Joseph Prince’s no-repentance gospel is denounced by Derek Prince because it is deceptive & it leads people to perish – By Rev George Ong (Dated 15 Jan 2023)
Though Joseph Prince and Derek Prince have the same surname
(one takes after his father’s surname, while the other changed his surname and calls himself ‘Prince’),
the difference in their salvation theology on repentance is miles apart.
The quote (probably) by AW Tozer;
“People on earth hate to hear the word, ‘repent.’ People in hell wish they could hear it just once more,”
indeed, elucidates the sobering truth by the Lord Jesus in Luke 13:3-5
– that whether one repents, would indeed make the difference between whether he makes it to heaven or whether he perishes in hell.
Note there are 2 videos on Derek Prince and Joseph Prince, each, which are featured in this article.
(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 weekly Sunday sermon aired on YouTube on 8 Jan 2023, last Sunday, in his vision casting, Joseph Prince said;
Please click here to view the 1-and-half-minute video on what Joseph Prince said:
“Sit back, are you ready for the theme of the year? The Kairos year of time and place. Right time, Right place.”
“So, this year, God is going to give you plenty of Kairos moments. That’s what He said to me, Amen, for those who follow this ministry.”
“And He wants you to prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. So, we see the word Kairos in the Greek used in New Testament. New Testament is in Greek, right.
So, Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. He’s preaching and this is what he said to the Jews that were listening to him. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that, so that, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19)
Guess what? Times (kairos) of refreshing (kairos). There’ll be kairos seasons of refreshing. Amen. You see, it comes through the death of Jesus Christ. If you believe on Jesus, you will have times of refreshing.”
“This year, many of you will see a manifestation. You will see a manifestation. Why do I say that? Alright, first of all, times of refreshing come from where? The presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord. The more you come into His presence, there’s such a refreshing, people.”
Joseph Prince said;
“Sit back, are you ready for the theme of the year? The Kairos year of time and place. Right time, Right place.”
“So, this year, God is going to give you plenty of Kairos moments. That’s what He said to me, Amen, for those who follow this ministry.”
“Guess what? Times (kairos) of refreshing. There’ll be kairos seasons of refreshing. Amen.”
“This year, many of you will see a manifestation. You will see a manifestation.”
Joseph Prince is needlessly excited and overly fixated about the Greek word, ‘kairos’, as it is one of 2 or 3 words that he sees as forming the thrust of his Vision 2023
– that many in his church and those under the influence of his ministry, will be blessed at such Kairos or opportunistic times in 2023.
He is so fixated about the word ‘kairos’ that he has allowed it to colour his interpretation of Acts 3:19.
But the truth is ‘kairos’ isn’t the key word in Acts 3:19, but repentance is:
Acts 3:19 NASB
19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
The text in Acts 3:19 clearly states that if you repent, you will experience times of refreshing.
In other words, repentance must come first before times of refreshing.
No repentance – no times of refreshing!
Put it in another way, times of refreshing can only be experienced unless we meet the condition of repentance.
Yet, Joseph Prince has deliberately failed to mention it because of his no-repentance gospel doctrine (bear also in mind that his repentance doctrine that is only a change of the mind is false repentance).
Joseph Prince is teaching the erroneous doctrine in Acts 3:19 that one could experience the Kairos moments and times of refreshing without being bothered about repenting.
Next, Joseph Prince seemed to imply that the presence of the Lord is the cause of the times of refreshing when he said,
“Alright, first of all, times of refreshing come from where? The presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord. The more you come into His presence, there’s such a refreshing, people.”
But this isn’t true at all as Acts 3:19 clearly states that the times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord are the effects or results of repentance.
The times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord are the effects while the cause is repentance.
Repentance is indeed the cause of being spiritually refreshed that comes from the presence of the Lord.
Joseph Prince said;
“Guess what? Times (kairos) of refreshing (kairos). There’ll be kairos seasons of refreshing. Amen. You see, it comes through the death of Jesus Christ. If you believe on Jesus, you will have times of refreshing.”
Joseph Prince categorically said that salvation is through the single act of believing in Jesus or having faith in Christ,
even though biblically, faith and repentance are both essential for true salvation.
The indictment against Joseph Prince is that while Acts 3:19 is silent on believing in Jesus or having faith in Christ, Joseph Prince ‘smuggles’ it in (not that it is wrong per se);
but the word, ‘repent’, which is explicitly mentioned in the same text, Joseph Prince totally avoids mentioning it, as if it wasn’t written in the text at all.
As far as I can remember, in his entire sermon, including the altar call and sinner’s prayer on 8 Jan 2023,
Joseph Prince did not utter a single time on the word ‘repentance’ or ‘repent’ (not including reading a Bible text that contained these words).
In leading unbelievers to salvation and in the sinner’s prayer in his 8 Jan 2023 sermon, Joseph Prince said (this is his typical salvation prayer);
Please click here to view the 40-second video;
“Friend, have you put your trust in Him? If you want salvation to come into your life: right happenings, qarah, Kairos, right timing, all that cannot happen until Christ is in your life. If that is you, wherever you are right now, pray this prayer with me. Say, ‘Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Saviour. I believe he died on that cross for all my sins. He took all my judgement and was raised from the dead when I was declared not guilty. Thank you, Father, in Jesus’ name, and all the people say, ‘Amen’. Hey praise the Lord. You are now a child of God.”
By declaring that someone becomes a child of God just through believing without repenting,
this proves beyond a shadow of doubt that Joseph Prince believes a person could be saved by merely believing in Jesus without repenting.
But Derek Prince, would not take the no-repentance salvation doctrine of Joseph Prince lying down.
Let’s take a breather from Joseph Prince and hear what Derek Prince has to say.
In a teaching video, Derek Prince, a credible international Bible teacher, a scholar in Greek and Latin and who studied Philosophy at Cambridge University, said:
Please click here to view the 5-and-a-half-minute video of what Derek Prince said;
“And the title of this message is ‘Through repentance to Faith.’ And I want to say right at the beginning there is no other way to faith except through repentance. Any other way that claims to get you there is a deception. True faith is impossible without repentance.”
“And faith comes only after repentance. The whole message of the Bible is in this order: Repent and believe.”
“But without true repentance there can never be true faith.”
“Now I want to emphasise that repentance must go before faith. There is no true faith without repentance. And this is emphasised all through the New Testament.
In Matthew chapter 3, we read about the ministry of John the Baptist, who was sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. And what was his message in one word? Repent. In other words, repentance was essential before the Messiah could come. Repentance prepared the way for the coming of Messiah. Until God’s people, Israel had been through this experience of repentance, they could not be ready to meet their Messiah.
In Matthew 3:1-3, it says ‘In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.’
How did he prepare the way of the Lord? By calling God’s people back to repentance. And repentance is the only way we can prepare for the Lord to come into our hearts and lives.
And then when John had finished his course, Jesus Himself, in fulfilment of John’s prophetic word, came to continue the ministry of the gospel.
And it says in Mark 1:14-15, ‘Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel, and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.’ Repent and believe. You cannot truly believe unless you have first repented. The first word of command that ever came from the lips of Jesus was not believe, but repent.
I remember being in a meeting in South East Asia, let me say, where a certain preacher had preached the message on healing. And he’d spoken very eloquently about God’s will and plan to heal and quoted some of the promises about healing. But he had not said one word about repentance. And then he called the people forward. And most of them came from a background of idolatry, and they had no idea what they had to do to receive what God was offering.”
“He had totally confused those people because he had given them the impression that they could come to God without repenting. He never used the word repent once in that message.”
“And I’m afraid there are many many people in many quote ‘gospel churches’ and ‘gospel services’ who are confused because all they are being told is what God will do for you. But they are not being told what God requires from you. The first thing He requires is repent.”
“But you cannot have true faith in Jesus unless you have first true repentance towards God. You see the New Testament is so consistent. I think it’s something of which the Church needs to repent that we have so often watered down the message, deceive people. Give them a false impression of what it means to become a real Christian. You cannot become a real Christian without repentance. There is no faith without repentance. And the Bible says all men everywhere have to repent.”
“Now the Bible says there is only one alternative to repentance. This is stated in Luke chapter 13. Luke 13, the first few verses.”
“But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. There is only 2 alternatives: repent or perish. Those are the words of Jesus Himself.”
Let me list the more crucial points of what Derek Prince said regarding repentance:
“… there is no other way to faith except through repentance. Any other way that claims to get you there is a deception. True faith is impossible without repentance.”
“And faith comes only after repentance. The whole message of the Bible is in this order: Repent and believe.”
“But without true repentance there can never be true faith.”
“You cannot truly believe unless you have first repented. The first word of command that ever came from the lips of Jesus was not believe, but repent.”
“But you cannot have true faith in Jesus unless you have first true repentance towards God. You see the New Testament is so consistent. I think it’s something of which the Church needs to repent that we have so often watered down the message, deceive people. Give them a false impression of what it means to become a real Christian. You cannot become a real Christian without repentance. There is no faith without repentance. And the Bible says all men everywhere have to repent.”
“But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. There are only 2 alternatives: repent or perish. Those are the words of Jesus Himself.”
By comparing the doctrinal stand of Derek Prince and Joseph Prince with regards to salvation vis-à-vis faith and repentance
(please refer to the Appendix at the end of this article for more of what Derek Prince said in the teaching video),
we can derive the following:
First, Joseph Prince has disobeyed the crucial command of the Lord Jesus to preach on repentance in the Lukan version of the Great Commission in Luke 24:46-47:
Luke 24:46-47 NIV
46 He (Jesus) told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem
This command by the Lord Jesus in Luke 24:46-47 to preach on repentance was particularly crucial,
given the fact that these were the last words of the resurrected Jesus before He ascended to heaven.
Did you realise that our Lord’s Great Commission demands that we preach repentance?
And repentance was the substance of the early church’s message to the unbelieving world throughout the Book of Acts.
Repentance is indeed, at the heart of the gospel.
If we are not preaching repentance, then we are not preaching the gospel our Lord Jesus has commissioned and charged us to preach.
The Apostle Paul said that it was God Himself who commanded all people to repent;
Acts 17:30 NIV
30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Hence, repentance is not optional to the gospel invitation but mandatory because it is commanded by God.
Repentance is precisely what the gospel demands.
Our Lord Jesus Himself has described His primary mission as that of calling sinners to repentance (Matt 9:13);
Matthew 9:13 NKJV
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
If Joseph Prince has disobeyed and rebelled against Lord Jesus’ command to preach repentance in Luke 24:46-47, and His own mission of preaching to sinners on repentance,
how on earth could people still see him as a true teacher of God’s word?
Second, how could Joseph Prince be said to love Jesus if he disobeys the command of the person he loves?
John 14:15 NLT
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
John 14:21a NLT
21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.
The crucial point is Joseph Prince who disobeyed the Great Commission of Jesus to preach on repentance in Luke 24:46-47, and on many other crucial doctrines of Christ,
has disqualified his own claim or the claims of others that he loves Jesus.
This is because only those who obey Christ are the ones who really love Jesus.
Love for Jesus isn’t articulated as much as it is demonstrated through our obedience to Him.
Third, Joseph Prince’s only-believe and no-repentance gospel, which is a half and false gospel, would only bring in loads of false converts.
The devil would be too happy for a no-repentance gospel to be preached as it would fill the Church with multitudes of pseudo-converts.
So, don’t be deceived by the big number of converts that Prince is constantly boasting of – which is mainly a bluff.
But most soberly, Joseph Prince’s no-repentance gospel, would only lead the people to perish;
and this was taught by none other than both Father God and the Lord Jesus.
It is clear that Father God is gently, patiently, but also plainly warning (2 Pet 3:9) that those who don’t repent will perish;
2 Peter 3:9 NIV
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The Lord Jesus Himself has issued a double warning on the failure to repent;
Luke 13:3,5 NIV
3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Jesus repeated this sober message twice to make sure we don’t mess around with His warning of not repenting.
If Joseph Prince has totally disregarded Jesus’ warning in Luke 13:3,5,
and he himself preaches a no-repentance gospel that could lead people to perish in hell,
how could he not be a heretic?
Fourth, both the views of Joseph Prince and Derek Prince with regards to repentance for salvation are diametrically opposed.
This means if one is true, the other has to be false.
So, who would you choose to believe?
Derek Prince, the proven Bible teacher who was well respected across many nations for his solid Bible teaching,
or Joseph Prince, the serial-hypocrite, serial-liar, serial-double-talker and serial-slanderer,
who has built his popularity and big following chiefly through his Easy Christianity, Cheap Grace and Feel-Good religion.
JI Packer said;
“There are ministers who never speak of repentance or self-denial. Naturally they are popular, but they are false prophets.”
Last, I’m sure you would have come across a quote by William Booth;
“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.”
William Booth’s prophecy has indeed come true in the preaching of Joseph Prince – that of forgiveness without repentance or pseudo-repentance (that repentance is only a change of the mind).
Rev George Ong
Appendix
In the same teaching video, Derek Prince further said:
Please click here to view the 3-and-a-half-minute video;
“Now if we look on to the end of Jesus’ ministry, His message never changed. In Luke 24, after His resurrection, Jesus gave instructions to His disciples. In Luke 24:46-47. Remember this is after the resurrection just before He left this world.
Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Messiah, the Christ, to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.’
Notice the message: repentance and then remission or forgiveness of sins. But no forgiveness without repentance. And that was the message that was to begin in Jerusalem and be preached to all nations. Repentance, then forgiveness through His name.
And then when the church came into being in public view on the day of Pentecost, the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a multitude of Jews gathered, and wanted to know what was going on. And Peter stood up and preached that famous message from second chapter of Acts.
And then at the end, they were convicted, and they said to Peter, ‘Peter, what are we to do?’ This is the first time the Church as such had been asked by sinners what must we do. Let me read this. Acts 2:37, ‘Now when they heard this, (that was Peter’s message), they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?’”
“And as soon as these people, under real conviction of sin, said to the Apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter, as the spokesman of God and of the Church, gave them a clear, precise, practical answer. Then Peter said to them (Acts 2:38) ‘repent’. What comes first? Repentance, that’s right.”
“And then we look at the ministry of Paul, the great apostle of the gentiles. And we see as it’s recorded in the book of Acts. First of all, Paul found himself in Athens, which was a very intellectual and idolatrous city. And he ended up by preaching to them.”
“And he concludes his message in Acts 17, verse 30 and follow. Speaking about all the time that they lived in idolatry and ignorance have gone, he says truly these times of ignorance, God overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent. That’s so clear. God now commands all men everywhere to repent. No place and no person is exempted. That’s God’s universal requirement from humanity. He is willing to overlook the past if we will repent.”
Rev George Ong