Article 1: Joseph Prince built The Star Performing Arts Centre for $500 million in 2007-2012 for a 60-year lease and acquired The Star Vista shopping mall for $300 million in Nov 2019 (44 years left to occupy from 2023), cannot decide who can use or not use The Star Performing Arts Centre, especially for Drag Queen show? – By Rev George Ong
Article 2: Joseph Prince’s no-obedience gospel, which is a core salvation issue, is refuted by DA Carson & Arthur Pink – By Rev George Ong (Dated 9 August 2023)
Here is an extract taken from Article 1:
Some time ago, prior to Nov 2019,
the leadership of a Christian Network
comprising many churches in Singapore
and is still very active in the Singapore Church scene today,
confronted Joseph Prince
over one questionable show
that was put up at The Star Performing Arts Centre….
.… The crucial point is,
is Joseph Prince even telling the truth
when he told the team of Senior Pastors
prior to Nov 2019
that he cannot make the unilateral decision
on who can or cannot use
The Star Performing Arts Centre
even though New Creation Church
owns The Star Performing Arts Centre
for a lease of 60 years since 2007?
Here is an extract taken from Article 2.
Details are contained towards the last part of Article 2:
What 3 of these Ex New Creation Church members
shared about the tons of CDS and DVDs
of Joseph Prince sermons that they bought
is representative of the multitudes
who are attending New Creation Church
and those from other churches
who are influenced by his teachings.
Here we are just talking about one nation, Singapore alone.
But if you add up the numbers in all the countries
that Joseph Prince has a hold on,
just imagine the amounts of profits that he has earned
over the many years of his ministry.
Do I sound like sour grapes, envious of his riches?
Why should I?
What are we talking about?
Here we are talking about Joseph Prince,
who is profiting millions of dollars from people
for preaching what?
For preaching heresies
that can damn the same people to hell.
That’s what is revolting and nauseating!
If you have missed the previous article, a very important article:
Joseph Prince is Exposed by Rev Derek Hong, a Singapore Veteran Pastor, to be Preaching Heresy – By Rev George Ong (Dated 5 August 2023)
Please click on the link below:
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
Article 1: Joseph Prince built The Star Performing Arts Centre for $500 million in 2007-2012 for a 60-year lease and acquired Star Vista shopping mall for $300 million in Nov 2019 (44 years left to occupy from 2023), cannot decide who can use or not use The Star Performing Arts Centre, especially for Drag Queen show? – By Rev George Ong
Are you aware that this is not the first time
Joseph Prince is putting up questionable shows
(the recent Drag Queen Show is another example)
that is injurious to the testimony
of the Christian Church in Singapore
at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
the venue that New Creation Church
meets to worship every Sunday?
Some time ago, prior to Nov 2019,
the leadership of a Christian Network
comprising many churches in Singapore
and is still very active in the Singapore Church scene today,
confronted Joseph Prince
over one questionable show
that was put up at The Star Performing Arts Centre.
I thank God for these Senior Pastors
who had the courage
to confront Joseph Prince over this incident.
The reply given by Joseph Prince
was that since they are in a joint venture
with another commercial entity, then,
he cannot make the unilateral decision
regarding shows that can or cannot be put up
at The Star Performing Arts Centre.
It is quite hard to imagine that New Creation Church
which spent $500 million in 2007-2012
to build The Star Performing Arts Centre,
and owns it on a 60-year lease,
cannot decide who can or cannot perform
at The Star Performing Arts Centre.
Are you also aware that New Creation Church
has since bought over the entire Star Vista shopping mall,
for almost $300 million in Nov 2019?
This purchase of Star Vista, which took place in Nov 2019,
happened after the team of Senior Pastors
had met Joseph Prince.
And you begin to wonder
that if the reason that Joseph Prince gave
to the team of Senior Pastors who met him,
that he cannot make the unilateral decision
on the use of The Star Performing Arts Centre,
makes sense,
you would have expected that no such shows,
such as the Drag Queen show would be put up from Nov 2019,
since New Creation Church had bought over
the entire Star Vista shopping mall in Nov 2019,
which, of course, also includes The Star Performing Arts Centre
which the church owned on a 60-year lease since 2007?
What?
You mean after spending a huge sum of $500 million
to build The Star Performing Arts Centre in 2007-2012,
and then paying another hefty sum of almost $300 million
to own the entire Star Vista shopping mall in Nov 2019,
Joseph Prince still cannot decide
who they could allow or disallow to use
or rent out their facilities
such as The Star Performing Arts Centre to?
This must be the joke of the Year!
Yet, Joseph Prince has allowed
the abominable Drag Queen Show
to be put up on 7 Sep 2023 at The Star Theatre
in less than a month from now,
even though New Creation Church now owns
both The Star Performing Arts Centre
and the entire Star Vista shopping mall.
This goes to show
that the reply that Joseph Prince gave
to the team of Singapore Senior Pastors
is some sort of a puzzle,
that raises even more questions.
If not, why would Joseph Prince
allow the Drag Queen Show
to be put up at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
even though they now have full ownership
of The Star Vista shopping mall from Nov 2019?
Put it in another way
– you mean after paying a hefty sum of almost $300 million,
to purchase the entire Star Vista in Nov 2019,
they still cannot make the unilateral decision
on which shows they can allow or disallow to be put up
at The Star Performing Arts Centre,
which is only a part of the entire Star Vista?
Are we missing something here?
The crucial point is,
is Joseph Prince even telling the truth
when he told the team of Senior Pastors
prior to Nov 2019
that he cannot make the unilateral decision
on who can or cannot use
The Star Performing Arts Centre
even though New Creation Church
owns The Star Performing Arts Centre
for a lease of 60 years since 2007?
I’m of course aware that there are guidelines
about making available the use of commercial space
to other entertainment events/groups,
which The Star Performing Arts Centre may fall under.
But I cannot find any clause that says that
the owner or management
of The Star Performing Arts Centre
must say yes to all requests
and they cannot say no to any request,
especially if there are good reasons for doing so.
Regarding the same issue,
please see below for a text written
by a die-hard fan of Joseph Prince
and it was forwarded to me by others (largely unedited):
“Full of half-truths from George Ong
pls don’t anyhow share half-truths
Star vista is a mall with a huge amphitheater
and was built for commercial reasons.
On Sundays, new creation church
rents from them to conduct service.
One service sits 5,000 and they have 4 services!
For those who are not aware?
The church pays rent for use on Sundays
Any other concert organizers
are free to rent from star vista
So pls get facts right
and George Ong is a loser
who loves to stir shit
and sends out half-truths
I have been reaching out to him
since 2020 to meet
but he’s a very DODGY character
who refuses to meet
I wonder why?
Mr Robin Lim from Singapore
would like to buy George Ong
a long-awaited lunch since 2020
George Ong is chicken-hearted
and attacks from dark places
Pls help spread this news.
Above comments from Mr Robin Lim
who has given his number
inviting you for a good chat.
Feel free to respond to him, tx.”
(As for the above text,
I’m not sure whether there are two
or the same person.)
When I received this message and many more,
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
This person is so ignorant
that he didn’t even know
that New Creation Church owns the ‘Amphitheatre’
since 2007, and does not need to rent,
and that The Star Vista shopping mall
was purchased by New Creation Church
for almost $300 million in Nov 2019,
which was prominently reported in the Straits times.
Such die-hard fans treat Joseph Prince
literally as a cult leader.
Nothing he does can be wrong.
Lies become truth.
Truth become lies.
I have received tons of such hate mails
from many of Joseph Prince’s loyal but misguided supporters,
over other issues as well.
One even wrote to me:
‘I am a balding old man,
can’t compare with Joseph Prince,
the young and handsome looking guy.”
For those who know me,
when I preach (then, but not now),
I used to joke about myself profusely.
I’m not a stranger to ‘self-deprecating jokes’.
So, this is child’s play to me.
This kind of comment makes me laugh.
But it also makes me cry (not literally)
as it only goes to show the depth of deception
that these die-hard fans are under.
It goes to show the demonic hold and control
that Joseph Prince exercises over them.
Article 2: Joseph Prince’s no-obedience gospel, which is a core salvation issue, is refuted by DA Carson & Arthur Pink
Billy Graham said:
“Faith that saves has one distinguishing quality:
saving faith is a faith that produces obedience…”
In a weekly Sunday sermon aired on YouTube
on 16 July 2023 (while on sabbatical), Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 1-minute video:
“Joshua 1:8 again, just like Solomon,
Joshua is about to fill up a big pair of shoes.
Moses has died and gone on to be with the Lord.
And he’s gonna fill up Moses’ shoes.
Anyone will be intimidated by that.
But the very first instruction God gave him was this,
“This Book of the Law will not
depart from his mouth.” (Jos 1:8)
God said,
“Don’t let this Book of the Law
depart from your mouth.”
What does that mean?
Mutter on it. Memorise it and mutter on it.
You shall meditate in it day and night.
Meditation is filling your mind with God’s word.
You meditate on it day and night.
And God says the result will be;
“For then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success.”
“So, in other words,
when you meditate on God’s word day and night,
you’ll make your way prosperous
and you will have good success.
Another way of meditating, of course,
is also to hear sermons, day and night.
If the devil is bombarding you 24 hours a day, 24/7,
let me tell you this,
it’s time for you to meditate on God’s word,
listen to God’s word day and night.”
Can you spot anything that is wrong
with what you Joseph Prince has said?
Probably, many or even most of you may say,
“George, what’s wrong with that?
Isn’t Joseph Prince preaching rather biblically
about the need to meditate on God’s word;
and that’s how we can obtain prosperity and success?
Isn’t that what the text in Joshua 1:8 say?”
Well, what you see is more than meets the eye.
That is how deceptive Joseph Prince is.
That is why so many people
are being taken in by his deceptive style of teaching.
Joseph Prince’s half-truth deception in action again.
Let’s take a look at Joshua 1:8
Joshua 1:8 NKJV
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate in it day and night,
that you may observe to do
according to all that is written in it.
For then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8 NLT
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually.
Meditate on it day and night
so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.
Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
As you would have realised by now,
Joseph Prince is teaching the half-truth
about the importance of meditation.
But he is also ‘hiding’ from you the other half-truth
about the greater importance of obeying God
at the same time:
“Meditate on it day and night
so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.”
Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Jos 1:8)
This is not the first time
Joseph Prince has done this to Joshua 1:8
– blowing up the half-truth that he likes,
while suppressing the other half-truth
that goes against his Grace and Feel-Good Theology.
I have caught him doing the same thing to Joshua 1:8
several times in his other sermons,
skipping on obedience (or only mentioning it in passing)
and only focussing on meditation.
This is not the case of Joseph Prince
wanting to focus on just one aspect of the verse,
in order to draw out the maximum lessons
one could learn from meditation
because of the practicality of time,
and as for the issue of obedience,
he has stressed on that
at the other times in his other sermons.
The answer is a flat no.
Joseph Prince hardly teaches obedience at all.
I have heard plenty of his sermons,
but I have not heard a single sermon
from Joseph Prince on obedience.
The worse is Joseph Prince even preaches against it.
Why?
Because it goes his Antinomian gospel.
It goes against his only-believe
and a no-repentance and also a no-obedience gospel,
which is a false gospel
– a gospel that cannot save.
This would be developed fuller
when I bring in the valued teachings
of DA Carson and Arthur Pink,
both of whom are renowned Bible commentators
and teachers of God’s word.
The second reason
why he leaves out obedience in his teachings
is that it would reinforce his Feel-Good Theology.
Which carnal-minded person
wouldn’t want a feel-good religion
that tells them they can enter heaven
without the issue of obedience
hanging over their heads?
Which fleshly-minded person
wouldn’t want a feel-good faith
that can take them to heaven
and yet, they don’t have to be bothered
about whether they are obeying God or not.
That’s why Joseph Prince
can muster such a large following.
But what’s the use.
Most of his followers have the carnality
that is no different from the world
as they are not even true believers to begin with.
What’s misleading is that Joseph Prince
emphasises the issue of meditation
which is a secondary cause of prosperity and success,
but entirely leaves out the primary cause
– that of obedience:
Joshua 1:8 NLT
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually.
Meditate on it day and night
so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.
Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Just from a cursory look at the text,
Joseph Prince has indeed preached Joshua 1:8
out of context.
The context or cause of prosperity and success
in Joshua 1:8
is not merely to meditate,
but, more importantly, to obey the law of God.
Doing one part of meditation
will not bring about prosperity and success.
It is a necessary but not a sufficient cause.
But, according to the context of Joshua 1:8,
it is when you both meditate and obey,
will prosperity and success come your way.
So, Joseph Prince is not only misleading us
but he is also deliberately deceiving us
that meditation alone without obedience
can bring one prosperity and success.
This proves that Joseph Prince
has no integrity at all in his preaching.
What is sinful about Joseph Prince
is that he has refused to teach on obedience
which is a very important issue
both in the Old Covenant and the New.
If we know the history of the Israelites,
what fouls them up
is their disobedience to the law of God.
Episode after episode in their history
proves that obedience or disobedience to God
was the crux of the issue.
Because of their disobedience to the law of God,
God had to invoke natural disasters
such as pestilences and diseases to punish them,
God had to resort to using a pagan nation to conquer them
and even exiled them for 70 years in a foreign nation.
What about the issue of obedience
under the New Covenant?
It is even more important.
Let me now unveil the insightful teachings
of 2 Bible scholars:
DA Carson and Arthur Pink
regarding the crucial issue of obedience
in relation to our salvation.
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“Another form of self-delusion, however,
is evident in Matthew 7:21-23.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but the one who does the will of My Father
who is in heaven will enter.
22 Many will say to Me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name,
and in Your name cast out demons,
and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
It is not so much that the false claimant
lulls himself into spiritual apathy,
as that he mistakes loud profession and supernatural,
almost magical formulations and experiences,
for true spirituality and genuine godliness.
Obedience is neglected.
The pressure of the spectacular
has excluded the stability of growing conformity
to the Father’s will.
Because he seems to be getting results,
immediate results, spectacular results,
he feels he is close to the center of true religion.
His success indices are soaring:
God must be blessing him.
(George Ong’s interjection:
Joseph Prince is deceived
that his big attendance at worship services
and his so-called many healing miracles
must be proof that God is blessing him
and that he is preaching the true gospel.)
“It is true, of course,
that no man enters the kingdom
because of his obedience;
but it is equally true
that no man enters the kingdom
who is not obedient.
It is true that men
are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ;
but it is equally true
that God’s grace in a man’s life
inevitably results in obedience.
(George Ong’s interjection:
Never miss this crucial point
about the importance of obedience
for our salvation
that DA Carson is making.)
Any other view of grace
cheapens grace,
and turns it into something unrecognizable.
Cheap grace preaches
forgiveness without repentance,
church membership without rigorous church discipline,
discipleship without obedience,
blessing without persecution,
joy without righteousness,
results without obedience.
(George Ong’s interjection:
DA Carson states that any other view of grace
that takes obedience out of the salvation equation
is cheap grace as it cheapens grace.
That’s exactly what Joseph Prince does.
DA Carson said cheap grace preaches
forgiveness without repentance,
discipleship without obedience,
blessing without persecution,
results without obedience.
This is exactly what Joseph Prince preaches.
He is preaching cheap grace
which is another term for Pseudo-grace.)
In the entire history of the church,
has there ever been another generation
with so many nominal Christians
and so few real (i.e., obedient) ones?
And where nominal Christianity is compounded
by spectacular profession,
it is especially likely to manufacture
its own false assurance.”
(George Ong’s interjection:
Be warned that most of Joseph Prince’s converts
are nominal Christians, false converts.
No true converts
can come from the preaching of cheap grace
that Joseph Prince is famous for and guilty of.)
“Two Houses (Matt 7:24-27)
24 “So then, anyone who hears these words of mine
and obeys them
is like a wise man who built his house on rock.
25 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over,
and the wind blew hard against that house.
But it did not fall, because it was built on rock.
26 “But anyone who hears these words of mine
and does not obey them
is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over,
the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell.
And what a terrible fall that was!”
Entrance into the kingdom, then,
does turn on obedience after all
– not the obedience which earns merit points,
but which bows to Jesus’s lordship
in everything and without reservation.
Such obedience necessarily
blends with genuine repentance,
making the two almost one.
Within this framework,
the issue of obedience is everything.”
“The man who builds his house upon a rock
is likened to the person who not only hears Jesus’s words
but also puts them into practice.
The difference between the two houses
is therefore to be likened to the difference
between obedience and disobedience.”
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“In the Sermon on the Mount,
not everyone enters the kingdom of heaven,
but only those who are poor in spirit (5:3),
obedient (7:21),
and surpassingly righteous (5:20).
Similarly, in John’s Gospel,
only he who is born from above
can see or enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5).”
“… we see that the kingdom in these passages
cannot be universal.
There are conditions to be met
before entrance is possible.”
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“What is required is a “righteousness
[which] surpasses that of the Pharisees
and teachers of the law” (Matt 5:20),
for otherwise there is no entrance
into the kingdom of heaven.
Indeed, even ranking within the kingdom
is dependent on obedience to Jesus’s commands (Matt 5:19);
but that is not surprising
when we remember the tremendous emphasis
which the Sermon on the Mount
places on obedience to Jesus (cf. Matt. 7:21–23),
or Jesus’s repeated refrain, “But I tell you”
(see Matt. 5:20, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44).
The Old Testament pointed to the Messiah
and the kingdom he would introduce;
Jesus, claiming to fulfill that Old Testament anticipation,
introduces the kingdom to his followers.
In doing so, he stresses obedience
and surpassing righteousness,
without which there is no admittance.
It is worth noting that Jesus’s closing words
in Matthew’s Gospel (Matt 28:18-20)
again emphasize obedience:
the believers are to make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them
and teaching them to obey everything
Jesus has commanded (Matt 28:18–20).
Jesus’s commands are highlighted, much as in Matt 5:19.”
(George Ong’s interjection:
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…
As you can see, the Great Commission
involves both costly discipleship and radical obedience.
This is why Joseph Prince refuses to preach
on the Great Commission of Jesus
because both costly discipleship and radical obedience
are diametrically opposed
to his cheap grace and feel-good gospel.
Matthew 28:20 NIV
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…
Ask yourself where are the commands
we are asked to obey in Matthew 28:19 found?
In the gospels!
Yet, Joseph Prince said that
since everything before the cross
is under the Old Covenant,
all the gospels and the Great Commission,
which are before the cross
are not relevant to New Covenant believers
as they are under the Old Covenant.
That’s why Joseph Prince
refuses to preach on Matthew 28:18-20
the Great Commission of Jesus.
Anyone who blatantly dares to disobey
the Great Commission, the heartbeat of Jesus
is undoubtedly a false prophet.
What is more outrageous
is that Joseph Prince
has replaced the Great Commission of Jesus
with his Grace Revolution Gospel
which is a false gospel.
For anyone who dares to do this
is 100 percent a heretic.)
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“What, then, is the essential characteristic
of the true believer,
the genuine disciple of Jesus Christ?
It is not loud profession,
nor spectacular spiritual triumphs,
nor protestations of great spiritual experience.
Rather, his chief characteristic is obedience.
True believers perform the will of their Father, (Matt 7:21)
consistent with their prayer,
“Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”
They cannot forget that
at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus said,
“Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,
you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:19f.).
And so, they practice obedience.
The Father’s will is not simply admired,
discussed, praised, debated;
it is done.
It is not theologically analyzed,
nor congratulated for its high ethical tones;
it is done.
The test is rephrased
by a famous second-century document,
the Didache, which says,
“But not everyone who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet,
except he have the behavior of the Lord.”
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“Faith must be founded on fact:
the truthfulness of the revelation of Jesus Christ
is everywhere presupposed.
Elsewhere, when the Corinthians
seem to be calling in question
the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Paul goes so far as to say that
if they are right
then our Christian faith is futile (1 Cor. 15:17).
He will not acknowledge as valid
that faith whose object is not real, true,
and in conformity with the revelation
that Jesus Christ is and brings.
On the other hand, as James 2:19 points out,
if faith has a proper object but is merely credal,
then the devils themselves can be said to believe
– but with no benefit to them.
Faith not only must have a proper object,
but also must issue from need
and be characterized by genuine trust
and obedience.”
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“Jesus’s expenditure of compassion, of grace,
issues in transformed people
who will increasingly meet his demands
and follow in steps of obedient discipleship.
And if so-called disciples fail to change
at least the direction of their lives,
they are no disciples at all.
In ‘Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount And His Confrontation with the World,’
DA Carson wrote:
“False conclusion
The Sermon on the Mount
contains a great deal of ethical instruction
– so much so that some people have concluded
that it lays out a series of conditions
which must be met
if a person is to enter the kingdom of God.
In this view, an individual enters the kingdom
because his obedience merits entrance.
Such a deduction is, of course, false;
we observed in the last chapter
how Jesus’s insistence on poverty of spirit (in Matt 5:3),
coupled with the accent on humbly petitioning God (in Matt 7:7–11),
combine to vitiate such a conclusion.
However, it is understandable, to say the least,
how a superficial reading of the Sermon on the Mount
might lead the inattentive reader
to this false conclusion.
In ‘Sermon on the Mount by Arthur W. Pink,’
Arthur Pink wrote:
(Matt 7:24-27)
“Let us duly note what Christ
does not here say of the one He terms wise,
“he that heareth these sayings of Mine
and understandeth them,”
nor even
“he that heareth these sayings of Mine
and believeth in Ale”:
what He did say goes much farther than that.
There are multitudes who believe in Christ
who do not put His precepts into practice.
In the same way that
there are millions in India who believe in Buddha,
millions in China who believe in Confucius,
millions in Africa who believe in Mohammed,
so vast numbers in Christendom believe in Christ.
And because “they believe in Christ”
they suppose that all is well with them
and that when they die
they will go to heaven.”
“The great majority of the preachers in this apostate age
are only adding to the number of the deceived,
by telling them that all God requires of them
is to believe in the Gospel
and receive Christ as their personal Saviour.
They quote such passages as John 3:16, and Acts 16:31,
which contain the word “believe,”
but are guiltily silent on the many verses
which insist on repentance,
forsaking of sins, denying of self,
and which call to obedience.
(George Ong’s interjection:
This is exactly what Joseph Prince teaches.
His only-believe gospel and a no-repentance
and a no-obedience gospel is a false gospel
that does not lead people to heaven but hell.)
How often, for example, we hear quoted,
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing,
nor uncircumcision, but a new creature [or creation]” (Gal. 6:15),
especially by those who (rightly) wish to show
that neither the ceremonial ordinances of Judaism
nor baptism and the Lord’s supper of Christianity
are of any worth
in the justifying of sinners before God.
So, too, though not quite so frequently,
we are reminded that
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision;
but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6),
that is out of gratitude to God for His unspeakable Gift
and not from a legal motive
which works only for what it may obtain.
But how very rarely is this one ever mentioned:
“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing,
but the keeping of the commandments of God” (1 Cor. 7:19).
That which concerns our submission to the Divine authority,
our walking in subjection to His will,
is studiously kept in the background:
such partiality is most reprehensible.
It is only by placing these three verses side by side
that we obtain a complete and balanced view.
We are not vitally united to Christ
unless we have been born again;
we are not born again
unless we possess a faith which “worketh by love”;
and we have not this saving faith
unless it is evidenced
by a “keeping of God’s commandments.”
No wonder there is now so much dishonesty
among those in the pew
when there has been such dishonesty in the pulpit.
The unsaved are frequently told,
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13),
but who is faithful enough to tell them
that none ever did
or could savingly “call upon” Him
out of an impenitent heart?
Fewer still will remind them
that Christ is
“the Author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).
In like manner,
when addressing those who profess to be Christians,
how many preachers give great prominence
to the comforting promises of God,
but say little about His holy requirements.
There is also a certain class of Calvinists
who are fond of citing
“Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends,”
but they fail to add
“ye are My friends,
if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:13, 14),
which is the surest identifying mark
of those for whom Christ died.
There are thousands
who glibly talk of their love for Christ,
but how rarely are they reminded.
“And hereby we do know that we know Him,
if we keep His commandments.
He that saith, I know Him,
and keepeth not His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3, 4).”
“Saving faith
is a practical persuasion
of the truth of Christ’s teaching
which is followed
by a wholehearted obedience to His authority.”
In ‘Sermon on the Mount by Arthur W. Pink,’
Arthur Pink wrote:
“In the preceding chapter
we sought to define and explain
the relation of good works to salvation.
First, we pointed out that they possess no meritorious value:
by which we mean,
they deserve nothing at the hands of God,
that in no sense do they earn aught
or contribute one mite to our redemption.
Second, we insisted that they are necessary,
yea, that without them
salvation cannot be obtained.
Not that any well-doing on our part
is required in order to obtain acceptance with God,
nor that they can atone for the failures and sins of the past.
But rather that the path of obedience must be trod
if the realm of unclouded bliss is to be reached.
The doing of good works
is indispensable in order
to the securing of full and final salvation,
that is in order to an actual entrance
into heaven itself.
We are well aware that such language
will have a strange sound to some of our friends,
that it will savor of “legality,”
yet if Scripture itself expressly declares
that Christ is
“the Author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey Him” (Heb. 5:9),
need we hesitate to employ the same plain language
and press the force thereof?
That which we are here advancing
is no departure from genuine orthodoxy,
but the doctrine propounded
by the soundest of God’s servants in days gone by.”
In ‘Sermon on the Mount by Arthur W. Pink,’
Arthur Pink wrote:
“First, the force of the opening “Therefore.”
In addition to the more general remarks made thereon
in the previous article let us now point out
that Christ was here drawing a plain
but searching conclusion
from His solemn statement in verses 21-23 (Matt 7).
There He (Jesus) had declared that not everyone
who renders lip-service to His Lordship
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does the will of the Father
as made known by the Son;
yea, that the many
who substitute preaching and performing wonderful works
for actual obedience to His commands,
He will yet say unto such,
“Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”
Then He at once added,
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine
and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man,
which built his house upon a rock.”
Is not the connection, then,
between the two passages (Matt 7:21-23 & Matt 7:24-27)
unmistakably indicated?
Is not our Lord’s design and meaning in the verses
now before us crystal clear?
In verses 21-23 (Matt 7) Christ is viewed in His office of Judge,
testing professors, making known unto us
who it is that will survive the fiery trial of that dread Day;
and in verses 24-27 (Matt 7)
He reveals the path which must be trod
if that Day is to be wisely and successfully anticipated.
In the Day of testing,
not what we have said
but what we have done
in obedience to the Divine will
shall alone be accepted as evidence:
not the profession we have made,
but the verification we have given of it in our Christian walk;
not the doctrines we believed,
but the fruits they bore in our daily lives.
DA Carson and Arthur Pink
are no ‘ordinary’ Bible scholars and commentators.
They are world-renowned and proven
for their biblical scholarship and scriptural insights.
The teachings of these two men
have indeed demolished
the no-obedience gospel of Joseph Prince.
Though obedience does not and cannot contribute to our salvation,
it is a non-negotiable evidence and fruit of saving faith,
for without the presence of it,
no one can claim that he is saved.
Both DA Carson and Arthur Pink and Joseph Prince
cannot be right at the same time,
as their teachings on obedience concerning salvation
are diametrically opposed.
Who do you trust?
DA Carson and Arthur Pink,
who are both credible Bible scholars
or Joseph Prince, the unrepentant deceiver?
Finally, Joseph Prince said in his sermon;
Please click here to view to the 20-second video:
“Another way of meditating, of course,
is also to hear sermons, day and night.
If the devil is bombarding you 24 hours a day, 24/7,
let me tell you this,
it’s time for you to meditate on God’s word,
listen to God’s word day and night.”
Joseph Prince said:
“Another way of meditating, of course,
is also to hear sermons, day and night.
Have you figured out by now
why Joseph Prince is so rich today?
The reason is that he has been promoting
the sales of his sermon videos indirectly,
through his ‘listen, listen, listen’ marketing strategy,
and the world is his market.
In a previous article, I highlighted what Paul Washer said in a video.
Paul Washer said;
“You notice this, some of you need to hear this.
because sooner or later,
they find out the only one getting rich
is the preacher.”
Though Joseph Prince, the preacher, is a very wealthy guy,
the same cannot be said for most of his fans.
Kristen Jane Lin, an Ex New Creation Church member for 6 years, wrote:
“I see in this passage many things, first, strive and practice,
instead of just listen and listen and listen
like Joseph Prince always says
(and for most of the time,
he is asking us to listen to his sermons
instead of other pastors/other churches sermons,
but do you know that you have to purchase them?
Recently, there are many of his newest full sermons
available on YouTube
because of his program called the Gospel Partner,
but in order for that to happen,
the “Gospel Partners” need to pay.)”
Yvonne Tan, an Ex New Creation Church member for 20 years wrote:
“I would also buy his CDs
and would listen to them…
Joseph Prince often emphasizes
that Faith comes by hearing
and hearing of the Word.
He would advise us not to listen to preachers
who do not preach ‘true grace’
because we would easily go back
to justify our salvation by our works,
but we are to listen to his sermons.
On hindsight, it was probably
to boost the sales for his books and CDs.
Therefore, many of the NCC members that I know
usually owns many of his CDs and DVDs
because we were often reminded
to always listen to ‘sound doctrines’
which refer to his messages
and we should constantly be hearing them
in order to grow our faith…
and I think I had spent thousands of dollars
just buying many of his resources which were available.
Just think, if I, as one person,
had spent that much money,
how much would a few thousand,
out of the 34,000 people,
who attend NCC spend,
just to buy the same resources.
This is just counting one church in NCC in Singapore.
But if we were to include
other churches in Singapore
and the churches
in the many other nations of the world,
the sales of Joseph Prince’s resources are humongous!
For Joseph Prince to tell the world
that he is not paid by the church
becomes an irrelevant point
as compared to the fat and juicy income
that he reaps from such sales.”
(George Ong’s interjection:
Recently, I heard Joseph Prince
say at least three times
that he decided to go without income from the church
some time ago.
And the way he said it, it is as if it is a big sacrifice.
When I heard that,
I say to myself what kind of sacrifice is that?
You still have your millions
that you have earned
from the sales of the CDs and the books
for all these years
which can last you many times your lifetime.
Why is there the need for him
to make such a big thing about it?
From the supposedly sacrificial way he has shared it,
I really feel embarrassed for him.)
Lindsay Lim, an Ex New Creation Church member for 18 years, wrote:
“I bought almost all of Joseph Prince’s
Sunday and mid-week services
sermon cassette tapes, CDs and DVDs
until my whole bookshelf
was full of his teaching materials.”
“It was during this period of time
of intensely seeking God for answers
that God showed me how dangerous
Joseph Prince’s teachings are.
I immediately obeyed Him
and threw out all the materials, and CDs and DVDs
of Joseph Prince’s messages
that I had purchased over the years in NCC
even though they cost me thousands of dollars.”
“A related point is that it was very common
to hear those who went for counselling in NCC
to receive advice that they should just keep listening
to Joseph Prince’s teaching on videos or audios
until they receive their breakthrough from God.
They were not encouraged
to seek God in His Word or prayer at all.
They just need to listen
to Joseph Prince’s teaching long enough
and God will do a miracle for them.
Can you now see why Joseph Prince’s CDs and DVDs
are selling so well?”
What 3 of these Ex New Creation Church members
shared about the tons of CDS and DVDs
of Joseph Prince sermons that they bought
is representative of the multitudes
who are attending New Creation Church
and those from other churches
who are influenced by his teachings.
Here we are just talking about one nation, Singapore alone.
But if you add up the numbers in all the countries
that Joseph Prince has a hold on,
just imagine the amounts of profits that he has earned
over the many years of his ministry.
Do I sound like sour grapes, envious of his riches?
Why should I?
What are we talking about?
Here we are talking about Joseph Prince,
who is profiting millions of dollars from people
for preaching what?
For preaching heresies
that can damn the same people to hell.
That’s what is revolting and nauseating!
Rev George Ong