This topic surfaces frequently among those who argue their apologetic on either side of the fence with regard to orthodoxy vs. Word-Faith. The doctrine of a Born Again Jesus was originally presented by E.W. Kenyon in his book entitled "What Happened From The Cross To The Throne". Since then many others of this new Word-Faith religion have essentially parroted the same doctrine, most prominant among them being Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer and Creflo Dollar among others. As a fundamental doctrine of this religion it is the basis for much of the aberrant theology that has swallowed so many people enamoured of this wrong-headed faith. There can be no "equality with God" if Jesus is not born again. There can be no Übermensch among men if the LORD Jesus Christ cannot be brought down to our level. In the Word-Faith mindset, the born again man must be on an equal footing with Jesus Christ if we are to command the heavens and dictate the promises of our own words. It is a doctrine that seeks to denigrate the holiness of Jesus and exalt the supposed holiness of man.
Given the Word-Faith lack of understanding who Jesus is (for there can be no clear understanding at all if Jesus is to be a born again man in their eyes) the question must be asked "Why must a man be born again?". The answer to this question, a simple question among saints patient in the LORD, is that we are fallen creatures. We were born into this world of a woman in a natural condition tainted by the sin of Adam. We were spiritually dead in our sins, created in iniquity as the Psalmist wrote. John Wesley framed it best in my opinion. In his sermon on the new birth he wrote:
And in Adam all died, all human kind, all the children of men who were then in Adam's loins. The natural consequence of this is, that every one descended from him comes into the world spiritually dead, dead to God, wholly dead in sin; entirely void of the life of God; void of the image of God, of all that righteousness and holiness wherein Adam was created. Instead of this, every man born into the world now bears the image of the devil in pride and self-will; the image of the beast, in sensual appetites and desires. This, then, is the foundation of the new birth, -- the entire corruption of our nature. Hence it is, that, being born in sin, we must be "born again." Hence every one that is born of a woman must be born of the Spirit of God. (my emphasis) (1)
The last sentence carries with it a great importance that must be returned to the first sentence of this quote. Jesus Christ was certainly born of a woman yet was not born of Adam. Christ was never of Adam's loins and instead is referred to as the last Adam. As Wesley rightly pointed out, fallen man, born of a woman (a natural birth) must be born of the Spirit of God meaing born from above, born again as we often phrase it. How did Jesus come into this world? Certainly as one born of a woman. We can also rightly state that Jesus came into this world born of the Spirit of God. It was the Holy Spirit who overshadowed His mother Mary. It was one born of the Spirit of God carried in the womb who gave cause for another babe to leap in his womb just from the presence of Holiness.
“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:41-44 AV)
Of course the Born Again Jesus doctrine carries with it other doctrines that have been developed to buttress it. Jesus assumed the nature of Satan according to the same fellows. We are gods equivalent to Jesus Christ according to these imaginations. Jesus made Himself a curse in the minds of a few. Jesus became wickedness for these doctrines to stand. The Jesus Died Spiritually doctrine of the Word-Faith religion is an essential accompaniment of a Born Again Jesus scenario and I will address that particular foul doctrine at a later time. In any event we can rest assured that if we realize that Jesus always was, is and will be Holy, the sin of teaching a Born Again Jesus will never give cause for our self-exaltation and the deliberate denigration of Christ give us cause to shout in the words of Creflo Dollar "We are exactly like Jesus Christ and equal to God". (2) God Forbid such blasphemy.
(1) The New Birth, Sermon 45, John Wesley http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/serm-045.stm
(2) I am provinding the words as I recall them from a television program of Creflo Dollar's, the series entitled The Righteousness of God.
Given the Word-Faith lack of understanding who Jesus is (for there can be no clear understanding at all if Jesus is to be a born again man in their eyes) the question must be asked "Why must a man be born again?". The answer to this question, a simple question among saints patient in the LORD, is that we are fallen creatures. We were born into this world of a woman in a natural condition tainted by the sin of Adam. We were spiritually dead in our sins, created in iniquity as the Psalmist wrote. John Wesley framed it best in my opinion. In his sermon on the new birth he wrote:
And in Adam all died, all human kind, all the children of men who were then in Adam's loins. The natural consequence of this is, that every one descended from him comes into the world spiritually dead, dead to God, wholly dead in sin; entirely void of the life of God; void of the image of God, of all that righteousness and holiness wherein Adam was created. Instead of this, every man born into the world now bears the image of the devil in pride and self-will; the image of the beast, in sensual appetites and desires. This, then, is the foundation of the new birth, -- the entire corruption of our nature. Hence it is, that, being born in sin, we must be "born again." Hence every one that is born of a woman must be born of the Spirit of God. (my emphasis) (1)
The last sentence carries with it a great importance that must be returned to the first sentence of this quote. Jesus Christ was certainly born of a woman yet was not born of Adam. Christ was never of Adam's loins and instead is referred to as the last Adam. As Wesley rightly pointed out, fallen man, born of a woman (a natural birth) must be born of the Spirit of God meaing born from above, born again as we often phrase it. How did Jesus come into this world? Certainly as one born of a woman. We can also rightly state that Jesus came into this world born of the Spirit of God. It was the Holy Spirit who overshadowed His mother Mary. It was one born of the Spirit of God carried in the womb who gave cause for another babe to leap in his womb just from the presence of Holiness.
“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:41-44 AV)
Of course the Born Again Jesus doctrine carries with it other doctrines that have been developed to buttress it. Jesus assumed the nature of Satan according to the same fellows. We are gods equivalent to Jesus Christ according to these imaginations. Jesus made Himself a curse in the minds of a few. Jesus became wickedness for these doctrines to stand. The Jesus Died Spiritually doctrine of the Word-Faith religion is an essential accompaniment of a Born Again Jesus scenario and I will address that particular foul doctrine at a later time. In any event we can rest assured that if we realize that Jesus always was, is and will be Holy, the sin of teaching a Born Again Jesus will never give cause for our self-exaltation and the deliberate denigration of Christ give us cause to shout in the words of Creflo Dollar "We are exactly like Jesus Christ and equal to God". (2) God Forbid such blasphemy.
(1) The New Birth, Sermon 45, John Wesley http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/serm-045.stm
(2) I am provinding the words as I recall them from a television program of Creflo Dollar's, the series entitled The Righteousness of God.
2 comments:
believe you are being somewhat unjust in what you state, perhaps taking some quotes, implying that is the whole of the teaching. Here is a quote from Creflo Dollar on righteousness.
It is commonly thought that righteousness must be earned. Anything worth having must be worked for—right? Not so in the Kingdom of God. In fact, something so valuable and precious as righteousness is a free gift! Still religion would tell you that your position of righteousness is based upon your performance. If that were true, you would not need Jesus.
Now we know you cannot earn a gift. It has to be received. Salvation is a gift, and one of its benefits, righteousness, is also received freely. Therefore, man cannot take credit for earning either of them.
Some people may ask what is righteousness? Righteousness is being free from all sin. Because of the initial sin of Adam, everyone born into this physical world arrived as a sinner. However, the moment we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, we also immediately receive the gift of righteousness along with the grace of God, which is unearned favor. Romans 5:17 confirms it. “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” Like everything else in the Kingdom of God, you receive righteousness. It is granted in exchange for faith and is not the result of works.
http://www.creflodollarministries.org/BibleStudy/Articles.aspx?id=437
Wesley was a methodist, I believe the word Methodist, implys a method to salvation and santification, I believe the method would involve faith on our part, correct me if I am wrong on that.
I know Andrew Murray taught faith was a requirment concerning salvation and santification.
btw word faith has roots with the wesleyn Holiness roots.
blessings fc-wf
As a CARMite, you should have identified yourself. Nobody else would have made the Murray reference.
I did not take Dollar out of context. I listened to the man for a few months several years ago and I fully understood what he was stating. It was clearly blasphemous.
As for Wesley, it would be quite a stretch to tie him to the Word-Faith religion. I realize the WOF adherents are anxious to associate themselves with him and various Holiness movements however there seems to be a lack of references to make that connection. "Faith" itself is not sufficient. Even the Calvinists state the same things. What is needed is a greater understanding of the differences between Wesleyan or Arminian faith and how Word-Faith promoters such as Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Copelend understand and apply their doctrines of faith.
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