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Victoria Osteen & the response
Victoria Osteen – the “response” that shows she is a typical false teacher
by Sandy Simpson, 9/8/14
It never ceases to amaze me how people who claim to be “Christian” leaders are apparently NEVER able to admit when they are wrong. Makes you wonder if they are born again because acceptance of the Gospel will cause a person to repent of their sins which then gives them access to the forgiveness of Christ when they sin from that point on (1 John 1:9). But be that as it may, Victoria, the “co-pastor” and wife of Joel Osteen, fires back at the article in the Christian Post entitled: “Victoria Osteen Ripped for Telling Church 'Just Do Good For Your O... by claiming they lied about what she said. She claims in her statement back to them in the article called “Victoria Osteen Chides Critics: I Didn't Mean Parishioners Shouldn... that they claimed that she said a person should not worship God.
"While I admit that I could have been more articulate in my remarks, I stand by my point that when we worship God and are obedient to Him we will be better for it," she told The Blaze in a statement Friday. "I did not mean to imply that we don't worship God; that's ridiculous, and only the critics and cynics are interpreting my remarks that way." (Christian Post, “Victoria Osteen Chides Critics: I Didn't Mean Parishioners Shouldn...)
That is not what they said at all. The title of the article is very specific in their correct analysis of her “ridiculous” statement – that she stated that “worship is not for God, it is for yourself”. So she lied in her response.
But the real problems are that she claims the following in her response:
"I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we're not doing it for God—I mean, that's one way to look at it—we're doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we're happy," she said in the 36-second clip posted on YouTube, with her husband smiling at her side. "That's the thing that gives Him the greatest joy … So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy," she continued. "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?" the clip ended as congregants cheered. (Christian Post, “Victoria Osteen Chides Critics: I Didn't Mean Parishioners Shouldn...)
So she not only did not apologize for her statements and lied about how people quoted her, but she reiterated their same, tired, false Word of Faith teaching again. She states that worshipping God is not for Him but for us. Why? Because when we are happy that makes God happy. Oh really? What about the stories of Job, Stephen, Paul suffering from a “thorn”, and all the other prophets and apostles who died serving God? They were not worshipping God so they could be “happy”, they were worshipping God because of Who He is!
Victoria has also not read the Bible, which you would think would be a requirement for someone to be a head pastor of a church. The Bible is clear that the thing that brings God “joy” is our obedience.
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
John 14:24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
John 15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
Love and worship for God is not predicated on how we feel or the amount of joy we have. It is predicated on obedience to Him BECAUSE HE IS GOD! Victoria also tells her audience that they need to “do good because God wants you to be happy”. We don’t do good so WE can be happy. That may be a consequence of doing good, at times, but the important thing is that, in the most difficult circumstances, we simply obey Him because we know He will be pleased with us on that basis. But our “happiness” is not the end. But it is for the Osteens. Almost every word of every message from them is the New Thought idea that we can create our own little world of happiness by simply thinking and speaking positively. I have written about this idea, which is basically Karma, in an article entitled “Karma (by any other name)”. God wants us to submit our will to His, not willfully try to create our own reality that is often not in line with His purposes.
Finally, the scary part is that the “congregants cheered” after Victoria finishes her diatribe. This reminds me of a warning from the Old Testament against heretics like the Osteens:
Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
Someday every person who has ever been born on this earth will answer to God for their actions. You can either fool yourself into thinking you are happy because of your positive thoughts and confessions, or you can follow God and obey Him, thus proving your love for Him. Better choose correctly because “what will you do in the end?”
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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"I agree with the statement, but not being picky, but rather to make a point ... if we employ the logic you have been using regarding essentials and non-essentials how would one know what they should be fighting for instead of the other less important things they tend to fight for? There has to be a standard."
At times, a minor doctrine can have an enormous affect on what one believes about a major doctrine.
As someone who labored years and years to stay saved, believing that any kind of disobedience could cause loss of salvation because one can push God to His limits and in His indignation, God will cast disobedient children away, it did affect my view of salvation, making it works-based.
At this point, I have a very difficult time understanding that others can choose not to believe in eternal security but also not have a works-based salvation. When someone begins trying to tell me my POV regarding eternal security is wrong, to me, it feels like I'm being pulled back into the bondage of following the code of the law, and, also, trying to be persuaded that what I had been under wasn't legalism at all, when, for me, it was a very heavy yoke.
So, I have been fighting for the minor doctrine of eternal security as if it was an essential doctrine. All of the painful memories of my past experience of being under legalism, including the painful lies I have believed about God, are all tied into, and help fuel, that fight, as I try to keep from drowning in that deep sea of fear and doubt, again, because I'm not rooted or strong in this area of faith.
Now, I'm learning that others can believe they can lose salvation for sinning but still obey God for the right reasons, and not out of fear of falling from grace, because they don't have the same view of God that I have had -- don't believe the lies I've believed: "I'm not good enough" "I can't conquer sin" "I can never change" "I can't make God happy" and on and on.
So much pressure.
I feel, at times, as if I'm fighting for my very life because it did get to that point, and I wanted to end it all. I started believing the lie that there is no use to go on, just end your suffering now, and go on to hell instead of suffering like this in this life and then going to hell, too.
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Permalink Reply by Seek on
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So much pressure.
For a KY gal, you need to go back to your roots. Think....how do you make a diamond? ;-)
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Hmmm ok wisecracker. LOL But for any of those not from the tri-state area...
You put a lump o' coal from them thar coal mines under a lot o' pressure and it's gonna turn into a right purty diamond that'd make even a dirty ole polecat blush with shame. Wooooooo doggy!
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Or you just tell your husband you want one & he goes to the Jewelry Store
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Well, don't even think of using the oyster/sand/pearl one. I'm severely allergic to shellfish.
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I'm allergic to oysters. Actually, I'm allergic to anything slimy that goes down like a slug. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
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Yeah. I can't eat either kind of shell fish, crustacea or mollusk. Lobster looks really good though but I guess I'll never know. http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/shellfish-allergy
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