Osteen denies Christ on national TV.

Last night, (6-20-05) Joel and Victoria Osteen were interviewed on CNN by Larry King. Osteen showed clearly why he has the largest church in America. He told everyone, including King, what they wanted to hear. He refused to say that Jesus was the only way to heaven.

KING: Because we've had ministers on who said, your record don't count. You either believe in Christ or you don't. If you believe in Christ, you are, you are going to heaven. And if you don't no matter what you've done in your life, you ain't.

OSTEEN: Yeah, I don't know. There's probably a balance between. I believe you have to know Christ. But I think that if you know Christ, if you're a believer in God, you're going to have some good works. I think it's a cop-out to say I'm a Christian but I don't ever do anything ...

KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?

OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know ...

KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't they?

OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with (sic) judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus…

CALLER: Hello, Larry. You're the best, and thank you, Joe -- Joel -- for your positive messages and your book. I'm wondering, though, why you side-stepped Larry's earlier question about how we get to heaven? The bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and the only way to the father is through him. That's not really a message of condemnation but of truth.

OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that...

KING: So then a Jew is not going to heaven?

OSTEEN: No. Here's my thing, Larry, is I can't judge somebody's heart. You know? Only god can look at somebody's heart, and so -- I don't know. To me, it's not my business to say, you know, this one is or this one isn't. I just say, here's what the bible teaches and I'm going to put my faith in Christ. And I just I think it's wrong when you go around saying, you're saying you're not going, you're not going, you're not going, because it's not exactly my way. I'm just...

KING: But you believe your way.

OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.

KING: But for someone who doesn't share it is wrong, isn't he?

OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don't know if I look at it like that. I would present my way, but I'm just going to let God be the judge of that. I don't know. I don't know.

KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?

OSTEEN: No. But I...

KING: What about atheists?

OSTEEN: You know what, I'm going to let someone -- I'm going to let god be the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just -- again, I present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe it's a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I'm not going to go around telling everybody else if they don't want to believe that that's going to be their choice. God's got to look at your own heart. God's got to look at your heart, and only god knows that.

Joel Osteen was given the opportunity to declare the gospel to America and he failed miserably. He was afforded a national platform to preach the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and decided that it was better to compromise and engage in “happy talk” than to speak the truth.

He could have explained to King and his audience that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He could have told Larry that all our works are as filthy rags to God. He could have said that according to God’s word, mans heart is desperately wicked and deceitful. He could have explained that because of mans sinful condition justice requires that God punish sin and that the punishment for sin is death. Then he could have shown that God in His infinite mercy sent Jesus to live a sinless life and take the punishment that we rightly deserved. Finally he could have stated that by trusting in Jesus sacrifice on the cross we can be justified and accepted by God and cleansed from our sins.

But he didn’t.

He didn’t want to upset Larry King. After all, he was a guest on Kings program. It’s not nice to be rude to your host is it? If he’d have told King that he was a sinner bound for hell, he might not have been invited back. And certainly God wouldn’t want him to blow the opportunity to “minister” to the millions of people that watch King not to mention all the books you can sell by going on a show like this. Yes, on the whole I’m sure Osteen was right. Better to soften the pitch so as not to alienate all those hurting people out there.

As I stated previously it’s clear why Joel Osteen has the largest church in America. He simply tells the people what they want to hear. He makes them comfortable in their lost condition. He allows them to justify their own sin. He paves the road to hell with happy talk, a positive attitude and a bright cheery outlook on life. Why is anyone surprised that sinners would flock to a message like that?

Thankfully there were several callers who tried to correct Osteen and allow him to declare the full council of God. The fact that he wouldn't do it show the true fruit of this mans heart. He is a wolf in sheeps clothing, a minister of Satan disguised as a minister of light.

We pray that God would grant repentance to Joel Osteen before it is too late. We pray that those deceived by Him be delivered from their deception so that they can receive the truth and be saved.

Math 7:13-15
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

You may read the entire transcript of this interview here> http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/20/lkl.01.html
 

Steve Lumbley 2005
www.apostasywatch.com
This article may be reproduced and distributed free of charge as long as it remains in its original form