Can you imagine being discipled by the Apostle John. I mean, he was one of the first to perform miracles after Jesus’ ascension. After the resurrection, he and Peter healed a man at the Temple, “But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God,” Acts 3:6. That is so dramatic. Tradition has it that John was burned, but not consumed, and survived the torture without harm. They couldn’t kill him so they sent him to Patmos, an isolated island.
You would think that when he addressed his disciples that he would instruct them in the same miraculous gifts that he had, so that they too, could endure persecution. Instead, he warns them against false teaching and antichrists. As we have looked at on Sunday Morning, there was an element that had crept into the churches and were preaching the false doctrine of Gnosticism. Remember, the Gnostics didn’t believe in sin and that they possessed a secret knowledge, that could be attain if you followed their teaching.
The same is happening around the world today, among churches in every country and every city, even here in Bluffton and Pandora. It goes by different names, “The Apostolic Movement,” “The Word of Faith Movement,” “Rhema Movement,” and “Signs and Wonders Movement.” They hold to doctrines that seem legitimate, ones that everyone should want to be a part of, a movement of the Holy Spirit.
If you are like me you want to see God move in miraculous ways. We pray for the sick to be healed, and wayward children delivered from Satan, drugs, and darkness. Then comes someone with the answers. They say they can teach you to have miraculous gifts, heal people, and even raise people from the dead. “Speak The Word and it will happen, as long as you have the right kind of faith,” “The Spirit will speak to you new truth, that the Bible doesn’t even reveal to us.” Their Enthusiasm is intoxicating and when they worship it is alive and fresh.
“Surely, God didn’t say you can’t touch the fruit.” “Look it is good to look at, and it will make you wise.” Sound familiar? It’s from the Garden of Eden and it is the temptation of of Eve. The serpent offered her more knowledge, more beauty, more, taste, more and more and more. Who can say more is bad?
The signs and wonder movement is new Gnosticism, and it tugs at our heart, and our desire to experience God in a powerful way. John Edwards was a rising star in the Word of Faith a Movement. He graduated from the premier Word of Faith Seminary, grew a small church plant to 2000 members, and he had it all; the visions, the declared prophecies. He writes, “it was the tradition at our church to meet at four in the morning to pray for two hours. For many years I prayed, believed and confessed miracles, signs and wonders for our ministry. But not much happened along those lines. In fact, I buried a lot of people over the years, including my daughter that died of a brain tumor, at the age of fourteen.” He continues,
I was constantly perplexed that the message of faith and healing that I was preaching did not seem to work in the lives of the congregation. It seemed like we had all of the same experiences, trials and tribulations as the other church folks around town. I was for sure that there should be a clear distinction between the people of the Word and the denominational people. We had revelation knowledge of the Word. We had a leg up on the Body of Christ. We had the Holy Ghost, prayed in tongues and most of all we had the word of faith message that was full of Godʼs victory, prosperity and healing power. But there was really no difference between us and them. By them, I am referring to the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Assembly of God churches that we as word of faith people thought were missing out.
Modern day Gnosticism is real and we need to be on our guard. When the Apostle John exhorts us to seek the Father he does it through simplicity of faith, and the manifestation of love. There is more transforming power in the simple act of of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, then in all the signs and wonders of false teachers. I’m just saying.
John Edwards identifies 31 facts about the Word of Faith Movement, if you are interested they are as follows.
31 FACTS ABOUT THE WORD OF FAITH by John Edwards.
The following are a few facts about the dangerous and deceptive Word of Faith Movement which is sweeping the Body of Christ with itʼs lies and faulty theology:
1) The Word of Faith heresy is a hybrid religion that is a blend of New Age ideas and Charismatic excesses.
2) It was founded by a Baptist Preacher that was heavily influenced by the mind science teachers of his day including Mary Baker Eddy. He brought in many New Age and Mind Science teachings and blended them with scripture twisted out of context.
3) The Word of Faith Theology was further developed by a man that claimed at least eight visitations from Jesus Christ. In each of these visits this preacher was given extra revelation and extra biblical insight.
4) This preacher boasted for years that he walked in Divine health although he was being treated for heart disease with medication.
5) This preacherʼs message was a blend of the Word of God and his visions. He often taught the Word of God in light of his visions.
6) This is very similar to the Prophet Joseph Smith that claimed extra revelation through visits from Jesus and God as he founded the Mormon church.
7) Most of the highest regarded Word of Faith teachers have not been to a legitimate seminary. Most of them were self taught from listening to tapes from other Word of Faith teachers.
8) The Word of Faith Movement is anchored on one passage of scripture that is found in Mark 11T23-24. In this passage Jesus used a common, everyday Jewish hyperbole to teach his inner circle Apostles to believe in the power of God. The Word of Faith preachers have distorted the Greek text and the meaning of this passage to build an entire religion that revolves around faith and words as a means to obtain health and wealth.
9) Although the Word of Faith leaders do extensive teaching on faith and healing, it does not bear fruit in their own lives. Many of them died of tumors, cancer and heart disease.
10) Although the Word of Faith teachers love to minister from the 91st Psalm about Godʼs prophetic protection of the Messiah, they themselves live in constant fear and have numerous body guards and ushers.
11) The Word of Faith Message is centered on the prosperity scriptures that were meant for Israel under the Old Covenant. They emphasis tithing and sowing seeds as a means to obtain wealth. The Word of Faith Movement is obsessed with wealth and materialism and the worship of money.
12) The Word of Faith leaders teach that Jesus was wealthy although the scripture is very clear that he was not.
13) The Word of Faith leaders place thousands of well meaning believers under extreme pressure and condemnation by telling them outlandish and half true testimonies.
14) The Word of Faith leaders do an enormous amount of teaching on submission to authority, walking in love, and staying away from being offended. This produces a fearful cult like atmosphere in their churches. It keeps people from expressing hurts and concerns. It makes people feel like they cannot leave their church for any reason.
15) Many of the prominent Word of Faith teachers live the lifestyles of the rich and famous and flaunt it as a testimony of Godʼs favor while the people that are sending in their money are regarded as nothing.
16) The Word of Faith ministers are dishonest with scripture, often completely distorting it to rhyme with their doctrines.
18) Word of Faith ministers love to boast and brag about their faith and what their faith has done for them.
19) That is because it is called the Word of FAITH. It is a religion that revolves around faith instead of a religion that has faith in God. They teach faith in faith and faith in words.
20) The Word of Faith leaders teach that we are little gods and that we can act and perform much as God can. This also is a distortion of scripture and another thing that the Word of Faith has in common with the Mormons.
21) Word of Faith theology rejects the blood of Jesus as the sufficient atonement for our sins.
22) Word of Faith theology teaches that Jesus did not use His Divinity while on the earth while the Bible teaches that He was fully God and in total control at every moment.
23) The Word of Faith Movement teaches that words spoken from a human have inherent and creative power of their own.
24) Word of Faith teaches that Jesus said that you will have what you say, which is not what He said.
25) The Word of Faith theology depends on the King James translation of Mark 11T23-24
26) The same passage is found also in Matthew 21, and is worded quite differently, causing all the faith formulas based on Mark 11T23-24 to be out of whack.
27) The Word of Faith is humanism. It puts man in charge and God in the backseat.
28) The Word of Faith Movement misrepresents the character of Job.
29) The Word of Faith takes numerous passages from the New Testament and completely butchers them to fit their doctrine.
30) The Word of Faith creates fear, bondage, and a distorted unbiblical viewpoint of God.
31) The Word of Faith emphasises success and prosperity while Jesus stressed suffering and humility.
I will think of hundreds of other things after I post this, but these 31 facts are indeed facts. The Word of Faith is a cult because it is led by people claiming special insight and revelation that is unorthodox. They also attempt to control their subjects with fear, manipulation and bullying.
The Word of Faith is the Doctrine of Devils. It is an evil message that kills people and wrecks lives.
Please do not be afraid to look at the evidence. I was too afraid to examine the evidence because I wanted things my way. The Word of Faith put me in charge of my own life, and I liked that. But when I got up the courage to begin to read and study, God opened my eyes with truth and freedom. I am no longer in the cult!
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