Main Title: Joseph Prince’s no-obedience gospel cannot save
Sub Title: Joseph Prince, the serial half-truth con man strikes again
– By Rev George Ong (Dated 23 Sep 2024)
Announcement No 1:
Joseph Prince is so worried about the damage
caused by his critics
in the previous sermon on 15 Sep 2024,
when I said that he lied big time
that he couldn’t remember
about the worst accident in his life
which occurred only a few or several days
after it happened,
that he cannot help,
but to defend himself against our criticisms
and to mention us again
in yesterday’s sermon on 22 Sep 2024.
We are honoured for the free publicity
that he has given us.
You can find out more in the next Article
which could be interesting.
Announcement No 2:
There are 4 videos on Joseph Prince
& 2 videos on George Ong.
Excerpt No 1 from the Article:
This is not the first time
Joseph Prince has done this to Joshua 1:8
– blowing up the half-truth that he likes (meditation),
while suppressing the other half-truth (obedience)
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.
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 dedicated to obedience.
And Joe, when you came to the text of Joshua 1:8,
in your yesterday’s sermon on 22 Sep 2024,
it is a perfect moment to redeem yourself
by stressing on the obedience to God’s laws
as a condition for successful living.
Yet, you failed to do it.
But this is not what is worse.
What is most damning to you
is that I have caught you doing the same thing
on this same text of Joshua 1:8 at least 3 times.
The worst is Joseph Prince even preaches against obedience.
Why?
Because it goes against 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.
Excerpt No 2 from the Article:
And Joseph Prince would of course,
pull off another of his tricks
– that if you focus on Christ’s obedience,
you will automatically obey Him
– and that’s why I (Joseph Prince)
focus on Christ’s obedience
and not on our obedience.
But to be consistent,
why Joseph Prince didn’t apply the same argument
to meditation.
Why is there the need for Joseph Prince
to stress so much on meditation
in yesterday’s sermon on 22 Sep 2024.
(You have to watch his entire sermon on 22 Sep 2024
to see the point that I’m making.)
Joseph Prince could have just said
that there is no need to worry too much about meditation
– just focus on reading God’s word
– and then, you will automatically be moved to meditate.
You see how terribly crafty and dishonest this guy is!
(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.)
Part 1: Joshua 1:8
In the sermon preached on 22 Sep 2024, yesterday,
Joseph Prince said;
“So, instructions to possess the land.
Then God says only be strong and very courageous
and then comes verse 8.
Wow, what has this got to do with possessing the land?
Joshua 1:8, it says,
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth.”
It’s all about possessing the land, you know.
“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, for then, for then,
you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success.”
You will make your way prosperous
and you will have good success
when you meditate on God’s word day and night, Amen.”
Can you spot anything that is wrong
with what Joseph Prince 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 strikes 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 (meditation),
while suppressing the other half-truth (obedience)
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.
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 dedicated to obedience.
The worst is Joseph Prince even preaches against it.
Why?
Because it goes against 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.
The second reason
why he leaves out obedience in his teachings
is that it would reinforce his Feel-Good Theology.
Which carnal-minded persons
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?
Many 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 (Jos 1:8):
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
because it has to do with salvation.
In a teaching session, George Ong said;
“Now, Paul says in Romans 10:9,
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord,”
you will be saved.
So, a man who refuses to say Lord, Lord,
will never enter the Kingdom of heaven
because all true Christians say, “Lord Lord.”
Yes, we must say that.
But saying that is not enough.
Why?
Next verse.
But Matthew 7:21 also says,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father
who is in heaven.”
Who teach this?
Jesus.
So, Jesus again teaches sanctification.
This is sanctification.
He didn’t even bother to qualify.
It’s this, you want to enter,
you must obey the will of the Father
because in their mind is,
sanctification is the only way
to tell whether you are justified.”
“Salvation is never earned by our obedience to Christ
but neither can we be finally saved without the presence of it.” (George Ong)
AW Tozer said:
“Salvation apart from our obedience
is unknown in the sacred scriptures.
Apart from obedience, there can be no salvation,
for salvation without obedience
is a self-contradictory impossibility.”
Now, the other thing is that without obedience,
the wrath of God will be on us.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life;
but he who does not obey the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Another clear text that contradicts Joseph Prince,
we better obey, or else the wrath of God rests on us.
Obeying Christ has nothing to do with the devil
but everything to do with our salvation.
Because He became the source of eternal salvation
for all who obey Him (Heb 5:9).
So, this tells us you better obey Him.
If you don’t obey Him, you’re out.
This is Hebrews, again, sanctification marker.
Not justification, sanctification.
So, without obedience we do not have eternal life.
So, the great importance of obedience
is that without the evidence of it,
there can be no salvation to speak about.
Let me now unveil the insightful teachings of DA Carson.
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 comments:
Joseph Prince is deceived
that his big attendance at worship services
and his so-called many healing testimonies
must be proof that God is blessing him
and that he is preaching the true gospel.
DA Carson wrote:
“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 comments:
Never miss this crucial point
about the importance of obedience
for our salvation
that DA Carson is making.
DA Carson wrote:
“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 comments:
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.
DA Carson wrote:
“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 comments:
Be warned that many 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.
DA Carson wrote:
“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.”
(End of DA Carson’s quote.)
Every Pastor would be aware
that DA Carson is no ‘ordinary’ Bible scholar and commentator.
He is world-renowned and proven
for his biblical scholarship and scriptural insights.
DA Carson’s teachings
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 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 who is a credible Bible scholar
or Joseph Prince, the unrepentant half-truth deceiver?
Last, Joseph Prince is going to pull out his trick again
by defending himself – who says I’m against obedience?
Well, Joe, if you aren’t against obedience
why do you hardly preach on it?
In a teaching session, George Ong said;
“You see, it’s very simple to test him (Joseph Prince).
I’m not against obedience.
I’m not against discipleship.
I’m not against law.
Then, you (Joseph Prince) preach it, Lah.
You preach discipleship.
Why he is not preaching it?
He’s not preaching discipleship.
He’s not preaching obedience.
I’m not against it.”
And Joe, when you came to the text of Joshua 1:8,
in your yesterday’s sermon on 22 Sep 2024,
it is a perfect moment to redeem yourself
by stressing on the obedience to God’s laws
as a condition for successful living.
Yet, you failed to do it.
But this is not what is worse.
What is most damning to you
is that I have caught you doing the same thing
on this same text of Joshua 1:8 at least 3 times.
And Joseph Prince would of course,
pull off another of his tricks
– that if you focus on Christ’s obedience,
you will automatically obey Him
– and that’s why I (Joseph Prince)
focus on Christ’s obedience
and not on our obedience.
But to be consistent,
why Joseph Prince didn’t apply the same argument
to meditation.
Why is there the need for Joseph Prince
to stress so much on meditation
in yesterday’s sermon on 22 Sep 2024.
(You have to watch his entire sermon on 22 Sep 2024
to see the point that I’m making.)
Joseph Prince could have just said
that there is no need to worry too much about meditation
– just focus on reading God’s word
– and then, you will automatically be moved to meditate.
You see how terribly crafty and dishonest this guy is!
Part 2: Psalm 1:1-3
In the sermon preached on 22 Sep 2024, yesterday,
Joseph Prince said;
“Psalm 1: (2-3), same thing.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
Say, the law of the Lord.
I’m going to explain that.
But his delight, his joy is the law of the Lord.
And in His law, he meditates day and night, again.
You shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water.
That bringeth forth your fruit in your season,
Your leaf also shall not wither.
Your leaf will always be green.
And I believe this refers to your health.
And the key, the only key
seems like, it’s ‘meditate’, ‘meditate’.”
Joseph Prince has again told a half-truth
when he said that meditation in verse 2 of Psalm 1
was only the key reason
for the prosperity of believers.
This is because though he has shown you
the half-truth in verses 2-3,
he has deceptively ‘hidden’ verse 1 from you:
Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
Clearly, the other condition of righteous living in verse 1
must also be observed,
if one were to enjoy prosperity (Psa 1:3):
“Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
… and they prosper in all they do.”
It is this second half of the truth – righteous living
that Joseph Prince has deceptively ‘hidden’ from you
because he teaches against righteous living
as a condition to prosperity.
Furthermore, Joseph Prince said;
“Your leaf also shall not wither.
Your leaf will always be green.
And I believe this refers to your health.”
Joseph Prince’s saying that the unwithering and green leaf
refers to your health is pure rubbish.
What Psalm 1:3 is talking about
is that a righteous man is like a tree planted by the rivers
and he produces fruit.
He is an evergreen fruit-bearer
as his leaves shall not wither,
always blossoming, unlike some trees
that have to struggle to keep going and the leaves drop off.
Leaves that have withered are indications of death and dryness.
However, the righteous man is not characterised
by the death and dryness of withered leaves.
But on the contrary, his leaves, which never wither,
are constantly green, alive, thriving and always flourishing.
This speaks of the righteous man
who is abundantly fruitful, is stable and reliable,
all because he is like a tree that is planted in the rivers of God.
Such a righteous man, who is rooted in God
and constantly bearing fruit
is bound to be successful.
So, the unwithering and green leaf
has nothing to do with health.
Joseph Prince has, once again, gone out of context
by ‘forcibly’ reading his pet doctrine of health (and wealth)
into the text.
Part 3: Joseph Prince’s Ignorance
In the sermon preached on 22 Sep 2024, yesterday,
Joseph Prince said;
“And look at the last part.
And whatever you do shall prosper.
This is greater than the Midas touch.
Midas wanted whatever I do becomes gold.
Whatever you do, prospers. Amen.
So, whatever God says, don’t limit it.
If God says whatever,
he didn’t say some parts of it;
only the spiritual part of it.
Whatever is whatever, okay, Amen.
I believe my God.
What about you?
Whatever you do, prospers.”
Joseph Prince is rather ignorant
when it comes to the finer points of Bible interpretation.
He isn’t aware that scriptures do use universal language
for example, “all” and “every”,
not in an absolute sense
but relative to the perspective of the writers.
Just 2 examples:
Luke 2:1 NKJV
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Genesis 41:57 NKJV
57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Certainly, “all the world” in Luke 2:1
and “all countries” in Genesis 41:57,
do not mean “all,” in its unqualified sense.
Similarly, “whatever” may not mean “whatever”
in its absolute sense.
Rev George Ong