Example: Joyce Meyer says:
“Judgment and criticism never bring joy. Showing love does. The choice is yours.”
But Jesus said in John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment”. (See also 1 Timothy 5:17-21)
Joyce may want to avoid being judged for milking millions of dollars out of dumb Christians and living the high-life at their expense.
Joyce’s teaching here is HUMANISM, in that it puts SELF at the center. In this case, it’s the pursuit of our own personal joy which is supposed to be the motivation for our actions, rather than pleasing God (whether that brings joy or not). The “prosperity gospel” is pure Humanism.
Back to Joyce’s point, above: The reason we should control our tongue and not sin with it is bcos that is RIGHT – that is RIGHTEOUSNESS, it pleases the LORD, and we want to please Him and not ourselves.
If Joyce Meyer thinks that all Christians are dumb enough to blindly do what she says and never judge anyone, in the hope that they won’t examine and judge her for her corruption and false-teachings, then she has judged the Body of Christ wrong. She has misjudged the Body of Christ.
Obeying God will always bring the TRUE joy of the LORD, but if a person is seeking SELF INTEREST then no matter how hard they try, they will not have the true joy of the LORD. The more a person makes seeking their own joy or happiness the object, the more illusive that happiness will be.
I can’t think of one popular preacher today, who, at least to some extent, does not preach HUMANISM.
See also: https://ianvincent.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/judgment-toolkit/
September 3, 2012 at 11:34 am
Like! I never liked her and her ilk anyway.
September 3, 2012 at 9:09 pm
“If Joyce Meyer thinks that all Christians are dumb enough to blindly do what she says and never judge anyone”
When I was a dedicated AOG member I naturally took her teachings on prosperity and what not. I was taken captive through my own greed and ignorance just as you said. I have spent much time exposing her since. She is a religious merchant who is headed for eternal damnation unless she repents.
Proverbs 7
She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.