narrowing the ‘yesterdays’ to our own experiences, the words are full of consolation and of hope. ‘Thou hast been my Help; leave me not, neither forsake me,’ is the prayer that ought to be taught us by every remembrance of what Jesus Christ has been to us. The high-water mark of His possible sweetness does not lie in some irrevocable past moment of our lives. We never have to say that we have found a sufficiency in Him which we never shall find any more. Remember the time in your experience when Jesus Christ was most tender, most near, most sweet, most mysterious, most soul-sufficing for you, and be sure that He stands beside you, ready to renew the ancient blessing and to surpass it in His gift. Man’s love sometimes wearies, Christ’s never; man’s basket may be emptied, Christ’s is fuller after the distribution than it was before. This fountain can never run dry. Not until seven times, but Until seventy times seven - perfection multiplied into perfection, and that again multiplied by perfection once more - is the limit of the inexhaustible mercy of our Lord, and all in which the past has been rich lives in the present. Remember, too, that this same thought which heartens us to front the inevitable changes, also gives dignity, beauty, poetry, to the small prosaic present. ‘Jesus Christ is the same to-day.’ We are always tempted to think that this moment is commonplace and insignificant. Yesterday lies consecrated in memory; to-morrow, radiant in hope; but to-day is poverty- stricken and prose. The sky is farthest away from us right over our heads; behind and in front it seems to touch the earth. But if we will only that all that sparkling lustre and all that more than mortal tenderness of pity and of love with which Jesus Christ has irradiated and sweetened any past is verily here with us amidst the commonplaces and insignificant duties of the dusty to-day, then we need look back to no purple distance, nor forward to any horizon where sky and earth kiss, but feel that here or nowhere, now or never, is Christ the all-sufficient and​​ unchanging Friend. He is faithful.​​ He cannot​​ deny ​​ Himself.

II. So, secondly, I apply these words in another direction. I ask you to think of the relation between the unchanging Christ and the dying helpers.

That is the connection in which the words occur in my text. The writer has been speaking of the subordinate and delegated leaders and rulers in the Church ‘who have spoken the word of God’ and who have passed away, leaving a faith to be followed, and a conversation the end of which is to be considered. And, turning from all these mortal companions, helpers, guides, he bids us think of Him who liveth forever, and forever is the teacher, the companion the home of our hearts, and the goal of our love. All other ties - sweet, tender, infinitely precious, have been or will be broken for you and me. Some of us have to look back upon their snapping; some of us have to look forward. But there is one bond over which the skeleton fingers of Death have no power, and they fumble at that knot in vain. He separates us from all others; blessed be God! he cannot separate us from Christ. ‘I shall lose Thee though I die’; and Thou, Thou diest never.

God’s changeful providence comes into all our lives, and ports dear ones, making their places empty, that Christ Himself may fill the empty places, and, striking away other props, though the tendrils that twine round them bleed with the wrench, in order that the plant may no longer trail along the ground, but twine itself round the Cross and climb to the Christ upon the throne. ‘In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne.’ The true King was manifested when the earthly, shadowy monarch was swept away. And just as, on the face of some great wooded cliff, when the leaves drop, the solemn strength of the everlasting rock gleams out pure, so when our dear ones fall away, Jesus Christ is revealed, ‘the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.’ ‘They tautly were many, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.’ ‘This Man continueth ever.’ He lives, and in Him all loves and companionships live unchanged.​​ 

III. So, further, we apply, in the third place, this thought to the relation between the unchanging Christ and decaying institutions and opinions.

The era in which this Epistle was written was an era of revolution no great that we can scarcely imagine its apparent magnitude. It was close upon the final destruction of the ancient system of Judaism an external institution. The temple was tottering o its fall, the nation was ready to be scattered, and the​​ writer, speaking to Hebrews, to whom that crash seemed to be the passing away of the eternal verities of God, bids them lift their eyes above all the chaos and dust of dissolving institutions and behold the true Eternal, the ever-living Christ. He warns them in the verse that follows nay text not to be carried about with divers and strange doctrines, bat to keep fast to the unchanging Jesus. And so these words may well come to us with lessons of encouragement, and with teaching of duty and steadfastness, in an epoch of much unrest and change - social, theological, ecclesiastical- such as that in which our lot is cast. Man’s systems are the shadows on the hillside. Christ is the everlasting solemn mountain itself, Much in the popular conception and representation of Christianity is in the act of passing. Let it go; Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. We need not fear change within the limits of His Church or of His world. For change there means progress, and the more the human creations and embodiments of Christian truth crumble and disintegrate, the more distinctly does the solemn, single, unique figure of Christ the Same, rise before us. There is nothing in the world’s history to compare with the phenomenon which is presented by the unworn freshness of Jesus Christ after all these centuries. All other men, however burning and shining their light, flicker and die out into extinction, and but for a season can the world rejoice in any of their beams; but this Jesus dominates the ages, and is as fresh to-day, in spite of all that men say, as He was eighteen centuries ago. They toll us He is losing His power; they tell us that mists of oblivion are wrapping Him round, as He moves slowly to the doom which besets Him in common with all the great names of the world. The wish is father to the thought. Christ is not done with yet, nor has the world done with Him, nor is He less available for the necessities of this generation, with its perplexities and difficulties, than He was in the past. His sameness is consistent with an infinite unfolding of new preciousness and new powers, as new generations with new questions arise, and the world seeks for fresh guidance. ‘I write no new commandment unto you’; I preach no new Christ unto you, ‘again, a new commandment I write unto you,’ and every generation will find new impulse, new teaching, new shaping energies, social and individual, ecclesiastical, theological, intellectual, in the old Christ who was crucified for our offences and raised again for our justification, and remains ‘the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.’ IV. Lastly, look at these words in their application to the relation between the unchanging Christ and the eternal life of heaven.

The ‘forever’ of my text is not to be limited to this present life, but it runs on into the remotest future, and summons up before us the grand and boundless prospect of an eternal unfolding and reception of new beauties in the old​​ earthly Christ. For Him the change between the ‘to-day’ of His earthly life and the ‘forever’ of His ascended glory made no change in the tenderness of His heart, the sweetness of His smile, the nearness of His helping hand. The beloved apostle, when he saw Him for the first time after He was ascended, fell at His feet as dead, because the attributes of His nature had become so glorious. But when the old hand, the same hand that had been pierced with the nails on the Cross, though it now held the seven stars, was laid upon him, and the old voice, the same voice that had spoken to him in the upper room, and in feebleness from the Cross,’ though it was now as the ‘sound of many waters,’ said to him, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth and was dead and am alive for ever more’; John learned that the change from the Cross to the throne touched but the circumference of his Master’s Being, and left the whole centre of His love and brotherhood wholly unaffected.​​ 

Nor will the change for us, from earth to the close communion of the heavens, bring us into contact with a changed Christ. It will be but like the experience of a man starting from the outermost verge of the solar system, where that giant, planet welters, away out in the darkness and the cold, and travelling inwards ever nearer and nearer to the central light, the warmth becoming more fervent, the radiance becoming more wondrous, as he draws closer and closer to the greatness which he divined when he was far away, and which he knows better when he is beside it. It will be the same Christ, the Mediator, the Revealer in heaven, whom we here dimly saw and knew to be the Sun of our souls through the clouds​​ and mists of earth.

That radiant and eternal sameness will consist with continual variety, and an endless streaming forth of new lustres and new powers. But through all the growing proximity and illumination of the heavens He will be the same Jesus that we knew upon earth; still the Friend and the Lover of our souls. So, dear friends, if you and I have Him for our very own, then we do not need to fear change, for change will be progress; nor loss, for loss will be gain; nor the storm of life, which will drive us to His breast; nor the solitude of death, for our Shepherd will be with us there. He will be ‘the same forever’; though we shall know Him more deeply; even as we shall be the same, though ‘changed from glory into glory.’​​ If we have Him, we may be sure, on earth, of a ‘to-morrow,’ which ‘shall be as this day, and much more abundant.’ If we have Him, we may be sure of a heaven in which the sunny hours of its unending day will be filled with fruition and ever new glories from the old Christ who, for earth and heaven, is ‘the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.’

So far the commentaries of Ellicott and Mac Laren. ​​ There are many other fine commentators also, but none of these connects Heb. 13:8 to Jesus as one Who performs healing miracles for us today.

Jesus is simply​​ not one Who does​​ the same today as He did yesterday.

For instance, take His role as a sacrificial Lamb of God, letting Himself be trampled upon and spit upon and beaten by ungodly men. He does not have any such role today folks! He is no longer in any suffering – on the contrary, He sits now at His Father’s right hand in the heavens up above, in splendor, might and glory.

Col. 2:15-19 ​​ Ampl. –

“When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.

16​​ -Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard to [the observance of] a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 17​​ -Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ. 18​​ -Let no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] by insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about visions [he claims] he has seen [to justify his authority], puffed up [in conceit] by his unspiritual mind, 19​​ -and not holding fast to the head [of the body, Jesus Christ], from whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth [that can come only] from God.”

Why did not Paul tell the Colossians that Christ performed healing miracles to the believers in their day, since he obviously was writing of the greatness of Christ’s divine status and heavenly rule? ​​ Isn’t miracles and healings for His believers today a great enough issue, since after all, Paul wrote of Christ’s​​ greatness and superiority, not His earthly sufferings?

Note also the MacLaren-comments above: How far back may​​ yesterday​​ go? If it goes way back into when Israel wandered in​​ the desert, Paul wrote of Christ as One Who​​ was with them, He was the ‘Rock’ upon which Moses struck his staff and have water flow out!​​ MacLaren takes Jesus further back in time: Into the eternity before He came to earth born by virgin Mary. So,​​ yesterday​​ is actually not a reference to His earthly ministry at all, it refers to His eternal existence before He came to earth. ​​ Paul’s exhortation in Col. 1:17 read, Ampl. -

“And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together)”.

Think about it.

Ephesians and Colossians​​ are the only epistles which contains the Doctrine of Faith for this Church dispensation. ​​ All others are written in the Acts period, and concerned only​​ Israel’s hope of the promised millennial kingdom.​​ The two epistles are the only writings in N.T. promising the believers a heavenly salvation with Christ in glory in heaven (Col. 3:1-4). But all other writings teach​​ salvation for​​ Israel’s Messianic believers​​ in the promised earthly kingdom, and Jesus as King in Jerusalem (Dan. 2:44; Luke​​ 1:31-33).

But as we find Paul’s post-Acts epistles, we no longer learn of miracles and healings, no Holy Communion, no confession of sin, no laying on of hands, no exorcisms,​​ no tongues or interpretation of these, no prophetic gifts or the gifts of Wisdom, and the Word of Knowledge. It just isn’t there – but you find most of it in the epistles​​ written in the time period of Acts.​​ 

Those TV-evangelists offering ‘miracles and healings’ – and what not, to try to make their viewers send their money to them, are entirely wrong in their assertion of Heb. 13:8 as a passage which tells of Jesus as one Who will perform miracles and healings for the believers of our time. They are lying, and they are using cynically such miracle-promises to try to have their viewers donate as much money to them as possible.​​ 

There is a saying out there, ​​ ‘In Europe the Gospel was made a religion, but in the USA the Gospel became a business’. ​​ This is unfortunately pretty close to the truth!

Hillsong Mega-Church Has

Same Heretical Roots​​ as Azusa Revival

From an article on ​​​​ www.disntr.com ​​ - ​​ “The Dangerous Cult of Hillsong”

Maybe some of you readers have asked yourself why I have not

mentioned this​​ odd​​ branch of the Word Faith Movement, so –

here it is…but its not written by me though.

Editor: ​​ Jan Lilleby

 ​​ ​​​​ Hillsong is a charismatic Church that teaches the continuation of the apostolic sign gifts.​​ 

These include things such as prophesying, speaking in tongues, and healing. While the regular manifestation of these particular practices at Hillsong is insignificant, one teaching that comes out of Hillsong is extremely dangerous — the prosperity gospel.

Hillsong is one of the premier promulgators of this popular false gospel. Al Mohler of the Southern Baptist Convention​​ labeled Hillsong​​ as​​ “a prosperity movement for the millennials,” which has “[minimized] of the actual content of the Gospel.” Hillsong’s seductive doctrine comes out in every sermon and much of its music. While not all of its music rises to the level of heresy, much of it places its emphasis on carnal ideas of man. One song, What A Beautiful Name it Is, teaches that the reason God saves sinners is that “He didn’t want Heaven without us.”​​ Cameron Buettell of Grace to You​​ writes,

That’s a nice sentiment, but it’s not remotely biblical. In fact, it’s doctrinal​​ malpractice​​ by people who should know better.

In reality, they don’t know better. This is the doctrine of Hillsong — it is all about man becoming like God. In fact, one of the main tenets of prosperity theology is “little-god” theology​​ which teaches​​ that we, as “little gods,” have the kind of power that God has to create by speaking things into existence. Brian Houston’s teaching on this comes out clearly in his two books,​​ Live Love Lead​​ and​​ There Is More: When the World Says You Can’t, God Says You Can.

But the most dangerous aspect of Hillsong and their cultish operations are their mass appeal to the carnal desires of the flesh. Jesus said,​​ 

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 15:18-19

This is a huge problem. The reason the world hates the Church is that the Church stands as a witness to both the current and the coming wrath and judgment of God upon sin. The world loves sin and rebels against God, but the true Church loves God and loves the truth. Hillsong Church does not gather a massive following from the world because they preach the true, unadulterated gospel. They may give lip-service to the Scriptures and Jesus, but it is largely used as a means to benefit the carnal needs and desires of their selves. God is used as a means to provide temporal relief from afflictions in this life instead of a means to lay down one’s life to glorify God. And it plays on one of the most seductive tools of Satan to distract people from God — entertainment.

The Hillsong cult attracts people through entertainment and keeps them there by their addiction. They have it down to an exact science. They know what sells and they know what keeps customers. Whether it be their watered-down music, their​​ nuanced affirmation of homosexuals, that they​​ hold Roman Catholic masses, that they produce​​ sleazy renditions of Silent Night​​ during Christmas or​​ pose a nearly naked man on stage​​ at a women’s conference, that they​​ defend abortion​​ and​​ complain about the death penalty, or that​​ celebrities love them because​​ they “don’t teach that book with Moses and stuff,” one thing is for sure, they know what the world opposed to God likes.

So Hillsong Church is a dangerous cult that follows the personality of its leader, Brian Houston. If your church uses their music for worship, even if the lyrics in the songs they use are doctrinally sound, there is a great danger of leading people astray and you may be placing young men and women at risk. Hillsong​​ should be avoided by Bible-believing Christians and pastors should not be feeding their flock to these wolves.

EDITOR’S COMMENTS:

Since I am operating here in Norway, let me just inform you that in Norway the​​ Hillsong cult​​ is mainly represented by the well-known ‘Word of Faith’-type church called​​ Oslo Kristne Senter, which has pastor Åge Åleskjær and his sons as leaders. Pastor Åleskjær once attended the infamous Rhema Bible Church seminars and is​​ thus a ‘disciple’ of​​ Kenneth Hagin Sr.​​ – the lying super-heretic and the father of the ‘Word of Faith’ movement.

The internet has tons of critical material exposing the Hillsong cult, for you who may want to know more details of this Australian ‘Word of Faith’ branch.

Pentecostalism:

Stolen from Jewry!

JAN LILLEBY

 ​​ ​​​​ Incredible as it may look, the whole idea which the Pentecostal movement rests​​ their beliefs on​​ is​​ stolen goods​​ originally​​ given to Jewry exclusively.

The ridiculous fabrication of a​​ ‘new Pentecostal feast’​​ to appear, 1874​​ years since the one mentioned in Acts 2,​​ (28 AD)​​ was performed by a bunch of spiritual hobos, street-preachers – or​​ perhaps​​ more likely: Ignorant​​ unlearned​​ spiritual Hillbillies!​​ These Hillbillies announced in their little revival paper (The Apostolic Faith) proudly in 1906:​​ “Pentecost Has Come”.​​ Their hinting to what happened in Acts 2 in 28 AD as The Holy Spirit fell on those gathered in the ‘Upper Room’- making them burst out in tongues and seen with flamed fire-tongues sitting on top of each one of them.​​ 

Check the​​ article on Azusa Street revival​​ here on my site, in which you will find hair-raising​​ details told, of sheer​​ lunacy and demonic utterances (false tongues) and odd animal-like behavior propagated in Azusa street meetings as​​ something coming from The Holy Spirit of God.​​ 

This article is a follow-up of the one mentioned, which was written by K.B. Napier. ​​ Just to make an additional point: The Pentecost Feast in the Bible, was given by God EXCLUSIVELY for His own segregated elect nation, Israel, to keep. It was called “The Feast of the Weeks” – it was a​​ sabbatical​​ week (7 weeks) and added by one day, thus making a total of fifty days from the 14th of Nisan – the Passover - ​​ and it is from that number 50 (days) we get​​ Pente, which is​​ Greek for fifty.

Such was​​ the command​​ of that Feast​​ God gave Israel through Moses’ ministry,

“Lev. 23:15,16 – Amplified ​​ - ​​ And you shall count from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering,​​ seven Sabbaths;​​ (seven full weeks) shall they be. ​​ 16: Count​​ fifty days​​ to​​ the​​ day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a cereal offering of new grain​​ to the Lord.”

Following verses 15 and 16, we read on through verses 17 – 21 where we find offerings of new grain, 7 lambs, one young bull, two he-goats, and several other ordinances included in the Pentecost celebration.

So, actually, the Jewish people, and in Israel’s land at large, followed these ordinances. It was done each year in same manner.

Only, at​​ that​​ particular Pentecost in 28 AD, Acts 2, there was an obstacle to this tradition of offerings: The temple had been altered severely: The​​ thick curtain separating the Most Holy​​ (The Holy of Holies)​​ in there had been torn! ​​ It could not entirely be used as a full closing curtain…in other words: There was​​ no possibility for performing offerings in the temple by their High Priest shift.

But God had seen to it​​ that He had a flock of​​ new covenant priests​​ who took over that ministry: The apostles of Christ!

So instead of appearing in His power (behind that temple curtain) at a regular offering service in the temple, He appeared to His​​ new priest shift, the ones gathered in that ‘Upper Room’.​​ There had been made a totally new unheard of offering: Christ had died on the cross​​ for all sin​​ – forever, and thus ended the regular temple offerings​​ (in the eyes of God)​​ as we know them from the Law of Moses.

And​​ what an entrance the Lord made -​​ we read of a rushing loud sound of a stormy weather, audible to not only those assembled, but also to all by-standers outside of their facilities, followed by the said flaming tongues of fire sitting on each one of them, and finally – they​​ all​​ started to speak aloud in tongues (different​​ genuine national​​ languages) so that all the​​ Jewish​​ visitors from the provinces could hear the message in their native tongue!

Acts 2:1-6 cannot be misunderstood,

“And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place. 2:​​ When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. 3: And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. 4:​​ And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues),​​ as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression (in each tongue in appropriate words). ​​ 5: Now there were then residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout and God-fearing men from​​ every country under heaven. 6: And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together and they were astonished and bewildered, because each one heard them (the apostles) speaking in his own (particular) dialect.”

Like an investigating police detective just having arrived​​ a​​ crime scene, I ask ‘What have we got here?’

What we have got here is told already in the Bible texts:

One​​ – all the apostles were assembled there. Note: Not any​​ gentile peoples! As a matter of fact – as opposed to the Azusa-revival – only Jews were there. And not just any Jew, but the​​ elected apostles of Christ, plus a flock of believers who held to them, the​​ early Messianic Assembly​​ at Jerusalem. They participated in​​ the regular yearly Feast of the Weeks, Pentecost, thus obeying the Law of Moses.​​ Only Jews/Israelites are obliged to observe and keep the Law of Moses, while we​​ (the present Church, the Body of Christ) are NOT a body of Christ believers who must keep the Law; for to us in this dispensation the​​ entire Law with its ordinances are fully ABOLISHED and thus out of function (Eph. 2:14, 15). Thus we know for sure that it is​​ not​​ the birthday of the Church we witness in Acts 2, but the Messianic believers in Jesus Christ, who at the time of Acts were a minority inside Jewry.​​ These were the very same type of assembly which Paul called for ‘The Israel of God’ (Gal.​​ 6:16). They never represented the Church dispensation, - not for a second!

Two​​ – three​​ super-naturally manifestations​​ of God’s presence hit the place: An enormous sound-effect likened with a stormy weather; a super-natural yet visible kind of fire, as flaming tongues, sat on each one of the people present in that ‘Upper Room’; and finally, they all suddenly started to speak existing real national languages/dialects (of God’s mighty works, Acts 2:11).​​ None of these signs and utterances was present in the Azusa-revival. There never was any arrival of a new Pentecost era, like the first one seen in Acts 2! ​​ It was and it is still a hoax, a​​ fabricated spiritual monster, and not the genuine God-sent Holy Spirit. The ‘tongues’ of Pentecostalism in​​ our time are absolutely false, - men’s own inventions and​​ soulish theatrical​​ fantasies. The same is to say about all the other things propagated by the Pentecostal camp. Healings, prophecy, Exorcism, and other spiritual gifts are not those same kinds we see with the apostles. It is all fake and fabricated by man. Having​​ real​​ miracles and healings was​​ only for such believers as we find at that time:​​ Jews and Israelites, who were observing the Law of Moses, and who also was being offered the New Covenant presented them (Heb. 9:15), and who also were offered to have the​​ earthly millennial​​ Kingdom of God​​ established in Israel the same moment the whole nation repented and was baptized. Then Jesus would return from heaven. Gentiles never had the Law of Moses to keep (Rom. 2:14) – but, says Paul, they had the​​ Law of their conscience. It is quite a different thing.

Only such believers,​​ who had this​​ described​​ situation and spiritual status, could lawfully participate in the Feast of the Weeks, Pentecost, and no Gentiles. Gentiles mentioned in Acts were only accepted as proselytes, and not free independent Christ believers.

Three​​ – It says in Acts 2:5 whom the listeners were, those who heard the tongues spoken to them by the apostles: It was NO GENTILE THERE, only​​ Jews​​ devout and God-fearing men from every country under heaven.

None of those believers present at Azusa-revival had any of these features. God NEVER ever sent them any ‘New Pentecost’ – like they have been lying about for over a century now.​​ 

The present audiences in​​ that infamous Azusa-revival were​​ a wild mixture of Gentiles from the USA, mostly from Los Angeles and the districts. Some was already Christian believers, but it​​ was​​ reported of witches, sooth-Sayers,​​ Spiritistical​​ occult​​ oriented​​ mediums,​​ and they managed to influence what was going on in those meetings.​​ Charles Parham, one of the leading preachers involved in the revival, gave up on it and quit, protesting to the entire calamity and started to go up against it as something​​ which had the devil​​ behind it. The audience was as far away from real Christian practices and beliefs as one could possibly get. The​​ atmosphere​​ obviously attracted not many Christians, but a lot​​ of lewd and gloomy persons​​ already involved in occultism and White Magic.

Four​​ – Acts 2 reports of a sound of​​ stormy wind blasting through the house, and followed immediately by visible tongues of flames sitting upon each of them. None of these signs ever happened in Azusa-revival. So, consequently, Azusa was never​​ a revelation from God with a ‘New Pentecost’ happening. It would have to include all three features: The sounding of a storm wind, the appearance of tongues of fire, and the utterance of tongues as each one spoke a​​ real genuine national language​​ which was understood by the listeners.

Five​​ – A very important condition for being able to experience this first ‘Holy Spirit’ Pentecost seen in Acts 2, was the fact that Jesus Christ had opened their​​ minds and full understanding of the Word of God. There never were just regular every-day-believers there. They had a​​ super-natural gift​​ given them prior to Pentecost: They had ability to understand the entire Word of God. They did not get that gift​​ after​​ Pentecost. They got it right after Christ appeared to them right after His resurrection.​​ But regardless of whether only the apostles had their minds opened by Christ, or all the believers present there….the most important condition for being present at Pentecost in Acts 2, was that there were ALL 12 APOSTLES​​ OF CHRIST. ​​ At Azusa-revival there was​​ NO ONE – NOT ONE SINGLE APOSTLE OF CHRIST present. Paul was the very last appointed apostle in Bible History. There is​​ no​​ Bible Word on the apostles establishing any​​ new generation of apostles to follow them. ​​​​ It stopped with these thirteen apostles!

Luke 24:45,

“Then He (thoroughly) opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

This is often forgotten when considering what happened to the apostles at Pentecost. They were all​​ prepared​​ for what was going to take place.

Judging from all there is to read of that Azusa-revival regarding who was there and what took place, I can safely declare that it seem rather the opposite way: They had​​ not the least clue​​ of what the Scriptures say in the matter! They seem to have been a bunch of ignorant spiritual Hillbillies. It is totally wild all of it.

www.gracepano.com

JAN LILLEBY

 ​​​​ The scenario displayed here is not that of a baseball match in Super Bowl, as the finale is about to start up.

It is just the assembly hall of Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas.​​ Seating an audience of​​ ​​ 16 800 people.

The association or​​ the​​ resemblance to a​​ baseball arena​​ is not just an imagination, for it once was the home of the team “Houston Rockets”.​​ Lakewood Church bought the facility and had it expanded and refurbished into a huge mega-church meeting auditorium, like we see today ​​ in 2022.

Up front at the stage we see​​ the back of​​ Pastor Joel Osteen, the heir of John Osteen​​ who passed away in January 23rd​​ 1999.

The mega church experience about 45 000 audiences each week, and they are broadcasting their sermons in TV medias around the world, reaching around 10​​ mill viewers.​​ 

Lakewood Church is the largest mega-church in America. ​​ What their ranking may be in the whole world, I have no idea.

Enough of these background descriptions – but I would just make sure you would have some knowledge of this.

Since Pastor Osteen is shown already at the platform/stage here about to start a sermon – I would like to throw in a little greeting from Osteen which I just ‘zizzored’ off his website yesterday – and he calls​​ this little article​​ “Do You Love Yourself?”​​ – dated Oct 07, 2022:

Do You Love Yourself?

By​​ Joel Osteen​​ - Oct 07, 2022​​ 

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When Jesus says to us, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Mark 12:31), He's saying that you can't love others if you don't first love yourself. That tells us that the most important relationship you have is the relationship with yourself. Too many people don't like who they are. They focus on their faults and weaknesses. They relive their mistakes and failures. They wish they were taller, had a better personality, and looked like their cousin instead of accepting themselves as made in the image of God. Then they wonder why they're not happy and why they don't have good relationships. It's because they don't like themselves. If you don't get along with you, you're not going to get along with other people.​​ 

God has given us different personalities, different gifts, different temperaments. Sometimes we're fighting who we are, trying to be like someone else. You have to accept who God has made you to be. Sure, there are areas in which we can improve and grow, but there are certain things that are who we are. I am naturally quiet and reserved, laid back, easy-going. When my father went to be with the Lord, I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church. But I had never ministered, didn't have the training, and didn't feel qualified. However, I could deal with those things. What I struggled with was that my father was dynamic, forceful, and had such a strong personality. I thought, "I don't have my father's strengths. I can't minister like him." When we compare and think we have to be like someone else, we can feel shortchanged, as though we're at a disadvantage, not as talented as others.​​ 

When I was tempted to feel inferior, I had to do what I'm telling you to do. Tune all that out and use the gifts God has given you. I discovered that my personality, my talents, my strengths, and my temperament are right for my assignment, and you will as well. God has given you what you need to fulfill your destiny. If you needed a different personality, He would have given you one. If you needed different gifts, different strengths, different looks, different parents, it would have happened. Quit comparing and run your race.​​ 

You have to be comfortable in your own skin. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made.​​ God calls you His masterpiece. Walk in your anointing, be confident with your gifts, let your personality shine. There's not another person in this world like you. The enemy would love for you to go through life trying to be an imitation, copying someone else that you think is more attractive, more gifted, more successful. No, be you. Nobody can do you like you can do you.​​ 

(End of Joel Osteen’s article)

‘OH – SO YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER ONE OF ALL THOSE CRITICS?’

This may be the very first thoughts that come to mind with Osteen’s followers/church members. I don’t say it is, I just make a fair guess.

My intentions with writing this article may not at all be because I love to ‘criticize’ other preachers.​​ But if I am given an opportunity I shall gladly try to direct and point things out which may be of help to a fellow believer in Christ. That is what I hope for always. But we must keep the Bible as the authority here, none the less.

You have just read above, not my sayings, but Pastor Joel Osteen’s. I have not yet come up with anything at all.

Well, I admit to have put a title on the image of Osteen’s auditorium above, saying that he actually is an heir after his father, John Osteen who died way back in 1999. Thus he may have inherited not only his ministry, but also his father’s teachings/beliefs and religious standing, whether these were right or wrong if compared to the Bible.

It is well known among American Christianity that John Osteen was considered a pastor who taught questionable doctrines, often such ones that differed from normal Bible doctrine.

He embraced the ‘Word of Faith’ teachings from Rhema Bible Church, Tulsa. And he adopted most all of pastor Kenneth Hagin Sr.‘s​​ heretical teachings. Joel Osteen also went to Rhema to study – and was ‘induced’ with the same kind of heretical and unbiblical teachings as his father.

It may even be true that John Osteen was an heretical teacher – but I believe that Joel Osteen then seem to be one also, only, he is like his father –​​ added a Turbo charger!

John Osteen even as a​​ heretic, he managed to put Jesus in there one way or another. You would hear Jesus’ name​​ mentioned​​ in his sermons, wouldn’t you?

But the more we check on Joel Osteen, it drips in…every now and then…a Jesus, just to be sure to sound ‘Biblical’.

It is enough just to notice what you just read in his article above. He twists and turns Jesus’ words into something it is not:

“When Jesus says to us, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31), He’s saying that you can’t love others if you don’t first love yourself.”

This is obvious nonsense – and it goes two ways.

Osteen assumes in this quotation of Mark 12:31, that many a​​ believer does​​ not loving himself, so we have to get on with ‘loving ourselves’ so we can be fit to show other people love.

“That tells us that the most important relationship you have is the​​ relationship with yourself”, says Joel Osteen.

This is totally out of it. He has no clue as to how we must read the Bible!

This is a form of ‘Slavery under the Law’ – you have to get into a better mindset so you can manage to show love to your neighbor. ​​ This is rubbish.

Jesu talked of​​ showing your faith​​ by acting in gentleness and love when you eventually had some unspoken with a neighbor. If a certain man, even in a state of mind of blaming himself over something he did wrong a few days ago, and he is angry with himself for that, - still, he would of course have no problem with meeting his neighbor – for instance, the neighbor comes home with a heavy load of lumber material to repair his garage walls – and go and help him unloading his Pick Up truck for the heavy materials. “Hey Buddy, need a hand here? ​​ Let me help you get this load off​​ the truck. Oh thanks Joel, I am so happy you can lend me a hand. You saved​​ my day,​​ because both my sons are away, and my wife cannot handle heavy loads.​​ -​​ No problem Buddy, we neighbors are here for one another, aren’t we?”

The helpful, but​​ self-blaming angry neighbor, just shook off his dark thoughts and went to show his neighbor some regular love in the form of a​​ helping hand​​ with a truck load of lumber! ​​ What is the big problem?

THE GREATEST PROBLEM FOR JOEL OSTEEN IS

NOT A HOST OF ANGRY CRITICS – BUT HIS OWN

LACK OF MAKING RIGHT DIVISION OF THE WORD OF GOD

 ​​​​ By the way, did you know that in the Acts-period it was a demand​​ of the Lord​​ that the believing Messianic Jews had to show​​ works​​ to attest their faith before God and man? But no such thing when the dispensation​​ (Greek: Oikonomia)​​ of the Church came along in 62-63 AD as Paul established the free Grace Gospel with faith alone, no works, it is a Gift of God, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8, 9).​​ Before Paul in Rome 62-63 AD, it was no Grace Gospel to all the world, but there was a​​ Kingdom-Gospel preached to Israel only. That of the millennial rule​​ of Jesus on David’s throne on Zion​​ (Acts 3). The free Grace Gospel did not come before God revealed this to His only apostle to us Gentiles, as described and declared by Paul in Eph. 3:1-9. It was a​​ hidden mystery in God​​ not earlier revealed to humankind, until Paul got it!​​ 

When thus Joel Osteen sets forth his preaching/teaching from the mega-church at Lakewood – he comes into​​ great error and misunderstanding of the Scriptures.​​ His tortured mind will be messed up​​ by heretical teachings he received as a young apprentice under his father, plus what he was filled with when studying at Rhema under the Hagin’s heretic teachings.​​ I can only feel compassion with Joel Osteen, imagining the hardships of all that doctrinal misery he has been filled with – things totally out of line when compared to true Bible words.​​ But still, he cannot blame all of it on his father, or the heretical teachings of Rhema Bible Church which is the originator of the Prosperity gospel/Word of Faith falsehood we have today. He should have gotten himself into the Bible so much as to make him able to separate the different dispensations of God.

It is unfortunate, but it is true. John Osteen, his father, as well as Joel Osteen, not to mention those reckless believers in​​ ‘Word of Faith’​​ movement like ​​ Rhema Bible Church and the like, have been into total darkness in regard to making​​ right division of the Bible​​ - ​​​​ and not separated between the Kingdom-Ministry in Acts period, with the​​ new and​​ free Grace Gospel ministry Post-Acts.​​ 

The preaching of the prophesied Millennial Messianic kingdom in Israel was a total different ‘Gospel’ than that of Paul’s free Grace Gospel which was revealed to him right after the fall of Israel as seen in Acts 28:25-28. This was the​​ point of no return for national Israel, and the decision came by the Sanhedrin of the eleven Synagogues at Rome, which Paul confronted – and they would not repent to Jesus so God could heal the land (see Acts 28:27 – Isa. 6 warning).​​ The former Kingdom-Gospel of Acts-period was the one which had all these miracle-promises​​ attached to it. Jesus sent them out to offer to Israel that Messianic kingdom, and had miracle signs following them (Mark 16:20). But these signs were NEVER EVER promised to the Church dispensation!​​ 

There isn’t one single trace of ‘Mark 16’ in Ephesians and Colossians, the only epistles ever given to the Church dispensation. In the two only​​ valid Bible Scriptures​​ for us, we find​​ nothing of any water baptism, holy communion, confession of sins, laying on of hands for healing the sick, exorcism, prophecy, tongues, …the works.​​ 

No preaching of the Second Advent…and why? Because Jesus is NOT COMING for the Church, but He is coming down to Israel to establish the Millennial Kingdom. Us going up to heaven, is not something which can be combined with His coming down. We shall be​​ “..appearing with Christ in glory in heaven..”​​ Col. 3:1-4 ​​ - ​​ We are waiting for the ​​​​ “Day of redemption” – Eph. 4:30. ​​ Not the day of rapture.​​ The latter was only for the Messianic saints in Acts period – but has now been cancelled due to the destruction of Israel.

From the​​ moment​​ of Israel’s fall and​​ on, Paul’s prophecy was declared, and it has even now been fulfilled,

Acts 28:28: ​​ “So let it be understood by you then, that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen to it!” ​​ (Understood: They will accept it and​​ believe​​ it).

Jesus did​​ not​​ have a ministry to us Gentiles, it is one hundred percent certain, He said so Himself,

“I am only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” ​​ - Matt. 15:24.

Paul also taught the same: “Christ became a Minister to the circumcised in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming the promises​​ to our fathers.” ​​ Rom. 15:8.

Back to Osteen’s​​ article for a few more concerned comments:

He is making a big issue of things regarding​​ our lives on earth. Where is the teaching of Paul on us having our minds set for THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN…?  ​​ ​​​​ 

Osteen seem to be busy with​​ only​​ earthly matters, success in life, in marriage, in business, in studying, in all things earthly. That is not our Gospel no matter how we twist and turn it…

Let me zizzor in here from one of Joel Osteen’s books in that regard. Book is​​ “Become a better you: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day”​​ –​​ 

“One of the best ways that we can improve our self-image is with our words.  Words are like seeds.  They have creative power.  It says in Isaiah that “We will eat the fruit of our words.”  That’s amazing when you stop to consider that truth: Our words tend to produce what we’re saying…Every day we should make positive declarations over our lives.  We should say things such as, “I am blessed.  I am prosperous. I am healthy.  I am talented. I am creative.  I am wise.”  When we do that, we are building up our self-image.  As those words permeate your heart and mind, and especially your subconscious mind, eventually they will begin to change the way you see yourself.  The Scripture says “With our tongue, we can either bless our life or we can curse our life.”  Some individuals curse their own future by saying things such as “I don’t have what it takes.  I’m so clumsy I can’t get anything right.  I’m so undisciplined. I’ll probably never lose this weight.”  We must be extremely careful what we allow out of our mouth.  Our words set the direction for our lives.​​ [1]​​ “

OSTEEN IS ENCOURAGING CHISTIANS TO LIE ABOUT THEMSELVES

What Osteen is saying in his book, is..for instance if you are sick…you should go on saying:​​ I am well! ​​ I am good to go!​​ Thus he is making a host of​​ Christian liars​​ – they​​ are told to say lies which do​​ not​​ line up with​​ reality.​​ He should rather be told to go see a doctor, than to go lying of his health, saying he is well when he is sick. ​​ 

Or, if a person is – let’s say poor, he’s broke and out of funds – Osteen is telling him to go around saying​​ I’m blessed!​​ I’m prosperous!​​ Osteen is constantly telling his readers/audiences to​​ go​​ around​​ lying to others​​ of their real situation. Osteen is actually telling non-talented people (such ones do actually exist!) to go saying​​ I’m talented!​​ Or non-creative people (they actually do exist!) to go around saying​​ I’m creative!​​ Or the real clowny thing which would be, telling a foolish, stupid person (such ones do exist whether you believe or not – Osteen is one of them!) to go around saying​​ I’m wise! I’m smart! I’m successful! ​​​​ It is the​​ lowest of all things low, to go on like Osteen is, actually encouraging people to lie of their real situation or mindset. He want you to think that if you come up with such​​ confessional lying tricks like this, it will lead you to get​​ what you are saying in those lies. Can you think of any more stupid and​​ immoral influences​​ like these? ​​ Just read Osteen’s own words one more time…it’s all there. He encourages people to go around lying about their lives. It is totally opposite of what a Christian should ever do.

All things​​ earthly and thus in a sphere of carnal things, not of things which are in heaven.

Paul is contrasting this strongly,

“Col. 3:1-4,  ​​​​ If​​ then you have been raised with Christ (to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead), aim at and seek the (rich, eternal treasures) that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ​​ 2- And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. 3-​​ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4- When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”  ​​ ​​​​ AMP. Bible.

Paul is here entirely heaven-bent. He never was like Osteen, who is earth-bent.​​ Who teaches people to tell lies about themselves, like the excerpt quoted above from his book.

Paul was so heaven-bent that he says​​ of us saints: FOR YOU HAVE DIED and your life are​​ hidden with Christ in God!

What’s the use​​ of that heretical mumbo-jumbo …​​ ‘you must love yourself before you can love your neighbor?’ ​​​​ If we are believers, then we have cut off all earthly things and tangs and what not. We are the body of Christ – we are not patients with a Phycologist or other mind-benders so they could perhaps help us becoming “Better persons” – or to use Osteen’s terminology: Become a better you!​​ Trying to become a better you, is hopelessly in vain. We have​​ now by faith already been raised with Christ to a new life! Can’t you read the Bible? ​​ We don’t need that crap “Trying to become a better you” served by Osteen and his fellow falsehoods.​​ 

Joel Osteen – sprawling around in his 10 mill. Mansion​​ of 17 000 Sq.ft, and​​ him​​ having a net worth of around 100 mill, he have never ever gone around saying:​​ I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am talented. I am creative. I am wise​​ to finally achieve all this. ​​​​ His nonsense of telling people to go​​ and declare this to themselves​​ so the words will​​ create that which are spoken,​​ is to have people trying to be as God. God is the only One Who can speak things into existence. But you see, folks, that hypocrite Joel Osteen like to have you believe​​ that he came to his wealth​​ and position because he fought his way from the bottom and up, by making “Positive Confessions”, saying positive words​​ which would create that which can be seen with him today. ​​ That is why I put that title onto the photo of the auditorium – saying​​ “Joel Osteen’s Inherited Kingdom”. ​​ He did not get where he is today​​ without first having been son​​ of John Osteen​​ and his wife, and later on inherit the Gospel-Kingdom Lakewood enterprise and the money to go with it.​​ 

This enterprise is, like all other Gospel-Kingdoms in America, based mainly upon the money support coming from their gullible unsuspecting donors.

Joel Osteen could very well use a slogan, like, -​​ “You poor working class people and retirees -​​ give your money to me so that I can become a rich TV Evangelist – lying to you as a thanks for all the money – and make you falsely believe that you can just go on with “Positive Confession” and prosperity declarations, to make you as rich and successful as I!”

You read my quote from his book above. He is a superstitious pagan​​ believer who goes outside of Bible Scripture – thus lying to his readers, saying lies like​​ “Words are like seeds: They have creative power”.​​ IMAGE: He smiles constantly, as he serves his cheap lies to his audiences.

Well, Paul cannot have taught this, and he never mentioned​​ such nonsense. You find nothing of what we​​ should or should not​​ say – in the quote of Col. 3:1-4 – but he tells of our standing with Christ and to set our minds (not our words!) on the heavenly things above!

Joel Osteen​​ should​​ cast away that dirty and false “Word​​ of Faith” prosperity gospel he learnt from his​​ father and from other ancestors in the faith. And get hold of the pure un-adultered free Grace Gospel of God, given us through the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.

Eph. 4:30,

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed​​ for the day of redemption.”

www.gracepano.com

The Real Heretical Teachings of Kenneth Hagin

BY SANDY SIMPSON

Zizzored from​​ www.letusreason.org

Editor: ​​ Jan Lilleby

Mr. Kenneth Hagin​​ is well known to be one of, or the main influences of the word faith movement of our day. He claims he received revelation that he taught to the Church.​​ 

Mr. Hagin says he was born premature, plagued by numerous health problems as a child, suffering from a​​ deformed heart​​ and what was believed to be an incurable blood disease he was not expected to live and became bedridden. Until he became a Christian at age 15, when he died and descended into hell.​​ 

In his booklet,​​ I Went to​​ Hell, he wrote that his heart stopped and he ‘‘was pulled ​​ toward hell just like a magnet pulls metal unto itself.​​ ’’​​ 

This took place in April 1933 during a dramatic​​ conversion​​ experience, he reported dying three times in 10 minutes. He felt himself slip out of his body and descend into a terrible darkness, seeing the horrors of hell and then returning to life. Each time he heard a commanding voice from above, and felt himself pulled back into his room and into his body.​​ 

On the third time, he called out to God to forgive him and to cleanse him of all sin. He said he ‘‘​​ began to pray, ‘O God! I come to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask You to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all sin.’ ... So I was born again ... and I’ve been saved ever since.​​ ’’ That's quite a prayer from a non Christian at 15.He also says he was raised from his deathbed on August 8, 1934 by​​ "the revelation of faith in God's Word"​​ (Kenneth Hagin,​​ I Went to Hell​​ and​​ What Faith Is).​​ 

Mr. Hagin was apparently born again in hell, thus we can understand his doctrinal teaching on Jesus being born again in hell. But Hagin remained paralyzed.​​ 

Apparently his new birth affected his memory (claiming his healing occurred on Tuesday of the "second week" of August 1934, or August 7, which was not the same date given as the "second Tuesday" that month [August 14). Hagin gives various dates, such as "6 days before my 17th birthday [August 20, 1934," which would be August 14, the "second Tuesday of August 1934": (Kenneth E. Hagin, El Shaddai [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1980, 24-25.)​​ 

Regardless of the different dates, Hagin claims he was healed of his "deformed heart," "paralysis," and "incurable blood disease."​​ I believe God. I believe I receive healing for the deformed heart. I believe I receive healing for the paralysis...." (How to Write Your Own Ticket With God)​​  In case he missed something, he declared his "​​ healing from the top of my head to the soles of my feet"​​ on August 7, 1934,​​ so that "every symptom of distress, deficiency and physical wrongness was driven out of my body," perpetually​​ .​​ 

Yet on May 1939: he states ". . .​​ I attended a Full Gospel convention .... As I sat in the service, I began to have sharp pains around my heart. It seemed to quiver and stop. It even felt as if my breath were being cut off​​ " (Hagin, Right and Wrong Thinking 20-21).​​ 

It was not a healing that he kept, as these symptoms of a bad heart continued “​​ I remember many years ago after I was healed, physical symptoms came back .... The devil said to me, '. . . You're going to die... !' . . . I laid my Bible on the floor and literally stood on it . . .​​ ." (Kenneth E. Hagin, "God's Best," Word of Faith [December 1992, 5c).​​ 

It seems William Branham said the very same on hell prior,​​ “When I saw the vision of hell, as a--as a little boy, the horrors of it. … (63-1124E, Three Kinds Of Believers, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN)

Kenneth E. Hagin states he began his ministry in 1934 at the age of 17 in Texas when he raised from his deathbed on August of 1934 by a revelation of "faith in God's Word" after reading​​ Mark​​ 11:23-24.​​ 

http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=137​​ 

He was Born in 1917 (he says he was 15 in 1933) which does make this an issue, since he was just converted and knows next to nothing about the Lord.​​ 

Hagin had received a vision containing the Scripture passage Mark 11:23-24. It was because of this vision, and the supporting Scripture passage, that he built his theology on the “Faith Principle” “​​ believe it in your heart, say it with your mouth, and you will have whatsoever you confess.”​​ 

This inaccuracy of Scripture continued. He later developed this into what is known as speaking faith, positive confessions…"​​ Jesus used the fig tree to demonstrate that He had that God-kind of faith, then He said to the disciples--and to us--'You have that kind of faith.'...Jesus said He had the God-kind of faith; He encouraged His disciples to exercise that kind of faith; and He said that 'whosoever' could do it. . . . That is why Jesus said, 'whosoever shall say ... and shall not doubt IN HIS HEART.'" (Having Faith in Your Faith [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1988], 3, emphasis in original.)​​ 

Do we see any apostle’s example of doing this?  If not then it must mean something other than the way he interpreted it.

For twelve years he pastored, and then traveled as an evangelist. In 1936, he founded his first non-denominational church. Bill Sherman - World Religion.​​ "The Hagins' ministry."​​ Tulsa World​​ . He preached his first sermon as the pastor of a small, community Baptist church in Roland, Texas.​​ ChristianityToday.com. In1937, he became an Assemblies of God minister.​​ 

Kenneth married Oretha Rooker on November 25, 1938, had two children, Kenneth Wayne Hagin Jr. (September 3, 1939), and Patricia Harrison Hagin (on March 27, 1941). Patricia married and later became the widow of the late Doyle Buddy Harrison, the owner and publisher of Harrison House, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.​​ 

He was ordained a minister of the Assemblies of God in 1967 (North Texas District Council).  In 1963, the Kenneth E. Hagin Evangelistic Association was incorporated. He then began his radio ministry and other media promotions (It continues today by his son, Rev. Kenneth Hagin Jr.)​​ 

The ministry was moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1966 into the office that was formerly occupied by T. L. Osborn, a Branham enthusiast. (Ibid.)  In 1974, he founded Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Okla., which now operates in numerous countries (at least 110) and has many thousands of alumni. Rhema churches are a great influence to many in teaching his false Christianity.​​ 

Hagin's most successful protegè is Kenneth Copeland, Christianity’s first billionaire braggart. Copeland has been quoted as saying that he​​ 'learned nothing' during six months at Oral Roberts University but was so excited by Hagin's teachings that...[he] spent the next month in his garage listening to them.​​ ”(Charles Farah, "A Critical Analysis: The 'Roots and Fruits' of Faith-Formula Theology," PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Spring 1981, 15)​​ 

There are so many others, Charles Capps, Frederick K.C. Price, Robert Tilton, David Yonggi Cho, Rodney Browne etc. Many of them are graduates of Hagin's RHEMA Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.​​ 

"Charles Capps gives a the testimony "Brother Hagin was the greatest influence of my life.​​ Kenneth Copeland credits Hagin's tapes with having revolutionized his ministry. McConnell, Kenyon Connection, p. 11.​​ 

Frederick K.C. Price says: "Kenneth Hagin has had the greatest influence upon my life of any living man ... his books ... revolutionized and changed my life. (Taped interviews on file at the Holy Spirit Research Center, Oral Roberts University cited in D.R McConnell)​​ 

Others, like Joseph Prince praise Hagin. Anyone who can attach themselves to Hagin needs to be avoided as a teacher, for they show they have no discernment and cannot separate the  truth from error.

You can sum up Kenneth Hagin’s philosophy of ministry by this teaching: "​​ I'm tired of hearing that religious jargon that we're tired and lonely; we're the meekest and the lowliest...​​ Believe in God! Believe in yourself! There never was a person who succeeded in life who didn't believe he could do it. You may argue, "But I don't want to be egotistical..." That's a lie the devil concocted to cause people not to succeed. Somebody's always talking about being humble. There are some people who are so humble they are proud of their humility! Religious people will tell you "Don't every get conceited..." but the devil tried to rob people through false modesty too...​​ God can't do anything on this earth without a man or woman who will do it for Him​​ ...it's God's plan of action; therefore we need to begin to​​ believe in ourselves​​ ."​​ ("How to Make the Dream God gave you Come True" Faith Library Publications: 1981) underline mine.​​ 

That is exactly what the devil wants us to be, self-sufficient, not Christ sufficient, our confidence is to be in the Lord alone. This statement of his is the very opposite of what Scripture says, not to trust in oneself. This is no different than having faith in faith, faith in oneself. We are not to believe in ourselves, along with God. To say God cannot do ANYTHING without a person is just plain ridiculous, the whole Bible speaks of his sovereignty over all. Yet this is the basis for being a god with the same powers and authority like Jesus. (in the second section he tells a story of what he could do that Jesus could not)

His heresies of Jesus and humanity​​ 

"​​ Of course Jesus stands in a class by himself, personally as deity. But when it comes to ministry, Jesus does not stand in a class by Himself. . . Even though Jesus was the Son of God, and divine blood flowed through His veins, yet He​​ was ministering on the earth as a human being - a prophet anointed with the Holy Spirit “(Hagin, Kenneth, Hear and Be Healed, ps. 8,13-14)​​ 

This is where we find in the movement  from Bill Johnson he teaches we can do all that Jesus did.

E. W. Kenyon "​​ Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth." (E.W. Kenyon, The Father and His Family, 100)​​ 

this diminished the uniqueness of the incarnation of God becoming man through a virgin.​​ 

Copying E. W. Kenyon Hagin said, "​​ Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth." (the Incarnation Kenneth Hagin, p. 12).​​ 

Does being born again make us an incarnation of God in the flesh? From this basis he made other claims of what Christians can do just like Jesus.​​ 

Hagin specifically stated "We (the church) are Christ." (As Christ is -- So are we, Tape #44H06)​​ 

Where does the Bible teach this? It says we are his body, the physical expression of his nature in us, not the Messiah himself. There is only one messiah and we are not him. This diminishes the uniqueness of the Christ being the savior of sinful man.

He said, "​​ If we ever wake up and realize who we are, we'll start doing the work that we're supposed to do. Because​​ the church hasn't realized yet that they are Christ. That's who they are. They are Christ."​​ 

Are we God who came from heaven? That's what Jesus is. The Lord Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh, the eternal Son of God. That is what defines the incarnation. Apparently he did not understand the incarnation which is associated with the gospel, or he did not believe it.​​ 

Kenneth Hagin also taught "[Man]​​ was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God's presence without any consciousness of inferiority... God made us as much like Himself as possible...​​ He made us the same class of being that He is Himself... Man lived in the realm of God. He lived on terms equal with God..​​ ." (Zoe: The God‑Kind of Life, 1989, 35‑36, 41)​​ 

While man could stand in God’s presence, he knew God was his creator. It is only when he believed the devils lie that he thought of himself to be like God. Hagin continually turned the difference of the creature (man ) upside down with the creator (God) giving them the same nature.​​ 

"Even many in the great body of Full Gospel people do not know that the new birth is a real incarnation....Jesus was first divine, and then He was human. So He was in the flesh a divine-human being. I was first human, and so were you, but I was born of God, and so I became a human-divine being​​ (Kenneth Hagin . Hagin, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, Tulsa, OK. Faith Library, 1981, p40.)

Here he introduces man as divine from the new birth, we are gods.​​ 

Kenneth Hagin says​​ “God made the earth … giving Adam dominion over all the works of His hands. In other words,​​ Adam was the god of this world.​​ ” (The Believer’s Authority,​​ 2d ed. [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1991], 19).​​ 

If he said ruler that may be acceptable, but god; no. There is only one God, all others are false gods.

Mans dominion was specifically over the creatures on the earth, he was never called a god. Gen. 1:28 ‘​​ subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."​​ 

This was taken away when man was ousted from the garden after he sinned by eating the fruit, believing he would be as God. Hagin​​ "Man is a spirit who possesses a soul and lives in a body....,​​ He is in the same class with God." (Man of Three Dimensions; Tulsa: Faith Library, 1973)​​ 

No, God is uncreated, therefore he is not in the same class as man who is created by the uncreated.​​ 

As Adam sinned and was separate from God so was Jesus

Kenneth E. Hagin: "God came down in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden to commune and fellowship with him [Adam]. as he had in the past. And he couldn't find him. He called out to him, 'Adam, where art thou?' And he said, 'I hid myself.' Why? Because of sin. Because, first, sin separates you from God. Secondly, by sinning, by listening to the Devil, he took upon himself the nature of the Devil into his spirit being."​​ ("How Jesus Obtained His Name" [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, n.d.], audiotape #44H01, side 2.)​​ 

He says that Jesus did the same but at the same time denied he taught this, "Why did He (Jesus) need to be begotten, or born? Because He became like we were:​​ separated from God. Because He tasted spiritual death for every man....Jesus was the first person that was ever born again." K. Hagin, How Jesus Obtained His Name, Tulsa: Rhema, audiotape #44H01.

 “Jesus died as our substitute. He who knew no sin was made to be sin. He took upon himself our sin nature. And he died- he was separated and cut off from God. He went down into the prison house of suffering in our place. He was there for three days and nights.” (Made Alive” the word of faith 15 apr.1982

The Gospel heresy​​ 

“He [Jesus] tasted spiritual death for every man. And His spirit and inner men went to hell in my place. Can’t you see that?​​ Physical death wouldn’t remove your sins. He’s tasted death for every man. He’s talking about tasting spiritual death.”​​ (Kenneth​​ Hagin, “How Jesus Obtained His Name.”) underline mine​​ 

This is said to support the doctrine that he agreed with from E.W. Kenyon and W. M. Branham, both teaching that Jesus went to hell to suffer there to complete the gospel.​​ 

Mimicking Branham Hagin states, "Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price. No the punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God ... Satan and all the demons of hell thought that they had him bound, and they threw a net over Jesus and they dragged Him down to the very pit of hell itself to serve our sentence."​​ 

This further explained by Hagin​​ “If Jesus' physical death could pay the penalty for Sin as some contend, then why is it necessary that a Christian die? If a Christian dies physically, does he not pay the penalty of his own ,sin? If physical death is the penalty for sin, then why do not the whole human race pay their own penalty, and save themselves, for all die? But we hold that the physical death of Jesus did not touch the sin issue at all."​​ (quoted in A Different Gospel, D.R. McConnell, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988), 23, 28 note 23)​​ 

This is a full denial of Jesus mission in becoming man. He is questioning Gods Word by his fallen human reasoning. The Word explicitly teaches he became man for his physical death – that his blood would be shed, “​​ Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.​​ A principle of sacrifice that was taught from the beginning of when man sinned. “​​ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…”​​ (Eph. 1:7)​​ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins​​ ”​​ (Col. 1:14). (further scriptures on this important issue are Rom. 3:24-25 we are bought with his blood 1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pt. 1:18-19).​​ 

The new covenant is enacted by his blood (Heb. 9:2, 26), from the death of the body. Heb. 9:15: “​​ Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death” this denial of the core teaching of Christ DYING for sin (for his spirit cannot die, he was God) is denied.​​ 

Hagin taught Jesus suffered in hell for 3 days. Today all the faith teachers repeat this demonic interpretation.​​ 

Kenneth Hagin “​​ Jesus died as our substitute. He who knew no sin was made to be sin. He took upon himself our sin nature. And he died- he was separated and cut off from God.​​ He went down into the prison house of suffering in our place. He was there for three days and nights​​ .​​ ” (Made Alive” the word of faith Apr.15, 1982)​​ 

This states the cross was not the place of victory as the Bible declares, nor a finishing of the atonement for the new covenant, instead it was continuation in hell​​ 

This suffering in hell has become the standard gospel in the word faith movement. This is what Kenyon taught, this is what Branham taught.​​ 

E. W. Kenyon, “​​ Satan took Jesus spirit with him down to the pit of hell where Jesus during three terrible days and nights suffered the tortures of hell.”​​ (Lie, E. W. Kenyon, 43)​​ 

William Branham likewise said this long before Hagin,​​ “He died a sinner, knowing no sin, yet our sin was on Him. And God, for His sins, sent Him to hell.”​​ (53-0609A, Demonology, Religious Realm, Roberts Park Amphitheater, Connersville, IN)​​ 

William Branham said​​ “And when He died, His soul went to hell, because it had the sins of the world upon it. And He was in hell three days.”​​ (59-1124, Balm In Gilead, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose, Ca)​​ 

The born again Jesus​​ 

Hagin’s full quote states​​ “Well, Jesus tasted death, spiritual death for every man. See sin is more than a physical act, it's a spiritual act. And so He became what we were, that we might become what he is. Praise God! And so therefore, his spirit was separated from God. Why did he need to be begotten or born? Because he became um we were, separated from God. Because he tasted spiritual death for every men, and his spirit and. inner man went to Hell in my place. Can' t you see that PHYSICAL DEATH WOULDN’T REMOVE YOUR SINS. He's tasted death for every man. We're talking about tasting spiritual​​ death.​​ Jesus is the first person that was ever born again. Why did His spirit need to be born again? Because it was estranged from God.​​ (How Jesus obtained his name tape # 44HO1 side 1)​​ 

Clearly he does not understand the nature of Jesus being a man and being God in Spirit. His Spirit was God, God does not need to be reborn spiritually, if that’s true we are all in trouble. Thankfully it is not!​​ 

Here we have the teaching of humans becoming god[s]. All this and more was taught by his experiences, his visitations of Jesus and angels and hearing from what he thought was the Spirit.​​ 

The Numerous Visitations of Jesus and angels to Kenneth Hagin

Kenneth Hagin had numerous stories of personal visions of Jesus. In fact, He had more visitations than any apostle in the New Testament. Not since the early Gnostics that were enemies of Christ who came into the church, do we hear of so many supernatural stories. He said he later received the spiritual gifts of healing, prophecy, and discerning of spirits. ​​ 

“Some of us', like Paul. stand in more than one office.  Often well weave in and out of these offices.  Thank God 1 had the anointing to preach and then the anointing to teach.  I spoke in tongues and prophesied,, but 1 never stood in the office of the prophet until 1952.  I know exactly when 1 entered into the ministry of the prophet. (Kenneth Hagin,, Understanding the Anointing (Faith Library, 1985), p. 65)

Like prophet Branham ,his contemporary, he had many stories of Jesus visiting him. He not only went to heaven but hell a number of times (No apostle went to hell). We can trace all the lying stories of others today to these teachers of the Latter Rain, i.e. Kenneth Hagin.​​ 

Mr. Hagin claims that Jesus appeared to him in 1950 and gave him a special anointing to minister to the sick. Hagin says that if individuals, churches and pastors do not accept his message they will pay the ultimate price​​ "The Lord said to me, 'If I give you a message for an individual, a church, or a pastor and they don't accept it, you will not be responsible. They will be responsible.​​ There will be ministers who don't accept it and will fall dead in the pulpit​​ .'"​​ (I Believe)​​ 

This is a counterfeit punishment of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit under Peters leadership. To make his personal message like this is not​​ from the Lord but of self promotion. He thought he could convince people of his importance by using this scripture.​​ 

Are we to believe Jesus showed up not once, but several times to Mr. Hagin when he came to Saul only once (and did not give him a special anointing)! Paul who wrote that he was the last of all to see Jesus on earth… so Paul is wrong? If that is what you think you should understand that you are wrong.​​ 

Mr. Hagin tells us that Jesus appeared to him in Phoenix, Arizona and revealed the keys for people to get from God what they want. (How to Write Your Own Ticket With God, Kenneth Hagin; (Rhema Bible Church) p. 1-5. "​​ Jesus dictated to me during my vision, 'Your action defeats or puts you over. According to your action you receive or you are kept from receiving.'" "Jesus said to me, 'Tell it so others may believe'​​ This is near identical to William Branham saying such things who came before him.​​ 

Hagin is notorious for receiving “visions” which gave guidance to his ministry. One of his frequently recounted visions recalls a time when he and Jesus were talking together and were confronted by a “demon monkey.” In the vision, Jesus was unable to control the monkey, but​​ 

This story may be his best one​​ 

“In 1952, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me in a vision and​​ talked to me for about an hour and a half about the devil, demons, and demon possession​​ . At the end of that vision, an evil spirit that looked like a little monkey or elf ran between Jesus and me and spread something like a smoke screen or dark cloud. Then this demon began jumping up and down, crying in a shrill voice, “Yakety-yak, yakety-yak, yakety-yak.” I couldn’t see Jesus or understand what He was saying.​​ …​​ I couldn’t understand why Jesus allowed the demon to make such a racket. I wondered why Jesus didn’t rebuke the demon so I could hear what He was saying. I waited a few moments, but Jesus didn’t take any action against the demon. Jesus was still talking, but I couldn’t understand a word He was saying—and I needed to, because He was giving instructions concerning the devil, demons, and how to exercise authority.​​ 

I thought to myself, Doesn’t the Lord know I’m not hearing what He wanted me to? I need to hear that. I’m missing it! I almost panicked. I became so desperate I cried out, “In the Name of Jesus, you foul spirit, I command you to stop!” The minute I said that, the little demon hit the floor like a sack of salt, and the black cloud disappeared. The demon lay there trembling, whimpering, and whining like a whipped pup. He wouldn’t look at me. “Not only shut up, but get out of here in Jesus’ Name!” I commanded. He ran off. …I was thinking, Why didn’t​​ He do something about that? Why did He permit it? Jesus looked at me and said, “​​ If you hadn’t done something about that, I couldn’t have.”​​ 

That came as a real shock to me—it astounded me. I replied, “Lord, I know I didn’t hear You right! You said You wouldn’t, didn’t You?” He replied, “No, if you hadn’t done something about that, I couldn’t have.”​​ I went through this four times with Him. He was emphatic about it, saying, “No, I didn’t say I would not, I said I could not.”​​ I said, “Now, dear Lord, I just can’t accept that. I never heard or preached anything like that in my life!” I told the Lord I didn’t care how many times I saw Him in visions—​​ He would have to prove this to me by at least three Scriptures out of the New Testament​​ …. Jesus smiled sweetly and said He would give me four. I said, “I’ve read through the New Testament 150 times, and many portions of it more than that. If that is in there, I don’t know it!”​​ 

Jesus later states, “​​ Here are your four witnesses. I am the first, James is the second, Peter is the third, and Paul is the fourth. This establishes the fact that the believer has authority on earth, for I have delegated my authority over the devil to you on the earth. If you don’t do anything about it, nothing will be done.”​​ 

Jesus keeps talking when he knows he can’t hear him? Hagin has Jesus sit and talk for 1 1’2 hours when we find that whenever Jesus spoke to the apostles after his ascension it was brief … and he did not appear to anyone after Paul was chosen.​​ 

Here face to face is Jesus, who is God, and he is telling him to prove what he is saying to him --What? Jesus who is called the truth is being questioned! Not trusted, but doubting like​​ Thomas. Where is his respect? He may have read the New Testament 150 times but apparently neither he nor his Jesus taught him correctly. To teach Jesus does not have the power to do something but Hagin (and all of us) do. Does Scripture not say he was given all authority (we were not). He rebukes the demon because Jesus did not have this ability! Is there any teaching like this on Jesus? I find this conversation more than difficult to believe. Does Jesus speak like this? Go ahead and believe Hagin and you let Hagin make a monkey out of you.​​ 

In his book,​​ Hagin sees a vision of Jesus, and says to Him,​​ "Dear Lord, I have two sermons I preach concerning the woman who touched Your clothes and was healed when You were on earth. I received both of these sermons by inspiration”​​ Later, Hagin quotes what Jesus told him in reply: "You are correct. My​​ Spirit, the Holy Spirit, has endeavored to get another sermon into your spirit, but you have failed to pick it up. While I am here, I will do as you ask. I​​ will give you that sermon out-line. Now get your pencil and paper and write it down."​​ 

Again the Jesus Hagin presents is hardly the same as the one in Scripture. This is presented as Scripture, to write it down. The alternative is reading a fairy tale.​​ 

Hagin recounts a face-to-face meeting with Jesus.​​ 

“I was conscious of the fact that I still lay flat on my face on the floor, and for a few minutes I remained there, feeling the glory of this miraculous visitation. Again I heard a voice say, ‘Come up hither.’ And this time the voice said, ‘Come up hither; come up to the throne of God.’​​ I saw Jesus standing again​​ about where the top of the tent should be, and I went to Him through the air. When I reached Him, together we continued on to Heaven. We came to the throne of God, and I beheld it in all its splendor. The first thing that attracted my attention was the rainbow about the throne. It was very beautiful. The second thing I noticed was the winged creatures on either side of the throne. They were peculiar looking creatures, and as I walked up with Jesus, these creatures stood with wings out­stretched…​​ I started to look at the One who sat upon the throne. Jesus told me not to look upon His face​​ . I could see only a form of a Being seated upon the throne. Then for the first time I actually looked into the eyes of Jesus. Many times when relating this experience I am asked, ‘What did His eyes look like?’ All I can say is that they looked like wells of living love. It seemed as if one could see a half-mile deep into them, and the tender look of love is indescribable. As I looked into His face and into His eyes, I fell at His feet. I noticed then that His feet were bare, and I laid the palms of my hands on the top of His feet and laid my forehead on the backs of my hands. Weeping, I said, ‘Oh Lord, no one as unworthy as I should look upon Your face.’ Jesus said that I should stand upright on my feet. I stood up. He called me worthy to look upon His face, for He had called me and cleansed me from all sin.”​​ (“Come Up to the Throne of God,” January 2002, magazine)​​ 

There is quite a number of contradiction[s]​​ I saw Jesus… I walked up with Jesus, …But did not see his face?​​ I started to look at the One who sat upon the throne.​​ Jesus told me not to look upon His face. I could see only a form of a Being seated upon the throne. Then for the first time I actually looked into the eyes of Jesus.”​​ 

What mass of confusion. I can tell you from Scripture that when John saw him in heaven his eyes were not liquid love, but writes​​ His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”​​ 

Rv. 1:17​​ when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid;​​ There is the difference​​ of one who knew​​ Jesus personally on earth and​​ sees him in heaven, for even Paul was not allowed to speak what he saw, only John.​​ 

Hagin states​​ he​​ cleansed me from all sin.​​ I thought all his sins were cleansed when he was born again in hell, oh well who can remember all the details of these many supernatural encounters (Branham certainly could not either). Jesus left the throne and is walking with him to him being on the throne? He saw Jesus, but did not see his face? Then looks into the eyes of Jesus. Again the apostle John who wrote about heaven under the direction of the Lord had a very different reaction seeing Jesus. Hagin makes himself equal with John the apostle. But to the Latter Rain story tellers who are modern Gnostics this does not matter.​​ 

Hagin has a vision and stated “​​ I saw a horseman riding at full speed toward me. He held a scroll of paper high in his left hand.​​ 

It was written in the first person and was just like Jesus Himself speaking. He said, “​​ America is receiving her last call. Some nations have already received their last call and will never receive another. THE TIME OF THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND,” was repeated at least four or five times.​​ He said also that this was the last great revival.”​​ 

I am speaking and giving America her last warning and call to repentance and the time that is left is comparable to the last seven days of Noah’s time….​​ He said again, “​​ This is the last revival and I am preparing my people for My coming. Judgment is coming but I will call my people away even unto myself before the worst shall come. (A Vision of the End – Kenneth E. Hagin Sept. 2 1950)​​ 

What I find incompatible are the people who believe Branham, believe Hagin that are producing today's revivals, yet they don’t believe what Jesus said to either of these men.​​ 

Just like William Branham,​​ “And the revival is over, and America has turned down her opportunity​​ ." …"And there won't be no more.​​ " (56-0408 Visions And Prophecy)​​ 

Branham said​​ “I believe it's received its last revival…”​​ (64-0830E, Questions And Answers #4, Branham Tabernacle)​​ 

“​​ The revival is over, across the nation. There ain't going to be no more revivals, big sweeping revivals; this nation never receive it​​ ."​​ (65-0822M, Christ Is Revealed In His Own Word)​​ 

Branham said “​​ The revival is over. America had her last chance in 1957.”​​ (The Message to the Laodicean Church Age p.29)​​ 

That’s 60 years ago when the so called prophet said no more.​​ 

But all the modern Latter Rain promoters claim a great revival is coming or​​ is already here. For example in Rodney Browne’s booklet “the Coming​​ Revival” it says​​ “The Last revival has Begun.”​​ That’s 25 years​​ ago..​​ 

As Paul Cain copied Branham with a personal angel, so did Hagin. Kenneth​​ Hagin claimed to have a personal angel revealed to him and had eight​​ personal visitations of Jesus.In 1958​​ "the Lord Jesus suddenly appeared" before him, with an angel standing​​ three feet behind Him. In I Believe in Visions he reveals, "He [Jesus]​​ said, 'This is your angel.' 'My angel?" I asked. 'Yes, your angel, and​​ if you will respond to him, he will appear to you as I will at times;​​ and he will give you guidance and direction concerning the things of​​ life...​​ '" (Kenneth Hagin, I Believe in Visions, 1984, p. 93).​​ 

Jesus taught Hagin that his angels could be commanded by Hagin and us to do our bidding. Hagin said Christ told him in 1963 that the angels were waiting for his command to provide his material desires​​ : “They are waiting on you to give them the order, just as the waitress cannot do anything for you until you give her the order” (​​ Hagin, I Believe in Visions, p. 126).​​ 

We now can understand where the modern signs and wonders movement gets its doctrine on superiority and control of angels. The Bible says God sends the angels to minister to, not we send them to work for us. Nowhere are we told nor seen an example of a ‘revealed personal angel’ over a believer. Israel was given a personal angel over them as a nation (Michael). Not individuals anywhere in Scripture.​​ 

Eight times Jesus appeared to Hagin, Kenneth Hagin described Jesus as “​​ 5'11" tall and weighing about 180 pounds: “​​ as I looked to see who it was, I saw Jesus ... I saw Him. He had on a white robe. He wore roman sandals ... He seemed to be about 5 feet 11 inches tall. He looked to weigh about 180 pounds.​​ ” (How You Can Be Led by the Spirit of God [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1978] 29–30).

Contrary to Hagin, Branham said Jesus was a short man (W.M. Branham 55-0117.) But all these mens descriptions are different just like their detail of heaven are different. That is because they did not go there.​​ 

Another story, Hagin tells us Jesus sat down by his bedside, and talked with him for about 30 minutes. During that time, Jesus is said to have taught Hagin how to be led by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.​​ 

If the resurrected, glorified Christ left the right side of the Father in heaven to visit Hagin, it would be to correct him, but alas that is not possible since he receives only revelation from his Jesus. Today we have so many others mimicking the same type of embellished stories of going to heaven and him coming from heaven. Hagin is the main influence of their lying experiences.​​ 

Kenyon, Branham, Bosworth

Kenneth Hagin was influenced by Branham, in the book “Ministry of a Prophet” (Faith library publications Tulsa Ok. 1979 p.8). Kenneth Hagin called William Branham a prophet.​​ 

Branham was mutual friends with Hagin. When he met Hagin for the first time he said of him,​​ 

“​​ This morning I was at the Assemblies of God church for the morning meeting, where we had a lovely service. I was listening at the evangelist there. I can’t think of the man’s name. Hagin, Brother Hagin. Very reliable teacher, Pastor, a lovely man, they were very sorry they was having a revival during the time of our campaign, but they’ve had it staged for about a year. And they had to go ahead, through with it. So it was perfectly all right. But we want to show them our love, that we love them. We’re not divided in this work of the Lord. We’re all together, one body are we, moving on. And every morning, at ten till eleven o’clock, they having services there in the …Brother Hagin, this morning is teaching on Divine healing, which had a marvelous message. I sure appreciate it. My first time ever getting to shake hands with the brother, but a mighty fine man​​ .”​​ (​​ W. Branham, Sermon: Glorified Jesus, February 25, 1955​​ )​​ 

If Branham approved of him, you know God did not.​​ 

Hagin was also a part of the Voice of Healing Revival in the U.S. in the late 40’s and 50’s together with Oral Roberts, Gordon Lindsay and T. L. Osborn. He was also influenced by the teachings of F. F. Bosworth, the famous healing evangelist of the 1920’s who participated in the post-World War II revival as a member of the Branham team.​​ 

In 1924, Bosworth published his first edition of​​ Christ the Healer​​ , sermons on the topic of faith healing. Bosworth's 1930's booklet "The Christian Confession",​​ was condensed into a chapter of the 1948 edition of "Christ the Healer." At the end of the chapter titled, “Our Confession,” Bosworth wrote: “​​ Most of the thoughts expressed in this sermon I have brought together, by permission, from the writings of Rev. E. W. Kenyon​​ .”​​ 

Bosworth recommended Kenyon's books, Bosworth had several articles appear in of Kenyon’s​​ Herald of Life​​ publication between 1949 and 1964.​​ 

It was E. W. Kenyon who taught on the power of words and the gospel that added Jesus suffering in hell to finish redemption. Both Branham and Hagin agreed and used his writings.​​ 

So it is understandable for him to use Kenyon’s teachings. But word for word and taking credit for the heresy? That’s not a good thing any which way it is looked at.​​ 

EX: Kenyon​​ “He was no less God than He was before He took the physical body...Man, at death, leaves his physical body and is no less man than he was when he had his ... body.”​​ (The Hidden Man [Seattle: Kenyon's Gospel Publishing Society, 1970],p. 40; Two Kinds of Faith, p. 3)​​ 

Hagin:​​ He was no less God than when He didn't have a body. Man, at physical death, leaves his body. Yet he is no less man than he was when he had his body​​ . (Man of Three Dimensions Tulsa: Faith Library, 1973)​​ 

Hagin insists: "​​ Kenyon's influence on my ministry has been minute. Only his teachings on the name of Jesus have much to do with my theology. I absolutely deny any metaphysical influences from Kenyon, I teach not Christian Science, but Christian sense."​​ ("The Faith of Kenneth Hagin," Charisma and Christian Faith, 15:11, 6/90, 68)​​ 

There is no question that Hagin lifted portions of E. W. Kenyon’s teachings, yet being a contemporary with Branham we find striking similarities with him as well. Before there was Hagin there was Branham. These topics he taught were covered by Branham for over 20 years.​​ 

All of E. W. Kenyon’s books were available for Branham to read. Jesus the Healer (1940); Identification: A Romance in Redemption (1941); The Two Kinds of Faith (1942); New Creation Realities (1945); What Happened: From the Cross to the Throne (1945); The Hidden Man: The New Self: An Unveiling of the Unconscious Mind (1951)​​ 

Anyone who looks into this will find​​ what Hagin is saying is not true. In fact one may find the Branham influence just as solid as Kenyon’s.​​ 

Hagin said his theology came from special revelation, often Jesus coming to visit. Yet we find that he plagiarized his teachings from the writings of E.W. Kenyon, a metaphysical Bible teacher and author who died in 1948, and William Branham who died in 1965.​​ 

William Branham has been called the Father of the healing movement, the Father of the signs and wonders movement. But you can add word faith teachings to him as well. Let me explain. It was after Branham died, Hagin began writing books on these topics, many of these teachings were taught by Branham.​​ 

Right and Wrong Thinking for Christians​​ (1966)​​ Bible Faith Study Course​​ (1966)​​ What Faith Is​​ (1966)​​ Authority of the Believer​​ (1967)​​ The Real Faith​​ (1970)​​ I Believe in Visions​​ (1972)​​ The Human Spirit​​ (1974)​​ Demons and How to Deal with Them​​ (1976)Faith Food for Spring​​ (1978)​​ Seven Things You Should Know About Divine Healing​​ (1979).​​ 

It was later that Hagin fully developed his teachings that he wrote​​ How to Write Your Own Ticket with God​​ (1979),Having Faith in Your Faith​​ (1980),​​ How God Taught Me About Prosperity​​ (1985).​​ 

He authored 125 books/booklets Faith Library Publications – with 65 million book copies in circulation around the world, translated into more than 25 foreign languages. People are being poisoned by this counterfeit teaching​​ 

So we have a spiritual lineage that is unsound that has spread from Hagin to his disciples even further. The Bible says if a tree is bad so will its fruit that it will produce.​​ 

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 ​​ ​​​​ So far, Sandy Simpson’s expository of Kenneth Hagin Sr. and his background, coming up from a totally​​ heretical fraudulent revivalist sphere, well acquainted with all the big names in America’s​​ heretics fellowship.​​ NOTICE: The article has more than I have edited here, so if you want to read the entire length of it, go to his website​​ www.letusreason.org ​​​​ 

My comments on this expository:

Simpson’s article speaks for itself really. But let me just add to this some information.

The Midas Touch

 ​​​​ Right before his death in 2004, Kenneth Hagin Sr. wrote a booklet called​​ “The Midas Touch” –​​ in​​ which he expressed personal​​ grief over learning that many of his followers (mostly pastors, evangelists and teachers) had started to ‘twist and turn’ on Hagin’s teachings. Such as that infamous Name-it-and-claim-it magic, prosperity teachings, seed-faith-teaching (give money to God, and He shall give you more riches back) – things like that. He urged them in this book to step down from such extreme and unbiblical preaching/teaching.​​ Now, 18 years later (2022) we​​ cannot see​​ any positive changes in his follower’s teachings and lifestyle.

I am talking of​​ the inner circle first and foremost, such as Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Jan & Paul Crouch, T.D. Jakes, Rodney Howard-Browne, and a lot of others in later generation.

They simply just don’t care. What they are into, is a full-blown gigantically​​ miracle and healing fraud​​ combined with their love of money, for which​​ the Apostle​​ Paul condemns such ones​​ to go lost in eternity (Eph. 5:5). ​​ They will not inherit the kingdom of God and Christ, - for they are idolaters…money is their god.

But having said this, I should also point out that Hagin Sr. made a​​ major blunder​​ with that booklet: ​​ He forgot (willfully?) to beg his follower’s apology for not himself confessing in public all of his rotten lies and false doctrine served over his pulpit…for decades! ​​​​ He mainly pointed his finger at his followers and told them their ‘sins’ – but told them nothing of his own sins and terrible misinterpretations and lies regarding Biblical teaching. ​​ What a blunder! What lack of humility.

I believe that Hagin’s lack of humility and modesty had his well-meant words in​​ The Midas Touch​​ fall to the ground with no effect to his readers.

Now, let your thoughts dwell for a while on the fact that Kenneth Hagin Sr. – a heretic and a notorious liar over decades – was the father of the Word of Faith movement. Would you like to stand before the Lord one day, admitting to have followed this hopeless liar and heretic?​​ Are you a member in such a ‘Word of Faith’ assembly? ​​ Get out of it now – leave that fraudulent kind of spirituality, but I cannot give you any specific advise to where you should go, since I live in Norway. I am sure though, that there are several Churches that will be much better off for you that the place you are now.

Wouldn’t you rather get right​​ with the Lord​​ here​​ and now, saying a final goodbye​​ to this kind of​​ unbiblical​​ -​​ and therefore dangerous teachings?

Jan Lilleby, Editor.