Dr. John MacArthur's Response to Osteen's "Your Best Life Now"

Check this out, praise God for those who are willing to speak His Truth, and be blessed!

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbRNDOnkpB0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbRNDOnkpB0[/url]

interesting thanks for posting this link.

Transcript:

On page 5, it says "God wants this to be the best time of your life." On another page it says “Happy, successful, fulfilled individuals have learned how to live their best life now.” On another page it says, “As you put the principles found in these pages to work today, you will begin living your best life now." And that is absolutely true if you’re not at Christian. This is it, you’d better get the book, because your next life is going to be infinitely worse than this one.

This is your best life now, in fact it’s your only life because in the world to come you will only exist in a perpetual state of dying, with no hope, no satisfaction, no meaning, no joy and no future, and no relief from eternal suffering. That’s the worst life possible. And this is your best life, if your next life is in hell.

But, on the other hand, if you are a child of God and your sins are forgiven and you’ve come to embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, this is not even close to your best life! You can’t even comprehend what your best life looks like because “Eye hath not seen nor has ear heard what God has prepared for those that love Him.” Contrary to what is popular today, even in religious circles, even in quote unquote Christian circles, even in the name of Jesus, the Lord is not promising you here and now a full, happy, rich, satisfying, trouble-free life of health, wealth and success. Oh He does promise that, absolutely … a full, happy, rich, satisfying, trouble-free life of health, wealth and success and absolute joy and peace and perfection, but not now. Not now. In fact, quite on the other hand, our Lord has promised to those that know Him and love Him, in this life, trouble, persecution, rejection, difficulty, trials, temptation, pain, suffering, sorrow, sickness, and even physical death.

So, for Christians, this is our worst life now. It isn’t that it’s bad, but comparatively, it’s the worst when you think of the life that is to come, which is the best. Your best life as a Christian begins when this life ends. Christians through the centuries have understood this, certainly the early Christians understood it. The Bible makes it clear. You just can’t expect all the promises that God has made to you for Heaven to necessarily show up here. Any sensible Christian understands that. Don’t expect more than this life can deliver.

One man's opinion, sure is funny he pick up the book and read it, I wonder why? maybe he was looking for his best life now. :-)
I sure hope jealousy did not play a part in his opinion, but I am sure it did somewhat.
Were was his discernment? he should have never even picked up the book, I wonder if he looks at pornography first before he decides his opinion on it also. As much as all these Pastors today say God speaks to them, I guess God was on a coffee break when he was deciding to pick up this book and read it. Me personally I just think he was a little jealous, but I am entitled to my opinion just like he is.

Your response is quite shocking and it leads me to question if you are were in the Spirit when you posted. I can't imagine how you got to be here in your "home away from home" with that blasphemous mouth. Flying under the radar, are we? Disgusting. :roll:

MrBillPro wrote:
One man's opinion, sure is funny he pick up the book and read it, I wonder why? maybe he was looking for his best life now. :-)
I sure hope jealousy did not play a part in his opinion, but I am sure it did somewhat.
Were was his discernment? he should have never even picked up the book, I wonder if he looks at pornography first before he decides his opinion on it also. As much as all these Pastors today say God speaks to them, I guess God was on a coffee break when he was deciding to pick up this book and read it. Me personally I just think he was a little jealous, but I am entitled to my opinion just like he is.

What do you think he is jealous of? Because Osteen has wrote a book that people have bought? MacArthur has wrote a whole lot more books than Osteen... at least from what I know. So surely that isn't it.

Hey and you know what? I accept your opinion, but it also seems sometimes here that folks are greedy when it comes to their opinions, they want there's and there's alone, you have your opinion and I have mine and it does not make either of us right it only makes our opinions different.
Maybe Osteen should voice his "opinions" about John MacArthur's books or maybe Osteen is a better person for keeping his mouth shut when it does not edify.
Seems like John MacArthur has somewhat of a blasphemous mouth also, but this is the kind of things that are to happen in the end times even preacher against preacher, looks like MacArthur has been reading a lot of end times stuff and plans on being a part of it by doing his part.

OMD, are you even a Bible-believing Christian? Shame on you for your blasphemy! I havn't been this shocked in quite some time. Unbelievable.

mom23beagles wrote:
Check this out, praise God for those who are willing to speak His Truth, and be blessed!

Praise God for those who are willing to speak His Truth, you said it best when "you" started this thread. I guess you were thinking everyone was going to jump on your bandwagon, but your right, "Praise God for those who are willing to speak His Truth" I am willing to speak my opinion just like Macarthur did "in my opinion" he did not speak the truth he spoke his opinion. See now we just have different opinions what so hard to see here? let God be the Judge of truth not man, because folks lie everyday and man does not "really" have a way to know 100%, but God does, so if man is judging truth that truth is fallible.

You're clueless. Crack open your Bible once in a while and maybe then you'll see the heresies that are perpetuated in everything Joel Osteen does and says. 8-)

Ladies and gentlemen, I knew from the beginning why this thread was started, so here we go, you have this person come here that don't like Joel Osteen, so instead of just starting a thread and saying I don't like Osteen and talking for themselves using there own opinions, they stand behind John MacArthur and let him do the talking for them as someone "to them" that may have a more creditable opinion.
So here's what a worthless thread like this has done, it's caused more division in the body and more strife over "opinions" this person came here with a mission and it sure was not to edify the body, it was to tear down, but as I said earlier these kind of missions will get worse in the end times, so we as Christians better learn to not go along just to get along and learn to discern the reasons folks start these threads of especially opinions and not truth, the only "real" truth I know of are the words inside the covers of my Bible. See these kind of posters don't care or have any desire to care, that maybe just maybe Osteens book has sold millions upon millions and may of actually help someone they don't care all about that, all they care about is tearing down the body
of Christ and causing strife upon the body over just someone's opinion.

coley wrote:
Mrbillpro- I think the tone with which you write says more about you than what you actually wrote. Your opinion is overdshadowed by an overt and mocking sarcasm that even Osteen himself would probably not sanction for his defense.

Thanks for your "opinion" brother and yes maybe I am a little tuff and not your average timid Christian, but all in all I still have my right to my opinion and like millions of other Christians I am sure there have been times they have not spoken
the best words either and have also used sarcasm, maybe at the very least behind the closed doors of there homes, but would never admit it. Well I am not ashamed to post mine publicly because I still have not reach the perfection stage as some have, so if your "really" a Christian you might understand this guy is still work in progress and look at yourself and say hey I am not being very forgiving.

MrBillPro wrote:
One man's opinion, sure is funny he pick up the book and read it, I wonder why? maybe he was looking for his best life now. :-)
I sure hope jealousy did not play a part in his opinion, but I am sure it did somewhat.
Were was his discernment? he should have never even picked up the book, I wonder if he looks at pornography first before he decides his opinion on it also. As much as all these Pastors today say God speaks to them, I guess God was on a coffee break when he was deciding to pick up this book and read it. Me personally I just think he was a little jealous, but I am entitled to my opinion just like he is.

With all due respect to the moderators and Gregg, this reply should be removed from this thread. It is reprehensible and foul. John MacArthur is a very well respected scholar and bible teacher, who does not deserve to be treated with such disrespect. If you have an opposing opinion you have the liberty to express it. But, in my opinion, you DO NOT have to right to use this kind of pornography analogy in connection to a brother in Christ. You have cross the line MrBillPro. Your mind needs to be renewed. The American way is "freedom of expression". However, you will do well to take note that there's One that is taking note of "every idle word" we speak or write. That is a warning to you. Yes, we have liberty, but do not use it erroneously. I personally do not like Osteen's teachings. I think they are wordly and earthly minded. But I can't imagine dishonoring him the way you have Pastor MacArthur. If you want to be a man of God (a Christian) then you must learn how to minister the word/truth in love with meekness and gentleness. The idea is always to help the person see the truth.

vsuarez7 wrote:

With all due respect to the moderators and Gregg, this reply should be removed from this thread. It is reprehensible and foul. John MacAuthur is a very well respected scholar and bible teacher, who does not deserve to be treated with such disrespect. If you have a opposing opinion you have the liberty to express it. But, in my opinion, you DO NOT have to right to use this kind of pornography analogy in connection to a brother in Christ. You have cross the line MrBillPro. Your mind needs to be renewed. The American way is "freedom of expression". However, you will do well to take note that there's One that is taking note of "every idle word" we speak or write. That is a warning to you. Yes, we have liberty, but do not use it erroneously. I personally do not like Osteen's teachings. I think they are wordly and earthly minded. But I can't imagine dishonoring him they way you have Pastor MacAuthur. If you want to be a man of God (a Christian) then you must learn how to minister the word/truth in love with meekness and gentleness. The idea is always to help the person see the truth.

Another "opinion" of someone that don't like Joel Osteen and even admitted it and also why would this person "quote" me to bring back something to the top of a thread that he has so much of a problem with, you know the norm here would be maybe I look for trash on MacAuthur but there is a better side of me here that will not, why? because then I would be playing into there hands and that won't happen. And now you have this person that likes and respects MacAuthur but won't accept my opinion of Osteen, I am out of this thread that has done nothing at all but tear down since the beginning, so I will be the bigger person and let the tearing down be done by the rest of the Osteen haters. Have a Blessed day unless you have other plans.

MrBillPro:

He that has ears to hear, let them hear. You're hearing-filters are jammed with so much negativity that you could not hear nor comprehend what was being ministered to you. Hearing, they will not hear. Seeing, they will not see. It's a shame.

I saw the clips of Joel Osteen on Larry King and the things that came straight from his mouth were very disturbing in light of the true Biblical message. I remember him saying that Jesus was NOT the only way (among other things). It should all end there. His message is Universalism and his theology is Humanistic.

If Osteen preached repentance of sin, salvation by faith in Jesus alone, and that Jesus is the ONLY way, and if anyone rejects Jesus, judgment and an eternity in Hell awaits; if he PLEADED for souls and really stood in the gap for this dying world - if that was the heart and core of his preaching, then I would not have a problem with him myself.

But don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the guy, I just don't like his message. It is misleading, and really consider this; would his message stand in the New Testament church where there was true fire and turmoil over sinners? I think not.

He that has ears to hear, let them hear. You're hearing-filters are jammed with so much negativity that you could not hear nor comprehend what was being ministered to you. Hearing, they will not hear. Seeing, they will not see. It's a shame.

Just think you should be careful here brother. Just because Mr BillPro likes Joel Osteen does not mean he does not have ears to hear (spiritually speaking).

That is so not true! I did not post it to cause division, how can you make such a vile assumption, you don't even know me!

I saw it on the Truth Matters website, got excited about it because I loved how Dr. MacArthur showed the flipside and it really ministered to me. It reminded me that we are just passing through here, strangers in a strange land, and the hope of Glory. I immediately wanted to share it with my brothers and sisters here on SI. That was the motivation for my post, nothing more and nothing less, as God is my witness.

I apologize to everyone for the ugly turn of this thread.

:-( :-( :-(

I thought I would bring in a quote from another thread at this time.

“I believe there is something to be learned from all of this. According to the bible Paul was a man who wept and had a great concern for all the churches. He saw the dangers that were among them and the dangers coming. Yes, he preached and taught against heresy and error among them. He even confronted Peter and said he was to be blamed. But we read no where in the bible that he named names just to be naming them. He never spoke with hatred in his heart toward anyone. He never used humor, jokes, constant criticism, ill will, or any carnal attitude toward anyone. We also can’t find any place in the bible where Peter did not receive Paul’s correction in the right spirit.” -Quote by rbanks

davym wrote:

He that has ears to hear, let them hear. You're hearing-filters are jammed with so much negativity that you could not hear nor comprehend what was being ministered to you. Hearing, they will not hear. Seeing, they will not see. It's a shame.

Just think you should be careful here brother. Just because Mr BillPro likes Joel Osteen does not mean he does not have ears to hear (spiritually speaking).

I did not mean to intimate that he does not have ears to hear because he likes Mr. Osteen. I was speaking of my admonitions to him to refrain from using rough tactics to get his point across. I trust that you read my entire post. If so, you should have come away with that thought. Based on his reply to me, it appears he did not understand what I was ministering to him. We often share our opinion without regard to how we are ministering it. MrBillPro was being crude and that is clearly against the Spirit and the spirit in which we must all minister the truth. We must always keep in mind that we are CHRISTians. We represent HIM. So, let's keep it in the spirit of the word, His word, not ours. We belong to Him. We our no longer our own. We are His servants. Purchased by His blood.

Now, if I seemed to be judging my brother (MrBillPro) then I apologize. That was not my intention. Thanks for this observation Davym.

A few points of clarification.

A search here on Mr. Olsen will bear out many prior postings. Our brother Bill attends his church and has expressed a variety of thought for his reasons of continuing there.

What is unfortunate is that very little is being addressed about the content (in general) and more so on the motivations, whether they be the poster or John MacArthur.

Brother Bill, it does not do any good to defend on the one hand and accuse on the other if you yourself have not read what has been presented and cannot comment on those issues you disagree with scripturally from the same content. This has grown a bit weary that every time his name is mentioned there is a rush of defense and they are always along these same lines but rarely on what is being taught, written, spoken.

You make this very difficult brother, every time. I am sorry that you cannot see the concerns through whatever noise is being generated but the matter is, is it scriptural or not? Does it conform to the precepts and principles and those things plainly stated or does it not? It is not a matter of opinion and it is not a matter of personality, "what sayeth the scriptures?"

Remember also that the underlying premise in these discussions is to "[i]play the ball not the man[/i]."

[i]These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.[/i] Joh 16:33

crsschk wrote:
This has grown a bit weary that every time his name is mentioned there is a rush of defense and they are always along these same lines but rarely on what is being taught, written, spoken.

But yet the site supports him his name and ticket sales are all over the place, could you please explain why his name would even be on this site period? is it the money or does someone actually support him here? to me personally this would appear to be a double standard. What "is" he doing good that would allow you to even have his name posted on the site? I know it's not whats being taught, written, spoken. I really need some clarity here I don't need anymore confusion about my Pastor this is not helping me at all. I really hope and pray someone reads this post in Love and is willing to explain my concerns in a Godly manner. If the site is willing to have his name posted, that would be supporting him in some way and you would think a someone might jump in and find something good to say about him if there willing to take his money.
I really hope someone sees my confusion here and tries to help me and not get bent out of shape over my justifiable questions in my opinion.

?

Not following brother ...

But yet the site supports him his name and ticket sales are all over the place, could you please explain why his name would even be on this site period?

Who, which site?

is it the money or does someone actually support him here? to me personally this would appear to be a double standard.

On SI?

Mike I have a snapshot of the top of my page were it says, Joel Osteen tickets on sale now and browse Joel Osteen now if you want I will send you the snapshot.

Are you talking about the Google ad's?

Bill, these things are generated randomly by utilizing searches from words and generating whatever is common to them. It is no different than putting in John MacArthur or Joel Olsteen into Yahoo or Googles regular search function and getting the results.

Because the Google search function was incorporated into SI as an additional help to search SI, it is part of the package. Those things that it generates are not an endorsement.

Mike, I did not know that I am sorry, but yet I was confused, I hope you will understand it was not meant to be an attack, but at this point while I have my Pastor and Lakewood in Prayer this added to my confusion, but you cleared that up right away and I appreciate it and the way you handled it.
God Bless
Mr. Bill

No problem at all, I understand.

Keep praying Bill ... something we could all do a great deal more of, myself more than any.