Round and round it goes. When we western Christians get bored of complaining about the current state of our country we decide to go after one of our own. Of course, we don't just go after anyone, we always choose to slander someone who is successful because, God knows, success is an indicator of devilish works. Right?
The latest round is another retread. We have decided to come up in arms against Joel and Victoria Osteen's ministry. The current story is that Victoria Osteen preached recently and said the following quotes*:
"Realize that when we obey God, we're not doing it for God... we're doing it for ourselves."
"Do good for your own self. Do it because God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God, really-- you're doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy. Amen?"
While preaching this, Joel was in the audience and nodded along in approval. According to many american Christians, this was the final proof that the Osteens are heretics.
Crazy right? Maybe not. Maybe you are one of those people who thinks that. Famed blogger Matt Walsh certainly thinks so, which he expresses in his latest blog Joel Osteen and His Wife are Heretics, and That's Why America Loves Them. And of course Matt must know since he knows the Osteen's so well on a person level...
Oh wait, he doesn't? Well wouldn't that be um... slander then? And wouldn't that be a sin? Hmm... maybe Matt Walsh should look at the log in his own eye before going after the speck in another's instead of being a judgmental hypocrite. Hey I didn't say it, Jesus did.
But I digress. I don't want to go after Matt Walsh or anyone else on a personal level. I don't believe that's what Jesus wants. In fact, I believe Matt Walsh and others going after the Osteens legitimately love God and feel like they are doing something good for His Kingdom.
Unfortunately in doing so they are not only creating more problems in the church than solving, but they are also showcasing a major problem that already exists in the western church.
Namely, stupidity.
"Whoa that's harsh! Step it back a minute!"
Fine, fine. I'm sorry. I shouldn't use the stupid word, that'd be mean, like, calling someone a heretic or something.
What I really mean is that western Christians in general have committed an atrocious sin. That sin is ignorance. We have fallen into the same trap as the Pharisees did in the time of Jesus. We have made tradition more important than truth. We have stopped exploring the scriptures for ourselves and instead adopted whatever has been spoon fed us through our culture. As a result, we have begun to read the Bible through the lens of tradition and not on its own merits.
As a result we get what is happening with the Osteens. We find someone who thinks differently and we slander them. Why? Because anything countering our tradition scares us. Because we can't really answer what they are saying with truth. Because what they are saying maybe IS the truth and it scares us.
"Wait, WHAT?!"
Yep. I just said it. What Victoria Osteen preached the other day WAS the truth. To be fair, it wasn't ALL of the truth, but there was nothing heretical about her words.
Now before you go start calling me a heretic or a false prophet, let me quote someone we western Christians long ago decided to trust as an authority in the faith. You know, a little guy named C.S. Lewis.
The following are quotes from his book entitled, "Reflections on the Psalms" in the chapter "A Word About Praising."
"(I)t is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to man."
"In the central act of our own worship of course this is far clearer-- there it is manifestly, even physically, God who gives and we who receive."
"I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation."
"Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him."
"The duty exists for the delight."
Ok I'm ready, who wants to call Lewis a heretic? C'mon! I'm waiting... No takers? Huh? Why not? I mean, isn't that basically what the Osteens were saying?
Let me present a question. Does God need us to worship Him?
Anyone? Ok maybe that was too hard. How about; Does worshipping God change Him?
The answer, obviously, is no. So why do we worship God? Why does He command our worship?
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. Phillippians 4:8
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
The Bible is clear that we are to think about true, noble, right, pure things. What is more true, right, lovely, pure and right than God? Nothing! Worship is turning our thoughts and affection towards the perfect one. It changes us. By worshipping god we make Him our treasure, which becomes where are heart is. As a result our minds are renewed, for by making God our focus we are transformed.
And why do we do all this? We do it FOR US.
WE are the ones who need to be changed. WE are the ones who need to shift our focus. God is perfect and immutable, He won't change if 1 person worships Him or 10 billion. Worship is NOT for God, it is for US. He commands us to worship Him because He knows that it is GOOD FOR US.
This is something the Osteens understand. Notice in Victoria's quote she said, "WHEN we obey GOD." She didn't say, "When we do whatever we want..." She said, "When we WORSHIP God" not, "When we worship ourselves..."
You see what I mean about the problem of stupidity? It is rampant! Her context was clear. The context of the Bible was clear. C.S. Lewis understood it, other great time-tested Christians understood it, why can't we?
But I'm not done! The Bible is full of incentives for worshipping and obeying God. Leviticus 26:1-13 is full of listed rewards for obedience. Here are some others:
The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. 1 Samuel 26:23
By them (commandments) your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:11
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. Proverbs 13:21
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29
This whole notion that we are obeying God for the sake of God is not a biblical concept. God does not NEED us to obey Him. We obey God for OUR sake. We obey God so that we can do good things on earth and be rewarded. We obey God so that we can grow CLOSER to God, which is the ultimate reward! If God needed us to obey Him, why wouldn't He just destroy us and start over? Because He loves us? It's not very loving to have children doing stuff for YOUR sake. Right parents?
God disciplines us for OUR good, not for His (Hebrews 12:10).
God also DELIGHTS in us! He cares about the desires of our hearts! Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Why is it so hard for us to get this in the western world? This doesn't mean there won't be suffering and hardship. It doesn't mean we won't go through hard times. It DOES mean that God cares about us and He gives us commands to HELP us.
The Osteens understand this. C.S. Lewis understood it. The western Church is trying hard not to.
Every Christian who has jumped onto the "hating Osteens" bandwagon should be ashamed of yourselves. They are not heretics, they are not false prophets. Everyone who actually knows them loves them and vouches for the sincerity of their hearts. It's only those who don't know them who are attacking them.
Shame on you. All of you. It's time to stop going after people and start focusing on fixing ourselves. The world sees us backbiting each other and wants no part of it. Jesus prayed for unity, and all we're doing is nitpicking those who are in the spotlight when we should be praying for them most of all. THEY are the ones on the frontlines, doing far more good than we are.
And if you're going to resort to slandering someone as a person, you better look deep inside and see why you feel the need to do that. It says nothing about them, it says a whole lot about you.
*I must note that these quotes were gathered secondhand as I could not find a firsthand transcript. Since I'm taking these quotes from a blog that strongly criticizes the Osteens, it is entirely possible that it's a misquote. My response, nevertheless, will be entirely to the quotes as I discovered them.
No comments:
Post a Comment