Do the Word of Faith Teachers Preach Another Gospel?

There are some that claim that those in the Word of Faith movement, who preach the Gospel (Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, et. al.), cannot be false teachers no matter what other doctrinal errors they may occasionally state.

However, like cults, which have reinterpreted certain key words in Christianity to mean whatever they want, so have many preachers in the Word of Faith movement reinterpreted important key words from the Bible. As I will show below, all those who preach another Christ CANNOT be teaching the Gospel as found in the Bible.

Disclaimer: There may still be some in the Word of Faith movement who have not been tainted by the following. If that is so praise the Lord, but, as scripture says "a little leaven spoils the whole lump" so I would really question anyone who is still involved in this movement and supporting any of the preachers mentioned below:

(False teacher/prophet quotes are in purple and indented, my
comments are in plain text and scripture is in teal. False teachers rarely use scripture. I have only included those portions I intend to comment on.)

Word of Faith Doctrinal Errors covered in this article:

• Christ paid for our sins in hell
• We are all divine, We can all be gods
• We are not sinners

Where Did Christ Pay for our Sins?

Where does Joyce Meyer say Jesus paid for our sins?

"During that time He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin. He paid the price there . . . no plan was too extreme . . . Jesus paid on the cross and in hell" (The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make, by Joyce Meyer, Tulsa: Harrison House 1991, chapter 4, (pg. 35).

What does Benny Hinn say about Christ's death?

"Jesus Christ knew the only way he would stop Satan was by becoming one in nature with him. You say, What did you say? What blasphemy is this? no, you hear this! He did not take my sin; he became my sin. Sin is the nature of hell. Sin is what made Satan . . . It was sin that made Satan. Jesus said, 'I'll be sin! I'll go to the lowest place! I'll go to the origin of it! I won't just take part in it, I'll be the totality of it!' ." (Benny Hinn, Benny Hinn program on TBN, Dec. 15, 1990).

"My, you know, whoosh! The Holy Ghost is just showing me some stuff. I'm getting dizzy! I'm telling you the truth - it's, it's just heavy right now on me... He's [Jesus] in the underworld now. God isn't there, the Holy Ghost isn't there, and the Bible says He was begotten. Do you know what the word begotten means? It means reborn. Do you want another shocker? Have you been begotten? So was He. Don't let anyone deceive you. Jesus was reborn. You say, 'What are you talking about?'... He was reborn. He had to be reborn... If He was not reborn, I could not be reborn, I would never be reborn. How can I face Jesus and say, 'Jesus, You went through everything I've gone through, except the new birth?'" (Benny Hinn, Our Position 'In Christ,' Part 1 (Orlando, FL: Orlando Christian Center, 1991), videotape #TV-254.)

"He [Jesus] who is righteous by choice said, 'The only way I can stop sin is by Me becoming it. I can't just stop it by letting it touch Me; I and it must become one.' Hear this! He who is the nature of God became the nature of Satan where He became sin! " (TBN, 12/1/90).

What does Kenneth Copeland say about Christ's Death?

"When Jesus cried, "It is finished!" He was not speaking of the plan of redemption. There were still three days and nights to go through before He went to the throne... Jesus' death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work of redemption."

"Jesus was made to be sin. He accepted the nature of Satan into his own spirit. . . . You don't know what happened at the cross. Why do you think Moses upon the instruction of God raised a serpent up on that pole instead of a lamb? That used to bug me, I said why in the world did you have to put that snake up there, the sign of Satan? Why didn't you put a lamb on that pole? And the Lord said, 'because it was the sign of Satan that was hanging on the cross'. He said, 'I accepted in my own spirit spiritual death and the light was turned off.' " (what Happened From the Cross to the Throne, audio tape 02-0017)

Note: Kenneth Copeland got this heresy from his mentors Kenneth Hagin and E.W. Kenyon.

Where did Christ Really Pay for our Sins?

Paul Said:

Let's analyze the most important statement above

How do the scriptures say Christ died and where did he shed his blood?

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."(Php. 2:8)

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree (Cross), that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."(1 Pe. 2:24)

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Rev 1:5)

A video showing how Kenneth Copeland is a wolf in sheep's clothing

Questions to ponder:

• Was Jesus righteous by "choice" as Benny Hinn said or by nature?
• If Jesus took on the nature of Satan and became Sin and Jesus is God, does God change?
• Does scripture say that Jesus took on the nature of Satan?
• Where does scipture say the work of redemption was completed?
• Does scripture say anything about Jesus being reborn? Does God need to be reborn?

What does scripture say about Jesus paying for our sins in hell?

"For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." (Psalms 16:10)

Jesus Christ himself refuted that teaching while hanging on the cross:

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42-43)

And a little bit later on his last breath cried out in a loud voice:

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

Does this sound like Jesus had to go to hell first or God sent him there after receiving him?

Can man become a God?

What does Benny Hinn say about man being devine or being a god?

Re the trinity, Hinn said, "Each one of them is a triune being by Himself ... there's nine of them." (Benny Hinn, TBN, 34d October 1990).

"God the Father is a person separate from the Holy Ghost. Totally separate." (Orlando Christian Centre, Oct 13, 1990).

"God came from heaven, became a man, made man into little gods, went back to heaven as a man. He faces the Father as a man." (Benny Hinn, Our Position in Christ #2-The Word Made Flesh. (Orlando: Orlando Christian Center, 1991), videotape #255.)

What does Kenneth Copeland say about God?

"I was shocked when I found out who the biggest failure in the Bible actually is...The biggest one in the whole Bible is God... I mean, He lost His top-ranking, most anointed angel; the first man He ever created; the first woman He ever created; the whole earth and all the fullness therein; a third of the angels, at least - that's a big loss, man....Now, the reason you don't think of God as a failure is He never said He's a failure. And you're not a failure till you say you're one." (Kenneth Copeland on the TBN Praise-a-thon on Praise The Lord, April 1988)

What does Benny Hinn say about man being a god or being devine?

"Although we are not Almighty God Himself, nevertheless we are now divine." (12/1/90 TBN)

"Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge....you are god Benny Hinn." Our Position In Christ, tape # AO31190-1

"I am a 'little messiah' walking on earth." (Benny Hinn, "Praise-a-Thon Program" on TBN, broadcast November 6, 1990.)

Re man being God: "You say, 'Benny, am I a little God?' You're a son of God, aren't you? ... What else are you? Quit your nonsense! ... If you say, 'I am,' You're saying you're part of Him, right? Is He God? Are you His offspring? Are you His children? You can't be human! You Can't. You can't!" (Our Position in Christ #2, 1990 Audiotape, sd 2)

What does Kenneth Copeland say about man being a god?

"You don't have a god in you, you are one.. . . You're all God. You don't have a God living in you; you are one! ... When I read in the Bible where God tells Moses, 'I AM,' I say, 'Yah, I am too!'"In The Force of Love. A 2 tape set, #BBC-56, 1987

All of the above are teaching another Christ and they got their heresy from Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, Charles Capps, John Jacobs, Fredrick Price, et. al. who teach that Jesus died spiritually and Paul and Jan Crouch promote this teaching on TBN.

What Does the Bible say about Man becoming gods?

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex 20:3)

" yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (1 Corinthians 8:6)

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. (Isaiah 43:10)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Timothy 4:1)

Is Man a sinner?

What does Joyce Meyer say about being a sinner?

"All I was ever taught to say was, 'I, a poor, miserable sinner.' I am not poor. I am not miserable. And I am not a sinner. That is a lie from the pit of hell!" ("What Happened from the Cross to The Throne?" an audio by Joyce Meyer--no longer available but the same message as given by Copeland/Kenyon)

What does the bible say about man being a sinner?

"God formed man from the dust of the earth" (Gen 2:7)

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom. 5:12)

Are Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Copeland False Teachers

What does scripture say about those who preach another Christ?

"If someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. . . . For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerating as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." (2 Cor. 11:4, 13, 14)

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." (1 Tim. 4:1,2).

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. . . . People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (1 Tim. 6:3, 9)

Conclusion: If they are teaching another Christ they are also preaching another Gospel when they speak of Christ.

Lori Eldridge
© Feb 4, 2004 - Updated 10-25-20
All Rights Reserved

Other false teachers in the Word of Faith Movement:

If you don't see your favorite false teacher in the following list, just read any of them because they all teach the same thing learned from the same person, E.W. Kenyon, founder of this false gospel.

• E. W. Kenyon - Founding Father of Word-Faith Movement
• Kenneth Hagin - pastor of RHEMA Bible Church and RHEMA Bible Training Center
• Kenneth Copeland -and his wife Gloria Copeland
• Oral Roberts - prophesied God is going to raise up millionaires in the church
• Frederick K. C. Price- believes Jesus was rich and praying for God's will is stupidity
• Benny Hinn - Jesus died spiritually. We are Divine
• David (Paul) Yongii Cho - in Seoul, Korea
• Charles Capps - believes that what you say is what you get
• Robert Tilton - dishonest prosperity schemes and occult practices
• John Avanzini --believes Jesus had a big house, lots of money and wore designer clothes
• Jentzen Franklin -associated with the Toronto "Blessing"
• T.D. Jakes - a Oneness Pentacostal (denies the Trinity)
• John Osteen - believes Jesus went to hell and battled Satan to redeem us
• T. L. Osborne
• Marilyn Hickey
• Paula White
• Joyce Meyer - Jesus took your place in Hell.
• Jerry Savelle
• Morris Cerullo
• Casey Treat
• Dwight Thompson
• Oral and Richard Roberts - founded Oral Roberts University
• Paul and Jan Crouch - directors of TBN promote Word Faith teachers
• Brian Houston - Hillsong
• Rod Parsley
• Robert Morris
• Carl Lenz
• Rodney Howard-Browne - Founded the Holy Laughter Movement
• Peter Popoff
• Juanita Bynum

Lori Eldridge
© 6-04-2004, updated 10-25-20
All Rights Reserved.

Other sites exposing the Word of Faith Movement

Signs and Wonders Movement Exposed a 2 set video that exposes the occult roots of the Signs and Wonders Movement.

What Is the Word of Faith Movement?Comparing the WoF teachings with the Word of God.

Doctrine of Demons - Banner.org

False Prophets, Pseudo Apostles and a New Gospel by M. H. Reynolds exposes the unbiblical teachings, ecumenical false gospel and false use of spiritual gifts of John Wimber, Dr. Peter Wagner, Dr. Jack Deere and other Charistmatics.

Other sites exposing the false teachings of Kenneth Copeland

An article exposing the false teaching of Kenneth Copeland and other Word of Faith Teachers that Chirst had to be perfected while on this earth through death on the cross Christ was Perfect, not Perfected on this site.

Dear Saint, Don't Believe What They Say! by Sandy Simpson, of Deception in the Church Ministries is a rebuttal of an article by Kenneth Copeland that appeared in "Believers Voice of Victory" magazine in Oct 1999 re healing, sickness, suffering and exposing Copeland's Word of Faith beliefs as unscriptural and downright heretical.

A plethora of articles exposing the teachings of Kenneth Copeland can be found at the Deception in the Church web site.

Other sites exposing the false teachings of Joyce Meyer

DID JESUS DIE SPIRITUALLY? is an article by Dr. Hobart E. Freeman TH.D and is one of the best I've seen yet analyzing the "Jesus Died Spiritually," "Jesus redeemed Man in Hell," "Jesus became Sin on the Cross," etc., heresies. This article is quite long because the author goes into great detail exposing the false theology of every verse used to support this false teaching. The author does not mention names but Kenneth Copeland and Joyce Meyer are two of those teaching this heresy.

See also Jesus Did NOT Die Spiritually on this site. A collection of Quotes from Hank Hanegraaff's book Christianity in Crisis re the theory that Jesus died in Hell

Websites Exposing the false teachings of Benny Hinn:

Benny Hinn claims to not be a prophet yet here is a word-for-word transcript of a series of (failed) prophecies delivered by Benny Hinn on December 31, 1989.

A personal testimony by someone who witnessed Benny Hinn's Selective Healing.

From Los Angeles Times Magazine, July 27, 2003 http://www.latimes.com/an article by William Lobdell, Times Staff Writer questioning Benny Hinn's financial and healing practices.

Benny Hinn has gone so far off the deep end that this latest heresy he is promoting is not much of a surprise. For more information check out Volume 4, Issue 9 of Deception in the Church Newsletter, 4/00 where this latest news about Jesus Christ to star with Benny Hinn on stage in person is being reported. Also check out a plethora of other articles on the same site exposing Hinn as a false teacher and false prophet and having a false annointing.

According to a book by Kurt Koch, Occult ABC 1976, Benny Hinn received his "anointing" from Kathryn Kuhlman,the same person who was also a mentor for John Arnott of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (Toronto "Blessing").

An excellent book exposing Hinn as a false teacher is, The Confusing World of Benny Hinn available through Discernment Ministries, P.O. Box 129, Lapeer, MI 48446-0129.

This audio tape allows you to hear Benny Hinn telling people they are Jesus.