THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Sixteen – January 2007
“The Rod Parsley Report: Signs and Wonders and Miracles.... Oh My!!”
By Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH 2006 – This is a date that will forever live in Christian infamy! This was the day that Rod Parsley went on global television, via the TBN Praise the Lord program; live at New Beginnings Church in Dallas, TX, with his “Healing Miracle Service”. This was a two hour televised program dedicated to nothing but signs, wonders and miracles. Featured with Parsley were many big names in the “Christian” television industry such as: Benny Hinn, Jesse Duplantis, Paul Morton, Ron Luce, Larry Huch, and The Crabb Family all under one roof, well…sort of. Hinn, Duplantis, Morton and Luce were not really there. They had provided a quick pre-recorded speech on video. Larry Huch, however, was present as well as The Crabb Family, who provided the musical entertainment.
What I saw from this event was the Word of Faith and Charismatic movements combined into one big church service. It was, as Parsley himself put it “an atmosphere of expectancy”. Rod Parsley stood on the platform, getting everybody revved up, like a cheerleader, conditioning people to believe they have come there to expect God to do miracles for them, and that God is obligated to do whatever they demand. God's sovereignty took a back seat that night, and this is not just my opinion. Here are just a few quotes from Parsley himself to prove it:
"There is a demand being placed upon the anointing tonight and God is not just about ready to disappoint you. He’s not about to break His record with you." (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
"If the atmosphere of expectancy really is the breeding ground of miracles we in for some kind of somethin' tonight!" (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
The thinking here is that if we proclaim it, God is obligated to do it! Parsley further went on to tell the biblical story of the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20-22), who came to Jesus to be healed. Parsley uses Word of Faith doctrine to justify his reason for this healing service, claiming it was the woman’s faith in her faith that healed her:
"That little woman came with faith to pursue, the proof of desire is in pursuit" (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
"She had made a decision, I can discard my faith and give up, or I can direct my faith and be lifted up" (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
"She decided, I can let my mountain move my faith, or I can let my faith move my mountain." (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
Rod Parsley bases this on verse 22 in which Jesus says to the woman “thy faith hath made thee whole.” However if you look at verse 21, it clearly shows that her faith was not in her faith, but her faith was in Jesus and in the fact that He alone has the power to heal her: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. You may say, “See! The woman came to Jesus expecting!”
That may be so, but please note, this woman was not placing a “demand on the anointing” here! Also note, Jesus was under no obligation to heal the woman, but because of His great compassion and mercy, and mostly because of His sovereignty, He healed her. Thirdly, also note this woman was healed out in the open, in a huge crowd of people. Not in a controlled atmosphere, such as Rod Parsley’s Healing Service.
SOLA SCRIPTURA – THE SCRIPTURE ALONE!
Parsley continues with more classic Word of Faith error by twisting scripture:
"If God had not wanted to heal you, He shouldn’t have. Healing is not a promise, healing is an established fact. Isaiah 53:5 shouts it, 1 Peter 2:24 resounds it and resonates it" (Rod Parsley, TBN Praise the Lord 12/04/2006)
Let’s look at these scriptures. Isaiah 53:5 - But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
This verse says nothing of physical healing at all! To really understand what this passage says, the question must be asked…what are we healed from? Well, look at the verse! It tells you clearly that by His stripes we are healed of our transgressions and our iniquities. In other words…SIN is our real sickness, and that our sin-sick souls are healed!
1 Peter 2:24 says the same thing: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Again, this says nothing of physical healing! According to this verse, it is from the disease of SIN that we are healed! Yes, it is true, Jesus did heal the sick, but it was only temporal, they did eventually physically die. By His stripes we were healed in our souls and given eternal life, where we will never die!! Which do you think is better?
What I saw was 120 minutes of shouting, jumping and hooting and hollering with the emphasis on healings and miracles. Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe God can heal and that He does miracles…as HE wills!! However I do not believe that Christians should primarily be seeking after them. The scriptures say in Mark 16:17 - And these signs shall follow them that believe. It does not say that we shall follow signs!
Out of the 120 minutes, only FIVE MINUTES was given to the mention of salvation, and that was only having people repeat a prayer. After that, it was back to the seeking of signs, wonders and miracles! Parsley claims the Holy Spirit had directed him to do this service, but ask yourself this question. Can we really believe it was the Holy Spirit when only FIVE MINUTES was given to the remote mention of salvation and the other ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN MINUTES dedicated to seeking signs, wonders and miracles? Think about it!!
UPDATE:
I would like to quickly clarify something I had written in the December 2006 Newsletter. I had stated a quote from Benny Hinn in which he said:” You and I do not receive Jesus to escape hell. Jesus Christ is not a fire escape. You don't receive Him so you can escape punishment, you receive Him on the basis of love”. (This is Your Day – TBN 12/04/2006).
My response to this was: “How can Benny Hinn say one minute that we don't receive Jesus to escape hell, then the next minute say that by receiving Jesus we will be saved! Saved from what?? Benny's latest motto is “souls, souls, souls”. He also says “Salvation is the greatest miracle.”
What I was saying here is that Benny Hinn’s statement was a contradiction. I had received an email from a reader who stated that I was incorrect, that it was not a contradiction. I do appreciate the readers concern, however I must stand by what I had written, this statement is a contradiction. I would like to add clarification, as I feel that I did not bring my point across.
Actually, I will agree with one thing Benny said, and that is the part where he stated “You receive Him on the basis of love”. However, I must ask the question…what is that basis of love? Well, it’s very simple! The Bible says in Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is the basis of love in which we receive Christ! He showed His love for us that even though we deserved eternal punishment, He still died for us to provide the only way of escape and to have eternal life! So you see? This does make Jesus our “fire escape”!
The basis of love is that we come to Jesus to escape hell, simply because that is what we all deserve! Jesus did not die on the cross so you can have a better marriage, or a better job, or a nice, shiny new car! I heard a preacher on TV say that the primary reason Jesus came to Earth was to give us abundance in our lives, our marriage, in our relationships and finances. Never once did this preacher mention eternal life, the cross, forgiveness of sin, or even the shed blood of Jesus! The cross is more than just having an abundance of earthly things…much, much more!!
When we come to a full realization of what Jesus actually spared us from when He died and rose again, we serve Him not out of fear that He will send us to hell if we screw up, that is legalism. Rather, we serve Him out of a heart of love and gratitude for what He has done for us! The primary reason Jesus came to Earth was for the redemption of our souls from everlasting punishment, to save us from being separated from God for all eternity!
There is no greater expression of love! We should be very thankful to the Lord that He does not give us what we all deserve…most important, we MUST tell this to as many people as we possibly could, because the time is growing short! I do hope this clarifies things a little.
Search the Scripture for yourself! SOLA SCRIPTURA! The Scripture ALONE! May the Lord bless you!
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