Justin Peters: an American Cessationist Teaching “Apologetics” to Brazilian Pentecostals
By Julio
Severo
A
guest speaker of VINACC (a Brazilian conference of evangelicals), an American evangelical
made headlines by
blasting preachers of the Prosperity Gospel as “false prophets.”
 |
| Justin Peters |
In
the event, Peters said, “Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Myles
Munroe, Joyce Meyer and others are, all of them, false prophets.
What they teach is not the Gospel preached by our Lord Jesus Christ, but a
teaching with no Bible basis.”
Yet,
his criticism did not stopped at the “false prophets.” He also taught, in the
name of Christian apologetics, about the gift of tongues and “how God does not
speak to us” through prophecies and revelations.
In
the Doctrinal Statement of his website, Peters
says “the miraculous gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues,
divine revelation and physical healing” were gifts only to Jesus’ Apostles. He
also says that these “gifts are no longer in operation today… and they are,
therefore, unnecessary.”
Unnecessary?
Power evangelism was an essential and vital component of the ministry of Jesus
and his disciples. Supernatural gifts are tools of Jesus for spreading his
Gospel. These gifts have been vital for effective evangelism in Brazil, to
equip Christians to confront dark forces and deliver people from Satan’s claws.
If
they were extremely necessary for Jesus and his disciples, why would they be
unnecessary today? Have the dark forces died away?
To
treat the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit as “unnecessary” has never been
a part of the true Gospel. Cessationism (the heretical doctrine that says the
supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased 2,000 years ago and that they are
no longer available today) has never been a part of the ministry of Jesus and
his Apostles.
If Peters
taught such “apologetics” in an Assemblies of God church in Brazil, surely he
offended many Brazilians! Pentecostals, neo-Pentecostals and charismatics
comprise most of Brazilian evangelicals.
I
have no hard time with criticism at abuses by Calvinist, Lutheran, Pentecostal
and charismatic preachers. But to label Pentecostals as “false prophets” or
“heretical preachers” just because the critic’s main motivation is cessationism
is hypocrisy. To teach against the Holy Spirit is a heresy.
Justin
Peters eventually showed in Brazil that Myles Munroe, Kenneth Copeland and
believers in prophecies, tongues and revelations are all headed to Hell.
Apparently, the motivation for his opposition to Pentecostalism and the
supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit for today is his love for his petty human
religious doctrines that limit God and his power and actions — disguised as
love for “truth.”
This
kind of “apologetics” — deserving a fair title of false apologetics — would
have caused trouble in the churches of Apostle Paul, who saw a lot of abuse of
the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church of Corinth, but his
answer was not to ban them or to preach cessationism. His answer was to correct
the abuses. Never did he condemn, criticize or lambaste these gifts. Never did
he discourage his people from seeking more supernatural gifts.
Unsurprisingly,
the false apologetics of Peters caused confusion among Brazilians. And his
ministry gave a public report
of what happened:
“At the end of
his session, to give a preview at the next session Justin spoke about the abuse
of tongues and how God does and does not speak to us. Apparently that rattled
some cages so to speak. Some folks apparently confronted the organizers and
convinced them to require Justin to adjust/modify his message as to not mention
tongues and the abuse of tongues, under the premise that speaking on such
things would offend many. Of course Justin explained that he cannot, in good
conscience and before God, adjust his message or water it down to suit the
proclivities of an audience. In reality the only thing which can help folks get
out from under false doctrine is not placating, but speaking the truth in love.
Justin told them this and they forbad him from speaking the rest of his
seminar… shame on the organizers for having so little apparent backbone. Of
course I am sure that ardent sheep among the organizers did strive to not allow
compromise to happen. Alas it did. This is another reason why we ought not, as
believers, to yoke with reprobates. Better to have a small conference holding
to the truth than a huge gathering which compromises truth. Those under false
doctrine will not bend easily because false doctrine is a spiritual battle.”
“False
doctrine”: to believe in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit for today.
“Speaking
the truth in love”: to teach cessationism.
The
VINACC public was not upset because Justin preached against Benny Hinn and
others. In fact, they were there to hear him attack these preachers. They got
upset because he wanted also to attack their personal experiences with God.
There
are many Calvinists apologetics experts in Brazil who love cessationism. With
the same passion, they love
to lambast Pentecostals, charismatics and neo-Pentecostals. At the
same time, often they hide their true motivation. At least in this, Peters is
more honest than Brazilian Calvinists. In fact, I have an e-book (“Theology
of Liberation versus Theology of Prosperity”) exposing their
duplicity.
Because
Peters is an American and does not know that Brazilian evangelicalism is
essentially Pentecostal, he was unable or unwilling to conceal his motivation
for blasting Prosperity Theology preachers.
For
his human theology, Christians who speak in tongues, hear God’s voice and have
spiritual prophecies and revelations are as “false Christians” as all the other
preachers condemned by him.
I
disagree with Peters’ theology. In my view, his cessationism is a heresy. Yet,
I applaud his sincerity and honesty. In this respect, anti-Pentecostal
Calvinist critics in Brazil have a lot to learn from him.
Portuguese
version of this article: Justin Peters: um cessacionista
americano ensinando “apologética” aos pentecostais do Brasil
Source: Last Days Watchman
Recommended Reading:
Peters is a liar and a false prophet. He loves the attention he gets and those praising him and his so-called ministry. He has a cult following. Believe the Bible. Believe what God says. Do not let Peters rob you of your faith in the promises of God. Take God at his Word which will not return void. The Word of God stands forever. The word of Justin Peters does not.
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