Joseph Prince Exposed
by Todd on MARCH 9, 2013
SATAN’S WOLVES
COME IN EVERY FLAVOR
Prince is like the Joel Osteen of the Asian world. You know, people are so gullible that all you have to do is cast some guy – flesh – in a nice set of pictures, showing himself to be something special – and people will follow anything he / she says while deliberately ignoring, shunning and rejecting what Jesus and His holy apostles have said. Amazing foolishness! ….Red, yellow, black, or white many are foolish in His sight. – “We wrestle not against flesh and blood” amen (Ephesians 6:12)… just pointing this out – How the enemy has deceived willing deceived, gifted men in every segment of the human race in order to lead to hell as many as possible. The LORD Jesus Christ bled to save all of mankind and told us that in His eternal kingdom and family will be precious souls from “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” – “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9) – Please share.
Folks, let’s face it – no truth-speaking true disciple of Jesus will be accepted by the world – the masses. Jesus says “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26)
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WORD-FAITH PANDEMIC
by Larry James
Here in cosmopolitan Singapore we have our fair share of a different gospel running the gamut of local churches (Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Corinthians 11:4). As a matter of fact I’ve even attended New Creation Church for two and a half years as part of an ecclesiastical study apart from serving. Whilst in the pews of a hyper grace seeker-sensitive church, I’ve heard the sounds of perversity from the horse’s mouth–Joseph Prince himself–and his minions twisting scripture that is sadly regurgitated by mindless shepherds to their sheep at home cell units. With the likes of Word-Faith proponents such as Matt Crouch, Richard Roberts, Kenneth Hagin, Judah Smith, Darlene Z etc. gracing the stage, imagine that after JP’s debut at Osteen’s Lakewood Church in 2011, a home cell leader could actually ask us, “Do you think it’s okay to adore Ps Prince?” No, that’s not the straw that broke the camel’s back. Imagine the superstitious embrace of the Eucharist and the anointing oil for the miraculous if not grotesque–should one heed their promptings that ply the crude and silly. Furthermore, should one duly discern, JP’s focus on the bane of the Law is all but a distraction and a cop-out from a sincere exegesis of the Gospel and Pauline epistles in its entirety. Just as conjured parallels between Judaism and Islam seem amazing, amazing yet is one who preaches Jesus with a different gospel and misses Him entirely! What more then when the nation boasts of yet another heretic that has some 36,000 sheep under his watchful gaze–Kong Hee of City Harvest Church. Cho Yonggi, Benny Hinn and Phil Pringle are but the few that have hitched this wagon to only God knows where. Isn’t it amazing that God had vouchsafe for the worthless even though all nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless (Isaiah predators larger shadow40:17)? Should USA be judged, she’s better off alphabetically. Should the scales fall from the eyes of the deluded, they will vomit the filth fed by these hireling shepherds that have crept in unawares to pollute every nook and cranny of the body of Christ. For that matter, Beyonce’s performance at Super Bowl 2013 can hardly differ depicting the deluded, be it the masses or a select few, that are ushered in rank and file, week in and week out to unwittingly channel in their alter ego plying the pulpit and yet be harnessed by deceit for merchandise. Madness. Or better yet the caption that says ‘Think–while its still legal!’ Never mind the gainsayers, should it baffle us when some make a defense of their pet heretic if only to confirm their delusion? Just get the full Monty out folks–before its way too late!” ~ Larry James, Singapore.
Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.
Blank white book w/path‘I totally agree with what you have to say!’ LT. [Lawrence Theodore Jeyachandran] Executive Director in Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (Asia-Pacific) April 2003-September 2012.
‘Dear Larry, Thank you for your very insightful article into the errors & fallacies in many modern churches and so called preachers of faith. Blessings!’ Rev Alfred Ang Cheng Kiat (Emeritus Pastor) Emmanuel Assembly of God
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The Fresh Prince
by Lance Goodall
The Christian world has a fresh prince, not of Bel Air, but Singapore!
1 Joseph Prince (JP) is the senior pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore, one of Asia’s
biggest churches.
2 Under Prince’s leadership, the church congregation has grown by more than a
hundredfold — from about 150 to more than 24,000.A founding member of New Creation Church,
Prince initially served as an elder and associate pastor. However, his appointment as senior pastor
in 1990 marked a turning point in the history of the church, which started experiencing phenomenal
growth.
3 Prince, the son of a Sikh priest of Indian origin and a Chinese mother, changed his birth name to
Joseph Prince from Xenonamandar Jegahusiee Singh, during his previous occupation as an IT
consultant.
4 His name change is reminiscent of Joseph the Hebrew Prince of Egypt. He is married
to Wendy, and has two young children. As a young man he dabbled in the occult, but he said
that ‘supernatural experiences’ opened his eyes to Christianity.5 Rising to cult status, Prince is the new ‘voice’ in the world of TV preachers, bringing a breath of fresh air, teaching his version of “effortless” grace, and his panoramic view of God’s love. But is this really the breath of Heaven, or is it a new wind of doctrine; a form of grace for children desiring only milk, happy with cotton candy Christianity? (cf. Eph 4:14; 1Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12 -14)
For a new “Christian” Prince’s teaching sounds wonderful. But anyone with even an ounce of biblical
discernment would run from such lopsided teaching.
The Pop Prince
Joseph Prince’s Television programme, and his books are everywhere. Prince is the new Prosperity
Poster Boy.
His website boasts,” A highly sought-after conference speaker, Pastor Prince has impacted church leaders internationally by preaching the unadulterated gospel of Jesus with boldness. He is known for teaching God’s Word in a fresh, practical and revelatory way that always unveils Jesus. His humorous, dynamic and engaging style of preaching has also endeared him to a wide spectrum of viewers who tune in to his daily television programme – Destined To Reign. This broadcast currently reaches millions of homes across North America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Israel on both secular and Christian networks.
Pastor Prince is actively fulfilling the mandate that God has given him to preach God’s unmerited
favour without compromise. Prince’s ministry continues to transform many lives, setting people free
from the heavy yoke of the law, guilt and condemnation by pointing them to Jesus and His finished
work at Calvary.
Pastor Prince believes the best in people and is committed to helping them discover how they can
reign in life through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. His desire is to help this
generation of believers understand the new covenant…”
6 His messages are all about grace “to lift the heavy yoke of the law.” He is strongly into the “Word
Faith”, meaning his message is based on health and prosperity. Prince has changed the basic
premise from faith, to “grace,” which has far more appeal. Because he believes the best in people
he doesn’t talk much about sin! He has just enough right teaching, mixed with wrong theology to be
dangerous.
JP has been invited to preach at a number of churches in Australia, London, USA, Canada, Norway,
Netherlands, South Africa and Indonesia.
7 Notably, he has been invited to preach at many a Hillsong Conference, including this year’s (2012).
8 Prince’s TV program Destined to Reign is broadcast in more than 150 countries.
9 His broadcast programme is also streamed online through Internet and podcasts.
10 Yet he has never had any formal theological training. Prince publishes books, CDs and DVDs. In 2007, he published his book Destined to Reign: The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living, which contained teachings from his
ten years of preaching from 1997 to 2007. Six months after the book’s US release, it was listed as
one of Christian Retailing’s Top 100 Books.
11 In 2010, Prince’s latest book Unmerited Favor was published worldwide by Charisma House.
12 Joseph Prince was featured in the cover story of the June 2010 issue of Charisma magazine, which covered his preaching and teaching ministry.13 On October 29, 2011, JP ministered in the US for the first time at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.
Effortless Income:
There have been criticisms about the size of the salary paid by the church to its senior pastor.
On 5 October 2008, in an interview with the Sunday Times, JP, who is the executive chairman of the
church council, acknowledged that he was well-paid but added that money did not have a hold on
him.14 He dismissed the rumour that his salary was $50,000 a month.15
However, on 30 March 2009, The Straits Times reported that an investigation revealed that the
independent New Creation Church paid one employee between $500,001 and $550,000 in its last
financial year of 2008. 16
Under the revised and updated recommendations contained in the Code of Governance for charities,
all charities and non-profit organizations in Singapore are encouraged to disclose the salary bands of
their top executives to the Commissioner of Charities. Even though the church did not confirm if the
amount went to its pastor, Joseph Prince, but it told The Straits Times that its policy is to ‘recognise
and reward key contributors to the church and Senior Pastor Prince is the main pillar of our church’s
growth and revenue’. The New Creation Church’s income was reported to be SGD55.4million for the
financial year ended March 2008. 17 On June 7, 2010, The Straits Times and Channel News Asia
reported that Joseph Prince has not been on the church payroll since 2009.18
Prince of Prosperity
Many are becoming aware of this man’s teachings. But not “all that glitters is gold”, as the saying
goes…
Here is a quote from Joseph Prince:
I give thank(s) for God for my roots in the Word of Faith teachings. It is truly on the shoulders of great men of God like Brother Kenneth E. Hagin that we are able to see further into the Word of God today. Growing up, I learned a lot about faith from Brother Hagin who truly had a special revelation of faith from the Lord. I deeply honour and respect him for all that he has taught me.” 19
Prince’s background has certainly influenced his teaching on grace. In his sermon Walking in the
undeserved favour of God, he said:
Now I’ve been in the Word of Faith circle and I find that Word of Faith preachers know about favour. The thing that I wish many of them would say though would be this – to use that phase – undeserved favour… Now I didn’t learn amazing grace from Word of Faith though,… I had to learn that truly struggling on my own. 20
The following are gleanings taken from his book – Destined to Reign. This list is the crux of Prince’s
teachings.
Nothing but blessings for the believer (p.53)
No longer a need to be concerned about God’s Judgment
Repentance and confession of sin is never necessary
Wealth is for all Christians
God is continually restoring “New Truths” to the church—-New Revelations (p.32)
Prince’s personal revelation from God is: “More grace; less judgment”
Prince believes that God WILL NOT JUDGE America because of the cross. (p.49)
The Moral law has no bearing on Christians today; it was abolished with the Ceremonial law.
Prince says that he never encountered anyone that said “now I can go out and sin because of grace”(p.99)
Repentance means “Only to turn around” or a “change of mind”
He used to be conscious of sin, but he doesn’t focus on confessing his sin/s anymore 21
Prince’s preaching on grace always comes back to blessing and prosperity, it’s no wonder he has so
many followers.
Royal Rhetoric
Prince continually assures the Believer that, although he does not condone sin, all was forgiven when Jesus died for the Believer. On pg 53 of his book – Destined to Reign, Prince writes:
If you receive a word from someone which brings your sins to remembrance or instills an expectation of punishment for sins in your life, don’t fear it, just throw it out the window…
On page 45, he writes:
God took all your sins, even the sins that you have not yet committed, and put them all on Jesus. All future sins have been fully judged at the cross.’
On pages 138, 233 and 99 respectively he states:
Believers are forever righteous – you cannot be under grace without becoming holy, and that he has never encountered anyone who after receiving grace says “now I can go out and sin.”
Really?? Don’t you know of those who truly served and loved the Lord at one time and have returned
to a life of sin, or least failed the Lord at one point?
JP teaches that since all sins are already forgiven, there is no need to repent of them anyway. What
we need instead is to be forgiveness -conscious. 22 On page 103 of his book, he writes:
“even when they (Christians) say a wrong thing, do a wrong thing or have a wrong thought…….they see the blood of Jesus continually washing them….because they are forgiveness-conscious, they experience victory over sin.” 23
“So every day, make it a priority to see yourself righteous in Christ. Don’t be conscious of your sins. Instead, be conscious of your righteousness….see Jesus with His pierced hands and side, which speak of His finished work. See all your sins forgiven, and you will flow with peace and joy. When you do this, you are seeking the kingdom of God! “24
Prince’s teachings may be about grace, but he is twisting scripture to make his point. JP’s message
of grace is mixed with strange word faith concepts. Many who were once biblical, now completely
accept Prince’s teachings!
However many of his statements like the following are true;
“The law is about you looking at yourself. The new covenant is all about you seeing Jesus.” 25
“Even though the law is holy, just and good, it has no power to make you holy, just and good.”26
“Stop trying to deserve and earn your own acceptance before God with your own works and efforts. It will only frustrate the grace of God and nullify the effects of the cross in your life. 27
Joseph Prince qualifies:
People sometimes ask me, ‘Pastor Prince, if you don’t teach the Ten Commandments to your
church, what is going to govern them?’ My friend, the Lord Himself will govern them! 28
Joseph Prince has misapplied the leading of the Holy Spirit, (cf. John 16:13). The Lord also guides
through His Word. His statements are clear indications that he teaches antinomianism.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin – James 4:17.
The logical conclusion is “one must be aware of what is good to do it”; equally, “one must know what
is not right, so as not to sin”. Prince keeps his followers in ignorance of what God requires. Like so
many he is preaching a “different gospel” – a “feel good gospel”.
Prince states:
Have you noticed that the law entered so that sin might abound? It clearly means that the more you preach the law, the more sin will abound. After all, the strength of sin is the law. Therefore, when… you preach more of the law, you are literally adding wood to fire. 29
On the contrary the Bible makes it clear that:
The Ceremonial law was fulfilled in The New Covenant by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
We have no need of sacrifices for the forgiveness of our sins. Christ was our Passover Lamb.
However, nowhere in the Bible has the “Moral law” been abolished. It is still wrong to murder, steal,
commit adultery, etc. We are still obligated to keep these laws. 30
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, you shall not commit adultery: But I say to
you, That whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his
heart. – Matthew 5:27-28
Jesus magnified the law. In fact, Jesus raised the laws in the Old Testament to a higher standard. If
Joseph Prince is correct; then why did Jesus make the keeping of the Moral law even tougher and
stricter cf. Matthew 5:22-44?
“It is all about Jesus and His finished work! “The law justified no one and condemned the best
of us, but grace saves even the worst of us” (Destined To Reign p.124) “Commandments Kill”.
31
Although correct as stand alone statements, his emphasis is at the expense of a proper
understanding of The Law. Paul referred to The Law as “a schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:24). It’s not
grace replacing the law, but rather God’s grace given to fulfil the law. Prince makes the ‘law’
and ‘condemnation’ the enemy, not our ‘sin’!
While Prince makes some good points to accentuate grace; one needs to read many of his quotes in
their complete context. Many times his points may be true; but his application and solution are not.
The main idea Prince is advancing is that through grace believers only receive blessings, they do
not need to be concerned about sin, or God’s chastening. Grace has done away with the law with its
judgment and punishment. Prince’s whole presentation is that “This (grace) is the secret to effortless
success, wholeness, and victorious living!” (Destined to Reign, p. 307). And “victorious living is
effortless”. 32
If the path to God is effortless then why did Jesus say, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For
many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Luke 13:24 [ESV] —Strive? And not ALL will
be able to enter! That doesn’t seem effortless grace, does it?
Prince of Dreams
To understand his position we need to learn how he was led into this teaching. Prince says in 1997
(notice early in his ministry) while on vacation with his wife …
I distinctly heard the voice of the Lord on the inside. It wasn’t a witness of the Spirit. It was a voice, and I heard God say clearly to me: “Son, you are not preaching grace.”
I said, “What do You mean, Lord? That’s a low blow. That’s a real low blow!” I added, “I’m a preacher of grace. I have been a grace preacher for years …”
He said, “No. Every time you preach grace, you preach it with a mixture of law. You attempt to balance grace with the law, like many other preachers, and the moment you balance grace, you neutralize it. You cannot put new wine into old wineskins. You cannot put grace and law together.” He went on to say, “Son, a lot of preachers are not preaching grace the way Apostle Paul preached grace.” He then ended emphatically with this statement that revolutionized my ministry: “If you don’t preach grace radically, people’s lives will never be radically blessed and radically transformed.”
That powerful word from the Lord jolted me, and I realized for the first time that I had indeed been preaching a grace message that was tempered with the law. I returned to my church with a strong mandate from the Lord…” (Joseph Prince, Destined To Reign, pp. vii-viii).
It sounds good doesn’t it?
Firstly, why are we relying on “the voice of the Lord” to teach and expound biblical doctrine?
Jesus Christ supposedly told Kenneth Copeland (Word Faith teacher) in the following prophecy:
Don’t be disturbed when people put you down and speak harshly and roughly of you. They spoke that way of Me, should they not speak that way of you? The more you get to be like Me, the more they’re going to think that way of you. They crucified Me for claiming that I was God. But I didn’t claim I was God; I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was in Me. Hallelujah. 33 (cf. Matt 26:63- 65, John 8:54-59)
This is Word of Faith teaching – plain and simple! Prince has admitted Kenneth E. Hagin is a strong
influence, meaning JP’s teaching will deny essential elements of Christian doctrine, such as Christ’s
deity!
Prince may be fairly new to the scene but the doctrine he teaches isn’t something new at all, nor is it
a ”New Revelation”. “Antinomianism” was what the Apostles came against in the Early Church.
Definition:
Antinomianism is the teaching that under The Gospel, the moral law is of no use, nor are Christians
obligated to keep it. Antinomianism or legal irresponsibility is an extreme version of justification by
faith alone. It does not necessarily imply the embrace of ethical permissiveness; rather it usually implies emphasis on the inner working of the Holy Spirit as the primary source of ethical guidance. 34
Prince seeks to defend himself:
I have been accused of being an antinomian (someone who is against the law of Moses). The truth is I have the highest regard for the law… I am for the law, for the purpose for which God gave the law… God did not give the law for us to keep. He gave the law to bring man to the end of himself, so that he would see his need for a Saviour (emphasis added). 35
Although the law was to bring an end to ourselves;
What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Don’t you know that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? – Romans 6:15,16
He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. – Romans 8:4
According to Joseph Prince, a Christian can accept Christ and somehow live a life of sin and in the
flesh (at least ignorantly) because he/she is already forgiven and there is no need to live “holy and
blameless” as the Apostle Paul admonishes us to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:7:
For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who has given us his Holy Spirit
Where is the need for repentance? With Prince’s teaching it seems there is none?
Of course Prince denies this. Teachers like Prince are into political “double-speak”.
There are many examples that show Joseph Prince has warped the truth to build his “unique” grace
teaching
… the power to overcome sin is found in knowing that you are righteous. When a believer is struggling with sin, it is a case of mistaken identity. He thinks that he is still a dirty rotten sinner…Believers are struggling with sin today precisely because they do not realize that they are righteous. The Bible says, “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.” This means that the more a believer realizes that he is indeed righteous, the more he will start to behave like a righteous person. It is time to awake to righteousness!” 36
The Greek word for righteousness (dikaiōs) means right living. Prince makes the phrase some kind of
word faith confession.
Righteousness Consciousness
I have to ask the question, did Paul, the apostle, somehow get it wrong, that we can now thank
Joseph Prince for opening up to us this NEW truth about grace? If we accept Prince’s grace theology
as true, then Paul wouldn’t have written most of the New Testament. He wouldn’t have expanded his
writings to the churches beyond making clear to them their ‘position’ in Christ.
Yet Prince tells us to “Feed on the letters of Apostle Paul” in order to discover the Gospel of Grace.
Prince says,
God does not leave you wondering whether you are saved or not. He tells you outright that you are His and that nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ. Not even sin because His blood is greater than your sin! 37
Although he’s partly correct, Prince seems to forget that sin does affect our communion with God; the
blood of Jesus Christ is applied when one confesses, and turns from sin, just as in salvation. Love
demands that we tell the truth to people when they have done wrong. God is no different; He wants
truth, not just grace.
Joseph Prince states:
Colossians 2 tells us we are already made perfect in Christ. We don’t work towards perfection. Christ has made us perfect from the Cross. The minute you believe you are made perfect in Christ. You work from your perfection not to it.” 38
In Philippians 3: 9-16, Paul teaches that he possesses “the righteousness which is of God by faith…”,
yet he has “not already attained, nor [is he] already perfect” (v12). He is seeking to know more of
Christ. Yet in verse 15 he concludes, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded…”
(cf. James 1:3-4;1 Peter 5:10).
Matthew Henry makes this point:
Those who think they have grace enough give proof that they have little enough, or rather that they have none at all; because, wherever there is true grace, there is a desire of more grace, and a pressing towards the perfection of grace. 39
Prince it seems is unable to reconcile such apparent contradictions.
The more they believe that they are righteous, the more they experience true victory over sin… You see yourself righteous and this gives you the power to rise above the temptation. 40
Knowing that you are completely forgiven destroys the power of sin in your life now 41
Knowing you are forgiven before you do something wrong can give you a freedom to do whatever you
want, and here is where the accusations of antinomianism surface.
Rom 8:1 actually says there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, “who do not walk according
to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” cf. verse 4. In other words being obedient, yielding and
submitting to God, putting to death your members, and living by the Spirit, is the key, not by some
blanket gift of no condemnation cf. Colossians 3:5; Romans 6:15-19.
Prince gives us a formula for not sinning by repeating the phrase “I am the righteousness of God in
Jesus Christ.” Clearly Prince is promoting some sort of Word Faith “righteousness consciousness”.
Where is the power of the Holy Spirit? Where is dying to self? Herein is the contradiction. At the same
time he tells people to confess righteousness, he also tells people not to confess their sin, but the
Bible explicitly states the opposite. JP says, “Beloved, confessing your sins all the time will only make
you more sin-conscious. But knowing that you are under Jesus’ waterfall of forgiveness will keep you
forgiveness-conscious… 42
It’s the acknowledging of our sin that brings God’s cleansing, and “he that is begotten of God keeps
himself from sin” (1John 1:7-9; 1John 5:18). Prince erroneously promotes that confession is only
needed once at conversion. God somehow forgives us continuously and perpetually under “waterfalls
of forgiveness”?
Again from his book Destined to Reign:
For generations, the body of Christ has been defeated and put under a constant siege of condemnation from the accuser because they believe wrongly that the Holy Spirit convicts believers of their sins. 43
Here Prince explains what, in his opinion, has eluded almost all believers for centuries, that the Holy
Spirit does NOT convict believers of their sins? The Holy Spirit came to convict of sin, righteousness,
and judgement. (John 14:17;16:7-12). Without Him we remain in spiritual darkness. This in itself is
clue enough that Prince is teaching error!
The New Birth is but a beginning; like a baby we must continue to grow.
Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now
much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is
God which works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. – Philippians 2:12-13 (cf.
Hebrews 13:21)
Paul writes in 1Tim. 4:7 “exercise yourself toward godliness.” Gr: “gumnazo” – exercise; a discipline,
to train like a boxer, or an athlete.
Notice we work, and the Lord works in us. The Holy Spirit leads us to salvation and redemption, but
will not do it alone. We must co-operate with Him. He wants us to participate with Him in sanctifying
our lives. This is the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do
these things you will never fall; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – 2 Peter 1:10,11.
The scripture exhorts us to be diligent, giving heed, to add to our faith virtue. None of this comes
automatically from grace, we have this instilled in us by the Holy Spirit, and we must co-operate with
His work in conforming us to the Son. These are added as we grow in both knowledge and faith. The
Churches of Sardis and Laodicea are clear warnings against casual Christianity. (Revelation 3:1-
5,14 -21) Many are building their faith on shifting sand, on Prince’s message of ALL grace, and no
responsibility.
Prince of Hyper-Grace
The missing element in Prince’s grace mantra is sanctification.
Our sanctification began when we were justified, but sanctification is a continuing work.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10.
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from fornication – 1 Thessalonians 4:3.
Yet Prince states “You are either righteous or you are not. There is no such
thing as first having ‘positional righteousness’ and then having to maintain that
through ‘practical righteousness.’ You are the righteousness of God in Christ, period!
44
The sad fact is this extreme heresy is spread abroad across our land today proclaiming a Saviour
from hell, but not from sin. It preaches a salvation of forgiveness but not redemption from sin. It
teaches a form of justification by faith but not sanctification by faith. It preaches, “You must be born
again” but doesn’t teach the marks of true regeneration. It teaches that a man becomes a new
creature in Christ, while he remains just the same.
Do JP’s disciples truly believe God’s grace can be this lopsided? Prince’s grace is hyper-grace;
ALL of God, and nothing of us. Prince’s positive thinking, positive confession paradigm is what he
propagates. JP claims that sin, law, repentance, conviction, are negative, so they are excluded, and
rejected from his message.
And you, that were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in His sight: If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and do not be moved away from the hope of the gospel, … -Colossians 1:21-23.
Yet if Prince produced his own Bible you would read, “He has reconciled us; “In the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in his sight”, and that’s where it
would stop.
To quote Martyn Lloyd Jones:
I need something further [than being delivered from guilt and punishment]. I need a positive righteousness [by living in accordance with God’s moral law]. I cannot stand in the presence of God by means of the forgiveness of sins only; I need a positive righteousness [an actual righteousness; and … this is the dominant use of the word righteousness in the Bible], the righteousness that the Law postulates [demands, requires]. The second element in salvation, therefore, is that I am clothed with the righteousness [the actual righteousness] of Jesus Christ. … In verse 3 [Rom. 8:3], the Apostle tells us how God delivers us from the guilt of sin [Verse 3 definitely includes His setting us free from the authority and power of sin, from the kingdom of sin.]; in verse 4 He gives us the positive righteousness, and how He will go on doing this increasingly through the work of the Spirit in sanctification until we are ultimately glorified, and free from sin altogether”45
Martin Lloyd-Jones continues:
In other words, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us in two ways. The righteousness of Christ is ‘imputed’ to us [positional, legal righteousness]; but, thank God, the righteousness of Christ is also ‘imparted’ to us. 46
Martin Luther wrote:
It is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! (cf. James 2:14 -23) 47
Prince takes the position that God actually made us righteous already, therefore sanctification
is seemingly unnecessary.
But you have not so learned Christ; If indeed that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That you put off concerning the former conduct the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness – Ephesians 4:20-24.
The scriptures declare:
For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. …. Put off the old man, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (see Col 3:3, cf. verses 8-10).
Instead, Prince is giving us a ‘replacement’ theology of fancy catch phrases, and Word of Faith
metaphysics. We need to understand there is a distinction between justification and sanctification.
The following outline is taken from the writings of J.C. Ryle, on Holiness. 48
In what ways are they alike?
Both proceed originally from the free grace of God. It is of His gift alone that believers are justified or sanctified at all.
Both are part of that great work of salvation which Christ, in the eternal covenant, has undertaken on behalf of His people. Christ is the fountain of life, from which pardon and holiness both flow. The root of each is Christ. Both those who are justified are always sanctified, and those who are sanctified are always justified.
God has joined them together, and they cannot be put asunder. Both begin at the same time. If you are a justified person, that person begins to be a sanctified person.
Both are necessary to salvation!
No one ever reached heaven without a renewed heart, as well as forgiveness, without the Spirit’s grace as well as the blood of Christ, without being ready for eternal glory as well as a title. The one is just as necessary as the other.
Ryle continued
I am persuaded that one great cause of the darkness and uncomfortable feelings of many well-meaning people in the matter of religion is their habit of confounding, and not distinguishing justification and sanctification. It can never be too strongly impressed on our minds that they are two separate things. What practical reflections ought the whole matter to raise in our minds? For one thing, let us all awake to a sense of the perilous state of many professing Christians. ”Without holiness no man shall see the Lord”; without sanctification there is no salvation (Heb.12:14). Then, what an enormous amount of so-called religion there is, which is perfectly useless!”
Prince of Preachers
In closing, let’s have the scriptures speak for themselves:
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a special people, zealous for good works Titus 2:11-14.
Notice what the true grace of God that brings salvation? This is not the ‘grace’ Joseph Prince
teaches. Joseph, the Prince of Egypt knew suffering and humiliation, nothing that this fresh Prince
seems to identify with. He believes it’s all about reigning now. Yet the Bible promises that “we will
reign with Christ [then], IF we first suffer with Him [now] –cf. Gen 39:20, 40:23 with 2 Tim 2:12.
“The pendulum has swung so far that it seems enough for us that our Christianity consists
of having Christ’s righteousness accounted to us, without His righteousness being worked in
us.”
Prince’s odd position is what we may dub juvenilia49 justification, a youthful hybrid of Word of Faith
teaching, and half a Gospel. He suggests a “simple prayer”:
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and dying for me on the cross… Your precious blood washes me clean from every sin. You are my Lord and my Saviour, now and forever. Because of your finished work, I am now a beloved child of God.”50
His message at its core is a sophisticated form of Universalism, packaged as God’s Grace; but it’s
cheap grace, and harbours a false peace! Prince, ignorant of God’s righteousness, is establishing
his own. (cf. Romans 10:3). Sanctification somehow happens through ‘righteous consciousness’?
Prince’s followers are asleep to real righteousness, right living, ‘destined to be ruined’ by his grievous
gospel (cf. Acts 20:29,30). Although on an evangelical mission, Prince is following the broad path
of the Emergent Church, with its dubious doctrine, and moral ambiguity. The only difference is his
teaching is tailored to a more “biblically” familiar audience.
Prince holds to a gospel of Christ which makes God’s law of no effect: “believing” we are released
from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is part of the ancient heresy of the Nicolaitans,
which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation 51(Revelation 2:6,15-16). Prince
is drawing away disciples through the success “franchise” of celebrity, prosperity and easy believism.
No surprise really!
At the time of writing this article, Hurricane Isaac was bearing down on New Orleans on the eve of the
seventh Anniversary (August 29, 2005) when Hurricane Katrina slammed onto the coast. 52
Prince said, God would not judge America! Southern Decadence, the largest gay and lesbian
street festival held each year in New Orleans (this year, Aug 29 – Sept 3, 2012) are planning to
rave on regardless. Although hurricane Isaac cancelled remembrance ceremonies for those killed
by Hurricane Katrina, one of the event co-ordinators, said that no hurricane was going to stop the
festival. 53 When Homosexuality begins to dominate a culture, it’s clear evidence of divine judgment.
(Rom 1:27,32) Isaac in the Hebrew means ‘laughter’ or “He laughs”. I wonder who will have the last
laugh? (Psalm 2:4-5)
The mission statement from Prince’s New Creation church is “to see Jesus in all the loveliness of
His Person, and the perfection of His work, and to make Him known through the preaching of the
gospel”.54
Prince is preaching another Jesus, another Gospel…and although he’s articulate, charismatic,
convincing, and preaching ‘grace’; he is a blind leader of the blind, leading astray the unlearned and
unstable. He is at best a false apostle, and at worst a HERETIC! (2 Corinthians 11:12-15; 2 Peter
3:16 )
Republished with permission. First published in “Contending EARNESTLY for THE Faith (CETF) by Christian Witness Ministries –
www.CWM.org.au or
www.cwm.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=4&Itemid=41; The author Lance Goodall may be contacted at: lancegoodall21@gmail.com
Endnotes:
Prince:
1 –
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fresh_Prince_of_Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their wealthy Bel Air mansion, where his lifestyle often clashes with that of his relatives
2 –
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Princewww.letusreason.org/Popteach56.htm3 –
www.newcreation.org.sg/joseph-wendy-prince/about-joseph-wendy-princeen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Prince4-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Prince^ a b c d e “Church Pastors Like None Other – From stutter to charisma”. The Sunday Times (Singapore). 5 October 2008.
5-
getglue.com/tv_shows/joseph_prince6-
www.josephprince.org/About_Joseph_And_Wendy.html?active=about7-http://whengodtouches.com/grace-favor-seminar-live-at-hillsong-australia-2-dvd-by-joseph-prince/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsong_Londonweb.archive.org/web/20070622161253/http://www.hillsong.co.uk/hillsongconference/index.php?content=speakers8-http://davidlimwk.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/joseph-prince-speaking-at-hillsong.html
www.facebook.com/events/124079821035292/9 –
www.josephprince.org/About_The_Ministry.html?active=about10-
www.destined2reign.com/11-
www.christianretailing.com/top100/Top100%20CR%2012-08-08%20lowres.pdf12 –
www.charismamag.com/spirit/church-ministry/10870-prince-of-gracestore.josephprinceonline.com/int/c-5-books.aspx?IsTop=1
13-
wildernesschristianity.net/info/JosephPrince/wikipedia_NewCreationChurch.html14 –
wildernesschristianity.net/info/JosephPrince/wikipedia_NewCreationChurch.html15 -http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gWTZ_CBP-i0D2_8F5JjgDH2jFJCQ
16-http://www.tmc.org.my/documents/pjp.pdf
–
bschool.nus.edu.sg/Portals/0/images/CGFRC/docs/Code-20of-20Governance-20for-20Charites-.pdf
17-
www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1061465/1/.html18- Destined to Reign: The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living,
Singapore: 2007, page 271
19- Source: Jonathan Koh Thoughts on New Creation Church-and grace, faith, health and wealth
20 –
tycm.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/2012-05-06-ncc-first-service/21 –
escapetoreality.org/2011/01/14/12-reasons-why-christians-don%E2%80%99t-need-to-confess-to-be-forgiven/
wildernesschristianity.net/info/JosephPrince/wikipedia_NewCreationChurch.html
22 –
www.suscopts.org/messages/lectures/soterlecture4.pdfcraigbrownsreformedtheology.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/598/23 – Destined to Reign p.196
24 –
www.josephprinceonline.com/2012/07/be-christ-conscious-2/ link