#69 Joel Osteen - False Teacher
Introduction
Joel Osteen is a false teacher. In this article, I will convey the reasons this is the case. We will compare Osteen’s teaching to that of the Bible. Osteen teaches a man-centered gospel, and we will highlight the ways this is the case and what you should do instead.
Joel Osteen is the senior pastor at Lakewood Church in Texas. Osteen claims to deliver inspiring messages on a weekly basis in his role as pastor. Each week, 45,000 people watch sermons by Joel Osteen in person at the church. Furthermore, on any given week, millions of people tune in online to view Osteen’s messages. Some weeks, as many as 12 million people are tuned in. This reality makes Osteen one of the most influential Christian speakers in America today.
About Us vs. About God
Osteen preaches a man-centered gospel. A man-centered gospel is one where you are the center of the universe. Everything is about you, including the Bible and God. This means anything that happens in the Bible is viewed with you as the main character in the story. One sermon by Osteen that I recently viewed is called “Empty Out The Negative” (source: YouTube). This sermon uses Ephesians 4:27, which reads, “and do not give the devil an opportunity,” as its basis. This sermon places an emphasis on how you should empty the negative from your life so God can put good things in. The problem here is that it is not about us. It should be about God. Consider, alternatively, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14).
Reading His Desires Today into the Bible
Osteen engages in eisegesis as opposed to exegesis. Eisegesis is when you read into a text your own ideas, particularly the Bible. Whereas exegesis is the attempt to properly interpret a text. To properly interpret a message in the Bible, you must consider the author, the time it was written, the culture, the language, and who the audience is supposed to be. Consider the verse Osteen mentions in his sermon mentioned above, Ephesians 4:27, which reads, “and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Osteen first misquotes the Bible and says “give no place to the enemy.” Regardless, consider the setup here. First, Osteen creates a false paradigm, which is that our heads are buckets that only have enough space for so many good or ill thoughts. Then he uses the Bible to back up the claim. True preaching goes in the opposite direction, such as taking a verse and expanding on the idea in it, connecting it to the rest of the Bible, and to our everyday lives.
The Misguided Message of Self-Effort
Osteen’s messages consistently teach self-reliance and self-effort in our faith as opposed to faith. This is to say, Osteen teaches salvation by works, not faith. Osteen teaches you to try harder. In the message “Empty Out The Negative,” it is up to us to change our way of thinking so that we can accept the good things God has for us. The impact this has on believers is to make any problem in their life the result of bad thinking, which they should stop. Osteen’s teaching impacts new Christians by never changing their lives. They never learn to rely on Christ. New and longtime believers may find their faith is nothing more than a delusion, and when the god of self fails, their so-called faith fails as well.
Conclusion
In summary, Joel Osteen's man-centered gospel focuses on personal desires rather than God's glory, distorting the true message of the Bible through eisegesis. His teachings emphasize self-effort over faith, undermining the Christian doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ alone. This misguided message can leave believers relying on their own strength rather than the finished work of Christ, leading to spiritual instability. Instead you should study the Bible diligently to understand its true message and prioritize sound doctrine and reliance on Christ. Discernment is crucial in the teachings we follow, ensuring that our faith is rooted in the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and prioritizing God's glory over personal desires. This call to return to biblical truth is essential for maintaining a healthy, biblically grounded Christian life.
