Witness to Heresy
There are certain heresies which focus their faith on ritualism and poor theology. In particular one such type is the “health and wealth” or “prosperity” gospel. There are two theological heresies at the foundation of this belief:
1 - Human beings have the same “creation word power” as God to “speak things into being.”
2 - If we say the right prayer (Formula) and have enough faith (based on human effort and merit) God is thereby obligated (commanded and moved by man) to respond according to our desire.
The formulaic prayer might look as such with formulaic action and words:
(Action) Put your finger on the top vertebra or first bone of the spine and then speak this command:
(Words) ‘In Jesus name, I command the head and neck to move into position so that every vertebra and disc go into perfect alignment and be healed from top to bottom causing the pelvis to come back into perfect position under the head with the spine restored in correct position. Pain go in Jesus name.’ Thank you Jesus!!! I am Healed!!! I am Healed!!! I am Healed!!!
If you have ever heard or seen a prayer for healing similar to this prayer then you have been witness to heresy. It is a ritualistic and cultist belief that proper formulas thus obligate or command God to move according to your will. The underlying assumption is that human merit and formulaic action have the power to impose the human will upon God.
This of course results in a variety of destructive fruits:
- It leads people down a self-absorbed road of idolatry and heresy away from the true Lord and Creator of this earth.
- It produces doubt in those who desperately seek healing, yet are led to believe that the reason they are not healed is because they do not have enough faith or have not given enough money, time, or gifts.
- It makes a mockery of true faith and confuses the non-Christian world away from the truth of the gospel message.
- It produces further selfish immorality by emotionally unstable individuals who use their faith to justify their immorality as either the fault of others, as acceptable for their personal gain which is what God wants for them, or because God must have willed it.
- It causes people to focus on the material possession and wealth as the source, foundation, and proof of their faith.
- It causes people trapped by greed to continue to see themselves as poor despite having more than most people will ever have.
This is the result of such heresy. If you ever come to witness such a prayer, either confront it and seek to lead this person to the truth, or flee from it and pray guidance for this person that they may be returned to the truth. Whatever you do, recognize that it is founded in ritualism, human merit, and a diminished and even subservient view of God, and that such a prayer has no place in orthodox faith.