Jeremy
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Email - Rick Joyner Prophecy - 2006/02/16 14:10
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
While it is vitally important that we never become unnecessarily divisive I believe it is crucial that we do not leave things unexamined simply because we are afraid that we might be labeled critical or judgmental. I truly believe we are required to be “Berean” in our approach to scripture and, as 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us, we are to test everything. To that end I submit for consideration a serious concern that I have.
A few days ago I received an email from Mission Russia, the body of which contains a prophecy given by Rick Joyner some time ago. (For those who are interested this prophecy is from The Morning Star circa 1988) Given that the email stressed this prophecy as being important I must assume that Mission Russia accepts Rick Joyner as being a true prophet and finds no problem with his ministry, teachings, writings, associates or even his prophetic track record.
Here is my concern. Anybody who has ever read any of Joyner’s books, in particular works of Christian fiction masquerading as prophecy such as his “The Final Quest” will appreciate that he leaves himself wide open to being considered as one of the leading Gnostics in ministry today. Just reading this prophecy referred to in the email should raise questions. To quote (Points of Emphasis. Item 6):
"….our understanding of even the basic truths such as salvation, being born again, etc., will be enormously increased. This will give more substance and depth of purpose to the entire body of Christ…”
However you try and spin it, this is undiluted Gnosticism. The whole idea that there is a higher knowledge or special revelation is the essence of Gnosticism and this is unequivocally what is being suggested here. To the best of my understanding the Bible is the revealed Word of God and it is given “by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16) Form how I see it, what Joyner is suggesting here is that neither Jesus or indeed any of the writers of the New Testament provided us with all of the information we needed to understand salvation or even our purpose as servants of God. In fact we will only have this knowledge or “gnosis” at some time in the future. This smacks of New Age and is most worrying. With regard to the "more depth of purpose" he refers to, clearly the calling on my life as given to me in the Word is now insufficient.
Either the Bible is the revealed Word of God, the truths of which are consistently available and applicable throughout the ages, or it is not. In his prophecy Joyner suggests that there is more to know about salvation. By implication then our current gospel is insufficient and there “new truths” to be revealed. If this is the case Joyner is saying there is “another gospel” other than the one we have received. I leave you with these 2 quotes to think about the subtlety of the spiritual war thas is being waged.
Gal.1:6-9, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
..and…
A.W. Tozer said, "I am a Bible Christian and if an archangel with a wingspread as broad as a constellation shining like the sun were to come and offer me some new truth, I'd ask him for a reference. If he could not show me where it is found in the Bible, I would bow him out and say, I'm awfully sorry, you don't bring any references with you"
I would be interested in knowing if Mission Russia aligns itself unreservedly with the teachings and prophetic utterances of Rick Joyner? If there are reservations why are emails being sent out with supposed prophetic content from a man whose prophetic track record is far from unblemished and whose theolgy, in the opinion of the writer, has a tendency to generate more questions than answers.
Constantly seeking the truth
Yours in Christ
Jeremy
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