Wretched Radio together this montage on YouTube demonstrating James Donald’s and Mark Driscoll’s proper and biblical view view of the false teaching that is spewed weekly by prosperity preachers. I wonder why the false doctrine that is presented by word faith modalist Bishop TD Jakes was not addressed in the Elephant Room. Of course, I believe Jake’s view of the Trinity is foundational for it identifies the false God that he worships. As many have said, at least Jake’s is moving in the right direction. I believe, as I have stated before, that only a full repudiation of the language and belief of Modalism is effective in this case. The Potter’s House must remove from their statement of faith the Modalist language contained therein.
God
There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three manifestations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Instead this is what Jakes says:
You describe “manifestations” as modalist, but I describe it as Pauline. For God was manifest in the flesh. Paul is not a modalist, but he doesn’t think it’s robbery to say manifest in the flesh. Maybe it’s semantics, but Paul says this.
This statement is in opposition to all the classic Christian Creeds, and the scripture.
They also must separate from those who continue to teach a false view of the Trinity. They are not brothers in Christ, because they believe in a false Christ.
But onto what I believe is a bigger elephant that was not addressed. Both McDonald and Driscoll know and have taught properly from the Bible that word faith and prosperity doctrine is false. Yet, one of the biggest (this is not a fat joke) proponents of prosperity doctrine today is Bishop TD Jakes. What saddens me is that the federal government seems to have a more proper view of theology than most churches do. They have at least sought to prosecute these thieves who take food out of the mouths of widows and orphans with the promise that their seed of faith will increase. It is a wicked teaching that is taking over many 2nd and 3rd world countries. As Driscoll correctly observed, their God is money and that is what they are seeking after rather than the God of the Bible.
Philippians 3:18-19 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
There are many friends of mine that disagree with me concerning people like Bishop Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and the like. Friends, these preachers are leading people to hell (and poverty I might add). They are not preaching a biblical gospel. This is not a difference based on style. It is a difference based on content. They sprinkle truth in the midst of their promises to make it sound Christian. It is not biblical that you will gain wealth based on your faith. It is not biblical that if you are sick, crippled, have a disease, or any other issue, that you are out of the will of God or that you lack faith.
I challenge the word faith preachers to look at the life of the apostle Paul and tell me based upon his life, was he filled with the Holy Spirit? Did he lack faith? This man was beaten, jailed, had an illness, a thorn in the flesh, he didn’t speak in tongues publicly, and he was persecuted mercilessly by the government. Did he lack faith? If you don’t like Paul, you can check the stories of James, John, Peter, Stephen, Tabitha, Timothy, Barnabas, and all the way through the Bible. In fact Jesus promised us that we would face trials, temptations, persecution. He told the disciples to seek 1st the kingdom of God and his righteousness. The things that would be added to them would not be health and wealth, rather, provision for their needs. I wonder what Jesus thinks of $10,000 cappuccino machines 10,000 square-foot houses and private luxury jets. I just don’t he had that in mind.
When people like Stephen Furtick, James McDonald, and Mark Driscoll parade around on stage at their conferences fist bumping, hugging, and extolling the preaching prowess of a false teacher they are giving their hearty encouragement and endorsement to what the man is preaching. I urge every serious minded Christian to examine the teachings of TD Jakes before they rush to embrace him as a brother in Christ. Remember–words mean things. When a person makes a statement or agrees with the statement that someone else is made unless that statement is repudiated it stands. It is not enough to agree with a statement of faith when there is out there and opposite statement of faith. Until TD Jakes repudiates entirely his Modalist belief and language as well as his false word faith teachings, he still believes them. And when we embrace him we are embracing them to the confused world that is watching.
