The Need to Address Alternative and New Religious Movements

The historical origins of the prosperity gospel originated with E.W. Kenyon (1892) which was steep in New Thought metaphysics (1 Tim. 6:20). E.W. Kenyon was familiar with many of the concepts of Christian Science so as to compete with many of the cults of his day: that of the principle of divine healing (1 Pet. 2:24). Many practitioners of Christian Science believe that to believe in the principle of science that they can healed themselves without the intervention of a Sovereign Creator. In so many words it is "mind over matter." The dualism of early Gnosticism is that, "Spirit is good; flesh is evil." The power of the mind serves as a conquering force to overcome any sickness or physical maladies. Thoughts are believed according to New Thought metaphysics to transform one's circumstances and reality based upon the principle of science 'backed' by God's Word. Many Faith televangelist will readily deny the fact that what they teach is not Christ...

A must read book Just a few days ago I just published on Amazon.com my book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? which is an revised, expanded, new edition of the previous book that have the same title. Within this new edition I have added several chapters along with questions of discussion at the end of each chapter.The aim of this new book is to give a clear, but precise analysis of the prosperity gospel from a historical, theological, and biblical perspective. The "language" of the proponents of the prosperity gospel is quite distinct, but diametrically oppose to the language of the Bible thus also have "spiritualize" such biblical language as well as the historical characters of the Bible (2 Pet. 3:16, 17).  In order to witness and evangelize cultist within the Word-Faith movement especially within the context of the African American Word of Faith movement churches is for the student of the Bibl...

A must read book. The source by which the prosperity gospel originated is from a Gnostic source: that of falsely so-called knowledge (1 Tim. 6:20). There are theories of knowledge that is related to Gnosticism especially that of "gnosis" that is attained through such intuitive knowledge "directly" from God (Deut. 29:29).  The knowledge of mystics or theological mysticism is through that of  "direct" divine influx whereby God reveals secretive, but intuitive knowledge at the exclusion of the Church as a whole (2 Pet. 1:20).    For example many of the proponents (e.g. Oral Roberts) of the prosperity gospel claim to receive such prosperity message via Revelation Knowledge.  The biblical defense of the prosperity gospel is that of 3 John 2: "Beloved, I pray above all things that thou mayest [prosper],,,be in health even as thou soul prospereth."  Even though there are many passages of scripture that is in defense of the prosperity gospel, bu...

   Just several months ago I wrote an article on The Legacy of the Prosperity Gospel by which it is associated with New Thought metaphysics: that of changing one's thoughts in order to bring about positive outcome. Even though many prosperity teachers utilize as their proof-text 3 John 2 to accumulate wealth at the expense of their followers, but beneath the origins of the prosperity theology is that of hedonism and utilitarianism: that of a pleasure seeking religion at the avoidance of pain and suffering. As one African American Word of Faith televangelist Leroy Thompson of Ever Increasing Word Ministries of Darrow, Louisiana says explicitly, "Money Cometh to Me Now." I will never ever be broke again in my life. Such utilitarians will convince themselves as well as others that to avoid the reality of pain and suffering is to psychologically rehearse within their own mind that they will be prosperous by living such an robust lifestyle. In reality the only ones who wil...

It is so important that believers are taught properly God's Word.  Whenever believers are improperly taught God's Word that it will in fact impact their lives spiritually.  For example whenever there is a distortion of the truth of God's Word so as to "redefine" biblical meaning of biblical terminology in accordance to one's own cultural understanding that it does unjustly to the message of the Bible. To clarify and reinforce what was just mentioned in the previous statement is that biblical words have meaning (e.g the "anointing"), but to systematically distort such meaning as to say the "anointing" is only for a select "few" whom God have given "specific," or "special" revelation is a mishap so as to interpret its biblical meaning. The anointing of the Holy Spirit is solely for believers; not a select "few" so as to discern truth from error (1 Jn. 4:6).  Every believer are anointed by God (1 Cor. ...

Attitude determine one's aptitude!  What must be our attitude towards interpreting God's Word? It is the goal of the interpreter of the Bible is to seek the plain meaning of scripture? Or should we seek to "personalize" God's Word as it relates to our present situation?  Why is it that there is no interest in sound biblical doctrine in place one's own personal interpretation of the Bible? Throughout this article I will begin to address such questions in light of the Bible; not the Bible in light of one's own personal preference when it comes down to interpreting scripture within a person's culture understanding in "how" they interpret God's Word. Even though there are some who wonder why are there is many interpretations of the Bible have not consider the fact that it is due to the sinfulness of man's heart (Jer. 17:9).  Man because of his sinfulness have such unbelief whose attempt is to go against the clear teaching of scriptu...

The language of the Bible must be defined according to the standard definition of the Bible (1 Cor. 2:13).  Why is it so important that we define "key" biblical terms in light of the Bible? What are ways by which many of the cults and new religious movement "redefined" such biblical terminologies? What are the causalities that comes with people who have systematically "distort" the "wording" of the text of scripture? Throughout this article I will begin by addressing such questions in light of its historical, biblical, and theological analysis.  First, what are those "key" biblical terms by which many cult system utilize as they appear to be apart of true biblical Christianity and the historic Christian church (1 Jn. 2:18).  There are many languages of the Bible that many of cults and new religious movements utilize so as to insist that they are Christians, but I will name a few that will shed light upon the matter. For example th...

It is so important that we are properly taught God's Word, especially when it comes to interpreting the Bible. The reason for such is that there are those who are leadership that are poor biblical scholars, poor Bible readers, and poor interpreters of scripture. For example when it comes to the basis of biblical interpretation is that instead of the speaker seeking to understand the plain meaning of the context of scripture is that many of the portions of the Bible have been interpreted spiritually: that of the resurrection of Christ have been interpreted as to the "appearance" of Christ being risen, thus deny Jesus Christ glorified physical body as being resurrected from the dead (2 Tim. 2:16, 17). The apostle Paul declares that if Christ be not risen our faith is in vain, yet we are still in our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  In order for the Church to experience to anticipate the resurrected hope of believers appearing before God's presence is to have the confidence and ...

The Bible is "incomplete" without the revelation knowledge of many charismatic leadership today.  Even though they claim the "backing" of the Bible; it is only said in principle, but not in practice.  The Bible according to charismatic theology is that the Revelation Knowledge of its own leadership is to shed light upon the Bible; not the Bible in light of charismatic erroneous understanding of the "canon," or rule of scripture.  There is no difference between that of the Charismatic movement doctrine of the revelation of the Bible and that of Mormonism understanding of the "revelation" of scripture (2 Pet. 1:20).  Therefore both Charismatics and Mormonism understanding of the Bible is a "continual" revelation of scripture as to be incomplete.  In so many words the Bible is an open-end Book whereby it is necessary for "further" revelations to shed light upon the character and nature of scripture.  Also, both Charismatics and...