Pastor John MacArthur wrote an excellent review “Measuring Oral Roberts’ Influence” commenting on the published obituaries following the passing of Oral Roberts on 15 Dec 2009. Pastor JM clearly set the straight facts on Oral Roberts’ infamous contribution to developing the tragic legacy of Seed-Faith perversion of the Gospel:
“Tragically, the Seed-Faith message usurped and utterly replaced whatever gospel content there ever may have been in Oral Roberts’ preaching. In all the many times I saw him on television I never once heard him preach the gospel. His message–every time–was about Seed-Faith. The reason for that is obvious: the message of the cross–an atoning sacrifice for sins wrought through Jesus’ sufferings–frankly doesn’t mesh very well with the notion that God guarantees health, wealth, and prosperity to the righteous. Our fellowship in Jesus’ sufferings (Philippians 3:10), and our duty to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:20-23), are likewise antithetical to the core principles of prosperity doctrine. The prosperity message is a different gospel (cf. Galatians 1:8-9).”
“One thing all the obituaries agree on is that Oral Roberts paved the way for all the charismatic televangelists and faith-healers who dominate religious television today. He did more than anyone in the early Pentecostal movement to influence mainstream evangelicalism. He parlayed his television ministry into a vast empire that has left a deep mark on the church worldwide. In many places today, including some of the world’s most illiterate and poverty-stricken regions, Oral Roberts’ Seed-Faith concept is actually better known than the doctrine of justification by faith. The message of prosperity is now the message multitudes think of when they hear the word “gospel.” Countless confused people worldwide think of the gospel as a message about earthly, temporal, and material riches rather than the infinitely greater blessings of forgiveness from sin and the eternal blessing of the believer’s spiritual union with Christ.“
It is clear that Oral Roberts has done much damage to the Kingdom work of the Gospel through creating and promoting a movement which drove an entire generation feeding on the false prosperity Seed-Faith teaching that has swept many churches in USA and elsewhere. The existence of this movement is likened to judgment of God on people in Prophet Amos’ days who hated and rejected the truth and preferring to love a lie:
‘”Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land– not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.’ Amos 8:11-12
godwordistruth said:
Dear James May God bless you and continue to keep you close and faithful to Him.
james hamm said:
I attended ORU in the mid 70s and was blessed to meet him three times and have a chat. The man was a full blown pentecostal christian. I could go on and on but just to say he was my number one teacher on the Holy Spirit in the Now. I am now 73 and am in my 44th year of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire. I have continued in this day by day , moment by moment, walk in the now of Jesus…he is all and in all. His presence is everywhere and can be experienced by anyone willing to quiet down and be still and listen with their whole being….Jimmy Hamm..Albuquerque.
godwordistruth said:
Oral Roberts cannot be painted in history as someone genuinely sincere but simply made some mistakes along the way. It is very clear that Oral Roberts taught false doctrines, perverted the gospel and made false bizarre claims of divinely given visions and false prophecies. Oral Roberts made enormous contribution to cultivating and spawning an entire generation of prosperity preachers who leading people in the US and elsewhere to feed on false teachings and to seek a “god” of prosperity and in turn fatten their own personal fortunes.
What does the bible has to say what believers should do when they see someone, who is within their fold but does not abide in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and instead teach false teachings for their own personal gain?
2Jn 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Shalom
RJ Barnett said:
Sorry to see a fellow Believer doing the ministry of the Accuser, which seems to be a major part of JM’s work. Had he received the full message of the gospel, esp. as imparted by St. Paul in Acts 19:2-7, perhaps he might have attained higher revelation than appears in his writings. Essential as the reformed and Calvinist teachings are, the message Jesus delivered was confirmed with power. Apart from the full work of the Holy Spirit, how can a man gain this ministry of the gifts? How can he be transformed and edified beyond his flawed mental capacity, except by the spirit via Jude 20 and Romans 8:26-27. He can rarely receive it in places such as the seminary, where intellectualism ruins or reduces more lives and ministries than it builds. Sure, Oral Roberts committed errors, and sadly the devil has used his detractors to divide the body rather than promote healing. When love covers over sin, those who delight in truth rejoice… To see a sound correction and reproof of false doctrines, such as the Prosperity Gospel, visit http://www.iktus.net