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| E.W. Kenyon: Doctrines of Demons |
According to prophecy, as the time nears for the return of Jesus Christ, the Christian church will increasingly abandon biblical truth for dangerous heresies and unbiblical doctrines that are demonically inspired.
Concerning this prophetic fall, that's also known as the great end time apostasy, the apostle Paul wrote this: "The (Holy) Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
Paul followed up that prophesy with this one in his second letter to fellow apostle Timothy: "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Are Paul's prophecies being fulfilled? Yes they are, and their fulfillment began in the 19th century with the advent of "New Thought" theology that's known today as "Positive Confession" or "Word of Faith" theology. What is New Thought-Positive Confession-Word of Faith theology? It's the belief that human beings have the power to be healthy, wealthy and successful by putting faith in their own faith and verbalizing it.
Where did that heresy come from? It originated from three heretical theologians named E.W. Kenyon, Phineas Parkhurst Quimby and Ralph Waldo Trine who believed that human beings suffered from failure, misfortune, poverty and sickness because they thought and confessed negatively. According to the logic of New Thought, people possess the power to reverse their fortunes if they merely take dominion over their circumstances, and think and confess positively.
In other words, if you are sick, you profess the opposite. If you're poor, you profess great wealth. If you're a failure in school, in personal relationships, at work etc., you profess yourself to be successful. Though that's complete nonsense, Kenyon, Quimby and Trine were absolutely convinced that positive confession worked.
The New Thought gospel was picked up in the 20th century by positive confession preachers Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller who taught that mankind's worst nemesis was poor self-esteem rather than sin. In fact, Schuller taught that human beings committed bad deeds (sins) because of low self-esteem rather than the influence of evil in their hearts.
Peale and Schuller corrupted the souls and minds of tens-of-thousands of people by denying the reality of sin and redirecting the blame for man's evil behavior toward poor self-esteem. Schuller even claimed that Christ died on the cross not for sin but rather for poor self-esteem. If that was true then Christ must have negatively confessed himself into his crucifixion.
Many other preachers have utilized the New Thought-Positive Confession gospel to enrich themselves at the expense of their gullible followers. Mega-preachers such as Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Fred K.C. Price and Benny Hinn have become obscenely wealthy by peddling the lie that positive confession works. It certainly works for them. However, it doesn't work for anyone else.
New Thought-Positive Confession-Word of Faith has occult roots and is also related to Humanistic Psychology. Quimby practiced hypnotism that has its roots in eastern mysticism. While at Emerson College, Kenyon became immersed in metaphysics that's a first cousin of Gnosticism. And Trine also became involved with metaphysics as a young man growing up in New York state.
Not surprisingly, New Thought philosophy has heavily influenced "Christian Psychology" that's become a substitute gospel in many churches today. New Thought-Positive Confession has seduced many people into turning away from God and trusting in themselves and self-esteem for their happiness and well-being.
Where does the Bible tell us to place our faith? In our own faith? In positive confession? In high self-esteem? Rather it tells us this: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) And it says this: "Cast all your anxiety on him (Jesus Christ) because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Faith in God and reliance on Christ has always worked and will continue to work. Why did Kenyon, Quimby, Trine et. al. promote a dangerous heresy that doesn't work and has never worked? Because they had no faith in God, that's why.
And because of that, they promoted a false gospel. Here's what Paul warned the early believers concerning those who peddle false gospels: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!" (Galatians 1:8-9)
The New Thought gospel was picked up in the 20th century by positive confession preachers Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller who taught that mankind's worst nemesis was poor self-esteem rather than sin. In fact, Schuller taught that human beings committed bad deeds (sins) because of low self-esteem rather than the influence of evil in their hearts.
Peale and Schuller corrupted the souls and minds of tens-of-thousands of people by denying the reality of sin and redirecting the blame for man's evil behavior toward poor self-esteem. Schuller even claimed that Christ died on the cross not for sin but rather for poor self-esteem. If that was true then Christ must have negatively confessed himself into his crucifixion.
Many other preachers have utilized the New Thought-Positive Confession gospel to enrich themselves at the expense of their gullible followers. Mega-preachers such as Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Fred K.C. Price and Benny Hinn have become obscenely wealthy by peddling the lie that positive confession works. It certainly works for them. However, it doesn't work for anyone else.
New Thought-Positive Confession-Word of Faith has occult roots and is also related to Humanistic Psychology. Quimby practiced hypnotism that has its roots in eastern mysticism. While at Emerson College, Kenyon became immersed in metaphysics that's a first cousin of Gnosticism. And Trine also became involved with metaphysics as a young man growing up in New York state.
Not surprisingly, New Thought philosophy has heavily influenced "Christian Psychology" that's become a substitute gospel in many churches today. New Thought-Positive Confession has seduced many people into turning away from God and trusting in themselves and self-esteem for their happiness and well-being.
Where does the Bible tell us to place our faith? In our own faith? In positive confession? In high self-esteem? Rather it tells us this: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) And it says this: "Cast all your anxiety on him (Jesus Christ) because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Faith in God and reliance on Christ has always worked and will continue to work. Why did Kenyon, Quimby, Trine et. al. promote a dangerous heresy that doesn't work and has never worked? Because they had no faith in God, that's why.
And because of that, they promoted a false gospel. Here's what Paul warned the early believers concerning those who peddle false gospels: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!" (Galatians 1:8-9)
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