This is not the first video I have seen of Joel Osteen on Larry King. Nor is it the first time I have cringed listening to Joel try very, very hard to avoid giving a direct answer to a question that drives to the fundamental teachings of Scripture.
Let me just pull a couple of passages that leave absolutely no room for “I don’t know’s” from anyone – ANYONE – that reads the Scripture and is willing to plainly state what is plainly written.
First, since Larry King wants to know, and apparently Joel would have us all believe he doesn’t know; Hey Joel, Larry, here is what Jesus said, plainly and clearly. No one is going to get into heaven that doesn’t accept Jesus as both Lord and Savior; to quote the Gospel (Joel, that means “Good News” so why don’t you quit acting as if you are ashamed of it and start proclaiming it boldly for what it is – Good News!) John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Larry and Joel, if you are not clear as to what Jesus is saying, let me clarify it for you by putting it into context – He had just explained to his followers, in terms they might understand, just how big a place heaven was, and that He was going there to “prepare a place for you” and that He would come back to get them, and that they knew the way. Thomas told Him that they did not know the way. Jesus’ response quoted above was His response to Thomas. I don’t know about you Joel, I don’t know about you Larry, but it seems to me that’s pretty clear.
But what did the Disciples think? Were they as unsure about it as Joel seems to be? Well, in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles which tradition says was penned by Luke, he records that Peter said this to “rulers” of Israel when he was asked by what authority he was proclaiming Jesus raised from the dead (Acts 4:12) “…And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved”. Joel, Larry, that seems to be abundantly clear. No wiggle room there. Peter, a disciple who was right there at the beginning, a Jew, when questioned by Jewish leaders flat out told them, in essence, “hey, you can’t be saved in any other way than by and through Jesus”. In fact, Peter used the phrase “no one else”. Joel, how could you not know?!
Sadly, I think any reasonable person knows that Joel knows. I think any reasonable person knows that Larry King, a Jew, knows precisely what Christians – real Christians – teach and believe.
Joel, Larry, I will say plainly what I tell everyone who is not a believer and asks me “Do you really believe that only Christians will go to heaven?”
My response is always along these lines –
“Yes, I believe that. I believe that because I am a true Christian and that means I am a
follower of Jesus Christ and that is what he said about himself. Now, I want to be
clear with you. Just because you don’t believe what I believe in now way do I think I
am better than you, superior to you, or that I have anything that you cannot have if
you want to avail yourself of it. That is the point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you
want to know more, I’m more than happy to share. If you don’t want to accept what
I just said, you really do not have a problem with me; you have a problem with my
master. I only repeat what my master said. I don’t invent things to tell you. I am only
a Disciple, a follower. I have no power to admit you to heaven or exclude you.
If Jesus is who is said He is, as I believe, then you are in the undesirable position of
arguing with God, the King of the Universe and sole arbiter of who will enter His
heaven, that you should be allowed in on another basis beside the one He Himself has
set.
If I am wrong, then you should pity me; because I’m still as dead in my sins as you and
I have no more hope than you. In my mind the issue of whether I’m going to
heaven is settled. It is settled because I have put my faith into the one who said He is
the way the truth and the life. If you do not share my belief that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the Living God, then you have an unsettled issue you must answer; it is the
same one Jesus put to his Disciples – ‘Who do you say that I am?’ ”
Peter’s answer is “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.
Apparently Joel wants the world to believe his answer is “I don’t know”.
I think it obvious Larry’s answer is not in any way in agreement with Peters, mine, or the rest of true Christians who are not ashamed of the Gospel or their Lord.
RT @paulwasher: In Christ, we have been saved from our sin, reconciled to God, and granted sonship! What more could we desire or what mo ...03:51:44 PM February 04, 2012
This is not the first video I have seen of Joel Osteen on Larry King. Nor is it the first time I have cringed listening to Joel try very, very hard to avoid giving a direct answer to a question that drives to the fundamental teachings of Scripture.
Let me just pull a couple of passages that leave absolutely no room for “I don’t know’s” from anyone – ANYONE – that reads the Scripture and is willing to plainly state what is plainly written.
First, since Larry King wants to know, and apparently Joel would have us all believe he doesn’t know; Hey Joel, Larry, here is what Jesus said, plainly and clearly. No one is going to get into heaven that doesn’t accept Jesus as both Lord and Savior; to quote the Gospel (Joel, that means “Good News” so why don’t you quit acting as if you are ashamed of it and start proclaiming it boldly for what it is – Good News!) John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Larry and Joel, if you are not clear as to what Jesus is saying, let me clarify it for you by putting it into context – He had just explained to his followers, in terms they might understand, just how big a place heaven was, and that He was going there to “prepare a place for you” and that He would come back to get them, and that they knew the way. Thomas told Him that they did not know the way. Jesus’ response quoted above was His response to Thomas. I don’t know about you Joel, I don’t know about you Larry, but it seems to me that’s pretty clear.
But what did the Disciples think? Were they as unsure about it as Joel seems to be? Well, in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles which tradition says was penned by Luke, he records that Peter said this to “rulers” of Israel when he was asked by what authority he was proclaiming Jesus raised from the dead (Acts 4:12) “…And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved”. Joel, Larry, that seems to be abundantly clear. No wiggle room there. Peter, a disciple who was right there at the beginning, a Jew, when questioned by Jewish leaders flat out told them, in essence, “hey, you can’t be saved in any other way than by and through Jesus”. In fact, Peter used the phrase “no one else”. Joel, how could you not know?!
Sadly, I think any reasonable person knows that Joel knows. I think any reasonable person knows that Larry King, a Jew, knows precisely what Christians – real Christians – teach and believe.
Joel, Larry, I will say plainly what I tell everyone who is not a believer and asks me “Do you really believe that only Christians will go to heaven?”
My response is always along these lines –
“Yes, I believe that. I believe that because I am a true Christian and that means I am a
follower of Jesus Christ and that is what he said about himself. Now, I want to be
clear with you. Just because you don’t believe what I believe in now way do I think I
am better than you, superior to you, or that I have anything that you cannot have if
you want to avail yourself of it. That is the point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you
want to know more, I’m more than happy to share. If you don’t want to accept what
I just said, you really do not have a problem with me; you have a problem with my
master. I only repeat what my master said. I don’t invent things to tell you. I am only
a Disciple, a follower. I have no power to admit you to heaven or exclude you.
If Jesus is who is said He is, as I believe, then you are in the undesirable position of
arguing with God, the King of the Universe and sole arbiter of who will enter His
heaven, that you should be allowed in on another basis beside the one He Himself has
set.
If I am wrong, then you should pity me; because I’m still as dead in my sins as you and
I have no more hope than you. In my mind the issue of whether I’m going to
heaven is settled. It is settled because I have put my faith into the one who said He is
the way the truth and the life. If you do not share my belief that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the Living God, then you have an unsettled issue you must answer; it is the
same one Jesus put to his Disciples – ‘Who do you say that I am?’ ”
Peter’s answer is “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.
Apparently Joel wants the world to believe his answer is “I don’t know”.
I think it obvious Larry’s answer is not in any way in agreement with Peters, mine, or the rest of true Christians who are not ashamed of the Gospel or their Lord.