What Did He Say?

In the Washington Times, Joel Osteen who is the pastor one of the largest Christian churches in the country was asked about Mitt Romney and if he thought as a Mormon, Romney was a Christian.  Osteen basically said that he thought Romney was because of what he heard him say he believed about Jesus and then made two amazing statements.  One saying that Mormonism is Christian even though it is not the “purest form” of Christianity like he grew up with and then implied that the disagreement with Mormonism is like the differences between Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists… etc.
 
For the life of me I cannot understand as a Christian pastor where he is coming from theologically.  With all the theological confusion in our culture what he says muddies the water even more and in my view creates some very dangerous confusion.
 
First of all is Mitt Romney a Christian? I don’t know.  I mean according to the bible a Christian is someone who has admitted and repented of his sin and placed his faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.  This is the heart of what is taught in Scripture. (John 3: 16, John 1: 12, Acts 4: 12, John 14: 6, Ephesians 2: 8-9)  The truth that Jesus, who is God, is flesh, the second person of the trinity, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, then died on the cross for the sins of the world, was raised from the dead, ascended to be with the father, and one day is coming to judge the word as King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the heart of the Christian faith.  Salvation is for those who repent and place their faith in Jesus alone.  The truth is God alone knows the heart.  So while we can see the fruits of salvation ultimately only God knows the truth about anyone’s salvation.
 
Secondly, this idea at least implied that Mormonism is not the purest form of Christianity is just wrong.  What does that mean?  Is there an impure form of Christianity?  No.  Paul said, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different Gospel—which is really no Gospel at all.  Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the Gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel form heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” Galatians 1: 6-8 (NIV)  To me, Paul’s point is really clear there is no impure Gospel.  It is either the truth of the Gospel or it is not but there is not an impure and pure form.  It is the truth about Christ or not.

This leads to the question is Mormonism a cult?  Let’s think about this. I like what James said about this subject. Mention the word cult and most people think of Jim Jones or David Koresh or Charles Manson.  They might think of poisoned Kool-Aid and Waco, mind-control and isolation.  None of which is true of Mormonism, and would be wrong to insinuate.  But in theological terms, if you were to define a cult as a religious group that denies the biblical nature of God, the full divinity of Jesus Christ, and that we are only saved through His atoning death on the cross through grace, then yet, it is.  That is not news; it has been the position of mainstream Christian faith since Joseph Smith came on the scene with his extra-biblical revelations.  In a LIfeWay Research survey of 1,000 American Protestant pastors, 75% rejected the idea that Mormons were Christians.  I agree, not because of bigotry but because of theology.  So theologically they are not historically Christian and Osteen should know that and missed an opportunity to present the true Gospel.
 
Thirdly, the idea of implying the disagreement with Mormonism is like the difference between Catholics and Baptist and Methodists.. is incredibly misleading and very dangerous to the truth of the Gospel.  My only response to Osteen is that he is completely wrong and in a major way.  Timothy Keller his book THE REASON FOR GOD points out that all Christians who take the truth and doctrine seriously will agree the differences between churches (denominations) are highly significant in terms of how ones faith is held and practiced.  “Nevertheless, all Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christians assent together to the great creeds of the first thousand years of church history, such as the Apostle’s, Nicene, Chalcedonian and Athanasian creeds.”  It is in these creeds that fundamental Christian views are laid out.  There is the classic expression of the Christian understanding of God as three-in-one.  In these creeds are laid out the doctrine of the trinity (which Mormons reject), the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ (which Mormons also reject).  Christians do not look upon Jesus as one more teacher or prophet, but as the Savior of the world.  These teaching make even Catholics and Protestants more like than unlike one another in essential doctrine.
 
Yet, the Mormon church rejects these basic Christian doctrines and early creeds.  That is why in my opinion, Osteen’s statement is dangerous and misleading.
I do not say this, just to slam Osteen but I say it because I believe we need clarity in our confusing culture about the truth of the Gospel.  It is our responsibility as pastors to share the truth of the Gospel in our culture even when it is not popular.  I pray for Osteen and his ministry because he has been given such an platform for influence and my prayer is that God would use him in a great way.  But we must speak the truth of the Gospel in love even when it is not easy and even when speaking on subjects that are uncomfortable to speak about.  IT IS WHY JESUS CALLED US TO BE SALT AND LIGHT (matt 5).
 
Church we need to discern and examine what we hear with the truth of the Word of God, even when it comes from a familiar voice.
 
Bro. Scott