Joseph Prince went for Botox or Supplements? & his Minus Sanctification Salvation Heresy! – By Rev George Ong (Dated 8 Feb 2024)
Apology To Janice Lee:
I wish to apologise to Janice Lee
for not thanking her publicly for her Testimony
which was featured on my website on 31 Jan 2024.
It was an oversight on my part.
As you know, I was producing 3 articles per week
and it slipped my mind.
I will always put on record my special thanks
to Ex New Creation Church members
whose Testimonies are published on my website,
not because I have to but because I want to.
So, my heartfelt thanks to you, Janice Lee,
for your courage to write your Testimony
and to be read by the public.
Every Ex New Creation Church member,
who is willing to let his or her Testimony be featured
deserves our every honour.
Those who are willing to stick their necks out
for the sake of the larger good of the Church,
deserve our loudest applause.
Announcements:
There are 8 Points to this Article.
Don’t miss the following 3:
2. Joseph Prince’s No-Sanctification Salvation Heresy. See also Appendix 1 & Appendix 2.
5. Joseph Prince, have you gone for Botox, or plastic surgery, or taken supplement pills to achieve your youthful and ‘spotless’ look?
8. Another half-truth deception of Joseph Prince when he surfaces Ephesians 5:26-27 to you but ‘hides’ Revelation 19:7-8 from you.
Note there is one video each
on Derek Prince & Michael Brown
& 2 videos on Joseph Prince.
Excerpt No 1 from the Article:
Let me say this to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, don’t you ever come and tell me
that your New Creation Church is now a spotless church,
as there are many members in your church
who are gambling, buying Toto and 4-D,
and with adulterers as lovers
lifting their hands to worship God
because they have been brainwashed by you
that all their sins have been forgiven,
and they are not supposed to be sin-conscious
but be righteousness conscious,
even though they have not dealt
or repented from their adulterous sins.”
Joseph Prince may protest:
“Hey George, why are you picking on my New Creation Church?
What about other churches?”
George would reply:
“The reason is simply that no other church that I know
would dare to claim that their church is spotless
except yours.
So, why is this beyond your intelligence to fathom?”
Excerpt No 2 from the Article:
A justified life must also necessarily be a sanctified life,
as both are necessary for salvation.
There is no such a thing as those who claim
to have the righteousness of Christ,
and yet telling themselves that
they don’t have to do anything about their sanctification
– about their sins by confessing and repenting
because they have all been forgiven
– and horrifyingly this is the deadly doctrine that Joseph Prince teaches.
Confession and repentance of sins
is an integral part of our growth towards
practical righteousness or sanctification or holiness.
One who claims to have the righteousness of Christ
while living unrighteously
with unconfessed and unrepented sins,
is standing on dangerous ground.
My Parting Shot to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, this is not on.
Why am I still picking up so much rubbish
from your so-called sacred sermons?
It only shows that your rubbish-clearing system is faulty.
You had better go and do a thorough check,
so I don’t have to clear so much of your rubbish again
in your next sermon.”
(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.)
In a Sunday sermon aired on YouTube,
2 Sundays ago, on 28 Jan 2024, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 3-and-a-half-minute video:
“He gave himself for her at the cross for the Church,
‘that He might sanctify and cleanse her
with the washing of water by the word,
that He might present her to Himself, a glorious Church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ (Eph 5:26-27).
Every woman want to be holy.
Holy means complete.
Unique, set apart, and without blemish,
and without spot in the natural.
Am I right?
I’m going to give an altar call for liars.
Every woman wants her face to be without blemish,
without spot, right?
You know who put it there?
The Lord.
Now you know it’s scriptural.
I believe there’s something instinct to care for;
it’s all put there by God.
Women want to look nice, beautiful,
it’s not vanity.
Let me stop here and tell you how a lot of people preach.
Have you seen the Church lately?
I’ll tell you this; if Jesus comes down halfway,
and looks at the Church today,
He will definitely postpone the marriage.
I’ll tell you right now; the church
is definitely not without spot, not without blemish.
The only problem with all these things is this
even in the Greek tenses, right, it tells you this
that He might sanctify
and cleanse her with the washing of water,
is actually He might sanctify
and cleanse her that He might sanctify,
is not something that He will do in the future.
It is something in the aorist tense. It’s past tense.
But friend, check out in the original Greek
that He might present her is present active participle,
which means right now,
He’s already presenting you in His eyes without spot,
without wrinkle or any such thing.
He sees you, beautiful right now.
Ah, Pastor, I got a lot of spots.
He does not see your spots, Spottie,
or child of God.
You want to see how He looks at you.
Song of Songs, a picture of Jesus and the church.
And this is how the Bridegroom looks at the bride.
How beautiful you are, my darling.
How beautiful you are (SOS 4:1).
The Lord Looks at her and says you are beautiful.
You read Song of Songs, it goes on to say
there’s not spot in you.
And it’s His (Jesus’) prerogative to say
I present you to myself a glorious church.
Present active participle.
It’s right now how He sees you.
He sees you what?
Glorious Church, not only that, not having spot.
Or wrinkle, wrinkle is what? Old age.
Now I know it’s spiritual.
But let’s not just keep things spiritual.
Maybe the washing of the water the word will keep you young.
Without wrinkle or any such thing.
What about sickness, any such thing.
What about depression, any such thing.
But that she should be holy and without blemish.
Woof! If there’s a woman like that. Wow! Amen.”
1. Joseph Prince’s claim that the Church is without spot in the now and present is false.
First, Joseph Prince makes the false claim
that according to his so-called Greek analysis of Ephesians 5:27,
that right now, at this moment in time, in the present,
the Church is already without spot or wrinkle.
To Joseph Prince,
it is not something that would be achieved in the future,
but it has already been done,
and so, the Church is right now without spot and wrinkle.
Don’t let Joseph Prince deceive you
with his so-called knowledge of Greek.
As you know, he has been caught many times
of abusing the Greek language to deceive.
Well, let’s hear from 2 Greek experts and Bible commentators on this issue,
specifically on the exegesis of Ephesians 5:26-27.
In ‘Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (3 Volumes),’
Kenneth S. Wuest wrote:
“The Greek of verse 27 begins as follows:
“In order that He might Himself present to Himself the Church glorious.”
It is Christ Himself who is to present the Church,
and it is to Himself He is to present it.
He is at one the Agent and the End or Object of the presentation.…
The idea, as the context suggests,
is that of the Bridegroom presenting
or setting forth the bride.
The presentation in view,
which is given here as the final object
of Christ’s surrendering of Himself to death,
and (by use of the aorist) as a single definite act,
cannot be anything done in the world that now is,
but must be referred to the future consummation,
the event of the Parousia (the Rapture).”
The words “not having spot or wrinkle,”
are an explanation on the negative side
of what is meant in the word “glorious.”
The bride is to be without moral blemish.”
In ‘Ephesians EGGNT Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament, and exegesis of Ephesians 5:26-27,
Benjamin L. Merkle wrote:
Ἔνδοξος, “glorious,” “splendid” (BDAG 332d; see also LN 79.19) is fronted for emphasis.
… it is best to link its timing with the Parousia
(Arnold 389; Barth 2:628, 669, 678; Bruce 389; Hoehner 761; O’Brien 424).
This interpretation is based on:
(1) the imagery of a “glorious” bride
that is free from stain or wrinkle (i.e., she is morally and spiritually pure)
fits best with the future consummation;
(2) the vb. παρίστημι often refers to the final day
(2 Cor 4:14; Col 1:22, 28; cf. Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 8:8);
(3) the presentation of the bride is pictured as future
(Matt 22:1–10; 25:1–13; Rev 19:7–10; 21:9); and
(4) the parallel text of 2 Cor 11:2 refers to the end of the world
(see Hoehner 761; O’Brien 424–25).”
These 2 Greek scholars have contradicted Joseph Prince’s analysis
because, according to their views,
the spotless bride of Christ, which is the Church,
is something that will be attained in the future
and not the present.
Of course, for the last 2,000 years and in the present,
the process of being the spotless bride or Church has already started,
but it is still a works in progress,
and will be perfected and consummated
at Christ’s second coming.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in his exegesis of Ephesians 5:26-27,
has also contradicted Joseph Prince’s position,
that the Church has already been without spot and wrinkles
in the now and the present.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ view is that the Bride of Christ, the Church
is still in the continuing and continuous process
of being rid of spots and wrinkles.
In ‘An Exposition of Ephesians 5:18-6:9, Life in the Spirit,’
Martyn Lloyd-Jones said:
“The very fact that Paul adds that the cleansing is effected
‘with the washing of water by the Word’
is proof that it is a continuous and continuing process.
The washing from the guilt of sin is once and forever.
That is a single action;
but here is a continuing action,
‘That He might cleanse her with the washing of water by the word’.
That statement shows that it is not merely a matter of getting rid of the guilt.
… And let us emphasize that this is a process.
It is a progressive cleansing
until we shall be free from every spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;
free from every blemish, we shall be entirely holy.
… We read here of a process of cleansing; it goes on.
As a man goes on in the Christian life
there should be less and less of the pollution of sin in him;
he should be becoming progressively sanctified
as this process goes on.
… It is very difficult for us to realize this.
While the church is walking in this world of sin and shame,
she gets bespattered by mud and mire.
There are, therefore, stains and spots upon her.
And it is very difficult to get rid of them.
All the medicaments that we are familiar with,
all the means of cleansing are inadequate
to remove these spots and these stains.
The church is not clean here;
though she is being cleansed,
there are many spots upon her still.
But when she arrives in that state of glory and of glorification
she will be without a single spot;
there will not be a stain upon her.”
With 2 Greek scholars and Martyn Lloyd-Jones,
(who is well respected as an expository preacher
by the majority of Pastors around the world),
discrediting the view of Joseph Prince on sanctification,
does Joseph Prince have any chance to be right?
2. Joseph Prince’s No-Sanctification Salvation Heresy.
Ephesians 5:27 NKJV
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Every Bible scholar will agree that the text of Ephesians 5:27
is talking about sanctification or holiness.
The “not having spot or wrinkle”
is a negative way of saying
that the Church should be or would be holy
and without blemish
Notice the phrase in Ephesians 5:27,
“but that she should be holy,”
If the Bride of Christ or the Church
is already holy in the present and the now,
according to Joseph Prince,
then the phrase,
“but that she is holy,”
ought to be used.
But that’s not the phrase that was used,
but the phrase
“but that she should be holy,”
I’ll say to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, are you aware of what’s going on?
You are not so clever again.
The text you are using
is contradicting your point of view,
and you are shooting yourself in the foot again.”
There are about or close to 50 versions that translated Ephesians 5:27
to the same effect that the NKJV that Joseph Prince himself used,
had translated.
But I will surface just 5, while you can look up the rest of the 40 over translations on the Internet:
Ephesians 5:27 NASB
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
Ephesians 5:27 NLT
27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
Ephesians 5:27 NLV
27 Christ did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be no sin of any kind in it. It is to be holy and without blame.
Ephesians 5:27 RSV
27 that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:27 AMP
27 so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless.
From the 5 above translations and the 40 others in the Internet,
this means that the Church
is not yet fully without spot or wrinkles,
and not yet fully holy and without blemish.
Joseph Prince by saying that the Church is now and at present
without spot or wrinkles in Ephesians 5:27,
is also saying that the Church
has already been sanctified or made holy
in the past:
Ephesians 5:27 NKJV
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Again, this is the half-truth
that Joseph Prince uses to deceive people.
Every Bible teacher worth his salt
will be aware that sanctification is not only a past event,
but also a present process and future goal.
In a sermon, Michael Brown said;
Please click here to view the 2-minute video:
“But what I want to major on today is this one point.
The traditional teaching that we’ve had in Protestant theology for centuries
is that justification is instant.
The moment you put your trust in Jesus to save you,
at that moment, He pronounces you forgiven.
At that moment, you are clean; you are righteous.
But sanctification is progressive.
Sanctification is a process.
We grow in holiness.
Justification is instant,
sanctification is a process.
Hyper grace teach that the moment you are saved,
you are perfectly sanctified.
You are made perfectly, completely and totally holy
and there’s nothing you can do to add to it.
Here’s the truth to it.
Are you ready?
And this is what theologians have understood for many, many years.
What I want to do is open up scripturally.
Sanctification is past, present and future.
For hyper grace teachers, it’s all past.
No, it’s past, present and future.
And this is one of the things
that the hyper grace teachers get completely wrong.
So, you know what instructions we gave you
by the authority of the Lord Jesus;
it is God’s will that you should be sanctified.
Paul, no, no, no.
I guess you don’t understand grace, Paul.
You see, we’re already sanctified.
And you see, you’re gonna write in another letter
not long from now in 1 Corinthians 6:11
that when they put it in chapters and verses
that we’ve already been sanctified.
So, Paul, you don’t understand your own theology.
Let’s call that highly unlikely.
Let’s call that idiotic.
No, Paul understood his own theology quite well.
Past, present, future.
You have been sanctified and set apart by God as holy.
You’ve been put on the holy column.
Now, present, lived it out,
be holy, be sanctified in all your conduct.
What does it mean?
In this, in this, in this, in this.
And then, in the future, when we are resurrected,
we’ll be like him, never to sin again.”
So, Michael Brown has clearly explained
that sanctification is not just a past event
– that we are already sanctified
that Joseph Prince and Hyper grace teachers
have falsely taught,
but it is also a present reality and future consummation.
But by Joseph Prince’s teaching in Ephesians 5:27,
Ephesians 5:27 NKJV
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish,
that the Church is now without spot and wrinkle
– this means that Joseph Prince is also effectively teaching
that the Church has already been made holy and sanctified.
To Joseph Prince,
sanctification (like justification) is merely a past event.
because it has already been accomplished.
By not recognising sanctification
as a present reality and a future consummation,
Joseph Prince has effectively done away
with the doctrine of sanctification itself.
He is effectively treating sanctification
as synonymous with justification.
This shows up quite clearly in many of his teachings on videos.
A justification-only salvation
without factoring in sanctification
is heresy.
Martin Luther championed justification by faith as passionately as any Reformer.
But did he do away with sanctification?
Absolutely not!
Martin Luther said:
“There is no justification
without sanctification…”
In other words, Luther believed that sanctification
is just as indispensable as justification for salvation.
What Luther teaches goes against the teachings of Joseph Prince,
who embraces justification
but denigrates sanctification in his salvation doctrine
– when he said it in a denigrative manner on video
that holiness is just an accident.
John Calvin wrote,
“Christ justifies no one
whom he does not at the same time sanctify.”
Like Luther, John Calvin too believes
that both justification and sanctification
are required for salvation
– contradicting the grace doctrine of Joseph Prince
that only justification by faith
or the imputed righteousness of Christ
is all that is needed.
The most damage done to Joseph Prince’s doctrine
is Charles Spurgeon, who said,
“Justification without sanctification
would not be salvation at all.”
What Charles Spurgeon said which is totally scriptural,
is a very solemn truth
in the light of the teachings of Joseph Prince.
This simply means that
Joseph Prince’s ‘justification only’ salvation doctrine
does not equal saving faith, and does not save,
as the other vital half, which is sanctification
is not taken into account.
Hence, Joseph Prince has been deceiving the millions into thinking
that just because they are justified, they are saved
– when the truth is that they aren’t.
Joseph Prince has been deceiving the multitudes
by giving them the impression
that they are on their way to heaven,
when the truth is, they may be headed for hell.
Indeed, Joseph Prince’s grace theology,
which may not lead you to heaven,
is more of a grave theology that could lead you to hell.
At this point, Joseph Prince may protest:
“Hey George, who says I don’t believe in sanctification,
especially on the present and future aspects
and the progressive nature of sanctification?
Are you blind?
Haven’t you read what I have put up on my website?”
Let’s do Joseph Prince a favour
by looking at what he put on the website:
“We believe in progressive sanctification.
The moment we received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we were forgiven, cleansed, perfected in righteousness, and saved. We were also sanctified in Christ (Hebrews 10:10).
However, it is important to understand that the revelation and outworking of our sanctification in Christ are progressive.
As a believer, we cannot become more righteous, but we can become more sanctified or holy in terms of how we live our lives.
In other words, while a believer has been justified and made righteous by the blood of Jesus once and for all, sanctification is ongoing in their growth as a Christian.
The more one grows in grace and in their relationship with the Lord—the more one is washed again and again by the water of the word of God’s grace—the more one grows in sanctification and holiness.
This is why the author of the book of Hebrews says that we “are being sanctified” even though we have been “perfected forever” by Christ’s one act of obedience at the cross (Hebrews 10:14).”
The above doctrinal statements on sanctification
that appeared on New Creation Church’s website
sounds impressive.
In fact, it is doctrinally correct.
But don’t be deceived.
You must be aware that these statements on sanctification
on the website
only appeared fairly recently
as compared to Joseph Prince’s 30 years of preaching ministry.
I have done a thorough sweep,
and I cannot find similar statements
on the progressive nature of sanctification
in the first 3 books (books written earlier) that were published:
‘Destined To Reign’ (2007),
‘Unmerited Favor’ (2010)
and ‘The Power of Right Believing’ (2013).
Such similar statements on the website
were only found in one of his latest books
‘Grace Revolution’ written in 2015.
Why?
Because this is a knee-jerk reaction to Michael Brown’s book,
‘Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Message’ written in 2014.
In other words, the concept of progressive sanctification
appeared only recently in 2015 as a cover-up
to Joseph Prince’s false teaching on sanctification.
Please see Appendix 1
for more details of this issue.
What this means is that Joseph Prince doesn’t really believe in progressive sanctification as the Bible teaches.
But because he knows that his false teaching on sanctification has been severely exposed, particularly by Michael Brown in 2014,
he has no choice but to come up with a biblical statement on the progressive nature of sanctification as a form of damage control in 2015.
The test is not only whether one puts up a biblical statement on an issue on the website.
The real test is whether Joseph Prince actually practises
what he puts up regarding sanctification
and its progressive nature on his website.
And I will prove to you that here is a case
where Joseph Prince says one thing, or writes one thing,
or puts up one thing on the website
concerning sanctification,
but does another.
What’s the use of putting up a theoretical front
when you are not even practising what you have publicly declared
because you don’t believe in it?
First, if Joseph Prince really believes in sanctification and that it is progressive,
he should have interpreted Ephesians 5:26-27
as many Bible commentators, such as Martyn Lloyd-Jones, do
– that sanctification that is mentioned in the text
speaks of a future event – that it is progressive.
But why is Joseph Prince insisting
that the sanctification in Ephesians 5:27 is a past event
– that the spotless Church is already a done thing.
Second, if Joseph Prince really believes in sanctification and that it is progressive,
why is there not a single sermon preached on sanctification
is his 30 odd years of preaching ministry.
If you don’t believe me,
just read what 5 Ex New Creation Church members have to say.
You must bear in mind that these are 5 eye-witness accounts,
as most of them have been attending New Creation Church
and listening to Joseph Prince’s preaching for many years.
Aaron Khoo, an Ex New Creation Church member for 11 years, wrote:
“No sermon on… holiness, or sanctification
was ever preached by Pastor Joseph Prince
in my 11 years at New Creation Church at all.”
Yvonne Tan, an Ex New Creation Church member for 20 years, wrote:
“Even important doctrines like the doctrine of Sanctification…
have been twisted and changed by Joseph Prince.
In New Creation Church,
there were never any teachings by Joseph Prince on sanctification
and how it refers to a believer’s growth in holiness.
Joseph Prince will always protect himself by saying,
“Who says I’m against sanctification?”
But if he isn’t against sanctification,
why is he not preaching this doctrine to us?
In my 20 years in NCC,
I’ve never heard even one sermon on sanctification.”
Andrew Tan, an Ex New Creation Church member for 20 years, wrote:
“In my 20 years in NCC,
I have also never heard Joseph Prince preach a single sermon
on… sanctification or holiness.”
Dr Chris Kang, an Ex New Creation Church member for 2 years, wrote:
“Marked absence of biblical teachings
on… sanctification of believers in Christ…”
Lindsay Lim, an Ex New Creation Church member for 18 years, wrote:
“Joseph Prince keeps defending himself that he is not against holiness,
but the truth is,
he does not emphasise on sanctification or holiness at all in his teachings.
In all my 18 years when I was in NCC from 1993 to 2011,
I have never heard him preach a whole sermon
on sanctification or holiness,
and consequences of sin on a believer’s life.
What Joseph Prince keeps harping on in his teachings
is that we are justified by the righteousness of God,
which is true but only half of the truth.”
I can also bear witness
to what these 5 Ex New Creation Church members have testified.
I dare say there isn’t any critic of Joseph Prince
who has listened to his sermons as much as I did.
Yet, I have not heard Joseph Prince preached a single sermon on sanctification,
not to mention progressive sanctification,
for the last 7 years, from 2017-2024.
In fact, Joseph Prince teaches against sanctification,
and he conveniently lumps it together with justification,
treating both justification and sanctification as the same
(of course, he won’t admit it).
That’s the reason whenever he talks about the issue of salvation,
Joseph Prince always talks about justification,
about the finished work of the cross,
about the fact that we are the righteousness of God in Christ,
but hardly about sanctification.
What is worse is that Joseph Prince
even scorned the sacred teaching of holiness or sanctification.
In a sermon, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 20-second video:
“The eternal blood of Jesus provides eternal forgiveness so that we can rest.
And the more you rest, the more Christ will manifest.
And the result is holiness by accident.
Have you seen holiness by effort?”
Joseph Prince has scorned holiness,
when he said that it was merely by accident,
something that is totally unscriptural
and way off our biblical understanding of the topic.
And he delivered it in front of a massive Christian audience,
who was scorning in laughter,
after hearing what Joseph Prince said, holiness is by accident.
The evidence of frivolity which Joseph Prince said it,
only added to the scorn.
Joseph Prince by saying,
“And the result is holiness by accident.
Have you seen holiness by effort?”
is blatantly scorning the sacred doctrine of holiness or sanctification
and contradicting what the scriptures clearly state in Hebrews 12:14:
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Joseph Prince, by teaching that no effort is required for holiness,
is literally scorning and making a mockery of Hebrews 12:14
– when that verse clearly states that it requires much effort to be holy.
If Joseph Prince dares to contradict the scriptures
in such a blatant manner,
and even scorned the sacred teaching of sanctification or holiness
on the holy pulpit,
how can he not be a son of the devil?
So, in summary, I have proven to you,
when Joseph Prince puts up the doctrinal statements
on the progressive nature of sanctification on his website,
it is only a recent affair.
It is to cover up his false doctrine of sanctification merely,
and a form of damage control
because of what Michael Brown had written in his book,
‘Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Message’ in 2014.
which pointed out that his false teaching on sanctification,
which is not progressive before 2014.
And as I have told you, I have done a thorough sweep of his 3 earlier books,
and they do not contain any teaching that sanctification is progressive.
It was only in his later book, ‘Grace Revolution’ in 2015
that the concept of progressive nature of sanctification began to appear.
I have also revealed that while Joseph Prince may put the doctrinal statements on sanctification on his website,
but he actually doesn’t believe in them
because he had not preached a single sermon on sanctification,
not to mention progressive sanctification,
in his 30 years of preaching ministry.
This is confirmed by the eye-witness accounts of 5 Ex New Creation Church members and my own account.
What is worse is that Joseph Prince preaches against sanctification with scorn
when he said, holiness or sanctification is an accident.
By saying holiness or sanctification is an accident,
clearly shows that to him, sanctification is not progressive,
and that his idea of sanctification is false to start with.
That is why I said that his only-justification
but minus-sanctification salvation doctrine
is a false gospel that cannot save.
Please see Appendix 2
for more details of this discussion.
3. The Church isn’t spotless in the present, either in the eyes of men or in the eyes of God.
Joseph Prince is so deceptive that he tries to play around with words
in the same sermon, 2 Sundays ago, on 28 Jan 2024,
but not shown in the 3-and-half-minute video
– when he said that
though in the eyes of men, the Church is not spotless,
but in the eyes of God, it is spotless.
Joseph Prince also said:
“He’s already presenting you in His (God) eyes without spot,
without wrinkle or any such thing.
He sees you, beautiful, right now.
Ah, Pastor, I got a lot of spots.
He does not see your spots, Spottie…”
If the Church is spotless in the present,
as Joseph Prince asserts,
why did Paul have to say
to the churches in Corinth, Galatia and Ephesus
the following:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV
9 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
19 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ephesians 5:5-6 NIV
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”
Joseph Prince, would you care to enlighten us
– that if you say, Paul is your mentor,
why are his observations so different,
like day and night, from yours.
While you say the Church is spotless,
on the contrary, Paul has to disagree violently with you.
Here Paul does not see a spotless church
or an already sanctified church
that Joseph Prince has vouched,
but Paul saw that the churches in Corinth, Galatia and Ephesus
are filled with all kinds of sins that they must deal with.
Let me say this to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, don’t you ever come and tell me
that your New Creation Church is now a spotless church,
as there are many members in your church
who are gambling, buying Toto and 4-D,
and with adulterers as lovers
lifting their hands to worship God
because they have been brainwashed by you
that all their sins have been forgiven,
and they are not supposed to be sin-conscious
but be righteousness conscious,
even though they have not dealt
or repented from their adulterous sins.”
Joseph Prince may protest:
“Hey George, why are you picking on my New Creation Church?
What about other churches?”
George would reply:
“The reason is simply that no other church that I know
would dare to claim that their church is spotless
except yours.
So, why is this beyond your intelligence to fathom?”
If the Church is spotless in the present,
why did Paul have to say to the Church
in Thessalonica and the Church in Colossae
the following:
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 NIV
3 “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 … The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Colossians 3:5-6 NIV
5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
Now, it is so obvious that Joseph Prince had lied
when he claimed that the Church is spotless.
Joseph Prince also lied
when he claimed that Paul is his mentor.
Paul would be ashamed of Joseph Prince
for claiming him as his mentor
as their teachings are miles apart from each other.
Joseph Prince may protest:
“Hey George, didn’t I say that in the eyes of men,
(and Paul is a man too, although he is my mentor,)
that though the Church is not spotless,
in the eyes of God, she is spotless.
Let’s just assume that Joseph Prince is right
that the church is without spot in the eyes of God.
But if that is so,
why does the ascended Christ, who is God Himself,
say to 5 Revelation churches the following:
Revelation 2:4 NIV (Ephesus)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Revelation 2:14-16 (Pergamum)
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:20-23 NIV (Thyatira)
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead…
Revelation 3:1-3 (Sardis)
… I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Revelation 3:15-19 NIV (Laodicea)
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Tell me honestly,
are the churches spotless
in the eyes of God the Son, Christ Jesus.
If Joseph Prince said yes,
then it would be the most idiotic answer,
as that goes against all logic and reason,
not just the scriptures.
4. Joseph Prince has not only added to the word of God, but he also put words into God’s mouth and made Him say what He didn’t.
Joseph Prince said:
“Every woman want to be holy.
Holy means complete.
Unique, set apart and without blemish.
And without spot in the natural.
Am I right?
I’m going to give an altar call for liars.
Every woman wants her face to be without blemish,
without spot, right?
You know who put it there?
The Lord.
Now you know it’s scriptural.
I believe there’s something instinct to care for;
it’s all put there by God.
Women want to look nice, beautiful,
it’s not vanity.”
Joseph Prince by saying,
“Holy means complete.
Unique, set apart and without blemish,
and without spot in the natural.
Am I right?”
he is craftily mixing the two issues.
The first part of what Joseph Prince said,
“Holy means complete.
Unique, set apart and without blemish,”
was stated in Ephesians 5:27.
But the second part of what Joseph Prince said,
“and without spot in the natural.
Am I right?”
wasn’t stated in the text at all.
Joseph Prince has audaciously added to the word of God.
Then, after making the statement,
that he added to Ephesians 5:27,
“and without spot in the natural.
Am I right,”
Joseph Prince said,
“I’m going to give an altar call for liars.”
Who lied?
It is Joseph Prince who lied
as Ephesians 5:27 has never said,
“and without spot in the natural.”
Then Joseph Prince said:
“Every woman wants her face to be without blemish,
without spot, right?
You know who put it there?
The Lord.
Now you know it’s scriptural.
… it’s all put there by God.”
This is so disgusting.
Regardless of whether it is true that every woman
wants to be without blemish and without spot, physically,
this is not what verse 27 is saying.
Ephesians 5:27 had never said that
every woman wants her face to be physically without spot.
Joseph Prince had lied against the scriptures and against God
when he said it was God who put
“and without spot in the natural.”
in Ephesians 5:27.
Most of you would know that I have proven many times
that Joseph Prince is a serial liar.
And now he had unrepentantly lied again and against God.
Joseph Prince is indeed a son of the devil who himself is a liar.
That is why it is Joseph Prince’s habit to follow after his godfather
to lie repeatedly and unrepentantly.
No true Bible teacher would ever make the statement
that Ephesians 5:26-27 has anything to do
with the physical or the natural,
but only with spiritual realities and moral qualities.
In ‘An audio sermon on Ephesians 5:21-33,
and specifically on Ephesians 5:27,’
David Pawson said:
“He wanted like every husband wants a beautiful bride,
without spot or wrinkle or any blemish to spoil the beauty.
The husband is largely responsible
for the beauty of his wife.
It is his job to create in her and to help her
to be the kind of person
whose beauty of character
that would transform the face and shines out.
That’s the responsibility of the husbands
for their wives’ beauty.”
David Pawson said Ephesians 5:27 has to do with
“beauty of character
that would transform the face and shines out,”
– in other words, moral quality.
So, Ephesians 5:27 is never talking about physical beauty
that Joseph Prince tries to deceive the people with.
5. Joseph Prince, have you gone for Botox, or plastic surgery, or taken supplement pills to achieve your youthful and ‘spotless’ look?
Joseph Prince said:
“Women want to look nice, beautiful,
it’s not vanity.”
It may or may not be vanity for women
to want to look nice, beautiful
“and without spot in the natural,”
but when it comes to men, I’m not so sure.
Let me say this to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, it seems that you as a man,
is also very concerned about your physical appearance,
and also not having spots on your face.
Some people say why are you so vain?
Some say your look resembles more like girls.
Others say you want to follow the Korean actors’ look.
Many have written that you have gone for Botox
or plastic surgery or taken supplements.
This is a million-dollar question that many are asking.
The question is,
have you gone for Botox, or for plastic surgery,
or taking supplements or pills on a regular basis (these must be rather expensive)
in order to achieve your young and ‘spotless’ look?
I myself have noticed watching you from videos
that in your earlier and younger years,
there are already spots on your face,
but they seemed to have disappeared
in your latest look.
It is either due to the excellent skill of your make-up artist
to make them ‘disappear’,
or you have indeed gone under the knife,
or due to the supplements that you are taking?
Would you please make a public statement
at the earliest opportunity
that you didn’t go for Botox, or plastic surgery or taken supplements
to achieve your young and ‘spotless’ look.
This is important for both you and your critics.
If you have gone for Botox, or gone under the knife, or taken supplements
to achieve your youthful and ‘spotless’ look,
then your Health and Wealth Theology
– that you will not only be healthy,
but you will also look young and ‘spotless’
is a SCAM.
But if you can clarify that you didn’t go for Botox
or gone under the knife, or taken supplements
to achieve your healthy, young and ‘spotless’ look,
then it will make your Health and Wealth theology more believable.
It’s not that we would believe,
but that it would be more acceptable to those of your congregation
who are sitting on the fence.
But if you refuse to make a public statement
that you didn’t go for Botox, or plastic surgery, or taken supplements
to achieve that youthful and ‘spotless’ look,
then you are indeed a FRAUD scamming the millions
with your false Health and Wealth Theology.”
6. Joseph Prince has added his own words to the scriptures.
Joseph Prince said:
“It’s right now how he sees you.
He sees you what?
Glorious Church, not only that, not having spot.
Or wrinkle, wrinkle is what? Old age.
Now I know it is spiritual.
But let’s not just keep things spiritual.
Maybe the washing of the water the word
will keep you young.
Without wrinkle or any such thing.
What about sickness, any such thing.
What about depression, any such thing
But that she should be holy and without blemish.
Woof! If there’s a woman like that. Wow! Amen.”
This is repulsive.
Joseph Prince takes his own licence
to add his words and ideas
– particularly his Health and Wealth doctrine,
about being physically youthful,
and free from wrinkles and sicknesses,
into the text.
The entire context of Ephesians chapter 5,
and the immediate context of Ephesians 5:21-33,
say absolutely nothing that Christ has cleansed and washed us
to make us physically youthful,
and free from wrinkles and sicknesses.
Given Joseph Prince’s constant habit of adding to the scriptures,
and his half-truth deception
in which he regularly hides the other unpleasant half of the truth;
and that is tantamount to ‘deleting’ from the scriptures,
no wonder there is a text in Revelation 22:18-19
that specifically applies to him:
Revelation 22:18-19 NIV
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Joseph Prince is already spiritually doomed
unless he truly repents.
7. Half-truth Deception of Joseph Prince is at play again.
Joseph Prince said:
“You want to see how He looks at you.
Song of Songs, a picture of Jesus and the church.
And this is how the bridegroom looks at the bride.
How beautiful you are, my darling.
How beautiful you are.
The Lord Looks at her and says you are beautiful.
You read song of songs, it goes on to say
there’s not spot in you.”
I’ll say this to Joseph Prince:
“Hey, Joe, yes, you have quoted Song of Songs
or Song of Solomon 4:1, written by Solomon.
But are you aware that Solomon
also wrote another book, Ecclesiastes,
especially Ecclesiastes 12:13-14?
Is it missing from your Bible?
If it is really not found in your Bible,
then I would advise you to go to the bookshop
that you purchased the Bible from
and claim a refund”:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV
13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
When I surface Ecclesiastes 12:13-14,
of course, Joseph Prince would protest
as fearing God and keeping His commandments
are against his Grace’s teaching.
Let me say this to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, you may say
why am I quoting an Old Testament passage
in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14,
as after all, we are under the New Covenant.
But didn’t you also quote from Song of Songs
or Song of Solomon 4:1,
another Old Testament text?
If you say that the passage you quoted from Song of Songs 4:1,
an Old Testament text applies to us,
then, in the same way,
you must also agree that Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
also written by Solomon,
another Old Testament text must apply to us, too.
Don’t pick and choose.
Your use of half-truth deception
– surfacing Song of Solomon 4:1 to us,
and hiding Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 from us,
to deceive people is getting quite sickening.
Friends, if Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 applies to us,
and, indeed, it does,
then Joseph Prince’s grace doctrine is demolished.
This is because fearing God (not merely worshipping God as Joseph Prince tries to twist it),
and obeying God’s commandments
are strongly preached against by Joseph Prince.
Friends, the heresy of Joseph Prince
is not only in those things he tells you that are overtly false,
but it is also in those things, such as Ecclesiastes 12:13-14,
that he doesn’t tell you that is patently true.
Does Ecclesiastes 12:13 indicate that believers are without spot?
Of course not.
All believers are still in the process of obeying God
and there would be times when we disobey Him.
But it is in this process of learning from our disobedience to God
that we learn to be more and more obedient to Him.
Therefore, Solomon leads us to the greatest conclusion of all
in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
The great summary of all wisdom and truth,
points us to this one thing in this text.
These 2 verses formed the climax
to the whole book of Ecclesiastes.
If we get this right, then everything else makes sense.
If we don’t, then everything falls apart:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV
13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
In a certain sense, the sum total of Christianity
is to fear God and keep His commandments.
Why?
Because to obey is better than sacrifice.
Does fearing God and obeying His commandments
still apply to New Covenant believers?
Of course, it does.
So, as you can see, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 alone
is enough to demolish Joseph Prince’s grace doctrine.
8. Another half-truth deception of Joseph Prince when he surfaces Ephesians 5:26-27 to you but ‘hides’ Revelation 19:7-8 from you.
In a sermon, Derek Prince said;
Please click here to view the 2-and-half-minute video:
“But I want to point out to you one important thing,
it says,
“… His wife (bride) has made herself ready.” (Rev 19:7)
I’ve lived in various cultures, Middle Eastern, African, and so on.
I do not know of any culture
where the bridegroom makes the bride ready.
Isn’t that right?
It’s always her responsibility.
And this Scripture says,
“… she has made herself ready.” (Rev 19:7)
Not she is getting ready, but she is ready.
Years ago, when I pastored a small congregation in London,
we had a Jamaican sister there.
And every time she prayed,
and it was quite often, she said,
“Lord, help us to remember that
it will not be enough to be getting ready.
We have to be ready.”
And that has stuck with me all these years.
So, bear in mind, the bride or the wife
has to make herself ready.
And one of the preparations is described here, verse 8.
“To her it was granted
to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright,
for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev 19:8)
I want to dwell on that statement for a little while.
The fine linen that will make the bridal dress for the bride,
is made up of the righteous acts of the saints.
You see, when we have first received Jesus by faith as Saviour and Lord,
His righteousness is imputed to us.
But as we live for Him,
it has to be outworked in our lives.
And what this is talking about
is not imputed righteousness,
but outworked righteousness.
Her bridal dress is made up of righteous acts.
And that raises the question,
will we have enough material for a real bridal dress
because no bride ever gets married in a bikini.
A bridal robe is usually pretty full,
and that’s what we’re going to need
is a bridal robe made up of righteous acts.
The dress that we’re going to be wearing
is made up of our good works.
Grace that does not produce good works
is not genuine grace,
and good works that don’t proceed from grace
are not genuine good works.
We can’t have one or the other.
We have to have both.
That’s what is going to make our dress.”
Revelation 19:7-8 ESV
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
In ‘Holman New Testament Commentary – Revelation (Volume 12)
Easley, Kendell H wrote:
“Paul had, likewise, described the church-as-bride as “a radiant church
without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Eph. 5:27).
Lest John’s readers be confused by the changing symbolism of “fine linen,”
he interprets its high and holy meaning here:
it is the righteous acts of the saints,
more literally “the righteousness of the saints.”
Throughout Christian history,
every holy attitude and good deed
prompted by God’s grace
have been woven into the tapestry of the bride’s attire.”
In ‘Revelation (LCECNT) THE LECTIO CONTINUA
Expository Commentary on the New Testament
Series Editors Joel R. Beeke & Jon D. Payne,’
Joel R. Beeke wrote:
“Ephesians 5:25 says that Christ purchased His bride with His death.
The bride will also be beautifully adorned for her Husband (Rev. 21:2).
… The robe of righteousness that we wear on our glorious wedding day is the realization of our imputed blamelessness and holiness through Christ (Eph. 5:27),
for He has redeemed us from sin’s guilt and purifies us to be zealous for Him (Titus 2:14).
So, this gown is the robe of Christ’s perfect righteousness imputed to us in justification (2 Cor. 5:21).
Christ takes off the filthy garments of our guilt and clothes us with the clean and beautiful clothing of His merit (Zech. 3:1–5).
His obedience is credited to us.
We are told in verse 7 (Rev 19:7)
that “his wife has made herself ready.”
The man who says he belongs to Christ
and yet never lifts a finger to purify himself is deceived.
The Christian life means getting ready.
It means putting off the old way of living and putting on the new.
… It is serious business to make ourselves ready for the return of Christ.
There are no short cuts, no secrets, and no easy escape routes.
We have to make ourselves ready!
At the same time, this preparation is entirely a matter of grace.
Notice here that “fine linen, clean and white…the righteousness of saints” (v. 8) is given to the bride to wear.
You and I ought to be totally involved in the business of sanctification…”
Interestingly, the scripture has a beautiful sense of balance.
On the one hand, we have Ephesians 5:26-27,
which states that the responsibility
to make the bride or the Church
without spot, sanctified and ready
is that of Christ.
Yet, on the other hand, we have Revelation 19:7-8,
which states that the responsibility
to make the bride or the Church ready to meet the Bridegroom,
is the bride herself.
One is by the act of Christ in sanctifying
by cleansing and washing the bride or the Church
and making her spotless:
Ephesians 5:26-27 NKJV
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
The other is by the bride or the Church herself
to make herself ready to meet the Bridegroom
by the evidence and display of her righteous acts or deeds:
Revelation 19:7-8 ESV
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Did you realise that both passages
are talking about sanctification?
The first is in Ephesians 5:25-27,
which states that it is Christ’s responsibility to sanctify her.
The second is in Revelation 19:7-8,
which states that it is our responsibility as the bride to be sanctified.
The half-truth deception of Joseph Prince’s teaching on sanctification
is exposed right here.
While Joseph Prince believes that sanctification is God’s part,
he rejects that we, as the Church, has a place and a role to play in our own sanctification.
That is why Joseph Prince makes derogative statements
like holiness or sanctification is an accident.
He also makes statements such
as holiness or sanctification requires no effort,
contradicting
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
A half-truth doctrine on sanctification by Joseph Prince is a lie.
That is why I said Joseph Prince’s
only-justification and no-sanctification salvation doctrine
is a heresy as it cannot save.
Furthermore, holiness, or the righteous acts of the saints in Revelation 19:8,
which is a beautiful and honourable word in God’s vocabulary,
has been tarnished by the Pseudo-grace doctrine of Joseph Prince.
Joseph Prince, which teaches against holy living as a requirement for salvation,
and treats it as legalism or works-righteousness,
is a false doctrine that won’t even prepare you to be the bride of Christ.
Joseph Prince only teaches about the righteousness of Christ (justification),
which, though gloriously necessary,
is not a sufficient condition to assure us of a place in eternity.
The other condition which Joseph Prince besmirched
is practical righteousness (sanctification) or holiness or holy living or righteous acts or deeds
as an indispensable condition that one must meet to qualify as the bride of Christ.
Joseph Prince has again deceived many with another of his half-truth teachings – on righteousness.
On the one hand,
it is true we can never be righteous ourselves,
and the righteousness that we possess
is the imputed righteousness of Christ.
On the other hand,
much of the New Testament, however,
focuses on and insists that to be sure of our salvation,
we must also be experientially righteous or practically righteous,
or show evidence of holiness or holy living,
or produce righteous acts or deeds in the way we live.
Joseph Prince has deliberately not stressed
that sanctification (besides justification)
is a necessary component for salvation.
But if one has truly received the righteousness of Christ (justification),
he would do righteous deeds,
and holiness or sanctification
would be the evidence (Rev 19:7-8):
Revelation 19:7-8 ESV
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Yes, the righteousness of Christ is a must for salvation,
but it is not the only condition.
One who possesses the righteousness of Christ (justification)
must also show the evidence of a holy life
that does righteous acts or deeds (sanctification) (Rev 19:7-8).
You need both to qualify for final salvation,
whereas Joseph Prince teaches the false doctrine that for saving faith,
you only need the righteousness of Christ (justification).
But if the works of righteous acts or holiness or sanctification
are not evident in a person’s life,
then the righteousness of Christ that one claims to possess
is a farce.
A justified life must also necessarily be a sanctified life,
as both are necessary for salvation.
There is no such a thing as those who claim to have the righteousness of Christ,
and yet telling themselves that
they don’t have to do anything about their sanctification
– about their sins by confessing and repenting
because they have all been forgiven
– and horrifyingly this is the deadly doctrine that Joseph Prince teaches.
Confession and repentance of sins
is an integral part of our growth towards
practical righteousness or sanctification or holiness.
One who claims to have the righteousness of Christ
while living unrighteously
with unconfessed and unrepented sins,
is standing on dangerous ground.
It is time to chuck away
such horrendous teaching of Joseph Prince,
who is the son of the devil
that will lead you to hell!
If you are truly saved by grace and truly righteous,
you will be motivated to be holy or be sanctified
to please the God
who wants us to be
– “Be holy for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16).
After you have been saved by grace,
it is time to get on to work on your holiness or sanctification
as your eternity hangs on it,
and the honour to be the bride of Christ
depends on it.
My Parting Shot to Joseph Prince:
“Hey Joe, this is not on.
Why am I still picking up so much rubbish
from your so-called sacred sermons?
It only shows that your rubbish-clearing system is faulty.
You had better go and do a thorough check,
so I don’t have to clear so much of your rubbish again
in your next sermon.”
Rev George Ong
Appendix 1
More details about
2. Joseph Prince’s No-Sanctification Salvation Heresy.
In ‘Hyper-Grace: Exposing the dangers of the modern grace message,’ (2014)
Michael Brown wrote:
“But modern grace teachers
claim that the moment we were saved,
we were made perfectly, totally,
and forever holy in God’s sight,
regardless of what we do or how we live.
So we were not only completely justified by faith, once and for all,
but we were also completely sanctified by faith, once and for all.
… In the words of Pastor Joseph Prince,
“Colossians 2 tells us we are already made perfect in Christ.
We don’t work towards perfection.
Christ has made us perfect from the Cross.
The minute you believe you are made perfect in Christ.”
… What then do these teachers do with the verses
that call us to “pursue holiness”
or to “be holy” or to “be perfect”
or that speak of us as presently “being sanctified”?
They either ignore them or reinterpret them,
sometimes in grossly wrong ways.
But that’s not the only issue.
If the modern grace teachers are right,
that means the finest grace teachers
who ever lived got this wrong.
In other words,
not only the Reformers
(men like Martin Luther and John Calvin)
misunderstood this point,
but also grace preachers like John Bunyan,
author of Pilgrim’s Progress and the autobiographical Grace Abounding to the Chiefest of Sinners,
and Charles Spurgeon, author of All of Grace
and arguably the greatest grace preacher of them all,
misunderstood this point as well.”
Appendix 2
More details about
2. Joseph Prince’s No-Sanctification Salvation Heresy.
Joseph Prince’s
“You become holy by accident
and have you seen holiness by effort teaching,”
is contradicted by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and RC Sproul.
In ‘Life in Christ, Volume 3, Children of God, Studies in John,
Martyn Lloyd-Jones said:
“The holiness of which the New Testament speaks
and the holy life,
the life of sanctification which (Apostle) John talks of,
is not so much something which we receive as a gift
– it is rather something which we work out.
Now here again I think this correction is needed.
How often is the holiness doctrine presented in that form.
We are told that as you have received your justification by faith as a gift,
so you must now receive this gift of sanctification and holiness as a gift.
… It is not a gift received
but something which I must work out and put into practice.
Consider how the Apostle Paul puts the same thing
in Philippians 2:12-13:
‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:
for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do…’
And because of that,
you work it out.
It is not some mystical experience that suddenly comes to us,
but the outworking of the doctrine and the truth which we claim to believe.
Secondly, how do I do this?
… Well, according to (Apostle) John,
it is an active process, not a passive one;
‘Every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself.’
He does not submit to purification;
he purifies himself.
The whole emphasis is upon the activity.
In other words, the New Testament teaching
about holiness (or sanctification)
is not one which tells me
that all I have to do is to let myself go and to surrender myself,
to give up effort and striving.
… No!
It is active,
and I am told to purify myself
‘even as he is pure.’
Now that is a doctrine which is not confined to (Apostle) John;
you will find it everywhere in the New Testament.”
In a sermon, RC Sproul said:
“Sanctification is a life-long process
that involves an enormous amount of labour
and it is labour intensive.
If we go to the New Testament again, where for example, in Philippians,
Paul says in chapter 2 verse 12:
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.”
Paul tells us to work out our salvation,
which is really a call to diligence
in the pursuit of righteousness
and in the pursuit of our sanctification.
It’s work.
It’s work.
That means that a Christian in seeking sanctification
and spiritual maturity
must be active.
And how active?
Work out your salvation.
How? In fear and trembling.
Here we see something where we have a genuine synergism or a cooperation,
that sanctification is a cooperative process
where God is working and I am working.
I am called to work, work, work
– fear and trembling.”
After going through what these 2 great men of God;
Martyn Lloyd-Jones and RC Sproul
have taught from the scriptures about sanctification or holiness,
that it requires much work and activism,
you will know what Joseph Prince said
that holiness or sanctification is an accident,
and does not involve any effort,
is plain rubbish.
Joseph Prince has a totally false idea of what sanctification is.
That is why I have always said that
Joseph Prince’s only-justification
and minus-sanctification salvation doctrine
cannot save.
Let me repeat what Charles Spurgeon said:
“Justification without sanctification
would not be salvation at all.”
This simply means that
Joseph Prince’s ‘justification only’ salvation doctrine
does not equal saving faith, and does not save,
as the other vital half,
which is sanctification,
is not taken into account.