T. D. Jakes and the Elephant Room Controversy

 "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”" (John 8:45-47, NKJV)

 I posted the following comment over at the Daniel's Place blog.  Daniel is a student at Westminster Seminary, California.  He has been covering the controversy over the invitation extended to the heresiarch T.D. Jakes to speak at The Elephant Room.  You can see Daniel's article by clicking here: News: James MacDonald resigns from TGC .

I agree that inviting T. D. Jakes to the Elephant room is a tacit endorsement of Jakes' theology. But I hate to break this news to you. The fact is the vast majority of Pentecostals and Charismatics these days NO LONGER REGARD ONENESS PENTECOSTAL TEACHING AS HERESY. Excuse me for yelling:) But I think this emphasis needs to be made. Basically, the Charismatic movement is more concerned about spreading Pentecostalism and Charismatic teaching than about correct doctrine on the ESSENTIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. For example, The Society for Pentecostal Studies, which publishes a theological journal called, Pneuma, does not require belief in the trinity or triunity of three persons in one divine nature. That can be easily demonstrated in the compromise of their original doctrinal statement here: Wikipedia: The Society for Pentecostal Studies. The short of it is that Pentecostals and Charismatics are compromised from the get go because their emphasis on the "gifts of the Spirit" and the "baptism with the Holy Spirit" trumps the orthodox and essential doctrine of the trinity. I've been saying this for several years now and I'm wondering why so few are listening?

The fact that T.D. Jakes enjoys such mainstream popularity among Charismatics and Pentecostals and on "Christian" TV is proof enough that the movement as a whole is cultic, heterodox, and heretical. Yes, you heard me right.

Another indication of this sort of heterodoxy is the widespread acceptance of the Word of Faith doctrines on health, wealth and prosperity--doctrines which come from Christian Science and New Thought. Included in that package are extremely heretical doctrines on the incarnation of Christ and His deity. Word of Faith teachers say that Christ is not fully God but is simply a "Spirit-filled man". They also teach that Jesus was demonized on the cross and that He suffered for three days in hellfire.

It is beyond my comprehension why anyone who considers themselves Reformed in theological perspective would want to lead others into this heretical and heterodox movement. I'm thinking here of "non-cessationists" like John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Vincent Cheung, Mark Driscoll, Vern Poythress, and others. This wrong emphasis is akin to saying it's ok to be Mormon! In fact, the Word of Faith movement also incorporates some Mormon doctrine since Kenneth Hagin taught that God has a "spiritual" body, i.e. a spiritualized physical body.

I could go on but I'll stop there. The short of it is that I think Evangelicals in general are way too gracious toward Pentecostalism and Charismatic theology because of the fear of losing support.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Charlie

Addendum:  I know some of you think I am overgeneralizing since some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches take a strong stand against modalism and the Word of Faith movement.  However, to take a strong stand against false teaching while continuing to fellowship with heretics is duplicitous.  This sort of dissimulating compromise reveals that Pentecostals and Charismatics are more concerned with ecumenicalism than with Scriptural truth.  But if the souls of millions of adherents are at stake, why invite false teachers to lead them astray?  That is the question at issue here.  It is impossible to follow false teaching while at the same time following the truth. 

Top Ten Reasons Why I Am No Longer Pentecostal

10.  Much of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement has adopted a form of Christian Science and New Thought cultic doctrines into their teachings on healing and prosperity via the Word of Faith teachers like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Fred Price, Creflo Dollar and others.  (See Issues, Etc., A Different Gospel, by D.R. McConnell.  See also,  A Different Gospel).

9.  Pentecostals are essentially Anabaptists and de-emphasize the doctrine of Scripture alone or "sola Scriptura".  Because of this they emphasize mysticism and ecstatic experience above Scripture as their source of doctrine.   (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

8.  Pentecostals emphasize the gifts of the Spirit above doctrine as the source of unity with other denominations.  Because of this modern Pentecostals fellowship with Charismatic Catholics and others who deny the final and absolute authority of Scripture.  (Jude 1:1-4).

7.  Trinitarian Pentecostals now accept fellowship with Oneness  Pentecostals who deny the Tri-Unity of God as three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7-8; 2 Peter 1:1; Titus 2:13; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9).

6.  Pentecostals and Charismatics accept the false prophets and television evangelists who have been exposed over and over again as teaching false doctrines that contradict justification by faith alone, the sovereignty of God, and the priesthood of believers.  (See Benny Hinn and other false prophets who do not know much about doctrine and produce all sorts of false miracles).

5.  Pentecostals and Charismatics think they are spiritually superior to other Christians who do not agree with them.  (1 Corinthians 4:6-16).

4.  The theological roots of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement are in the Wesleyan holiness movement and the Keswick higher life movement, which emphasize sanctification and personal piety above justification by faith alone and are therefore semi-pelagian.  (See Donald Dayton, The Theological Roots of Pentecostalism).

3.  Scripture always points to the sovereignty of God in everything that happens, including election, effectual calling, and perseverance of the saints (Romans 9:6-18; Ephesians 1:4-12, 18).  (See Sovereignty of God).

2.  Miracles, signs, and wonders are not ends in and of themselves  (Exodus 7:3; Nehemiah 9:10, 16).  The false prophets and false religions also have miracle claims (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).  What sets Christianity apart from other religions is not subjective, ecstatic and mystical experiences but the Holy Scriptures and sound Christian doctrine  (Jude 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:3; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:1).

1.  God grants us the grace to understand the Bible and to read the Reformed confessions of faith from the Protestant Reformation and God grants us the faith to trust in God and God alone through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May the peace of God be with you,

Charlie

  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
    Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/

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