About KennethCopelandBlog.com
The premise behind KennethCopelandBlog.com is exactly what the byline says at the top of every page: My family and I, and those who work with us in ministry, are calling on the man (Kenneth Copeland), his family, and ministry, to simply repent. As you proceed through this blog’s articles and videos—which begins on the Table of Contents page—you will readily see the redemption-focused nature of our efforts.
Further, since we have actually known and worked with Kenneth Copeland personally, our insights into his ministry and practices makes this public rebuke far different that those of others on the Internet.
To learn more about this website’s primary author beyond that which is already revealed within the text and videos of this blog, review my personal ministry blog at RichVermillion.com.
Finally: No contact information is given within this blog. This is because we do not particularly want to be contacted regarding Kenneth Copeland or the issues we are bringing public. We would prefer to simply state our case (here and/or in the media) and then move on with other forms of productive ministry, rather than fielding ongoing questions from people merely curious about the Copelands or their behaviors. Thank you for understanding.
The “Convenient Doctrines” of Preachers in Sin
To continue our foundational teachings from the previous article post, let us now move beyond The Biblical Basis for This Public Rebuke and into a further study of some of the “Convenient Doctrines” often used by errant ministers to camouflage their sins and avoid public accountability.
In the following video teaching, I will address several commonly distorted biblical teachings:
Distorted “love,” “offense,” and “forgiveness” doctrines
Semi-heretical “touch not my anointed” teaching
Unbalanced “anti-strife” messages, actually taught with self-serving agendas
These distorted applications of Scripture are VERY common “convenient doctrines” among corrupt ministers within the Charasmatic-church in general—including within the Word of Faith movement. (They are also are ones typically relied upon by the Copelands in particular.)
So to pick up from slightly before where the last article’s video left off, let us now continue in our review of “convenient doctrines” propagated by preachers in sin. I will then continue from there in the text below with an explosé of another Bible topic often distorted by corrupt preachers:
Judge Not?
Another commonly-twisted teaching—partially-based on passages taken out of their biblical context—is that of “judge not.” In fact, Christians often can be found saying, “Who am I to judge? That’s God’s job alone.” Well, is that true? Not hardly, as we will now see…
Jesus told us:
Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously. (John 7:24, AMP, emphasis added)
Notice: Jesus told us TO JUDGE others… and then simply instructed us to not do so superficially (i.e. without reasonable investigation). Further, Jesus told us to judge the nature of a tree, by first judging the quality of its fruit:
Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. (Matthew 12:33, AMP, emphasis added. See also Luke 6:41-49.)
I have heard people say, “Well, the Bible tells me not to judge others…but it DOES tell me to be a fruit inspector!” While I am pleased such people are pointed in the right general direction, they actually need to look up the dictionary definition of “to judge” because you judge fruit when you inspect them (as the passage above clearly articulates). Jesus told us we determine the nature of the tree (and thus, judge the tree) by first examining their fruit. Clearly, Jesus expects us to judge others. Further Paul wrote:
But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-not even to eat with such a person.
For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-14, NKJV)
Notice, Paul clearly told believers to judge others who claim to be Christians by their “fruit” and to avoid those who are immoral. In fact, how can we “put away” such people from our company if we do not first determine (i.e. judge) that they are factually immoral, and take action accordingly?
Paul goes on to tell us in the passage above that it is ONLY the unbelievers who are alone God’s responsibility to judge. We are SUPPOSED to judge those within the Church who display poor character and wicked behavior. I find it remarkable that Christians often display a pharisaical/judgmental attitude toward those who have never accepted Jesus as their Savior, but then refuse to properly judge and avoid people within the Church who are similarly depraved. My brothers and sisters, this is backwards!
Again, Paul wrote, “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘put away from yourselves the evil person.’” We are not only supposed to judge those within the Church who claim to be Christians and yet demonstrate immoral character…we are actually supposed to avoid associating with such people. Paul elaborated elsewhere concerning this practice:
Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have received from us….
And as for you, brethren, do not become weary or lose heart in doing right [but continue in well-doing without weakening]. But if anyone [in the church] refuses to obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but simply admonish and warn him as [being still] a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 13-15, AMP)
We are not to “treat them as enemies” (i.e. with contempt and hostility), but to “admonish them as a brother” (i.e. exhort them towards repentance). Until he or she repents, however, they are to be isolated by the brethren “that they might be ashamed.” In other words:
There needs to be consequences for their immoral behavior,
that they may be ashamed for that behavior,
that they may come to a place of godly sorrow,
which then leads them to repentance (see 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, which I also explained in the previous post’s video).
By failing to apply such biblical censure and rebuke, the Body of Christ has actually aided and abetted the sins of others, rather than helping them to repent and become free:
…neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22b, KJV)
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. [or a better translation that is more accurate to the context would read, It is shameful to speak in secret about those things which are done by them.] But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:11-17, NKJV, emphasis added, with my own notes also in brackets)
Of Course, Hypocritical Judgement is Condemned
The Bible certainly does condemn a specific type of judgment, namely, that which is done in hypocrisy. In fact, that is what Jesus was specifically addressing when He made the statement, “Judge not!”:
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye”; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5, NKJV, emphasis added)
Notice what Jesus said: Get the plank out of your own eye FIRST, then you can see CLEARLY to remove the speck from your bothers. In other words, judge yourself before you judge others, lest you find yourself acting in hypocrisy. We are actually admonished by Jesus to help our brothers be free from their own “specks”, so long as we do not ignore our own “planks” in the process. Paul elaborated further on this principle in Romans chapter 2:
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things… And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: … For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:1, 3-6, 11, NKJV)
It is ONLY judgment formed in hypocrisy that the Bible condemns, and Paul wrote elsewhere that we are to judge ourselves first and foremost, if we want to avoid the judgement that our Father may bring if we fail to repent in time:
For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31-32, NKJV)
So my brothers and sisters, although the Copelands (or people on their behalves) would perhaps attempt to use the so-called “judge not” doctrines to cover for their sins, the fact remains that we are certainly to judge our brothers and sisters according to their actions (i.e. fruit) and hold them accountable when necessary. However, we need to judge ourselves to be sure we are not practicing the same sin and/or error FIRST, and then help them get free through the public censure and rebuke called for by Scripture.
For the Record
Moreover, I can with all clear conscience say that I have certainly judged myself beforehand concerning these sins and errors that I am exposing regarding the Copelands, because I realize that the same “measuring stick” I use regarding them will be applied to me in return (by them or by others) as Jesus told us in Matthew 7:1 above. Like the apostle Paul, I can claim with a pure conscience:
“Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” and “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 23:1 & 24:16, KJV)
I do not claim perfection (which nobody reading this article can either, of course). That is not Paul’s point above at all in the above passage, and neither is it mine. I (like Paul) am simply saying that I have endeavored to live a life pleasing to God, and in which—to the best of my ability—I have treated others with the same respect that I would like to received from them also.
Further, since I am in fact openly exposing the sins of the Copelands and publicly exposing their error (and thus, also clearing my name from association with them and their sin), I can also honestly proclaim as Paul did:
“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27, NKJV).
Again, I do NOT claim perfection, in either word or deed. I am still a “work in process” on the Lord’s “potter’s wheel” as all believers surely are. However, I have applied the biblical precept and precedent to first judge myself to ensure that I have a pure heart in these particular matters (and my conscience is certainly clear in these regards). And now I am applying the the Bible’s mandate to publicly “judge” and hold accountable Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry (especially its leaders) to that they may repent.
Again, my stated and clear goal is their repentance—and the protection of the Body of Christ from their errant influence.
So with pure intention, and with a clear conscience, I have within both this article and the previous one, laid down the biblical foundations for this public rebuke—and exposed the “conveinient doctrines” used by the Copelands (and others) to cover their sins and error.
Now it is time to discuss how the media fits into God’s plan regarding the Copeland family’s redemption…
•Click here to return to the Table of Contents page•
The Biblical Basis for This Public Rebuke
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=b53b004b0409ce0c9df3
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