More Controversy, Heresy, Blasphemy, Blah, Blah, Blah Ahead
ome time ago, a reader asked me about my thoughts on the preaching of Kenneth Copeland. By my tithing podcast, Tithing and the Gospel of Christ 2, you might think to throw me in with those in the anti-Copeland choir whose chorus is sung throughout the blogosphere. In Tithing 2, I demonstrate that Copeland’s teaching on Cain’s and Abel’s “firstfruits” and Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek just cannot support the doctrine of New Testament tithing.
But before handing me my robe and giving me a song sheet, a little more vetting would be in order. Copeland, to his credit, has never waffled on the redemptive facts that Jesus was made sin and that he was “made alive” again on the third day. The chorus is pretty exuberant about this ditty:
One of the most blatant and blasphemous heresies taught by the major internationally known Word of Faith teachers is the doctrine that says Jesus Christ, God the Son, died spiritually and had to be reborn spiritually due to becoming a lost sinner. (Rev. Robert S. Liichow, Discernment)
The bible is very clear that Jesus did not suffer in hell… . Those claiming “Jesus suffered in hell’s flames” deny the Word of God. Those who teach the blasphemous notion that, “Jesus became born again in hell” have spoken heresy. Such false teachers deny the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. (Cobblestone Road Ministries, Did Jesus Suffer in Hell?)
The “spiritual death of Christ” teaching entails an implicit denial of Christ’s deity and, in turn, of the Trinity. (Christian Research Institute Journal, Part Two: The Teachings of Kenneth Copeland)
[Note: It is funny how so many of the choir members have christened themselves with names like “discernment” or “research” to give them an air of added credibility.]
In my index is a vast array of essays on the fact that Jesus was, indeed, made sin (no imputation thank you). In the next series (the podcasts will continue on NT tithing) we’ll see just how blasphemous the ascension verses such as 1 Timothy 3.16 and 1 Peter 3.18 really are. For warm-up, you might take another look at 2 Corinthians 5.21 - The Literal Word as Blasphemy.
Brother Copeland, mind if I sit next to you on this one?