Hear & Obey... Whom?

Part 1, Part 2 by Bible Expose'

Someone said, “My heart cannot rejoice in what my mind rejects.” So can’t I.

At first, I must confess, I was leaning towards the prophetic movement. I thought God still speaks apart from the Bible through present-day prophets. That God still makes known His will through supernatural means like, for example, dreams and visions. I actually saw it at work through friends.

But, I could not shake off some serious doubts about the movement. Somehow, I could not reconcile upholding the sufficiency of the Scripture while allowing these “prophetic” manifestations.

Thus, I welcomed Pastor Dante and Sis. Cynthia Veluz’s book, Hear & Obey[i]. After all, this book claims to be “A Comprehensive Biblical Study on the Prophetic Ministry for Effective Global Outreach.” It is the “official textbook” of the prophetic seminars and conferences conducted by the Jesus, The Heart of Missions Team (JHMT). “As of May 1998, [JHMT] has conducted more than four hundred (400) seminars and conferences to the Body of Christ in different parts of the Philippines and abroad.”[ii] Thus, JHMT spearheads the prophetic movement here in the Philippines.

In fact, when the book was still being edited, I even faxed them Dr. John MacArthur’s “Looking for Truth in All the Wrong Places.”[iii] I was hoping the book would answer the questions MacArthur raised against the prophetic movement.

Finally, so I thought, Hear & Obey would settle the nagging questions in my mind. I was wrong…

Why oppose God?

Hear & Obey appears to open itself up for scrutiny. “Whether we are moving with it or not, the Prophetic [movement] is definitely a subject which we Christians need to examine more seriously.”[iv] But, in its introduction, the book criticizes those who disagrees with them:

Prophecies, they say, are a thing of the past… They have “boxed” God into a neat theological “code of silence” which will be broken only upon His Second Coming.[v]

It also includes an “open vision,” a supposed prophetic message that reveals “some of the things that will happen in the Philippines in the last quarter of the last days.”[vi] It went on to say,

I also saw earthly monuments of men who are known to be ‘pillars’ of the church. They were falling but many did not reach the ground. Only a few literally hit the ground and broke into tiny pieces. They were transformed into glittering lights and were joined to the others that were scattered throughout the nation. The half-bent monuments lost their glory.[vii]

Hear & Obey makes sure we know about whom the vision was referring to. “The earthly monuments refer to church leaders who are stubborn in their hearts and skeptical to the move of God. They will experience a great shaking. Their sins will be exposed and judged by the Lord. However those leaders who will humble themselves will be restored to the fold.”[viii]

Hear & Obey recounted the story about a friend of one of the authors who received a prophecy that “she did not have the call of celibacy and that she would resign from work, go into full-time ministry and then marry a foreigner.”[ix] After relating how the fulfillment of the prophecy brought much joy in her life, the authors claimed 2 Chronicles 20:20 to themselves and said, “Thus, if we believe God and the word of His prophet, we shall prosper.”[x]

And in the chapter “Questions & Answers on the Prophetic”, they wrote,

Lack of knowledge, tradition, structured programs, pride and jealousy are some reasons why some brethren are skeptical to the prophetic ministry… Persecution is a sign of any genuine restoration move of God… Worse, some brethren even go to the point of looking for the errors of the prevailing movers to pin them down and destroy their lives and ministries. The obvious reason for all these is that people, in general, resist change--many are content with what they have and are not open to greater, more glorious things from above… One thing is sure, though, that despite all the unhealthy reception, the prophetic move is here to stay because it is of God and no gates of hell shall prevail against it.[xi]

With such words, who would dare to question the prophetic movement anymore? Who would want to be called ignorant, skeptical, cruel, stubborn, bigot, stonehearted, traditional, divisive, proud and jealous? Who would like to be labeled as someone who told God to shut up? “Why oppose God?” they say. [xii]

Test everything!

I have no axe to grind against JHMT. Why? I even have some dear friends in the prophetic movement. But, it is wrong to employ smokescreen or cry out, “Persecution!” whenever the movement is questioned. Even the cults claim those things whenever their teachings and practices are examined in the light of the Word of God.

“It is not unkind to analyze doctrinal differences in the light of Scripture. It is not necessarily factious to voice disagreement with someone else's teaching. In fact, we have a moral imperative to examine what is proclaimed in Jesus' name, and to expose and condemn false teaching and unbiblical behavior… The biblical challenge is not to avoid truth that is controversial, but to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).”[xiii]

According to Hear & Obey, Acts 5:38, 39 is “One of the best passages in the Scriptures in responding to criticisms against the prophetic move.”[xiv] Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, kept the Sanhedrin from executing the Apostles with these words:

I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God (Emphasis added).[xv]

These words surely saved the Apostles’ necks. But they came from the lips of an unbeliever! It is not applicable to us, as if it makes anybody or any movement who claims to be Christian beyond examination. Otherwise, one may now say that cults like Ang Dating Daan[xvi] are of God because they are growing or appear to be unstoppable.

Yes, Hear & Obey challenges us to ask: “Are the teachings and practices in line with the Word of God?”[xvii] But, in the section “How to Handle Inaccurate and False Prophecy,” it cautions us…

Nowhere in the New Testament is there any suggestion that a prophet should be excommunicated, executed or branded as a “false prophet” for relaying an inaccurate or false prophecy. If a proven prophet commits a mistake he is still a brother in the Lord. He just needs correction as all of us do.[xviii]

But, 1 John 4:1 says “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world (Emphasis added).” So, if one fails the test, that is, if he relays an “inaccurate or false prophecy” he is a false prophet and has “the spirit of the antichrist (v. 3).”

To discourage close examination of the prophetic movement, Hear & Obey quotes First Thessalonians 5:19-20, “Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.”

Whenever we prophesy, Jesus is testifying in our midst. That was why Paul warned us not to put out the Spirit’s fire nor treat prophecies with contempt… We should instead hear and heed the words of the prophecy when someone is prophesying for it is not just the man speaking but Jesus Christ.[xix]

Yet, we are also commanded to “examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (vv. 21, 22). In the New King James Version (NKJV) it says, “Test all things”. The Greek word for “test” in 1 John 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21 is dokimazo [dokimazo].

This is a familiar word in the New Testament. Elsewhere it is translated “analyze,” “test,” or “prove.” It refers to the process of testing something to reveal its genuineness, such as in the testing of precious metals. Paul is urging believers to scrutinize everything they hear to see that it is genuine, to distinguish between the true and the false, to separate the good from evil.[xx]

To test is not a suggestion, mind you. It is a command. It is our responsibility to distinguish between the true and the false, to hold on that which is good and to shun evil. In the Greek, the word “test” is in the present imperative, which means it has to be observed continuously or repeatedly. To test the spirits is a commitment. Not to do so is disobedience.

“Nobody’s teachings or practices are beyond biblical evaluation—especially influential leaders… The greater the responsibility one holds, the greater the accountability one has before God and His people… They should therefore be grateful when sincere Christians take the time and effort to correct whatever erroneous doctrine they may be holding and preaching to the masses. And if the criticisms are unfounded or unbiblical, they should respond in the manner prescribed by Scripture, which tells them to correct misguided doctrinal opposition with gentle instruction.”[xxi]

A false prophet may no longer be executed in New Testament times. But, that does not prohibit us from branding him a false prophet or even excommunicating him. The punishments may differ in the Old and the New Testaments. But the standard is still strict.

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him (Deut. 18:21, 22, NIV.[xxii] Emphasis added).

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Rom. 16:17, 18; NIV. Emphasis added).

But, I experienced it!

When reading Hear & Obey one cannot help but notice that it is peppered with stories of the experiences of those “flowing in the prophetic.” One told about a drunkard, who “killed his son accidentally when he was cleaning his gun and has never forgiven himself ever since.”[xxiii] The supposed “word from the Lord” went this way:

The word of the Lord for you is, ‘Son, I know exactly how you feel. I killed my Son, too!’[xxiv]

True, God “did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all (Rom. 8:32).” That “God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son… (John 3:16)” But to equate accidental killing of a son to the sacrifice of the Son of God sounds absurd! To say that God murdered His Son is nothing short of blasphemy! Despite that, because the drunkard allegedly “surrendered his life to Jesus,” it was accepted as “a word from the Lord” even if it clearly contradicted the Bible.

Hear & Obey included in its appendices guidelines for interpreting the Bible. One of them is considering the biblical context. The book advises us, “We have to read the whole sentence or the whole paragraph to be able to get the setting and the application of the text.”[xxv] Yet, the book itself appeals to verses wrestled out of context to justify the experiences of the authors. For example…

As of this writing I have only had six spiritual and prophetic dreams. God seldom talks to me through dreams. He does it more often with my wife… There is a biblical command about dreams: “Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully.”[xxvi]

Note the word “but” which contrasts telling dreams from speaking God’s Word faithfully. If we check Jeremiah 23, we find that Hear & Obey misquoted the verse to make it appear that this is a “biblical command.” [xxvii]

I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD (vv. 25-28, emphasis added).

Here we find that, instead of commanding us to dream dreams, Jeremiah actually rebuked “lying prophets,” who said, “I had a dream!” and “prophesy the delusions of their own minds.” Dreams are like straw while God’s Word is like grain. Jeremiah then declared war against these false prophets.

“Therefore,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The LORD declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the LORD. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the LORD (vv. 30-32).

A pastor who confronted a friend who is “in the prophetic” got the retort, “Basta kami naranasan namin! (We experienced it!)” One of the members of the editorial committee of Hear & Obey told me, “Hindi ko puwedeng haluin ang kape na hindi ko muna tinitikman (I can’t stir the coffee without tasting it first).” In other words, one must first experience the prophetic movement before questioning it. But arguing from experience is dangerous. You might as well accept as brethren Ka Emong[xxviii] or anyone who claims to be possessed by the Virgin Mary or any “heavenly” spirit because they have experienced something, too.

Remember, maaaring totoo ngang naranasan mo. Pero hindi nangangahulugang totoo ang naranasan mo (It may be true that you experienced it. But it does not mean that what you experienced is true). It is wrong to assume that a religious experience validates itself or gives credence to an argument. That's why those in the prophetic commit the same mistake the charismatics made.

Charismatics err because they tend to build their teachings on experience, rather than understanding that authentic experience happens in response to truth. Too many charismatic experiences are utterly detached from—and in some cases contrary to—the revealed plan and operation of God indicated in Scripture. When these become the basis for one's beliefs, there is almost no limit to the kinds of false teachings that can emerge.[xxix]

After sharing his experience, seeing Christ's glory and hearing the Father speak (2 Pet. 1:16-18), the apostle Peter wrote, “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (vv. 19-21).”

No matter how momentous his experience was, Peter urged us to pay more attention to the “more sure word of prophecy” (KJV[xxx]). We are to seek God through His written Word than chase after experiences. “In today's experience-oriented societies many people, including some Christians, seek to determine or assess truth by the particular way God has worked in their own lives. But for Peter the splendor of his experience (with Christ at His transfiguration) faded as he spoke of the surety of the written revelation of the prophets.”[xxxi]

“Interpret your experience with Scriptures, not Scriptures with your experience,” is a fundamental rule in Bible interpretation. Walter Henrichsen, in his A Layman's Guide to Interpreting the Bible wrote, “Paul says, ‘Here is the correct doctrine… make sure your own experience complies with it.’ He does not say that because a certain phenomenon was experienced in the church, a certain doctrinal truth may be drawn from it.”

In other words, experience is neither a valid test of truth nor a basis for faith. And having those experiences does not warrant twisting verses out of context to accommodate them. If your experience does not measure up to—or worst, clashes with—the Word of God, it is not of God. Hear & Obey admits, “Ignorance of the Bible is the most common cause of all heresies in the history of the Church.”[xxxii] And I hasten to add, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20, NKJV).”

Saints of God?

“We believe God is triune: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”[xxxiii] So goes the article of faith of JHMT. I take that to mean they hold on to the biblical doctrine of the Trinity, that “there are three eternal distinctions in the one divine essence, known respectively as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three distinctions are three persons… We worship the triune God.”[xxxiv]

That’s why I am surprised that, in its summary of church history or “various restoration movements of the Holy Spirit,”[xxxv] Hear & Obey calls the post-World-War-II healing revivalist William Branham a saint of God.[xxxvi]

From his tract Jesus Christ Is God,[xxxvii] William Branham declared, “No matter how hard you try, you can't prove there are THREE Gods (Emphasis his).” In case you might be tempted to say that he did not question the Trinity but Tritheism,[xxxviii] Branham goes on to say

You can’t put God into three persons or three parts. You can’t tell a Jew that there is a Father, and a Son, and a Holy Ghost… the church changed its unchanging God from ONE to THREE… Yes, if there were three Gods, you might very well baptize for a Father, and a Son, and a Holy Ghost… If Jesus is “BOTH” Lord and Christ, then He (Jesus) is, and cannot be else but “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” in ONE Person manifested in the flesh. It is NOT “God in three persons, blessed trinity,” but ONE GOD, ONE PERSON with three major titles, with three offices manifesting those titles (Emphasis his).

William Branham wrongly associated the Trinity with Tritheism. He even denounced it as a doctrine of demons.[xxxix] Yet, he foolishly advocated the “Oneness” or the heretical doctrine of Sabellianism, that there is only one person in the Godhead. Moses warned us that if a prophet proclaims, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet (Deut. 13:2; NIV, emphasis added).”

Among Branham’s “revelations” were the “Serpent’s Seed” theory of the original sin or that “Eve’s sin involved sexual relations with the serpent… Furthermore, Branham proclaimed himself the angel of Revelation 3:14 and 10:7, eventually baptizing people into his own name and leading others to do the same.”[xl] Branham also falsely prophesied that by “1977 all denominations would be consumed by the World Council of Churches, under the control of the Roman Catholics, that the Rapture would take place, and that the world would be destroyed.”[xli]

Obviously, Branham’s prophecy on the end of the world failed miserably. What does Hear & Obey say about those “prophecies that claim to tell the exact time of the second coming of Jesus Christ?”[xlii]

[A]nybody who will predict the exact date of Christ’s return is a false prophet, and a deceiver.[xliii]

Thus, “Branham’s aberrational teachings not only cultivated cultic fringe movements… [but] also paved a pathway leading to false predictions, revelatory madness, doctrinal heresies, and a cultic following that treated his sermons as oral Scripture.”[xliv] Is a false prophet a saint?

Hear & Obey also called Branham’s associate, Paul Cain, a saint of God.[xlv] Cain acknowledged Branham’s influence on his ministry. He even proclaimed “William Branham [as] the greatest prophet in the 20^th century.”[xlvi]

Paul Cain is regarded as a prophet who “hits the target all the time,”[xlvii] that his predictions always get fulfilled. But, he once predicted “that revival would break out in Great Britain in October 1990 and that the Vineyard [movement, where Paul Cain belong] would have representatives from Britain address the upcoming Anaheim conference to tell about it.”[xlviii] Yet, the revival did not occur.

Hear & Obey also lauded known word-faith teachers Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin as saints of God.[xlix] Televangelist Oral Roberts is most remembered for his “God's death threat” campaign. On January 4, 1987, Roberts told his supporters that the Lord revealed to him if he can't raise $8 million by the end of March, God would kill him.

Oral Roberts advocated the “seed-faith” teaching, that if you have a need, “plant a seed” or donate money (to his ministry, of course). “Simply stated, “planting a seed” is virtually synonymous with “mail me money.” The seed-faith gimmick is little more than a give-to-get gospel of greed.”[l]

Remember the corrupt monk Johann Tetzel? He sold indulgences for the pope during the Middle Ages, which prompted Martin Luther to nail his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the castle church at Wittenberg in 1517. Tetzel taught that buying indulgences would purchase for the buyer or a soul in purgatory pardon from God.

Well, what does Oral Roberts have to do with Johann Tetzel? His former daughter-in-law Patti Roberts in her book, Ashes to Gold, wrote that she had a “very difficult time distinguishing between the selling of indulgences and the concept of seed-faith inflated to the degree to which we had inflated it.”[li] In short, Oral Roberts is no better than Johann Tetzel was. In one of his appeals for money, On August, 1992 Roberts uttered this “prophecy”:

Someone will be watching this ministry on the air, who promised a large sum [of money] to God. And you act like you have given it, but you did not pay it. You are so close to lying to the Holy Ghost, that within days you will be dead unless you pay the price God said. And somebody here is getting the message. You're on the edge of lying to the Holy Ghost. Don't lie to the Holy Ghost. The prophet has spoken.[lii]

No wonder Hear & Obey lists prosperity as one of the characteristics of a prophetic church. “A Prophetic Church is a prosperous church both in its ministries and finances… Having been touched by the ministry of the prophetic people, believers and unbelievers alike just “lay their wealth” to God through this church.”[liii] By the way, that is a violation of 2 Cor. 8:5. We are not to ask or to receive money from unbelievers. They must first give themselves to the Lord (become believers) before they can give anything to the church.

What about Kenneth Hagin? Like Paul Cain, Hagin also credited William Marrion Branham as a true man of God who greatly influenced his life and ministry. In his book, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, Hagin boldly claims that we are gods.

God has made us as much like Himself as possible… He made us the same class of being that He is Himself… Man lived in the realm of God. He lived on terms equal with God… The believer is called Christ… That's who we are; we're Christ![liv]

Jesus was first divine, and then He was human. So He was in the flesh a divine-human being. I was first human, and so were you, but I was born of God, and so I became a human-divine being![lv]

That's a lie straight from Satan's mouth! When he deceived Eve, the devil tempted her with these words “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5, Emphasis added).”

Well, Hagin did not invent his theology. He plagiarized it from a radio preacher named Essek William Kenyon, whose “roots were in the metaphysical cults. He was a faith-healer not in the Pentecostal tradition, but in the tradition of Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. He attended a college that specialized in training lecturers for the metaphysical science cults.”[lvi] Kenyon did not believe that Christ's physical death was sufficient enough to pay for our sins.

If Jesus' physical death could pay the penalty of Sin as some contend, then why is it necessary that a Christian die? If a Christian dies physically, does he not pay the penalty of his own sin? If physical death is the penalty for sin, then why do not the whole human race pay their own penalty and save themselves, for all die? But we hold that the physical death of Jesus did not touch the sin issue at all.[lvii]

Even the article of faith of JHMT on Plan of Redemption appears to disagree with Kenyon. “We believe that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, signing the pardon of all who believe in Him.”[lviii] So, why endorse someone whose roots can be traced to someone who denies the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning sacrifice?

And when Hear & Obey described the Pentecostal movement, it included among others a “Oneness” denomination.

This movement resulted in power evangelism, healings, and miracles. It was in this era that the Assembly of God, Pentecostal Holiness, The Foursquare Gospel, The Pentecostal Church of God, and the United Pentecostal Church were birthed.[lix]

The United Pentecostal Church (UPC) denies the Trinity and believes in baptismal regeneration or that water baptism can save. There is no disclaimer at all in the book to distinguish the UPC from Christian churches. One gets the impression that Hear & Obey considers these group brethren. Why would you embrace someone who denies the Trinity and salvation by grace alone?

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols (2 Cor. 6:14-16a)?

Hear & Obey claim that in the prophetic movement, “the Holy Spirit also emphasizes to a greater measure the unity of the Body of Christ. He is pulling down denominational barriers so that the brethren can worship and do service unto the Lord together.”[lx] But, pulling down denominational barriers is not the same as moving towards ecumenism or doctrinal compromise. There are times for building bridges and for erecting walls.

True, the Bible exhorts us to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).” Yet, in the next verses, unity is explained this way: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all (vv. 4-6).” Unity must be rooted in the truth, the essentials of the faith.

Someone wrote, “It is better to be divided by truth than united in error.”[lxi] We are not talking here of minor differences in opinion. We're contending for fundamental, non-negotiable truths of the Christian faith that form the basis for fellowship. These spell the difference between commendation and condemnation.

I believe JHMT will share in the guilt of those “saints of God” if they fail to separate from them. For these “saints” are actually “false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15).” So, why would you call heretics saints of God?[lxii]

But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8).

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:18, 19).

Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God… If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds (2 John 9a, 10-11).

“[This] is not a case of entertaining people who disagree on minor matters. These false teachers were carrying on a regular campaign to destroy the basic, fundamental truths of Christianity. Complete disassociation from heretics is the only appropriate course of action for genuine believer. No benefit or aid of any type (not even a greeting) is permissible.”[lxiii] So, why did Hear & Obey speak approvingly of those who fit the detailed description of 2 Pet. 2:1-3?

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Mistaken or false prophet?

Hear & Obey adamantly refuses to call someone a false prophet even if he commits mistakes while prophesying or if his prophecy goes unfulfilled.

Hear & Obey also reasons that, “If a particular word does not come to pass immediately, it does not mean that the one is already a false prophet. In like manner it does not mean that if a pastor preaches a sermon that is out of biblical context he is already a false pastor.”[lxv]

No pastor can claim infallibility or immunity from mistakes. Yet, he is warned, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1).” A pastor who keeps on preaching Bible verses taken out of context is irresponsible and should be removed immediately.

Of course, we are to depend on the Holy Spirit and not on ourselves whenever we study and preach the Word of God. But that does not negate our responsibility to seriously study the Bible. Spirit and study are not incompatible. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15, KJV).”

Hear & Obey claims that prophetic preaching is more powerful than what it labels as “traditional” preaching. That, while a pastor preaches from the already revealed Word, the Bible, a prophet reveals “a fresh word from God.”

The traditional preacher merely preaches God’s Word according to the wisdom and knowledge he has acquired, from either self-study or through Bible school. The prophetic preacher has the added dimension of revelation knowledge from the Holy Spirit as he expounds God’s Word. As he preaches, one senses that the Holy Spirit is putting in [the prophet’s] mind or dictating to [the prophet] exactly what He wants to say, so that there is much power in the preaching… if ever we speak the Word of the Lord, we should do it as speaking the very words of God.[lxvi]

Thus, if a prophet has that “added dimension of revelation knowledge,” we ought to measure him with a higher standard than the average or “traditional” preacher. In Deuteronomy 18:20-22, a prophet is expected to have a 100% batting average as to the accuracy of his prophecies. Anything less than that is a failing mark.

Yet, Hear & Obey attempts to explain away this restriction. “One of the marks of a true prophet of God is when his predictive prophecy comes to pass. However, we should never judge a prophecy only on the basis of fulfilled prophecy. Let us bear in mind that not all who release prophecies that are fulfilled are of God.”[lxvii]

So, one of the reasons why Hear & Obey attempts to distinguish between the written Word and the supposed “fresh revelations” is to make allowance for mistakes and errors in their prophecies. It gives a number of alibis for those who would declare “an inaccurate or false prophecy.”

First, Hear & Obey blames it on the channel or the prophet.

[We] are told in 1 Corinthians 13:9 that “we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” This clearly implies imperfections on the part of the channel of prophecy. Though the gift of prophecy is perfect, as it is of God, the impurities of the channel through which the prophecy flows may contaminate the purity of the message… It is possible that the prophet’s mind may have filtered or diluted the message of the Holy Spirit.[lxviii]

That’s why the book cautions trainee-prophets on the proper use of the phrase “Thus says the Lord” or the like.

If someone who is just learning to prophesy has received a word which is not so clear, it is wise for him not to use the phrase “Thus says the Lord.” He may safely use the phrases: “I have this impression in my spirit that…” or “I could sense in my spirit that…” or “Brother, I see you in a vision and I believe this is the interpretation…” However, for those already mature in the operation of the prophetic gift and who are very sure that the word received is from God, it is at his judgment if he will use the phrase “Thus says the Lord”, “This is the word of the Lord”, or “The Lord is saying.”[lxix]

But that is contrary to 2 Corinthians 4:2, “[We] have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God (NIV. Emphasis added).”

For Hear & Obey, practice makes a prophet perfect. The book continues, “What if we commit an error in prophecy? It is understandable for beginners to commit mistakes. Nothing is done perfectly the first time. Maturity and excellence only come from taking risks and failing occasionally. We need to exercise love and then correct the mistake done. We need to help the beginner improve and thereby help him move towards excellence… Prophecy is not mastered nor perfected instantly.”[lxx]

But, the Bible knows no such ways to “improve” a prophet’s skills. Either he hears from the Lord or he is just imagining things. There’s no “trial-and-error” for prophets.

“Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you saying, ‘What is the oracle [Word] of the Lord?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What oracle?’ The Lord declares, ‘I will abandon you.’ “Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, ‘The oracle of the Lord,’ I will bring punishment upon that man and his household. “Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ “For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord, because every man's own word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God (Jer. 23:33-36, emphasis added).

In his column, Christianity Worth Thinking About, Gregory Koukl wrote, “[Such] specialized instructions [prophecies] are clear first of all. They are not mumbled. They are not whispered. They are not nudged. And they are, almost without exception in the New Testament, a sovereign intrusion by God into the circumstances rather than something that is first sought by a Christian… In virtually every case the communications from God were clear. The recipient did not have to develop an ability to hear (Of course, that couldn’t have been the case with Cornelius and Saul of Tarsus because they weren’t even regenerated.) Not only were they clear, but they were intrusive.”[lxxi]

According to Hear & Obey, the prophet may also err if he is living a hypocritical life or have spoken presumptuously or harboring wrong motives “while prophesying as manifested in his character, conduct and content of the message… These are prophecies that miss the mark… A false prophet is one who can release accurate prophecies but whose life is questionable.”[lxxii]

But the Bible gave equal emphasis to unquestionable life and accuracy in prophesying. “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you (1 Tim. 4:16, emphasis added).” The New International Version translated this verse this way: “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” Sincerity will not exempt you from scrutiny.

“For we know in part and we prophesy in part (1 Cor. 13:9)” means that the knowing and the prophesying will be limited to an extent. That we will not know everything and prophesy perfectly. But, that does not mean that a true prophet will give false prophecies. Though Pastor Charles Swindoll talks here about Old Testament prophets, I believe it also sheds light on the meaning of “we prophesy in part”:

The only problem with communicating through prophets was that it was fragmentary. God’s message through the prophets always included the implied note: “To be continued.” The information was accurate but incomplete… There was accuracy in the words of the prophets, but not finality.[lxxiii]

The Old Testament prophets may not have understood fully what they prophesied. But, they declared God’s Word without error! Incomplete? Yes. Inaccurate? Certainly not. Infallible? Absolutely.

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that [would come] to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

Hear & Obey cites 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 to argue that “some prophecies may contain a measure of error.”[lxxiv] That other than wrong timing, the prophet may have also used “inexact words, terminologies or grammar.”[lxxv] Remember that “Test everything” means to separate good from evil, true from false, not to sift through every prophecy to see whether there is some true and false elements in it. And that is a clear contradiction to what Hear & Obey claimed that the Holy Spirit “is putting in [the prophet’s] mind or dictating to [the prophet] exactly what He wants to say.”[lxxvi]

Second, Hear & Obey blames the hearer of the prophecy when it appears to be inaccurate or when it is not fulfilled.

The fulfillment of the prophetic word may either be delayed or totally missed depending on our responses and attitudes. Some of the negative responses of people toward prophecies are unbelief, pride, impatience, negligence, procrastination, laziness, and fatalistic or humanistic attitude… Generally, prophecy fails when the terms and conditions in the prophetic word are misinterpreted… If we doubt it, we will lose the blessing and we will be held accountable for it… If rejected prematurely, however, we have only succeeded in blocking God’s flow of blessing in our life.[lxxvii]

So, one ends up asking himself what went wrong than question the erring prophet. In effect, no matter what the book says to the contrary, it really discourages the believers from examining everything.

Again, the book points an accusing finger to those who question the prophetic movement, that wrong association or “the influences of people who are critical of the prophetic ministry”[lxxviii] should be blamed for false prophecies.

We must be selective in sharing our visions and revelations with others. If we share these with those who do not “flow” in God’s prophetic move, we can be misunderstood. They may even kill the vision as, instead of encouraging us to pursue it, they will sow doubts and confusion in our hearts.[lxxix]

Is that the reason why Hear & Obey would rather embrace heretics who “flows” or agrees with them than Christian brethren who disagrees with them on Biblical grounds? I certainly hope not.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night (Psa. 1:1,2).

And, is God powerless to make sure that what He said is proclaimed the way He wants it said? If it is really a “word from the Lord,” He will ensure that His message is received and released without error. That every jot and tittle will not pass away but will be preserved. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away (Matt. 24:35).” Plus, allowing room for mistakes and errors is actually condemned by Hear & Obey itself!

Nowhere in the New Testament do we see a prophet given allowance for mistakes and errors. Grace is not a license to tolerate false prophecy. The leadership of the church must exercise spiritual authority by correcting the false prophecy and also applying proper corrective measure or church discipline to the false prophet or anyone who releases a false prophecy.[lxxx]

It seems the book is just paying lip service to quality control for it clearly contradicted itself when it said, “Nowhere in the New Testament is there any suggestion that a prophet should be excommunicated, executed or branded as a “false prophet” for relaying an inaccurate or false prophecy.”[lxxxi]

Hear & Obey would rather blame anything or anyone than accept the truth that God is no longer sending prophets today.

There is no single verse in the Scriptures which we can quote to support the contention of some that there are no more prophets today and that we no longer need them in the church… This teaching [the restoration of the prophets today], apparently, is hard and is not readily acceptable to everybody. However, biblical truths must be taken as they are. Let us allow the Bible to interpret itself – speaking forth its undiluted truths.[lxxxii]

Okay, let us allow the Bible to speak for itself. Paul wrote that the Church, the Body of Christ, have “been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner [stone], in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:20-22, emphasis added).” Hear & Obey explains the building metaphor in Ephesians 2:20 this way:

The New Testament prophets and apostles serve as the foundation builders which (sic) provide adequate checks and balances in the church.[lxxxiii]

In what sense were the apostles and prophets the “foundation builders?” “As important as they were, it was not them personally, but the divine revelation they taught, as they authoritatively spoke the word of God to the church before the completion of the [New Testament], that provided the foundation.”[lxxxiv] Ultimately, the revelations they taught were compiled in the Bible. Even Hear & Obey agrees.

All the general foundation principles for the building up of the Church, the Body of Christ, are already recorded in the Scriptures. Though we all know that the church foundation principles laid by Jesus Christ and the apostles and prophets were primarily addressed to the early Christian churches… they remain applicable to today’s church and the generations to come.[lxxxv]

So, if these “foundation principles” were applicable to us, do we really need to lay more foundations? We lay down a building’s foundation when you start, not during or after, the construction. We don’t lay a foundation in every floor. We lay the foundation first then construct the building. We build on the foundation. The strength of the building lies on its foundation.

Thus, when the Bible was complete, when the Apostles and the early prophets died, there’s no need to build another foundation for the Church. To do so would be saying they laid an inferior, or worse, a wrong foundation and ours are the better or the right one. That’s tantamount to laying another foundation. What we’re saying is that the Apostles and the prophets have done their job already. And they did their work very well. It is now up to the evangelist, the pastor and the teacher to do their task, which is.

…the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:12, 13).

About the Author…

Bible Expose' worked for seven years as a writer/segment producer of the top-rating, multi-awarded investigative TV program. More than two years ago, Bible Expose' resigned to serve the Lord full-time. At present, he is one of the pastors of a christian church. He is also an instructor of a ministry teaching Walk Thru the Old & New Testament, Biblical Portrait of Marriage, Personal Holiness in Times of Temptation, The Vision Of The Leader and The Prayer of Jabez seminars. He is married, with three kids and presently resides in Quezon City.

Part 1, Part 2

Back to the top

[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Next ]

[i] Dante & Cynthia Veluz, Hear & Obey, (Philippines: JHMT Team Publications, 1998). Pastor and Mrs. Veluz are the founders and overseers of JHMT (Jesus, the Heart of Missions Team).

[ii] Hear & Obey, page 307.

[iii] A chapter from John MacArthur's book, Reckless Faith: When the Church Loses Its Will to Discern (Illinois: Crossway Books, 1994), 177-199.

[iv] Hear & Obey, page 75.

[v] Ibid., page 25 (Emphasis theirs).

[vi] Ibid., page 321.

[vii] Ibid., page 321.

[viii] Ibid., page 322 (Emphasis added).

[ix] Ibid., page 187.

[x] Ibid., page 187.

[xi] Hear & Obey, pages 262, 54, 263 (Emphasis theirs).

[xii] To be fair, I gave copies of this critique to Pastor Dante Veluz and some of the members of Hear & Obey’s editorial committee. But, in a telephone conversation last June 25, 1999, Pastor Dante Veluz questioned my motive for writing it. When I asked him to just answer the issues I raised in it, he said, “It is a waste of time.”

[xiii] John MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos (Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), page 15 (Italics his)

[xiv] Hear & Obey", page 261.

[xv] Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible.

[xvi] The TV program of a cult here in the Philippines.

[xvii] Hear & Obey, page 75

[xviii] Ibid., page 192.

[xix] Ibid., page 91 (Emphasis added).

[xx] Reckless Faith, page 71 (Emphasis added).

[xxi] Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity In Crisis, (Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1993) pages 364, 365 (Italics his).

[xxii] New International Version.

[xxiii] Hear & Obey, page 211.

[xxiv] Ibid., page 211 (Emphasis added).

[xxv] Ibid., page 304.

[xxvi] Ibid., page 115 (Emphasis added).

[xxvii] In Hear & Obey, they did not even include the chapter-verse reference. Thus, if the reader will not take the time to check it, he will be led to think that it was quoted in context.

[xxviii] A popular, local faith healer who claims to have the ability to exorcise elemental and other wayward spirits.

[xxix] Charismatic Chaos, pages 24 (Italics his).

[xxx] King James Version.

[xxxi] Kenneth Gangel, 2 Peter in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT ed., ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (USA: SP Publications, Victor Books, 1983), page 868.

[xxxii] Hear & Obey, page 196.

[xxxiii] Hear & Obey, page 327.

[xxxiv] Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979) Page 90 (Emphasis added).

[xxxv] Hear & Obey, page 29.

[xxxvi] Ibid., page 42.

[xxxvii] William Marrion Branham, An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages (Voice of God Recordings).

[xxxviii] “Tritheism denies the unity of the essence of God and holds to three distinct Gods (Lectures In Systematic Theology, page 90).” Tritheism is not the doctrine of Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity emphasizes that there is only one God eternally existing in three persons, not three Gods.

[xxxix] Christianity In Crisis, page 30.

[xl] John H. Armstrong, In Search of Spiritual Power in Power Religion, ed. Michael Horton (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), page 66.

[xli] As quoted in Hank Hanegraaff’s Counterfeit Revival (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1997), page 135.

[xlii] Hear & Obey, page 268.

[xliii] Ibid., page 268.

[xliv] Michael Moriarty, The New Charismatics (As quoted in Counterfeit Revival, page 136).

[xlv] Hear & Obey, page 42.

[xlvi] Power Religion, page 66.

[xlvii] Ibid., page 67.

[xlviii] Ibid., page 86.

[xlix] Hear & Obey, page 42.

[l] Christianity in Crisis, page 196.

[li] Ibid., page 195 (as quoted).

[lii] Ibid., page 198 (as quoted).

[liii] Ibid., page 257 (Emphasis theirs).

[liv] Ibid., page 108 (as quoted).

[lv] R.C. Sproul, A Serious Charge in The Agony of Deceit, ed. Michael Horton (USA: Moody Press, 1990), page 44.

[lvi] Charismatic Chaos, page 289. For more information on Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science, read Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin.

[lvii] Christianity In Crisis, page 332 (as quoted).

[lviii] Hear & Obey, page 327.

[lix] Hear & Obey, page 41 (Emphasis added).

[lx] Page 46 (Emphasis theirs).

[lxi] Dr. Bruce Bickel, in the Foreword of Sola Scriptura, ed. Don Kistler (PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1995), pages XI, XII.

[lxii] For more information, read Dr. John MacArthur's Charismatic Chaos and Hank Hanegraff's Christianity in Crisis.

[lxiii] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible (USA: Word Publishing, 1997), page 1977 (Emphasis added).

[lxiv] Hear & Obey, page 192.

[lxv] Ibid., page 189.

[lxvi] Ibid., pages 168, 169 (emphasis added).

[lxvii] Ibid., page 148 (Italics theirs).

[lxviii] Ibid., pages 177, 178.

[lxix] Ibid., pages 216-217.

[lxx] Ibid., pages 220, 227.

[lxxi] http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/theology/actsvoic.htm , April 24, 1994 (Emphasis added).

[lxxii] Ibid., page 191, 192 (Italics theirs).

[lxxiii] Charles Swindoll, The Preeminent Person of Christ (Study Guide: Hebrews 1-10), emphasis added.

[lxxiv] Hear & Obey, page 192.

[lxxv] Ibid., page 191 (Italics his).

[lxxvi] Ibid., page 168.

[lxxvii] Ibid., pages 190-191, 186.

[lxxviii] Ibid., page 191.

[lxxix] Ibid., page 191.

[lxxx] Hear & Obey, pages 146-147.

[lxxxi] Ibid., page 192.

[lxxxii] Ibid., pages 78, 82.

[lxxxiii] Ibid., page 147 (Emphasis added).

[lxxxiv] The MacArthur Study Bible, page 1806.

[lxxxv] Hear & Obey, page 143 (Emphasis added).