One of America’s most well-known evangelical pastors, Joel Osteen, recently declared that God “absolutely” approves of everyone, including homosexuals.
The Houston megapastor and best-selling author has been touring to all the talk shows lately to promote his new book Break Out! 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life.
Osteen, who has been the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston since 1999, recently talked to the Huffington Post about several subjects, including his thoughts on homosexuality.
HuffPo Live host Josh Zepps quoted from Osteen’s new book: “It doesn’t matter who likes you or who doesn’t like you, all that matters is God likes you. He accepts you, he approves of you.”
Zepps went on to ask Osteen if that included homosexuals.
“Absolutely,” Osteen insisted.
“I believe that God has breathed his life into every single person. We’re all on a journey. Nobody’s perfect,” stated the pastor who oversees a congregation of 45,000 followers, including the likes of Cher and Oprah Winfrey. “The Bible said a sin is pride, a sin is selfish ambition. We tend to pick out these certain things,” he add.
Let’s see what the Bible says:
Romans 1:26-32 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Leviticus 20:13 13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
And regarding Osteen:
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
One more very important point I’d like to make: love doesn’t equal approval. You can love your child and still disapprove of what they do. Likewise, God can love us but that doesn’t mean He necessarily approves of us. Osteen is saying that God approves of everyone, and that is wrong. God does not approve of sinners (whichever sin it may be) unless we turn from our ways and towards Jesus for repentance.
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