WHAT ARE BILL JOHNSON’S HERESIES? TO THOSE THE CHRISTIAN ANIMAL MEME PAGE THAT DEFENDING BILL JOHNSON. YOU JUST DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, SO IF YOU UNSURE WHETHER YOU DEFENDING A HERETIC, HOW ABOUT BE A BEREANS AND COMPARE THE BETHEL DOCTRINE WITH THE SCRIPTURE?!
Bill Johnson is a heretic at all is being questioned. Bill Johnson seriously needs to be tested against the Scripture like the Bereans.
These are what Bethel Bill Johnson teaches!
Kenosis
The Kenosis heresy teaches that Jesus set aside His divinity while on Earth. According to this doctrine, Jesus was no longer divine from His birth to His ascension. Bill Johnson has promoted this heresy in Face to Face with God on page 108. He said,
“Jesus set aside His divinity, choosing instead to live as a man completely dependent on God.”
Truth is, if Jesus set aside His divinity and became a man, Jesus would have been nothing more than a man. This is not the only time that Johnson promoted Kenosis. In chapter 7 of When Heaven Meets Earth, Johnson claimed,
“[Jesus] laid His divinity aside as He sought to fulfill the assignment given to Him by the Father.”
To claim that Jesus put His divinity aside while on Earth brings another Gospel. If Jesus was not divine when He died on the Cross, then He would not have been a sufficient sacrifice. In that case His death would be in vain and so would our faith. Instead, Jesus is treated like God while He is on Earth. He received worship (John 20:28, Matthew 2:2, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 28:9), claimed to be God (John 5:18, John 8:24, John 8:58), and did things only God could do all while on Earth (Matthew 9:2, Mark 2:5, 1 Peter 2:22).
Osteenism
Johnson has also taught the false gospel of Osteenism, more commonly called the Prosperity Gospel. The Prosperity Gospel teaches that health, wealth, and prosperity are promises of salvation or obedience. In a 2013 article entitled Courage to Leave a Legacy, Johnson wrote,
“Our connection with God is obviously the source of all blessing, prosperity and goodness in our lives. We make our way prosperous through obedience because when we do what He asks us to do, we strengthen our connection with the source of life.”
I would remind Bill that the most obedient person of the Bible was a poor carpenter who was brutally crucified, and someone who was called the greatest person born of a normal birth (Matthew 11:11) was a nomad who lived in the desert, wore camel hair for clothing, ate locusts and honey, and had his head cut off for his obedience.
Throughout the Bible, we see James get beheaded, Stephen get stoned, and the number of people who have gotten sick appear to pile up: Timothy, Epaphroditus, Trophimus, and even possibly Paul himself. However, that does not stop Johnson from saying Jesus died for our physical healing. In an article entitled Is It Always God’s Will to Heal Someone?, Johnson claims,
“When He bore stripes in His body He made a payment for our miracle.”
Retanism
There is another false teaching out there pushed by people such as Kenneth Copeland and Joyce Meyer that teaches that Jesus was born again. I called this teaching “Retanism”, and if it was a civil crime to preach it then Bill Johnson would be found guilty. In one sermon (Which has been reviewed on Chris Rosebrough’s Fighting for the Faith), Johnson can be quoted as saying,
“So [Jesus] was born through Mary, the Virgin, and then he was born again in the resurrection.”
Jesus was not born again because He did not need to be Born Again. He did not have a sinful nature and He, though tempted, did not desire to rebel against God. He was not dead in trespasses and sins, so He did not need to be made alive. However, Bill Johnson says Jesus was born again in many places, including in a video, where he asks, “Did you know that Jesus was born again?”
Kenyonism
The Kenyonist heresy, which is more commonly known as the Word of Faith heresy, states that our words have supernatural power akin to that of God when He spoke the world into existence. It states that just like God created with His words, we can create things with our words. In a video (Time: 59:48), Johnson teaches people how to do faith healing (Something that never had to be taught to those who could do it in the Bible). He says,
“As you’re praying over them, command now the spirit of affliction, ‘Loose that hip, in Jesus’ name.’ Command it gone. Just speak health into that hip. Some actually need a creative miracle. There’s degenerative condition in the joint. So the worlds were made when God spoke them into being, so speak to that new hip.”
This heresy not only elevates man but actually leads to a lower view of God. We do not have the power to speak things into existence.
Montanism
Bill Johnson preaches the heresy of the Montanists, which is that prophecy is still being given and the canon of Scripture is either incomplete or insufficient. Johnson often claims prophecy in visions. In one article on his site, he teaches people how to receive prophecy (Note: The prophets never had to be taught how to receive prophecy). He instructs readers,
“Ask Him specifically to minister to you in the night through visions and dreams. Once you have a dream or vision, write it out, and ask Him for understanding.”
In a YouTube video, the Montanism that Johnson teaches is taken to its logical conclusion. He says,
“It’s difficult to expect the same fruit of the early church when we value a book they didn’t have more than the Holy Spirit they did have. It’s not Father, Son and Holy Bible.”
To claim the Early Church did not have the Bible is almost as false as this diminishing of the authority of Scripture is blasphemous. And yet this is the low view of Scripture that Montanism leads to. He even goes as far as to teach that all Christians have the ability to prophesy. In a sermon clip entitled “All Must Prophesy”, he said,
“All of the people of God [are] carrying prophetic anointing.”
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:29 (ESV), “Are all prophets?” and in the Greek the language implies “No”.
Bill Johnson is a dangerous heretic false teacher. No matter how many times his heresies are whitewashed, they will still stand and he will still be guilty of them unless he repents. One may say that they are simply doing Christianity different than the rest of us, but I would argue that Nadab and Abihu were only doing Judaism different from the Israelites, and, “fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them.” (Leviticus 10:2, ESV).
Bethel teach a false gospel and a false Jesus and a false view of Scripture. They offer up unauthorized fire. Look, the sole authority here is not determined by my words or your words, or anyone else but by the authority of the Bible. As it is written in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ' All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.' If any teaching deviates from the truth of God's Word, be it me or you or bill johnson then it is rightly biblical to identified as heresy, then the person is a heretic as defined by the Scriptures. They are to be rebuked and separated from, not endorsed, commended, whitewashed, and visited.
The term heretic and heresy is most commonly used by both camp of Classical Arminian and Calvinist and some of whom uses it simply dont know what they are talking about or simply ignorant of the Bible.
In the Christian and biblical context, heresy has a specific meaning related to beliefs that deviate from core Christian doctrines. Here's a breakdown:
Heresy:
Definition: A belief or teaching that contradicts the central tenets of Protestant Christianity as defined by a broader Christian Classical Arminian and Calvinist tradition.
Focus: Heresy emphasizes the content of the belief. It's about ideas that undermine core Christian teachings like the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, or salvation by grace. For example Bill Johnson denied Jesus divinity while on earth and this is one of his heretical teaching.
Impact: Heresy can be seen as disruptive to the Biblical truth of the scripture
Heretic:
Definition: A person who holds or promotes heretical beliefs.
Intentionality: There's often a distinction between someone who simply misunderstands Christian teachings and someone who deliberately promotes heretical views.
Further Context Example:
Classical Arminan teaching vs Calvinist teaching is not considered by vice versa camp as heretical since both adhere primary doctrine. Both may have disagreement but it dont fit to be labeled as heresy.
Note:
The Bible itself does mention the presence of false teachings and the importance of sound doctrine (e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:19, Galatians 5:20).
The Bible encourages believers to address false teachings and promote sound doctrine with humility and love and publically. In Galatians 6:1-2, it says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Similarly, Jude 1:22-23 advises, "Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."
It is important approaching those who promote heretical teachings with compassion, seeking to restore them gently and with humility. However, it's essential to remember that our ultimate authority lies in the truth of Scripture.
When individuals within the Christian community, such as Classical Arminians and Calvinists, accuse each other of teaching heresy due to differences in their secondary Protestant Christian doctrine, it's essential for both parties to engage in a thorough examination of Scripture. Too often, theological disagreements lead to the reckless use of terms like "heretic" or "heresy," without due consideration of biblical principles such as love, humility, and unity.
Both Classical Arminians and Calvinists would benefit from reflecting on the teachings of Jesus found in Matthew 5:22, where he warns against the dangers of anger and contemptuous speech.
Similarly, Ephesians 4:2-3 exhorts believers to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving towards one another, making every effort to maintain unity in the Spirit through peace. This passage underscores the need for humility and understanding in our interactions, especially when discussing matters of doctrine that may lead to disagreement.
Instead of hastily branding each other as heretics, Christians, whether Classical Arminians or Calvinists, should approach theological differences with humility, seeking to understand each other's perspectives and engaging in respectful dialogue. Romans 14:1 encourages believers to accept one another without quarreling over disputable matters of faith.
Ultimately, the authority in matters of faith and doctrine rests with the Word of God. Therefore, when disagreements arise, both Classical Arminians and Calvinists should turn to Scripture for guidance and allow its truth to shape their understanding and interactions with one another. By doing so, they can foster a spirit of unity and mutual respect within the body of Christ, even amidst theological diversity, while reserving the terms "heretic" and "heresy" for those who teach doctrines that clearly contradict orthodox Protestant Christian beliefs.
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