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The False Teaching of Joseph Prince

HomeFalse TeachingsThe False Teaching of Joseph Prince

I’m often asked to assess what others teach. I do not do this lightly, but it is necessary. Before reading this page, or any of the pages about specific people, I recommend that you read What is a False Teacher?, which explains what the Bible says about false teachers, and why I would bother to research who they are and what they say. You may also want to check out a list of Bible Teachers I Can Recommend.

Joseph Prince

I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Joseph Prince. I like the guy. He says a LOT of things that I think Christians and non-Christians need to hear. Unfortunately, those good things are mixed in with some very bad, unbiblical, dangerous teachings. I feel the need to caution believers to avoid listening to Joseph Prince, who is a “Word of Faith” teacher.

The Word of Faith movement is made up of false teachings about God, about what it means to be human, and how the universe works. Here are some of the main beliefs held by Word of Faith teachers:

  1. Faith is a FORCE.
  2. Words are the containers of that force. Words, when spoken in faith, unleash their power.
  3. God used that power to create the universe: He spoke faith-filled words and the universe responded by doing what He said.
  4. You and I have that same power available to us, if we just do what God did… speak faith-filled words. We control reality itself.

The problem, of course, is that that’s totally bunk. It’s also entirely unbiblical. According to this way of thinking, it’s the universe that has the power, and God (like you and I) only tap into that power. Many, if not most of the Word of Faith teachers also teach that you and I are essentially gods… we aren’t just made in God’s image, but we are exact duplicates of God and have the same abilities as God. That too is nonsense.

In case there’s any question about whether Prince is in the Word of Faith camp:

I give thanks to God for my roots in the Word of Faith teachings. It is truly on the shoulders of great men of God like Brother Kenneth E. Hagin that we are able to see further into the Word of God today.

It’s not for me to say whether Joseph Prince is a Christian. I’m hesitant to even call anyone a false teacher. It’s better, to me, to simply point out the false things that are being taught. Here are a few quotes from Joseph Prince:

“You are destined to reign in life. You are called by the Lord to be a success, to enjoy wealth, to enjoy health, and to enjoy a life of victory. It is not the Lord’s desire that you live a life of defeat, poverty, and failure.”

If that’s true, then Jesus – and all of His disciples except John – were terrible failures, since they were killed for their faith. They weren’t successful, wealthy, healthy, or victorious in the way Joseph Prince means.

“Faith is bringing out of the spirit realm what is already there, what is already true of you.”

This kind of mumbo-jumbo isn’t found in the Bible anywhere. What he means is that “you confess that you are rich because you are already rich” and “you confess that you are righteous because you are already righteous.”

What we find in the Bible is MORE THAN enough for every believer… we don’t need people making up stuff to make Christianity sound better, which is what Word of Faith teachers do. They teach that most Christians, for most of Christian history, have totally misunderstood Christianity. They then go on to teach things that Jesus would never say, and that contradict what He did say.

“You will never find an example of God punishing a believer for his sins in the new covenant.”

When we take a look at Hebrews 12:1-13, we see that Joseph Prince’s words directly contradict God’s Word. Reading 1 Corinthians 11:27-34 shows believers who got sick, and even died, from drinking judgment on themselves during communion.

When criticized for his false teaching, Prince has done what so many others have done. Rather than defend what he teaches with a clear interpretation of Scripture, he says that his teachings are the truth, and that those who criticize him are afraid of the truth, and that they have been duped by the devil.

If you are battling a condition in your body, the way to receive health is through the partaking of the holy Communion often, and with a revelation of what the elements represent.

This isn’t found anywhere in the Bible. What do we find in the Bible? James 5:15 says that the prayer of faith will make a person well. In 3 John 1:2 John says, I pray that you may enjoy good health. If taking communion is “the way,” as Prince claims, wouldn’t John say that instead?

He also contradicts the clear Scriptures regarding confession:

In that very instance when you prayed the prayer of salvation all the sins that you would commit for your entire life were forgiven once and for all….Let me say this plainly: You do not need to confess your sins again and again to be forgiven.

This contradicts Jesus’ instructions about how to pray in Luke 11:4, where we ask God to forgive our sins. It also contradicts James 5:16, which tells believers to confess our sins to one another.

Holy money?

One way to distinguish between reliable and unreliable teachers is whether they take a truth and stretch it to mean something else. For example, Prince erroneously teaches that Christians should tithe. Not a huge deal. He mentions a Bible verse. All Christians should agree that what the Bible says is true… but Prince takes the passage out of context and interprets it to mean something not sustained by the text. Then he goes further, making a claim not found in Scripture. Finally, he draws an unbiblical conclusion at the end.

We have been redeemed from the curse. Now, YOU have been redeemed from the curse, the money that comes into your hand is not. Do you understand that? How do you make the money clean? The Bible says in New Testament, New Testament, Romans, the apostle Paul by the Spirit says ‘If the first fruit is holy, say holy. If the first fruit is holy, holy, the rest is holy. And what is holy, the devil cannot touch. Hey! What is holy, the devil cannot touch. Now, your money is no more unrighteous. It’s no more filthy lucre, it is now holy money.

The verse about firstfruits is Romans 11:16:

If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Notice: Paul uses a batch of dough and a tree as examples. This makes sense. Prince spoke as if money is the same kind of thing, which isn’t the case at all. If 90% of the money in your bank account was stolen, you don’t make it holy by giving to God the 10% that wasn’t. The “firstfruits” would (in a manner of speaking) be holy, but the rest would not.

This is a part of a larger lesson Prince taught about tithing. Here’s more… and we can see that the error grows and grows:

10% is a part of the whole. For God, the 10% is everything. It’s part of the whole. When the 10% is holy, the rest is holy. You understand? Like it says in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruit… that’s the tithe of those who have fallen asleep.

Here we can see, in action, Prince’s errors:

Everybody makes mistakes. False teachers – and those who are sincere but ignorant and reckless – make mistakes and compound the problem by creating new theological claims that are based on their mistakes. Examples like this show that Prince, at best, is an unreliable teacher of Scripture. At worst, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing that teaches error for his own benefit. Neither you nor I know Prince’s heart, so we should not try to claim whether he’s sincere, let alone whether he’s saved or not. We should pray for Joseph Prince: that God would lead him to the truth, that He would show Prince the damage that he’s doing, and that Prince would become the kind of teacher who faithfully passes on the one true gospel.

I’m still gathering details about what Joseph Prince teaches. Like I said, I really like him. I think he and I could be friends. If he sat down with me, I would challenge him to examine what he teaches in light of Scripture… one bit at a time. That’s what you and I should do, too: we should make sure that what we believe matches what God has already said.

Please join me in praying for Joseph Prince.

See the complete but incomplete False Teachers List

Disclaimer

Don’t bother commenting or emailing me about how I’m just wrong. It’s a waste of your time and mine. If you have something to say, include Scripture. I am far from perfect, and I can be wrong… so I don’t do any of this lightly, and I’m open to correction.

Don’t bother telling me how this person or that person helped you. It’s a waste of your time and mine. Nobody teaches lies and falsehoods all the time. In researching these topics, I’ve heard a LOT that I appreciated, and have been inspired by even those who are otherwise far from the truth. The number of times someone is right is irrelevant to the question of whether they also teach false things. We should appreciate anyone who teaches us the truth, but that doesn’t mean we should uncritically follow them when we see significant problems in their lives, in their ministries, and in their teaching. Neither your opinion nor mine matter here. What matters is what the Bible teaches, and whether those who preach and teach in Jesus’ name are teaching falsely.

If you can provide evidence that one of these people has recanted their false teaching, please let me know. I would love to amend their article to show that they have changed what they teach.

Finally: we who follow Jesus should not consider false teachers our enemies. If they’re not saved, we should pray for their salvation. If they are saved, we should pray that God will lead them to teach only the truth.

See also: a list of Bible Teachers I Can Recommend


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Comments

74 responses to “The False Teaching of Joseph Prince”

  1. Craig Lipp says:

    What do you mean by Holy Communion? Surely, you can’t mean the host served during Eucharist communion? I’m a former Roman Catholic after learning of their non-Biblical and pagan ways, and their mockery of Jesus Christ during pagan ceremonies. Why are Catholics so adamant that their way is the right way when it clearly is not. When Jesus said “Come out of her, my people,” what exactly did he mean? If the path is narrow and few make into the pearly gates then that surely means a huge population of Roman Catholics are being deceived. I believe it is the end times deception, being a Roman Catholic is that deception. Aren’t vain babblings and repetitions what Roman Catholics do? So much of the Roman Catholic church is unbiblical that I’m stunned in disbelief that more Roman Catholics do not recognize this. It’s as if they have never picked up a Bible other than their Catholic Bible. I’ve said more Rosaries in my life and now I know it was a pure waste of time. Repetitious prayers will not get us anywhere, whereas one deep heartfelt pray with a direct connection to Jesus Christ is extremely powerful.

    • Tony says:

      Craig:

      You may have misunderstood. I didn’t say anything about “Holy Communion.” I quoted Joseph Prince, who said that. I quoted him to show that he says things that the Bible doesn’t say. It seems we agree. Let me know if I’ve missed something important. Thanks!

    • Ben Raj says:

      We should seek Truth and love him. In ln loving him is on loving one another and in obeying Gods commandments.( That is why it is said to be narrow, since very few of us can measure up. Thus only by grace we are saved and not by any merit we claim as our own). Prince message is mainly this although a doctrine of grace alone is dangerous as we must put our faith to work. For Catholics, they are part of the branch of Christ, and we pray the lord will sanctify her in truth(I believe many genuine Catholics who love the lord, inwardly already know the truth), but being bride of christ we let Christ do the judging since she is his wife and God knows best…….In all things let us put love first even when we guide others to the truth that I can assure you even protestants do not know as the very history we believe in has been changed by Rome

      • Tony says:

        Ben:

        First, how do you know ‘the very history we believe in has been changed by Rome’? For anyone to know that, they would need to know either the before and after (so they could compare the two) or have some admission from Rome that it had been done. You have neither. I’m no fan of the Roman Catholic church, but such claims should be beneath a follower of Jesus. We are to love God with our minds, so such claims should be beneath us. If you want to malign someone, all you have to do is tell the truth about them. Because you can’t substantiate your claim, you should not claim it… let alone “assure” us that it is true.

        Also: who told you to ‘let Christ do the judging’? Yes, we should be very careful about such things. No, the Bible does not teach that we are never to judge. Here’s what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 5: What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. We need not replace judgment with love, as we can do both. We are called to both, so let us judge those within the church… not hypocritically or self-righteously, but with love for all.

    • susan marie says:

      I am or was a Catholic, I have been listening to J. Prince and I really like the guy, granted I have only listened to a few of his cds. I do not know if I want to convert but what I have taken from his few ministries is that I do not want to be a Catholic or call myself as such, anymore, I feel as though being Catholic is throwing out the carrot and the stick, method so I will be and do good to walk in the fellowship of Christ, whereas Prince teaches thus far that I already am forgiven and good with Christ allowing me to not be bitter or angry because of my past sins and realize i am forgiven, I see many angry very judgmental Catholics who are very self righteous including myself, I do not want to be like this, just after two cds it is as if a weight has been lifted off of me, so to speak but i will take into consideration the comment above that he may twist words, after hooking me in once again, so to speak. I am keeping an open mind in hopes it is not too open. thank you both

      • Tony says:

        Susan Marie:

        Like you, I really like listening to Joseph Prince. Unfortunately, he’s a false teacher… so, no matter how many true things he says, we need to avoid taking his words as a clear reflection of the gospel. Like you, I recognize that Catholicism has many flaws, and that some of what it taught is false.

        When Jesus died for you, He took the full penalty for all of the sins you would ever commit. You deserved judgment for them, but He canceled your debt. Your sins have been forgiven. HOWEVER: that does not mean that you’re going to Heaven. Jesus took all of the sins for all of the people, but not everyone will go to Heaven. We must each be born again, as Jesus describes in John 3.

        Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. That’s from 1 John 5 and is worth your consideration. Being a Christian has never been about going to the right church, or about simply believing the right things. It’s about following Jesus closely, obeying what He commanded, and being made new by God Himself. The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer, convicts us of sin, and guides us into truth. Let me know if you have any questions. I want to be able to call you my sister in Christ!

  2. Fred says:

    Well written article, nice job.

    • susan marie says:

      As i sit here typing my first comment I wonder if Ya all, as J. Prince would say, lol,
      If someone is born and raised in a family where they never new Christ, the bible lets even say God, and throughout their live did good works
      or lets just say were almost Christ like, what would become of them in the afterlife, I feel as though in my renounced faith, especially in grade school teachings, we were told you burn in hell, or don’t go to heaven etc etc, of course it was a pretty strict school, where the nuns would rub my eyes insisting i had mascara on, and mascara was like the antichrist,
      anyhow i just wondered what would become of that person, I would like to think they would be okay and get to know Jesus, or God when they die,
      Before listening to J. Prince, i did give my daughter this advice
      if you can’t accept Jesus, Mary or even Joseph,
      best believe there is a God and believe it to however you wish
      that their are many religions out there and Catholics are not the only ones in a place called heaven. Believe it with all of your heart as it was said, “my house has many rooms” or something along those lines,

      • Tony says:

        Susan Marie:

        Your question is a good one, and a common one. There are conflicting answers (of course) among followers of Jesus. One group says that, to be saved, one must know about Jesus and hear the gospel as spelled out in the New Testament and accept everything that it says… or you can’t be saved. The other group says that, to be saved, one doesn’t need to have heard about Jesus at all.

        I’m in the second group, for several reasons. First, none of those who died before Jesus was born had an opportunity to hear about Jesus, to learn the end of the gospel, or accept what Jesus taught. If the first group is right, all of those people will be in Hell. That, of course, makes no sense. Then we have to think about all of the people who lived and died without meeting a Christian or reading a Bible… billions of people. Right? They would be condemned for never hearing the gospel, which is a dumb idea.

        We know that God will do what is right. We know that however He judges, He will be just. It would be unjust to judge someone for what they do not know.

        Jesus said that the Father draws all people to Himself. Paul said that we are Christ’s ambassadors, speaking on His behalf… and what is our message? We’re to BEG people, if necessary, to be reconciled to God. Reconciliation is the thing… those who are reconciled to God will be saved. So: if the Father draws us to Himself, and if the goal is reconciliation, God must be able to reconcile to Himself those who have never heard the gospel.

        That’s where I stand on the issue. It seems the only biblical response to the question of what God will do with people who never hear the gospel. Everyone will have the opportunity to say YES to God, or to reject Him. That response determines where we will spend eternity.

        Have you been born again, Susan Marie?

  3. Jim says:

    You say:
    “Reading 1 Corinthians 11:27-34 shows believers who got sick, and even died, from drinking judgment on themselves during communion”.

    Where they believers, those described in this verse?
    Wasnt it rather that they where partakers without beliefe that where the issue in this verse?

    • Tony says:

      Jim:

      Thanks for asking! Let’s look at several verses from 1 Corinthians 11, to make sure we get the context of what Paul wrote:

      So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

      When we read this section, we can see that these people were believers. The first parts may not make it clear, but the last parts do. Paul uses “we” and “ourselves” and, near the end, talks about not being condemned with the world. These distinctions show that it was the Christians in Corinth to whom Paul gave this warning.

      Does that make sense?

  4. Jim says:

    Thanks for your answer to my question. I agree in your statement that this verse are talking about people within the shurch.
    However when reading these verses i reflect on the disorderly manner he is adressing. The lack of regard towards the body of Christ. The eating and drinking is a proclamation of Christs death and they where supposed to do this together. It is the very purpose of the meal they where taking lightly on or missing out on. Thats why i suspect their faith was not connected to it, rather they ate the bread and drank from the cup just to fill their stomack.
    So there must be an order in this matter and done with right motives.

    • jD says:

      Actually Jim, in context, the scripture is dealing with neglecting the needier members among us. Paul is rebuking church members for stuffing their faces while the poor among them go hungry. It’s clearly talking about born again believers and how their fleshly behavior brings the judgment of God upon them
      I know what you’re doing because I’ve heard Joseph Prince do the same thing. He says these people weren’t true believers, and he says Ananias and Sapphira weren’t true believers. That is because he’s twisting the scriptures so he has to explain other scriptures away that clearly contradict what he’s teaching.

      • jmack7 says:

        the problem is so prevalent in assembly of God , foresqaure, most of pentecostals, charismatics and even mormons, even catholics and hindus other religions. Some of this founders are decieve and promote different teachings that is not biblical. God is the God of Order, Clarity and not confusions like this babling meaningless words. Me and my wife was introduce and taught in pentecostals teachings and now my wife every time i explain to her, she says always that is my genuine experience tongues but it’s not you can discern false from wrong base on the bible alone. i do not know what to tell her. And she sometimes teach this to other families and friends and kids.

  5. John Graham says:

    Wow… sounds like you love the Bible more than you do the Lord! Are you led of the Holy Spirit? Do you pray in tongues an without ceasing? Well, I’m going to pray you be released from a religious spirit, because your site reeks of it.

    • Tony says:

      Boy, John… you’ve got me nailed, all right. You sure showed me. I owe you one.

      Tell you what: if you want to have a REAL conversation, come back for more. Otherwise, go back to sleep.

    • Jerry says:

      And maybe you love your vain religion, more than the word of God.”in the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word became flesh and dwelt among men ” . The Lord and the word are one in the same. In fact, the written word is all we know about God. So thank God, for the older versions of the word of God.
      By the way, speaking in tongues in the way God’s word suggested it should be done is a good thing. But, as usual, Satan has also hijacked, and created a counterfeit to the speaking in tongues as well. Most of those who I have seen do it in the wrong way. I believe they are lead by seducing, demonic spirits. So let it be by two or three and let one interpret.

      • JD says:

        Hey Jerry, you said “So let it be by two or three and let one interpret.” That passage is dealing with giving messages in tongues in corporate worship settings. It has nothing to do with people personally praying, singing, and worshipping God in tongues. As a matter of fact, nearly every example in the Bible of people speaking in tongues is done in front of others with no interpretation. Why? Because they were personally praying, worshipping, and glorifying God. They were not speaking to the Church Body in a prophetic meeting where people were giving messages to the church. That one passage requiring interpretation when tongues are spoken as prophetic messages to the Church has been greatly misunderstand and misused by many people who simply do not understand the actual gift of tongues which is mainly for personal edification in worship and prayer.

    • jmack7 says:

      false speaking in tongues are not a genuine basis of truth and experiences you have, tongues are sign to those who do not believe, Jesus never taught this kinds of babbling words without meaning. there is always a purpose when the language of God is use biblically. i used to practice that what they imparted to me but this is wrong way. God spoke to these gallelians in the upper room what Jesus promise to recieve His Holy Spirit from Him. And they began to spoke in other tongues which is a language from heaven. And other people heard them they understand what they are saying not compare to this modern tongues believers. you can discern they are false it is so widespread lies of satan spirit to teach ignorant bible believers. we all have ignorant in some point but we have to search the scriptures and find the truth, Because Jesus hates lies.

  6. Sheryl Rayburn says:

    I am sorry you feel this way about Joseph Prince. Every preacher says something we are not going to like. It does say in the bible Matthew 7:5&6
    New King James Version
    5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
    6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. You probably are not perfect with what you say about the bible either. Don’t throw stones at someone if you have sinned yourself. And don’t write me in a E-Mail wanting to argue about this. God Bless you.

    • Tony says:

      Sheryl:

      I hope you have a sense of humor, because I’m about to make fun of you… just a little:

      I am sorry you feel this way about me. Every blogger says something we are not going to like.

      Aren’t YOU being a hypocrite? I’m not. Have you removed the plank from your own eye? I have. Are you perfect with what you say about the Bible? I’m not. Don’t throw stones at me if you have sinned yourself. And I’m not writing this in an email, I’m replying to the comment you left on my website.

      My opinion about Joseph Prince is just about as valuable as your opinion of me. I like him, but that’s not the point. The point is that he claims to preach the gospel, but deviates from the gospel in significant ways. Much of the New Testament was written to correct exactly that. I would love to be wrong about Joseph Prince, but I’m not. It makes me sad to write the truth about what he teaches.

      I understand that you might want to defend him. That’s perfectly fine. What you shouldn’t do is ignore serious errors in his teaching. You should know the gospel, and you should be able to point out those errors on your own. Ideally, every mature Christian would be able to spot the problems, and every less-mature Christian would have a relationship with a more-mature Christian with whom they could discuss those problems.

      You don’t sound willing to discuss this further, but I’ll be here if you change your mind. Have a great day!

  7. Ruth Copeland says:

    Should Christians speak in toungs?

    • Tony says:

      Ruth:

      Thanks for visiting, and thanks for your question. It seems like a strange question, but that may be because there’s so much awful teaching about tongues out there. Because the Bible should be the final word for our spiritual beliefs, it seems wise to take our instruction on tongues from the Bible… and specifically from the New Testament.

      Speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here’s what 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 says:

      There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

      Here are some of the things we know:

      We may be given more than one gift, and we may temporarily be given a gift for a specific occasion. We can’t exercise gifts we haven’t been given. The idea that every believer WILL speak in tongues – a common claim among Pentecostals – is unbiblical nonsense. We are to seek the gifts, but they are not to be used for our own benefit. There should be no chaos or confusion related to the exercise of the gifts… they can be misused.

      It seems clear that a believer who has been given the gift of tongues should use it to build up the church and serve others. As we see from Paul’s instructions about exercising our gifts, each gift can be misused… so, as with everything else in life, we can exercise our gifts wisely or unwisely. To answer your question: yes, a follower of Jesus who has been given the gift of tongues should speak in tongues.

      Does that make sense?

      • jmack7 says:

        when the perfect is come the in part will be done away. i am not talking about biblical tongues, i am talking about the tongues you are practicing in your congregation, it is not a genuine tongue that Christ gave in acts of the apostles. Now it is the Antichrist duplicate. we can discern tongues are real language like hebrews, chinese, etc. Like in the tower of babel in gen. 11. There is no tongues we can not identify if there is an interpreter in corinth. many people says its different but it is not, it is still the same tongues they speak, they are all langauges. its just different administration for cetain reason and certain purpose. we can quote and quote the bible verse by verse, but if you are not having the understanding or revelation from the Holy Spirit of Truth. we will not able to discern the truth. that is why some are still ignorant till we all come in the unity of the faith to become matured man completely by rightly dividing the word of truth.

        • I'm Right Your Wrong says:

          Some people aren’t perfect yet huh? I’ve never seen a worse explanation of biblical tongues given in my entire life. The Bible never says they are earthly languages. That is only assumed by some because on the day of Pentecost all the different nationalities present were hearing the tongues in their own foreign languages. It never even says the disciples spoke in those foreign languages. It says there was a miracle in the hearing where everyone present was hearing the strange babbling in their own language at the same time. It was a much greater miracle than we even give it credit for being. Paul said that no man understands them, unless of course they are given supernatural understanding or interpretation from the Spirit.
          “For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” (1 Corinthians 14:2, NASB)

          Regardless of who’s right or wrong about tongues, it is almost hilarious how we act like we have a corner market on the truth and assume everybody else is wrong because they haven’t matured yet. We assume we’re right and claim Revelation from the Spirit of Truth and think everyone else who disagrees with us just hasn’t matured yet. Yeah that’s it, LOL.

      • Ruth Copeland says:

        Thank you so very much. Yes that makes perfect sense.

  8. jmack7 says:

    ignorance in part till we all come in the unity of the faith ephe.4:13 i like this verse.

  9. Razzy says:

    My back was hurting really badly from waking up wrong for weeks, I went to the chiropractor which actually made the pain worse. One day I heard in the Spirit to take communion and after the first second and third day. The pain was gone completely. That’s been over a year now.

    • Tony says:

      Razzy:

      I’m pleased to hear that your back pain is gone! That’s not a problem.

      A very specific kind of problem often accompanies stories like yours. I have no doubt that you’re telling the truth, of course. The problem is NOT what you said. It’s what Joseph Prince said. You see, you can testify about what happened to you. We all can. What Prince has done is to tell everyone that what happened to you will also happen to them. That’s not usually the way things work.

      We hear lots of stories of healing, and that’s good. Telling someone that they will be healed is often a SERIOUS problem. God decides who will be healed, and who will not. God will not heal everyone… if God healed everyone, nobody would ever die. Right?

      Like I said: I’m glad that your back has been healed. I’m not glad that Joseph Prince has suggested that taking communion regularly is “the way to receive health.” That’s both unbiblical and incredibly problematic.

  10. jj says:

    Oh brother ..

  11. Jeane B. Lee says:

    Do you have a list of teachers and preachers who stick to what the Bible says?

  12. Wolf says:

    Joseph Princes teaching on community is totally scriptural and very misleading. It’s just another example of how little this man really understands what is written in God’s word. A very good friend of mine is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. After listening to Joseph Prince he and his wife are taking communion every single day but to now effect. His condition has only gotten worse. Community is not a drug that cures our sickness. Community is a meal that unites the family of believers in Christ and that points towards the cross. Community is not a drug. Community is about christian unity in Jesus. Joseph Princes teaching has been so strongly effected by Roman Catholic doctrines but since his followers are so illiterate in scripture they follow his words without seeking the truth in scripture. When my aunt (a roman catholic) was dying she was terrified about death. So the priest came to her house every day and gave her communion. That eased her conscience for 5 short minutes and after that the fear was back again. That happened day after day until she died in great fear. Communion had no power to remove that fear in her life. It is the same with sickness. Communion has no magical power to heal our diseases. Joseph Princes teaching is very misleading that is not based on scripture.

    • Tony says:

      Thanks, Wolf. Isn’t it amazing how many false teachings sound suspiciously like magic? “Drink this. Eat that. It’ll all be fine.” “Say these words and your problems will disappear.” “Give me money and God will bless you.”

      It’s shameful.

  13. Jeane says:

    So true, I had a friend who watch Andrew Womack with promises galore about giving and you will be set free, etc. My friend, Ken, was always questioning himself – why he was not healed of his emotional problems. He always blamed himself.

  14. Dee says:

    You want the truth…you want a teacher who preaches true scripture not another gospel then you want Kevin LA Euing. This man is truly sent by God! Watch one sermon and you will be shocked that he preaches the exact word of God! So refreshing!

    • Tony says:

      Dee:

      Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I can’t agree with you that Keven LA Ewing is one who teaches true Scripture. He teaches deliverance from the ‘spirit of poverty, debt, and financial difficulty.’ There’s nothing in the Bible to suggest such a thing. He teaches that because certain people in the Bible had dreams that came from God, we too should analyze our dreams for messages from God. This doesn’t match what the Bible says at all. Here’s an interesting quote from Ewing:

      The spirit world would also have to achieve our cooperation or agreement to begin the process of manifestation of what was conceived in the spirit realm. Therefore, if you have had dreams where you saw yourself spending monies lavishly. Then your dream is revealing that you’re spending your spiritual blessing which would automatically indicate that there will be a financial lack for you in the natural realm.

      This isn’t Scriptural. It’s superstition. Ewing shares this idea with Word of Faith teachers, who claim that physical realities simply express spiritual realities… so if you’re rich in the spirit world, you simply need to manifest that wealth in the physical by agreeing with the spirit world, speaking words of faith. That’s the same lie told a million times by false teachers. More:

      What about dreams where you’ve lost a significant amount of money or dreams where some stranger is giving you old dirty money or funds of different nations in a disorganized order. Again, these are all signs and actions of evil spirits, specifically the spirit of poverty attempting to introduce confusion, disorder and ultimately financial losses to your life.

      Again, there’s nothing like this in the Bible… anywhere. No, I don’t believe that Kevin LA Ewing is a reliable Bible teacher. I would recommend that you begin a study of your own to check what he says, and what I say, against what God has said in the New Testament. Let me know how I can help.

  15. Shaedyn Premchund says:

    I didn’t come to disagree with you,, but say thank you for the amazing content. I love and support what you’re doing by warning people from these false teachers. Thank you 🙂

  16. William says:

    Really good article. So many preachers mix a little poison with the truth. People are lost, searching for the truth, only to go to the internet and utube to find hundreds of teachers, all preaching a different way to salvation. Many preach, “you are saved at the cross—but”. Then they each add their condition after the “but”.

    1 Cor. 15: 1-4 is the formula for salvation. 1 John 5:13 says we can know we are saved. If salvation is recognizable, then how many good works is required on my part to convince me (and God) that I finally reached my quota? Where is the list of works that guarantees me I can finally rest assured I am saved?

    Prince teaches “faith alone”, and then strays from Biblical truth on other doctrines. People need to be warned that Prince is inconsistent on his teachings. Paul and Jesus warned us of the false teachers to come. Utube and internet have fulfilled that warning by spreading the false teachings all over the world, confusing even the elite if possible.

  17. Ruth Copeland says:

    Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 10: 9-10 these scriptures say it all.

    • Tony says:

      I’m not sure what you mean, Ruth. Those verses are in your Bible, and in my Bible, and in Joseph Prince’s Bible. I’m pretty sure you and I agree that they’re true, and I would guess the same for Prince. The question is why you thought they would add to this particular conversation. Are you saying that as long as someone is saved, the rest of what they believe doesn’t matter? What am I missing?

  18. Ruth Copeland says:

    The conversation was about how one is saved the verses we’re to agree with on how one is saved anything else that you are trying to imply is foolishness to me. For if you are truly saved the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth. I’m learning a lot from the Holy Spirit one thing He’s been teaching me is to not judge others for God Almighty is the righteous Judge and to pray for them. I will be keeping my opinions to myself from now on. Be Blessed and at Peace 🙏🏽

    • Tony says:

      Ruth:

      No, please don’t keep your opinions to yourself! You’re welcome here. I simply wanted to understand what you meant.

      With respect, we agree that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth… but the reality is that He doesn’t lead everyone into all truth at the same time, or at the same rate. Otherwise, every person who has been born again would believe exactly the same things, and they would all be true. Clearly, that’s not what we see in the New Testament, and that’s not what we see in our own lives. The New Testament is chock full of warnings about those who would teach contrary to the gospel that was once handed down, and it seems wise to heed those warnings and respond appropriately.

      Can we agree?

  19. Ruth Copeland says:

    Yes I agree with you completely. But I’m still going to heed the warning of the Holy Spirit for my life and that is to pray for the misguided and for the teachers who teach our brethren lies. I believe that people who teach things other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ really believe what they’re saying and Father God will reveal to them the truth. He did it with Paul so He knows how to take care of the teacher and the misinformed. I also believe we should reach out to people like Pastor Prince and reason with him instead of calling out his errors. That’s just my opinion. Well anyway thanks so much for reaching out to me I guess I misunderstood what the conversation was.

  20. Clifford Perkins says:

    A false teacher is someone who preaches any gospel other than the one that says Jesus Christ is the son of the living God. Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation. Is this the gospel preached by Pastor Joseph Prince? ABSOLUTELY! In fact, you will hear and learn more about Jesus by listening to Joseph Prince sermons than you ever could by attending seminary which only churns out robots spouting the steps to this or that, only using the name Jesus at the end of a prayer but never mentioning His name in their sermons. If Jesus is the One thing necessary then why aren’t pastors making Him the most important thing in their sermons? If a pastor did nothing more than repeat the precious name of Jesus over and over for a whole hour it would touch more peoples hearts than hearing about the 12 steps to fix your marriage. You want to fix your marriage? Or anything else messed up in your life? Put Jesus in the middle of it. Make Him the most important thing in your life. To do that, you need to learn about Him, get to know Him, and trust in Him. How do you learn, know, and trust Jesus? By hearing about Him. Every sermon by Joseph Prince is about learning, getting to know and trust Jesus. His sermons are always about Jesus. So, if you want to know who is a false teacher, it is anyone that attacks Joseph Prince.

    • Tony says:

      Clifford:

      Thanks for taking part in the conversation! A few thoughts in response:

      • Joseph Prince says many things that are true. Assuming you read the article above, you know that my criticisms are not based in disliking him. They’re based solely on false things that he’s said, and continues to say. The problem isn’t the true things Prince says, of course… but only the false.
      • The gospel is more than that Jesus is the son of the living God. If that were it, we wouldn’t need most of the New Testament.
      • Your comments about seminary are too general to be considered trustworthy. Honestly, you only sound angry here, not thoughtful.
      • We agree that most sermons, if not all sermons, should be about Jesus. However: when people say that Jesus is the Son of God, and then say a bunch of things after that which contradict Scripture, is simply naming the name of Jesus enough? One would think it preferable to ONLY say things that are true, and not overlook the falsehoods.

      A funny thing happened when you wrote to me, Clifford. You attacked me for attacking Joseph Prince. Now, I didn’t attack him. I pointed to things he’s said that are unbiblical. It hasn’t escaped notice that you didn’t defend any of the false things he said… you only applauded him for the good things. Credit where credit is due, but do you really think that he’s never been wrong?

      Come on, sir. You can do better. Do you really think that it’s God’s will that all Christians should be healthy and wealthy? Do you agree with his definition of faith? Do you really believe that communion is the cure for diseases?

  21. Terri Palmer says:

    I just stumbled upon Joseph Prince while flipping through TV channels and I immediately Googled him which led me to your website. Some great stuff here! *Bookmarked* in my favorites. Thank you for keeping it real for the love of God’s Word! Nicely done!

  22. Jim Faubel says:

    There are alot of false teaching going on. And I beleave the Bible talks about this. Follow GOD and his words. The BIBLE TEACHES THE TRUTH. For there is sin in all of us. That is why JESUS died for are sins. The BIBLE IS ALSO ARE SAVIOR.

    • Tony says:

      Jim:

      It’s NOT a good idea to describe the Bible as our savior. The Bible is NOT our savior, but it tells us about Jesus, who is.

  23. Jim Faubel says:

    Talk the words in the BIBLE. THAT IS THE TRUTH.Do not add words to the words in the BIBLE. THAT is FALSE TEACHING. ARE BIBLE IS THE TRUTH. YOU CAN’T GO WRONG SPEAKING THE WORDS IN THE BIBLE.

  24. Peng Star Bumiputera says:

    To each his own ! Joseph Prince is human, like all of us but we all have the Christ Principle residing within.

    • Tony says:

      Um… no. Yes, Joseph Prince is human. No, there’s no “Christ Principle,” and nothing like that resides in us. No, it’s not “to each his own.” If that were the case, Jesus wouldn’t have corrected the Pharisees and scribes, and nobody in the Bible would have ever suggested that false prophets and false teachers are a problem. Joseph Prince is a false teacher, and that IS a problem. “To each his own” is a pretty dumb way of saying that nothing actually matters.

  25. Binoy says:

    Joseph prince is a false prophet. It’s very clear if you know the scripture.
    Just by looking at his lifestyle you can see he serves money but not God!
    “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
    ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬
    I can’t believe these kind of preachers have no shame preaching about a saviour who was born in a manger and died on a rugged cross, when they live such luxurious life in a world where millions die of hunger and poverty!

  26. Cheryl Lee says:

    [Editor’s Note]: While I appreciate seeing resources that might help establish whether someone is a false teacher, there are many resources that I cannot publish. I have very high standards for what constitutes a false teacher, and will not compromise those standards. If anyone has resources they want to share, please email me directly. Thanks!

    • Tony says:

      Cheryl Lee:

      Thank you VERY much for sharing this link with me. I’ve watched the video, and it led me to another helpful resource. Unfortunately, the video you shared seems preliminary… that is, it casts doubt on someone’s teaching without actually providing factual information that anyone can use to see that it’s true. For that reason, I can’t share it. I hope you understand, and that you understand that I sincerely do appreciate your help!

  27. Born Again says:

    If you cherry pick the bible, it can mean whatever you want it to mean. It’s really sad and disheartening what self righteous Christians are becoming.

    You want verses here you go:

    “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” — Matthew 7:3

    “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

    Instead of nit picking and focusing on the bad, why not the good? Instead of judging others, why not you yourself expand the kingdom of God? If you’re looking for a pastor who’s perfect, there’s no church to goto. Be better. I pray for you… in Jesus name!

    • Tony says:

      Dear Born Again:

      First, I hope you get this message. Your website is now offline, so I doubt it. Yes, we should focus mostly on the good. Here’s a verse that agrees with the point you’re making:

      Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

      That’s from Philippians 4. However, that’s not the only thing we find in Scripture. We also find a whole bunch of stuff like this, which speaks about false teachers:

      For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

      That’s from Titus 1. Same Bible. One is pretty positive, the other is pretty negative. I’m sure you’d agree that obeying what God says in the Scriptures isn’t nitpicking.

      Maybe this is the only GodWords article you’ve read. Maybe you assume that the whole website, with hundreds of articles, is simply pointing to bad things. Maybe you don’t realize that I’ve only been writing about false teachers for a very short time, and that there are only a handful of articles on that subject. The rest are basically my responses to people asking me questions, and me encouraging them to study the Bible for themselves. Maybe your critical, judgmental message was written on a bad day. I’m not sure why you would write to criticize me because I wrote some criticisms of my own, but let’s not pretend that you haven’t done exactly what you’re accusing me of doing. Thanks for praying for me, Born Again. Have a great day!

  28. Nolo says:

    Ohhh I’m so BLESSED by His teachings may GOD CONTINUALLY BLESS AND REVEAL THE TRUTH TO PASTOR JOSEPH PRINCE.THE LORD JESUS SAID MY SHEEP KNOW MY VOICE AND THE VOICE OF A STRANGER WILL NOT FOLLOW.
    TO PASTOR PRINCE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK WE LOVE YOU

    • Tony says:

      Nolo:

      I’m very happy to hear that God has used Joseph Prince to bless you. I too pray that God will bless him by revealing Himself, and the truth, to him. I too hope that he keeps up the good work… but I pray that he will repent from teaching unbiblical ideas and teach only that which matches what God has already said. Shouldn’t we ALL want those things?

  29. Sheryl Rayburn says:

    Every body reads the bible differently. No we are not in poverty. If you think about it we are rich because we have Jesus in are heart mind and soul. You don’t have to quote the bible all the time just to get someone to understand all about Jesus. Jesus is love who is there for us all the time. Even if some of us don’t have a lot of money Jesus will provide us with what ever we need. I will waste your time. I quote things about Jesus to people that isn’t in the bible. I just explain Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We need him in our lives before it is to late. I will quote Proverbs 3:5&6 Trust in the Lord with all your Heart Lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Maybe some people go by what God puts in there hearts to say to there church people. Please don’t write me back with a argument over this. God Bless you.

    • Tony says:

      Sheryl:

      It may be true that everybody reads the Bible differently, but that doesn’t mean that all ideas are of equal value. I’m sure you would agree with that. Some ideas simply contradict what the Bible says. If the Bible is true, then those ideas must be false. If what we believe matters, then it’s important that we’re able to tell which ideas are true and which are not… and the way to see if something is unbiblical is to know what the Bible says. It’s really that simple.

      The idea that God will provide what we need is biblical. That’s in Philippians 4. The idea that Jesus wants every Christian to be financially rich is not… yet that’s what most Word of Faith teachers will tell you. If they “just read the Bible differently,” is that okay? I wouldn’t think so.

      Don’t get me wrong: if you belong to Jesus, you belong to me. That we’re not 100% on the same page doesn’t mean you’re not precious to me. Let me know if there’s any way I can help you. Have a great day!

  30. samuel says:

    IF by grace then it is no longer works otherwise grace is not grace. This is from Paul. I do not doubt that the Bible also teach efforts and works in the new testament. How then do we reconcile the seemingly contradicting teaching? U cannot save yourself by both grace and law, It is either.. Make your choice… For me (as well as majority of believers I Believe), the answer is very clear isn’t it? Unless you can save yourself by the works of some law, of not then pls don’t be a hypocrite. For me works can only be fruits…. so that all glory goes to God. U guys can go on and on to debate about law works and grace, it is a total waste of time! I have gone through that exercise thousands of times

    • Tony says:

      Samuel:

      I’m not sure I can see what point you’re trying to make. Nobody here has yet denied that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not of works. Nobody here has yet debated anything about works and grace. What are you trying to say?

  31. Retep Nosredna says:

    The power of life and death is out of the tongue. Confess your sins one to another (if you have wronged one another) so that you may be healed (make amends).
    Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
    In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.(Reign in life, now) Just some things to chew on. No criticism.

    • Tony says:

      Peter:

      Thanks for sharing! It’s important to study the Scriptures, and you’ve shared important passages. The problem isn’t with God’s Word, of course. The problems begin when people misunderstand or twist God’s Word. I’m sure you would agree. Your Bible and my Bible and Joseph Prince’s Bible say the same words. Where we differ is in how we interpret them… what we say AFTER reading them. When we draw conclusions that go beyond the text (or contradict it), our conclusions are wrong. Here are two examples:

      The power of life and death is in the tongue.
      THEREFORE, the words of any believer can kill or give life to themselves or another.
      No, this is clearly not what Proverbs 18:21 means. The words are right, but the conclusion is wrong. No matter how much faith you have, your words cannot kill me. You can’t create a universe with your words. Words do have some effect, obviously… but the Word of Faith teaching is unbiblical and false.

      Confess your sins one to another so that you may be healed.
      THEREFORE, confessing your sins is making amends.
      No, this is clearly not what James 5:16 means. The context has to do with people being sick, not with reconciliation between believers.

      I appreciate that you wrote “no criticism.” That’s kind. I hope you don’t consider my disagreement with you to be unkindness on my part, as that’s not my intention. I want to be kind to you, so I want to help you. Let me encourage you to be more like the Bereans in Acts 17, and to double-check what ANYBODY says about God’s Word. Anybody, of course, includes Joseph Prince, and me… and yourself, of course. We should always study the Bible to double-check what we believe.

      What are your thoughts?

  32. Nkamare Samuel says:

    Joseph Prince is a TRUE man of God! You are only blind to see the God in him.

    • Tony says:

      Nkamare:

      Thank you for visiting. If you have been born again, the Holy Spirit dwells in you… as He does in every believer. Neither you nor I have the ability to know whether anyone, including Joseph Prince, has been born again. We may see evidence, and we may believe it strongly, but we cannot know. That’s why I’m uncomfortable writing about people like Prince. It would be easy if I knew he wasn’t saved, but I can’t know that.

      All I have to judge him by are his words and his actions. When his words contradict what God has said, or when he goes beyond Scripture to teach things that simply aren’t there, it would be irresponsible for you and me to ignore it. If you have evidence that I’ve misunderstood what Joseph Prince teaches, please show me. Calling me “blind” isn’t evidence, of course. It’s simply an insult. When people ask whether Joseph Prince is a false teacher, do you think I should tell them that it doesn’t matter?

  33. D Diddy says:

    Philippians 1:18-22 NIV
    But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

    • Tony says:

      D Diddy:

      Thanks for quoting Scripture! A lot of people simply share their opinions without thinking about how God has addressed these issues.

      Here’s a thought for you to consider: not everybody who preaches about Christ is actually – using Paul’s words – preaching Christ. There’s no question that some preach falsely, right? That’s obviously not what Paul is defending here. He’s not saying that it doesn’t matter what we preach about Christ. He’s saying that as long as the true gospel is being preached, he doesn’t care about the motives of the preacher.

      To carry Paul’s analogy further, let’s apply it to you and me and Joseph Prince. If Joseph Prince preaches the true gospel – the one we find taught by Jesus and His disciples – but does it to get rich, then we shouldn’t care about Prince’s motives. We should care that the true gospel is being preached.

      The defining factor here isn’t someone’s motives. I don’t know Prince’s motives, and neither do you. We only have his words, and his words do not match what God has already said in His Word. THAT is what matters. I wish it weren’t true, but Joseph Prince mixes lies with truth… and that makes him a false teacher.

      What do you think? Does it matter what we say about Christ, or does it only matter that we say “Christ” when we preach?

  34. JDean says:

    Great answer. That is an important thing to consider. Some were repeating what Paul was saying to get him in trouble, because they didn’t believe it. That is what he meant that they are preaching it insincerely to increase his persecution. They were repeating what he was saying. They weren’t preaching a different Jesus as some others were. He says elsewhere that if they preach a different Jesus to have nothing to do with them.
    Anybody preaching that God is a means to gain in this world, doesn’t understand the gospel yet.

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