Is this the practice of the Preacher of finely combed Preen?

I put “does” in front of this headline, so you can make your choice from the quotation in question.  Therefore, without further posticulating [the morphing of postulating and gesticulating]… I know, this last word was worth the pain of reading alone.  Please, quote me, and while you are quoting me, let me quote another…

In an interview with Rabbi Noami Levy, the following took place…  claps of thunder, creating a foreboding and forewarning sense…

Rabbi Naomi Levy: I watched an interview you did with Larry King. I was so amazed when you said Jews can indeed go to heaven, and then I saw that you later took heat for it, and you rephrased yourself. Is it wrong to believe that people who don’t believe in Jesus have a place with God and have a place in heaven?

Pastor Joel Osteen: Sure. You know, to me it’s up to every person. I mean, what the Scripture teaches is that Jesus came so that we could have salvation through him.

NL: Your Scripture.

JO: Yeah, that’s true. So that’s why I don’t judge anybody else. … You know, I don’t believe in telling one group who can and can’t go to heaven. I believe that’s up to God.

NL: So do you think it’s possible that our God, the God of the universe, might have an equal plan for all good people?

JO: I believe that any of that is possible.

What the…?

From what I can perceive of the man, he has tended to maneuver in the mirth and mist, trading with slightly more-than-a-modicum of truth, but how can he justifiably go there?!

However, this final line is not even where the initial problem gets started.

Osteen fails to deal adequately with the details in Levy’s question.  Here are the words in her question…

So do you think it’s possible that our God, the God of the universe, might have an equal plan for all good people? [Emphasis Mine]

What do you think she means by this?

One could paraphrase in the following, all good people get the equal reward!  Call it Heaven, but biblically, this looks more like…

Whatever she means, Osteen should have at least been honest about the meta-narrative of the Bible, which starts great with Creation, until Man plays the fool, giving all subsequent human beings one Hell of a time!

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is only Good News when the backdrop is the Bad News to begin with, and while, Yes, such may result in this life being your best now, such only finds its contextual meaning when cached in a future eternal moment, far from Christ, and far worse than worse!

Compounding this point, by the works of the Law shall no flesh become justified [Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16], making it clear that man-made religion can not complete the deal, because of this very Bad News at the beginning!  Therefore, to gain the Good Standing is not within our personal prerogative or potential, which is why we must wait for Another!

Joel, by not challenging anything that Rabbi Levy was affirming, you were allowing this perspective to hold court, which is made explicit with your answer… Guilty

I believe that any of that is possible

Joel, how could you?!

How can you say that this is possible, when the Word of God says IT IS NOT!  When Peter and John stood before other Jewish individuals, many centuries ago, when they were confronted for the truth, they did so unequivocally, as Peter affirmed in the words recorded for our benefit in Acts 4:12, with the following…

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” [Emphasis mine].

Are you getting a demonstrative and absolute impression from what Peter is affirming.  By all means, deny that this is the truth, but if you do so, please do not wear the cloak of historic Christianity, which is bound and gagged in, to, and through the Word that became Flesh… Alone. There is no other way, no other means, and no possible-maybe’s about it!  To claim otherwise, presents a cultural conformity to the Christian context, with an outward repudiation of its central message, which is Not the real thing!

These are His Words People!

If the Cross is removed, the message can only be therapeutic, as it cannot touch, reach, or resolve the real dilemma in humanity, which is the need for redemption from our cosmic rebellion!  If the Cross is removed, the real problem, which is YOU, is made the solution, as the means for resourcing the solution can only be personal, as it is removed from the realm of the God-made-flesh-divine-Deity.  The result being that the Cross is obliterated, man is capable, and God got it Wrong!  Think about this for a time!

From these spoken words by two individuals, which words are you going to take as Gospel, Joel’s or Jesus’ [John 14:6].  And, while we are at it, Poor Jesus, going through all that He did, when He could have remained that good moral teacher, freeing Himself from His dead end!

Tragically, taking both does not seem a biblically viable option!

What say you?

To help you in this regard, check out the destination where this piece was found, where you can read a fuller transcript of what Joel Osteen had to say, which can be found… HERE!

Say you piece, as I have said mine…

For the Fame of His Name

Man of Spin