Jesus declared in John 14; “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the only way to salvation. However, it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to review the transcript of the interview that I realize I had not clearly stated that having a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to heaven. It’s about the individual’s choice to follow Him.
Thank you, Mr. Osteen, for clarifying this important issue! Osteen’s statements implying that others could go to heaven apart from faith in Jesus Christ was obviously the most troubling part of his interview. However, almost as troubling from my perspective, is his refusal to call sin what God calls it: “sin”. Unfortunately, Osteen failed to clarify his statements regarding his refusal to use the word “sinners.” For more on this, see this post.
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Dear Pastor Steve, I often hear a lot of people stating that Joel Osteen is this that and so forth for saying what he said on the LKL show. Wouldn’t you agree though that Christians should not be a vessel of critisizm and try to tear down the ministry of Joel. You say that you are pleased with his apology as I am but there are so many people who will tell others not to listen to Joel Osteen because of his interview. In my opinion, an unbeliever might run away from the gospel if he/she feels that Christians express extreme critisizm towards Joel. I mean, If Christians feel the way they feel about Joel then what message do they send to other non-believers who might say “I wonder what they’d feel about me if I made the same mistake Joel Osteen did. WOuld I be judged in the same way?”
Tim,
Sometimes Christians are harsh in their criticisms of others. This can be a stumbling block to the world.
However, those who teach are held to a higher standard than those who do not. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (ESV) One who claims to be a teacher of God’s Word has a special responsibility to faithfully represent what the Word of God says.
Osteen is a public person making public statements and should be held accountable for what he says. This doesn’t mean that we should be harsh, but it does mean that we need to let people know when something we believe to be false is being communicated.
If Osteen is declaring a false gospel, or at the least a truncated gospel, then more damage is being done by his words, than Christians criticism of them. Paul in Galatians 1 says that if anyone preaches another gospel they are to be accursed. This is because a false gospel causes others who receive it to be accursed. This is serious business.
As Christians, then, we must “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Neither love or truth must be sacrificed in our communications.