**This post is part of a series
discussing the incorrect doctrines and teachings coming out of Bethel Redding,
Jesus Culture and the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. Bethel is a huge church with a lot of influence. Jesus Culture music is in many churches all
over the world, and there are big problems in the doctrine and theology that
comes in that music, and through this church.
I am writing these posts to show that what we see as bad teaching coming
from Bethel has its roots in their incorrect statements of what they
believe. I will take statements from
various parts of Bethel’s websites and go through the scripture that they give
in its larger context to show that what they are teaching is not found in Sacred
Scripture.**
God’s Word Transforms – What does it
look like?
Answer: When we declare God’s words,
we release Him to transform the world. (Prov. 18:21; James 3:4; Joel 3:10;
Is. 54:1; Mark 4:39; Acts 3:6-7)
What I will be doing here is, first
of all, going through each scripture to show that it does not support what they
are claiming. Once I have shown that I
will attempt to show Biblically, that the opposing position is true and
supported by the Word of God.
Proverbs
18:21
[1] Whoever
isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he
breaks out against all sound judgment.
[2] A
fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but
only in expressing his opinion.
[3] When
wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and
with dishonor comes disgrace.
[4] The
words of a man's mouth are deep waters;
the
fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
[5] It
is not good to be partial to the wicked
or
to deprive the righteous of justice.
[6] A
fool's lips walk into a fight,
and
his mouth invites a beating.
[7] A
fool's mouth is his ruin,
and
his lips are a snare to his soul.
[8] The
words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they
go down into the inner parts of the body.
[9] Whoever
is slack in his work
is
a brother to him who destroys.
[10] The
name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the
righteous man runs into it and is safe.
[11] A
rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and
like a high wall in his imagination.
[12] Before
destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but
humility comes before honor.
[13] If
one gives an answer before he hears,
it
is his folly and shame.
[14] A
man's spirit will endure sickness,
but
a crushed spirit who can bear?
[15] An
intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and
the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
[16] A
man's gift makes room for him
and
brings him before the great.
[17] The
one who states his case first seems right,
until
the other comes and examines him.
[18] The
lot puts an end to quarrels
and
decides between powerful contenders.
[19] A
brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and
quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
[20] From
the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he
is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
[21] Death and life are in the power
of the tongue,
and those who love it
will eat its fruits.
[22] He
who finds a wife finds a good thing
and
obtains favor from the LORD.
[23] The
poor use entreaties,
but
the rich answer roughly.
[24] A
man of many companions may come to ruin,
but
there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18 ESV)
As you read the entirety of this 18th
chapter of Proverbs you begin to see a theme.
In verses 6 and 7 we see two proverbs about the words of a fool leading
to their destruction, we can see that because of the foolish things that come
out of their mouths they are ruined and beaten.
Contrast that with verse 4 and verse 20 and we see the good outcome of
the words of the wise man. This shows us
that the one who is wise does not have the same problems as the one who is a
fool. Therefore, when we arrive at verse
21, we now see those different and contrasting sayings summed up in a succinct
way, giving us a single proverb, expanded by at least four others.
In
that case, if you think that somehow we are being told here that we have power
to release God or Satan through our words, you are completely missing the
entire context of the book of Proverbs in general and chapter 18 specifically.
James
3:4
[3:1] Not many of you should
become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged
with greater strictness. [2] For we all stumble in many ways. And if
anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle
his whole body. [3] If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they
obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. [4] Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are
driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the
will of the pilot directs. [5] So also the tongue is a small member,
yet it boasts of great things.
How
great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! [6] And the tongue is a
fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining
the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by
hell. [7] For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature,
can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, [8] but no human being can
tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [9] With it
we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the
likeness of God. [10] From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My
brothers, these things ought not to be so. [11] Does a spring pour forth
from the same opening both fresh and salt water? [12] Can a fig tree, my
brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond
yield fresh water.
(James 3:1-12 ESV)
This
passage in James is a great warning for us all, we see in this the great danger
of what our words can do. What this
passage teaches us, is that the ability to bridle ones tongue is a near
impossible thing to do. As for the verse
that Bethel quotes for their belief, it is speaking of the fact that with our
mouths we steer the entire course of what our bodies are going to do, but we
don’t see here in any way that our words, our tongues, have any power over God,
or any power to release Him into this world.
Joel
3:10
[28]
“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that
I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your
old men shall dream dreams,
and
your young men shall see visions.
[29] Even
on the male and female servants
in
those days I will pour out my Spirit.
[30] “And
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns
of smoke. [31] The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood,
before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. [32] And it shall come
to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in
Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has
said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.
[3:1] “For behold, in those days and at
that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, [2] I will
gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I
will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my
heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have
divided up my land, [3] and have cast lots for my people, and have traded
a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.
[4] “What
are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you
paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your
payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. [5] For you have taken my
silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples. [6] You
have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove
them far from their own border. [7] Behold, I will stir them up from the
place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own
head. [8] I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the
people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away,
for the LORD has spoken.”
[9] Proclaim
this among the nations:
Consecrate
for war;
stir
up the mighty men.
Let
all the men of war draw near;
let
them come up.
[10] Beat your plowshares into swords,
and your pruning hooks
into spears;
let the weak say, “I am
a warrior.”
[11] Hasten
and come,
all
you surrounding nations,
and
gather yourselves there.
Bring
down your warriors, O LORD.
[12] Let
the nations stir themselves up
and
come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for
there I will sit to judge
all
the surrounding nations.
[13] Put
in the sickle,
for
the harvest is ripe.
Go
in, tread,
for
the winepress is full.
The
vats overflow,
for
their evil is great.
[14] Multitudes,
multitudes,
in
the valley of decision!
For
the day of the LORD is near
in
the valley of decision.
[15] The
sun and the moon are darkened,
and
the stars withdraw their shining.
[16] The
LORD roars from Zion,
and
utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and
the heavens and the earth quake.
But
the LORD is a refuge to his people,
a
stronghold to the people of Israel.
(Joel 2:28-3:16 ESV)
Here
we have an example of a prophecy from Joel referring to the Final Judgment of
God. We see at the end of Chapter 2 that
we are speaking of the new covenant, and the people of the new covenant. And then in 3:12-14 we see the language of
scripture that refers to the judgment of God upon all people. Therefore, what we read in verse 10 is that
God will make His people who are weak, strong.
However, this doesn’t mean that the weak will not be warriors if they
don’t declare that they are warriors.
This is a promise from God, not that our words will make us warriors,
but that He will make us warriors.
Isaiah
54:1
[53:1] Who has believed what he
has heard from us?
And
to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
[2] For
he grew up before him like a young plant,
and
like a root out of dry ground;
he
had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and
no beauty that we should desire him.
[3] He
was despised and rejected by men;
a
man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and
as one from whom men hide their faces
he
was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely
he has borne our griefs
and
carried our sorrows;
yet
we esteemed him stricken,
smitten
by God, and afflicted.
[5] But
he was pierced for our transgressions;
he
was crushed for our iniquities;
upon
him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and
with his wounds we are healed.
[6] All
we like sheep have gone astray;
we
have turned—every one—to his own way;
and
the LORD has laid on him
the
iniquity of us all.
[7] He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet
he opened not his mouth;
like
a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and
like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so
he opened not his mouth.
[8] By
oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and
as for his generation, who considered
that
he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken
for the transgression of my people?
[9] And
they made his grave with the wicked
and
with a rich man in his death,
although
he had done no violence,
and
there was no deceit in his mouth.
[10] Yet
it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he
has put him to grief;
when
his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he
shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the
will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
[11] Out
of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by
his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make
many to be accounted righteous,
and
he shall bear their iniquities.
[12] Therefore
I will divide him a portion with the many,
and
he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because
he poured out his soul to death
and
was numbered with the transgressors;
yet
he bore the sin of many,
and
makes intercession for the transgressors.
[54:1] “Sing, O barren one, who did
not bear;
break forth into singing
and cry aloud,
you who have not been in
labor!
For the children of the desolate one
will be more
than
the children of her who is married,” says the LORD.
[2] “Enlarge
the place of your tent,
and
let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do
not hold back; lengthen your cords
and
strengthen your stakes.
[3] For
you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
and
your offspring will possess the nations
and
will people the desolate cities.
(Isaiah 53-54:3 ESV)
This
passage is a wonderful prophecy about Jesus first, and then goes into
discussion about the new covenant. What
comes in 54:1 is again not that the singing and crying of the barren one is
going to produce the children, nor that because of their words, they will be
blessed. We see here, as in the passage
in Joel, that it is a promise, not something that will come as a result of
people declaring God’s word.
Mark
4:39
[35] On
that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the
other side.” [36] And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the
boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. [37] And a great
windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat
was already filling. [38] But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.
And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are
perishing?” [39] And he awoke and
rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased,
and there was a great calm. [40] He said to them, “Why are you so
afraid? Have you still no faith?” [41] And they were filled with great
fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea
obey him?”
(Mark 4:35-41 ESV)
In
this passage, as you can plainly see, these are the words of Jesus. Jesus Christ upholds the universe by the word
of his power, and therefore when he tells his universe to do something, it
obeys. We see this many times in the
life of Jesus, and it is well within His prerogative to do with His creation as
He pleases. This, however, does not say,
even implicitly that you can somehow with your words do what Jesus, the Creator
does. That is arrogance to the nth
degree to think that you have that power.
You are not Jesus and you will never be Jesus.
Acts
3:6-7
[3:1] Now
Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth
hour. [2] And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid
daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms
of those entering the temple. [3] Seeing Peter and John about to go into
the temple, he asked to receive alms. [4] And Peter directed his gaze at
him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” [5] And he fixed his attention
on them, expecting to receive something from them. [6] 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!”
[7] And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately
his feet and ankles were made strong. [8] And leaping up he stood and
began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and
praising God. [9] And all the people saw him walking and praising God,
[10] and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the
temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what
had happened to him.
[11] While
he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to
them in the portico called Solomon's. [12] And when Peter saw it he
addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you
stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
[13] The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God
of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied
in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. [14] But
you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted
to you, [15] and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the
dead. To this we are witnesses. [16] And his name—by faith in his name—has
made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus
has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
[17] “And
now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
[18] But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his
Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. [19] Repent therefore, and turn
back, that your sins may be blotted out, [20] that times of refreshing may
come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed
for you, Jesus, [21] whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring
all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long
ago. [22] Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like
me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
[23] And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet
shall be destroyed from the people.’ [24] And all the prophets who have
spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.
[25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made
with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the
families of the earth be blessed.’ [26] God, having raised up his servant,
sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your
wickedness.”
(Acts 3 ESV)
In
this final passage, we see Peter healing a man.
In the context of the passage, the healing of this man was for the
direct purpose of validating the ministry of Peter and John as apostles,
specifically it gave them the authority to speak the Word of God given to them
by direct revelation. This is what the
office of Apostle was, it was a ministry that was confirmed by the signs and
wonders that God gave to those Apostles.
Now, whether or not you believe that the Apostolic office continues
today, what Peter did in healing this man, was not releasing God to heal
him. God did not need Peter to say “In
the name of Jesus of Nazareth” in order for the healing to happen, but God used
this to heal the man and validate the Apostle’s ministry.
Does
God transforming the world depend upon us releasing Him?
Romans 10
[10:1] Brothers,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
[2] For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not
according to knowledge. [3] For, being ignorant of the righteousness of
God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's
righteousness. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to
everyone who believes.
[5] For
Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person
who does the commandments shall live by them. [6] But the righteousness
based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”
(that is, to bring Christ down) [7] “or ‘Who will descend into the
abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [8] But what does it
say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word
of faith that we proclaim); [9] because, if you confess with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. [11] For the Scripture
says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” [12] For
there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of
all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. [13] For “everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
[14] How
then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to
believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without
someone preaching? [15] And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good
news!” [16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,
“Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” [17] So faith comes
from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
(Romans 10:1-17 ESV)
First,
I want to say some positive things about declaring God’s word. It is clear from this passage in Romans, that
God has ordained the means to have His word spread over all the earth. It is through the ministry that He gives to
the Saints. We also see that it is with
our mouth that we confess that Jesus Is Lord.
So there is precedent in the Bible for the positive use of the mouth
when it comes to preaching the gospel and confessing our Lord.
Isaiah
45
[45:1] Thus
says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose
right hand I have grasped,
to
subdue nations before him
and
to loose the belts of kings,
to
open doors before him
that
gates may not be closed:
[2] “I
will go before you
and
level the exalted places,
I
will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and
cut through the bars of iron,
[3] I
will give you the treasures of darkness
and
the hoards in secret places,
that
you may know that it is I, the LORD,
the
God of Israel, who call you by your name.
[4] For
the sake of my servant Jacob,
and
Israel my chosen,
I
call you by your name,
I
name you, though you do not know me.
[5] I
am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides
me there is no God;
I
equip you, though you do not know me,
[6] that
people may know, from the rising of the sun
and
from the west, that there is none besides me;
I
am the LORD, and there is no other.
[7] I
form light and create darkness,
I
make well-being and create calamity,
I
am the LORD, who does all these things.
[8] “Shower,
O heavens, from above,
and
let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let
the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to
sprout;
I
the LORD have created it.
[9] “Woe
to him who strives with him who formed him,
a
pot among earthen pots!
Does
the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or
‘Your work has no handles’?
[10] Woe
to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
or
to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
[11] Thus
says the LORD,
the
Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
“Ask
me of things to come;
will
you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?
[12] I
made the earth
and
created man on it;
it
was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and
I commanded all their host.
[13] I
have stirred him up in righteousness,
and
I will make all his ways level;
he
shall build my city
and
set my exiles free,
not
for price or reward,”
says
the LORD of hosts.
(Isaiah 45:1-13 ESV)
Here
is an excellent passage of scripture that directly refutes the position that
Bethel has taken by saying that we release God by declaring His words. Specifically look at verses 7, 9, 11 and
12. These verses along with the entire
passage show a God who is not bound by His creation, He is in control, He is
sovereign. If God wills to do something,
there is nothing on this puny earth that will stop Him, and He will accomplish
all that He has planned regardless of who is declaring what. It is God who declares the end from the
beginning and He will cause His will to be done.
Daniel
4
[34] At
the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason
returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who
lives forever,
for
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and
his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
[35] all
the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and
he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and
among the inhabitants of the earth;
and
none can stay his hand
or
say to him, “What have you done?”
[36] At
the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my
majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and
I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
[37] Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,
for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride
he is able to humble.
(Daniel 4:34-37 ESV)
I
give this final passage to show once more that none can stay God’s hand or say
to Him, “What have you done?” This shows
that the idea that we have some sort of power to bind and release God is
ludicrous and a creation of man’s mind, not a result of Biblical understanding.
In
conclusion, I believe I have shown that in each passage that Bethel cites for
this particular doctrine is unfounded and that their theology has been read
into the passage with no regard for the actual context and meaning. Remember, there are 5 rules of Biblical
Hermeneutics: 1. Context 2. Context 3. Context 4. Narrative is not normative 5.
A text can never say what it never said.
I hope this is helpful to you, the reader, and that I can continue to
shine the light of the full Word of God into the dark doctrinal places of the “Christian”
Culture. God Bless.
