Perhaps you’ve heard the latest from Victoria Osteen.
Recently, she reportedly told the Lakewood congregation that when we obey God we should not do it for Him but for ourselves.
Same thing for worship–we are not to worship God for who He is but for us.
You see, the most important thing to God is that we are happy.
This new teaching is apparently a variation of the Bobby McFerrin Gospel.
Here is transcript from what Mrs. Osteen said, or you can watch the video:
“I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God—I mean, that’s one way to look at it—we’re doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives Him the greatest joy. So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God really. You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy. Amen?”
In response, I quote another great American philosopher, Vinny Gambini, who once said, “Everything that guy just said is bull***.”
I’ve never been a Joel-basher. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned him or Victoria here—plenty of other people have taken up the cause of correcting their homegrown theology—but this was one I had to weigh in on.
Others have already pointed out what is obviously wrong and unbiblical about Osteen’s statement. For example, I guess God the Father did not love Jesus. After all, He refused Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, sending Him instead to a horrible death on the cross.
And the Apostle Paul? God must have really had it in for him–shipwrecked multiple times, beaten nearly to the point of death, wrongfully imprisoned for years. Or how about John, the disciple whom Jesus supposedly loved. He was boiled in hot oil but somehow survived. Why would Jesus allow that if He really loved John and wanted most of all that John be happy?
These are the hard hitting questions anyone who has ever read the Bible . . . actually, anyone who has ever heard of Jesus will likely have. Let’s face it, you don’t have to be an Augustine or Aquinas to figure out Mrs. Osteen’s theology is about as heady as a nursery rhyme.
To end this rant, here is an off-the-cuff list of seven things more important to God than your happiness:
1. The advancement of His kingdom;
2. Your neighbor’s salvation;
3. Your salvation;
3. Your sanctification;
4. His glory;
6. That His will be done on earth; and
7. The success of your marriage.
GS