Bishop Carlton Pearson Declares “Satan Does Not Exist”:
gospel | Mar 30, 2009 | Comments 28
Just when you thought that the controversy about “the Gospel of inclusion” had settled down and drifted into the pages of oblivion, it is appearing to be making a comeback.
On Thursday night of this past week, Bishop Carlton Pearson appeared on ABC’s Nightline and reaffirmed his theological position of several years ago about the “Doctrine of Inclusion“.
More specifically, Bishop Pearson declared that the historic Christian teaching which suggest that there is a Satan is false and erroneous. “Over the years, the church has borrowed many myths” suggested Pearson.
Bishop Carlton Pearson was joined by Deepok Chopra and faced off against Mark Driscoll and Annie Lobert to discuss whether or not Satan really exists.
A few years ago, Bishop CarltonPearson appeared before a panel of Pentecostal clerics, led by Bishop J. Delano Ellis, the Joint College of African American Pentecostal Bishops, who concluded that the teachings of Bishop Carlton Pearson represented modern day heresy. Since then, Bishop Carlton Pearson has gone from preaching to thousands to preaching to hundreds. The large mega-church building that he called home for so many years he has vacated and now conducts services in an Episcopal Church located in downtown Tulsa. It should be noted that the theology of the Episcopal tradition includes the Doctrine of Universal Reconciliation, which is the more historic name that of the Doctrine of Inclusion that Pearson now espouses.
The fact that the debate is airing on a major media outlet like ABC and a mainstream television program like “Nightline” serves as an indication of how fertile the topic is and to what degree the general public has an appetite for this kind of subject matter. In an expose a few years ago, Bishop Pearson closed his interview by saying “in the end you win”. One has to wonder if this is not an effort of Bishop Pearson to bring that prediction to pass.
We invite you to use the link listed below and watch the debate for yourself and then return to this blog page and record your comments. We are anxious to hear from you.
Source: Gospel Today Magazine
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Carlton Pearson is the anti-christ. Our whole doctrine is concerning evil versus good, and righteousness versus unrighteousness, and God versus Satan. Nothing else could bring harm to God’s creation with all the skill and deception that has caused war with everything that’s living. He’s anti-christ not because of an indictment of Jesus, but a declaration that His arche enemy does not exist. Satan was created beautiful, but chose to forsake his position in God and determine in his evil heart to de-throne God! Job’s affliction wasn’t about Job. Satan was fighting against God and trying to prove that salvation didn’t work and that the power of God did not exist. When Carlton Pearson and any other demonic antichrist becomes so misdirected it’s because they forget that it was God’s Word and power brought all things into existence and without Him does nothing consist that was made! It is this power that upholds all things and it’s that power of creation that has been converted to war against evil and Satan to the extent that they cannot stand. I urge all of Carlton Pearsons followers to leave him immediatly and flee to a house of God and seek the eternal God who will love you and deliver you from the influence of that evil leader. Carlton Pearson obviously don’t know that he is “a child of Satan!’
This is so sad. I remember when Bishop Pearson wasn’t talking
like he’s talking now. He is An Antichrist!!! Thank god 4 wonderful leaders like Bishop Ellis and the Late Bishop G.E
Patterson denounced him and warned the body of christ 2 b
ware!!!!! Just looking at this sad clipping U can see that Satan has !!!!!!!!!
taken Bishop Carlton Pearson over!!! He will continuely b in my prayers till god delivers him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST SAD~~~~~~~.
People criticizing this Bishop and calling him antichrist no doubt have good intentions, but judging (especially when they don’t even know the reasoning behind this Bishop’s stance) is a sign of a log in their eyes. Christians create this being, called satan, in their minds, and consequently give power to a fictitious being, and forget responsibility. Evil is so misunderstood. Evil is all that results in death, destruction, etc. and is not good. It is not a being or mysterious. If one thought of evil ever came into being, it would by default cause a chain reaction resulting in what we call “life”. We are responsible for all harm, destruction and disease on this planet. Doing actions that are evil i.e. harming onesself (whether violently, or by eating and drinking unhealthy), envy, boasting, polluting the earth, elevating onesself or someone else above anyone else, murder, etc. Those actions literally cause harm and are evil. Do good, love, take care of the earth we were given and let our lives be our worship. Until our lives through our actions and thoughts become our worship (by loving, taking care of the planet, gardening, letting go of fear, worries, anger, etc.) we are merely lukewarm and have lost our saltiness. The most critical central understanding of life is missing in such a person.
“Satan” comes from a word “Shaw-tan” in hebrew (hope I spelled that right) The word means “adversary” it IS NOT someone’s name. If it was, then Shaw-tan woud always be translated as “Satan” a proper noun..but it isn’t. In the story of Balaam’s donkey, it’s tranlated as “withstood” or “opossed” (Number 22:22) Now if “Shaw-tan” is someone’s name..why isn’t someone’s name in that scripture? What people have done, is assumed Satan is a beings name because that’s what we’ve been taught, but that’s not what the word means. A good start on the topic, is to try and find the story where “Lucifer” falls from heaven, and it’s not there. (Snd if you think it’s in Isiah 14 or Eziekiel 28..you’re wrong, read those paassages carefully, you’ll see they are talking about men.
I believe at some point Carlton’s eyes will be opened, and he will return to his roots. Carlton started down this road shortly after he got married. Not suggesting influence, only a time line. More focused on a woman, than the word. (?) I use to be a member of his congregation. Rather than criticize him, we all need to pray for him. For his restoration,(if any be overtaken in a fault). He vision is flawed; but his heart is in the right place. He is not the anti-christ. The inclusion message is just a recycled/mis-guided view. I have faith in God! He came to seek and to save that which is lost. Our brother is merely lost… the prodigal shall return.
I am so glad the Bishop now preaches the message the church started preaching in its first days….. Ultimate Rec. was and the truth of Scripture.
The majority of what we have believed and been taught about satan, lucifer, slew foot, belzibub(think I spelled that right), the devil, is a a creation of a desperate church hundreds of years ago that stopped preaching the gospel and then needed some kind of hook to keep people coming.
I am so glad that there are more of us preaching the unmoving, unchanging, unconditional, absolute, amazing, power of God, the father of matchless love.
It is outrageously weird that some fundamentalists call Christian universalism and open theism “heresies” (especially when one considers that open theism is more in keeping with the concept of a dialectical God found in Judaism—Judaism being the religion of Jesus !)
Nowhere do any of the verses of the bible state that universalism , nor open theism are any “heresies” .
As a NON-fundamentalist Christian , I will always hope and pray that eventually every person will be redeemed by Jesus –or if not redeemed perhaps remediated). There may be some people who persist in some immoral behavior so tenaciously and severly that their souls may have to be destroyed partially and then have the elements of their souls reconstructed later –or their spirit somehow redeemed without the soul ..(perhaps serial killers and such might be included in such a prospect) .
Thank Jesus for universalist theologians !
Here below I am posting two articles that make the case that the use of terms like ‘heresy’ and ‘heretic’ in the New Testament epistles–should NOT be interpreted in the broad way that many ultra-Fundamentalists do…
The case is made that since in the epistles of Paul , where words such as ‘heresies’ and ‘heretic’ appear in the text…nowhere does Paul state explictly which specific doctrines are to be considered heretical , and since the only place in the bible scriptures where there is anything close to a definition of “heresy” is in the epistle of 2 Peter, where the author refers to people , ‘denying the Lord that bought them’ and NOT to Christian Universalism , open theism , or every form of unusual doctrine , but specifically to denying the Lord…and so the broad accusations that such and such a doctrine is “heresy” (that many ultra-Fundamentalists like to cast around) are playing fast and loose with the text .
Furthermore, the doctrines of Fundamentalism are not on every point “orthodox Christianity” . True orothodox Christianity is more in keeping with the Eastern Orthodox sect—NOT the doctrines promoted by lousy theologians like John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon ect. Gregory of Nyssa and a number of the early church fathers supported universalism .
I see that some have posted words to the effect that they were going to pray that Carlton Pearson stop supporting universalism and support a fundamentalist outlook . That is disgusting !
In light of how Jesus taught that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ and how that applies even to salvation , please do not pray that I become a fundamentalist. If it turns out that an ultra-Fundamentalist deity is running the universe (a different Deity than the Father of the Jesus who gave us the sermon on the mount)—then me becoming a fundamentalist and going to a fundamentalist heaven while other people (even nice people) are being tortured endlessly for not praying a Christian prayer prior to bodily death ..I would regard as a worse state of affairs than me being sent to a hell of fire and brimstone . It would be outrageously selfish for me to go to a fundamentalist sort of heaven —if there are people being tortured for an endless period of years .
If an ultra-Fundamentalist wants to send people to a fire and brimstone hell (or “allow” them to go there) where people are endlessly tortured —even nice people—then I’d just as soon rather try to persuade such a deity to to torture me instead *in the fire brimstone forever , rather than them and let the other people out of such a hell. If such an ultra-Fundamentalist deity maintains that such persons who have died without converting to Christianity are unworthy of heaven because of their sin or belief , then they could still be let out of that hell and sent to some other place that is *neither heaven nor a painfull variety of hell —that does not have any of the pleasures of heaven and yet does not have the pain and sufferring of hell—a neutral place of endless tedious boredom , or embarassment maybe .
Those ultra-fundamentalsits who would be disappointed in Jesus, if Jesus eventually saved everyone, remind one of the weird atitude by the people in ther parable of the laborers in the vineyard who were disappointed that the people who were hired at the last hour were given the same wage as those who worked all day long and endured the heat of the day .
THE PERILS OF HUNTING SO-CALLED HERESY [Part 1 ]
In this present era especially , there is a lot of talk in some sectarian groups–especially Fundamentalist protestant groups and in some anti-progressive factions of Catholicism about so-called “heresy” and “heretics” . What’s odd is that in some of these religious factions –especially Fundamentalist factions to label some notions “heretical” apparently because these notions seem way too exotic or way too unusual , even though some of the beliefs supported by such Fundamentalist pundits and theologians were, at one time in history, themselves called “heresy” by many of the other earler dominant churches when these religious movements, to which these Fundamentalists belong, emerged .
An example: the practice of the Baptist denomination to baptize people as adults when they had made more of an inquiry into what Baptism meant about 3 or 4 centuries ago –when the Baptist sect was young–was condemmed as a heresy by the earlier dominant church denominationsin Europe.
It is also quite hazy as to whether a lot of the hunters who object to so-called heresy have any fixed criteria for deciding if some notion is heresy or not. Calvinists and those factions of Arminian /Protestants who believe in free will (and are ALSO fundamentalists) tend to regard the doctrines promoted by each other as alternative forms of Christianity –the Calvinists disagree with Arminian doctrine and vice versa (but with perhaps a few odd exceptions) don’t call each other heretics, yet might call other doctrines so-called “heresies” like open theism (to give an example) or say elements of the Charismatic movement -to give another example .
Jesus in the gospels never uses the word ‘heresy’ . Jesus denounces some people for being NON-consistent.. having internal contradictions in beliefs and attitudes, and/or for being petty , superficial , venal /greedy, NOT for having some exotic theology ! Though Jesus is fond of pointing out internal inconsistency in the beliefs that some people express , he does NOT in the gospels show any desire to support some doctrinal ” correctness” as any goal for its own sake .
Jesus criticizes the false prophets not for teaching unusual doctrine , but instead for fostering unethical conduct . The difference between a true prophet and a false prophet was a true prophet produced good fruits and false prophet bad fruits .
St.Paul uses the term ‘heretic’ in the epistle to Titus , but does NOT define a list of doctrines that make a person a heretic or make up ‘heresy’. Thus it is presumptuous to claim support from St.Paul for the broad use of the term ‘heresy’ that many Fundamentalists and some factions of Catholics like to bandy around .
The only time the word ‘heresies’ gets anything almost like a definition is when in the New Testament epistle called 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 2 which describes heresy as ‘denying the Lord that bought them’, and NOT in the broad sense that the word ‘heresy’ is used today. Thus, according to 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 2, the term ‘heresies’ specifically refers to denying the Lord. It does NOT in that verse have a broad application of applying to each and every exotic or unusual doctrine or belief .
In the book of Revelation, there is a particular doctrine that is villified called ‘the doctrine of the Nicolotaines’ (Revelation 2:15) . However, according to many of the early church fathers like Iranaeaus , the doctrine of the Nicolataines was rejected and opposed by the author of Revelation out of an objection that was more basic , inasmuch as the Nicolaitaines were anti-nomians (i.e. hedonists) of a sort who espoused wild sexual promiscuity and also eating foods set aside to be devoted to polytheistic pagan idols . Hence, the opposition in the book of Revelation was NOT based on some sort of doctrinal groupthink which sought to reject notions because they were too exotic–but, instead, out of ethical objections having to do more with personal conduct and also a disapproval of accepting polytheistic practices .
It is interesting to note that in Phillipians I :15-18, St. Paul acknowleges that those in the Christian community which were against Paul as leader were, nonetheless, preaching the same Jesus and rejoiced in that they were doing so .
THE PERILS OF HUNTING SO-CALLED HERESY [part 2]
NOTE: The following article is taken from an exchange which took place about 3 years ago on a Myspace forum— regarding the interpretation of bible verses sometimes claimed in support of a rather broad and loose interpretation of the term “heresy” —with the phrasing of the original comments I posted edited for better phrasing with some addenta .
Other Person in The Debate : Don’t forget the anathema declaration in Gal. ch. 1. It pretty much sums up the concept of a “different gospel”. Paul is asserting his apostalic authority against heresy, particularly those calling for circumcision. We are also exorted to take a stand for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Being a “saint” or an “apostle” has lead to extreme views of control and credal formulae, but the idea of heresy is definitely applied by the apostles, church fathers, and those who rebelled against them.
THE RESPONSE : Actually it is dubious that the references to a different gospel or ‘another Jesus’ in Galatians refer broadly to any doctine that is unusual or very exotic , as many ultra- fundamentalists might claim . The reference to ‘another Jesus’ or “another gospel” could have very well referred to someone proclaiming another man other than Jesus is messiah . As you point out, the letter of Paul to the Galatians was particularly concerned with those factions of the early Christian community who attempted to promote the belief that one HAD to be circumcized or one could not be a follower of Jesus –a belief that Paul rejects in Galatians
To claim that the part that warns against following another gospel applies to every belief that is considered exotic or novel is a broad interpretation that is NOT warranted by the explicit wording of the verses in Galatians !
In Galatians, the primary opponents that Paul addresses are the faction of the early Christian community that promote circumcision as a requirement for being a follower of Jesus , to apply that warning to any exotic doctrine (as many Fundamentalists often do these days) is conjecture and goes beyond the explicit words of the text . The basic concern of the gospel that Paul was promoting was salvation from sin by the grace of the sacrifice of Jesus–and not by the doing of ritualistic works like circumcision .
(Paul, elsewhere in other epistles like Phillipians, takes a more ecumenical approach, accepting those in the Christian movement who disputed him on some matters of doctrine as still preaching the same jesus and serving the same God even though they disagreed with Paul strongly) .
Take, for example, those in Phillipians chapter :1 verses 14-18 who Paul reports were against his leadership .
In Phillipians 1:16 , Paul
‘ The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds ‘
Notice that Paul refers to these people as preaching Christ ‘of contention ‘ –contention apparently towards Paul himself rejecting the authority of Paul as a leader . And yet Paul believes that these same people who reject the authority Paul as a leader were preaching the same Jesus as he was . He even rejoices that these people that reject the authority of Paul as a leader are preaching Jesus .
In Phillipians 1:18 Paul writes,
‘What then?nothwithstanding , every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and therein I do rejoice, and will rejoice ‘.
That Paul has authority as an apostolic leader was a marginal doctrine that Paul promotes –even in one epistle writing to the community where he states ,
‘be ye followers of me as I am of Christ’ .
And yet Paul does NOT emphasize the doctrine of himself having authority as being as important a doctrine as say , the resurrection and atonement of Jesus . Furthermore, he is willing to rejoice when those that disagree with his authority still preach Jesus (as in Phillipians) and does NOT refer to them as “heretics” nor does he claim they are preaching a ‘different gospel’ .
Paul in another letter Romans chapters 14 verses 1-6 he accepts those in the ‘christian community’ that follow the holy days and dietary rules (apparently of Judaism ) as serving God JUST AS MUCH as those who claim that under grace they are free from such dietary rules –thus allowing for an ecumenical approach in regard to that area of doctrine .In Romans 14:5 he wrote ,
‘let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind ‘ .
You , sir, mentioned the church fathers .
Apparently many of the people who have studied the writings of the Church fathers –have come to the conclusion that the primary factions that the New Testament letters warn about false doctrines were the legalizers and the anti-nomian factions . The legalizers taught that the ceremonial law (and NOT just the moral law) of the first 5 Mosaic books were required for being a follower of Jesus . It is the legalizers to which Paul addresses in Galatians .
The anti-nomians, in contrast, promoted the belief that because Jesus had presented God’s grace (instead of mere ceremonial law) as a means of relating to God, that it was somehow then okay to throw away the moral law as well and engage in wild sex -even extramarital sex and wild hedonism without much restraint on conduct .
It is the anti-nomians that are alluded to apparently in some of the writings of the very early church fathers . That sheds apparent light on the warnings in the epistle called Jude about ungodly men ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness’ and in the New Testament epistle 2 Peter, of “false teachers” –as well as the warnings against the warnings in the epistle of 2 Timothy about those that “will not endure sound doctrine” and have “itching ears” and be ‘turned unto fables’ . It is the anti-nomain factions –sexual perverts and those that forbid marriage that 2 Timothy warns about –NOT anyone that has an unusual doctrine –NOT open theists, charismatics ect .
Hence 2 Timothy 3:6 describes people who ,
“creep into houses and lead captive silly women captive with sins , led away with divers lusts. ” .
1 Timothy also warns against those who forbid others to marry .(see 1 Timothy 4 :3)
Apparently the verse in the book of Revelation also that warns against , ‘the doctrine of the Nicolaitans’ (Revelation 2:15) is, according to church fathers like Iraneaus , directed at the anti-nomians that had been followers of a man named Nicolas. He apparently had advocated liberated sex and going to feasts devoted to polytheistic idols (aka to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols) .
Thus, much of the concern about false doctrines can be more plausibly interpreted as being about doctrines by legalizing factions and factions of the early church that promoted sexual immorality and hedonism —and NOT about exotic theology (that so many of the fundamentalist heresy hunters are against) .
It is indeed bizarre that many Fundamentalists, Calvinists and so on try and apply such warnings about ‘heresy’ and give them broad interpretation towards theological doctrines and beliefs they find exotic (such as open theism .open theism,. by the way, is more in keeping with the concept of God in Judaism as being open to dialectic with created beings . And Jesus is very Jewish ) .
Jesus in the gospels when he speaks of false prophets uses a moral criteria and NOT a criteria of “doctrinal correctness” as a means of explaining how you can tell true prophets from false prophets . In Matthew 7:18 he teaches,
‘a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit ‘.
Jesus in the gospels takes a very ecumenical approach –accepting some of those who chose to remain outside the community of his own apostles as still serving the kingdom of God . In Mark 9:38 John tells Jesus that there was one casting out devils in his name and how he and the other disciples ‘forbade him for he followeth not us’.
Jesus then told him in the next verse , forbid him not’ and in Mark 9:40 added ,
‘He that is not against us is on our part’ .
Jesus in the gospels did NOT say anything to support the heresy hunting that many Fundamentalists support at all .
In Matthew 25: verses 31-46 , the criteria that Jesus said would separate the blessed from the accursed was NOT any doctrinal theological “correctness” for its own sake, but instead whether or not a person showed kindness to those who he called ‘the least of his bretheren’ . The ultimate criteria according to Jesus that separated the sheep from the goats was NOT whether they believed in doctrines like baptism by immersion , the impassibility of God , the authority of the apostles, the protestant canon , total depravity , or any of the doctrines that Calvinists and other Fundamentalists allege to be such paramount doctrines , but instead whether they fed, gave drink, clothed, welcomed , visited those that Jesus called ‘the least of the bretheren ‘ .
That is NOT to say that Matthew 25 taught redemption by works , but rather that Jesus taught that following him and God involved making a conscious effort to show kindness to the destitute out of a pure principle of charity — and also NOT expecting any reward for doing so .
Note that in Matthew 25:37-40 , the people who Jesus calls blessed are apparently suprised they served Jesus in helping the least of the brethren . They ask questions like ‘when did we you hungry and give you something to eat ?, when saw you a stranger and take you in? ‘ et al.
Are these questions that Jesus predicts the blessed people will ask in Matthew 25 rhetorical questions or earnest questions ?
If they are earnest questions then that suggests that these people (which Jesus calls blessed) do these acts of charity *without expecting any reward for doing so at all , but do so to serve a principle of kindness towards the unfortunate . That further indicates that a person having the “heart” (disposition) directed toward kindness to the unfortunate is more important a criteria to Jesus than doctrinal correctness when such doctrinal “correctness” is conceived apart from the more purely ethical considerations .
The irony is that the people in the story of Matthew who give unto the least of the bretheren did so , not to avoid some unpleasant torture in some hell nor to gain litertalized rewards in some paradise but did so sheerly out of kindness ..charity , for after all they did not fully realize that by feeding , visiting , giving shelter to the least of the believers in Jesus they were indirectly giving to Jesus too .
In the New Testament epistle called I John sums up what is most important in terms of the teaching of Jesus that the epistle calls ‘his commandments’ .
‘ And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he gave us commandment ‘.
Thus, in the epistle called I John, the basic tenet of belief is indeed a very basic tenet and believing the gospel is NOT equated with a lengthy list of doctrinally correct beliefs that heresy hunting sectarians claim !
J.
Excellent letters and points. Bishop Pearson should, one can argue, be proud to be called a heretic. They called Jesus a heretic, they called Paul a heretic. That’s pretty good company. I have no idea why fundamentalist are soooo concerned thate veryone agree with them. Paul sure wasn’t. Read Romans. “One man consideer sone day more holy then another…one man’s faith allows him to eat anyhting, another mans faith allows him to eat only vegetables. The one whose faith is strong should not look down on those whose faith is weak.” I’m paraphrasing, as I am doing this off the top of my head, but clearly, Paul did not thibk that to be a Christian required fuill agreement. Nor did he say “These are the issues that we must agree on, and here’s a list of less important ones.” There’s believing in Jesus,and believing He was ressurected. Hell, Satan, Baptism, tounges, eschatology, etc…all pretty darn unimportant.
I am not moved by pastor Carlton Pearson stating that Satan does not exist. Had I not experienced an event similar to his in 1997, I would see things differently. I know too much about what I know to really see the pastor beyond the reach of the hands of God. Against all odds, God brought me back. My mind was gone, for the devil became God and God became the devil. It took twelve years for me to see God for who who is again. Satan is wise, and when the bible says he is a deceiver. Please, do not take that lightly; he locked me up for twleve years. The enemy looks for doors or entrance points. We all have them, but some of us have exposed areas that grant him easy access. As a little child, Carlton basked in the love of his grandfather who was a COGIC minister. When the pastor backslid and died as an alcoholic, according to Carlton, it devastated him. From that time to now, he has been inundated with thoughts of his grandfather being in Hell. One day while sitting in a chair and watching poor starved Africans, he said to himself, “how can God allow these poor people who have suffered so much to go to Hell?” A voice immediately said to him, “so that is what you think I am going to do.” Carleton entertained the voice, which was actually a strong demon. He was supposed to try the spirit to see if it be of God. One thing led to another and the full manifestation of a deceving spirit took root. Very few Christians really know how to effectively discern and fight principalities; it is not just a little demon anymore. I totally believe that God will one day restore him to his right mind. Like Carleton, the pain of the moment overshaodowed me, and the visuals were overwhelming. I too did not and could not question the voices, for the whole experience was beyond human. The devil knew that I was at the lowest point in my life when he came in like a flood. I was caught totally off gaurd and did not have time to allow God to build up a standard against him. Because of destiny, God will one day put Carleton and your loved ones that are (beyond help) back on the right path. God is raising up mighty counselors who will be able to see into the spirit world and fight the good fight effectively. Like cock roaches, once a spirit is exposed it can be destroyed. Know this, there is a level of demonic attack that is untold, but God has an army within an army that will minister to oppressed saints and set them free. I am not moved by what Carleton says or does. I am moved by what I know is true, for I am a personal testimony.
I love Carlton Pearson but he’s wrong! I believe everything happen for a reason and Carlton will be restored back to God. Bottom Line!
I believe strongly that God is going to give pastor Pearson a revelation of both Hell and Heaven. It matters not the level of his deception; the enemy cannot stop God from revealing what is in store for those who refuse to believe on him.
He will come back much stronger, but those who truly rejected him in (the Church) will be the first ones in his face.
Believing in universal salvation Mr.Lacey does NOT make one “of the devil”, nor does mean that one is demonically inspired .
Granted one hopes (and I hope) that he would stay with the purely Christian universalism , instead of embracing some of the self-help movement /new age thinking that he has recently somewhat moved towards .
But if you are praying for him to become a fundamentalist again , please don’t. Jesus of Nazareth who rebuked his own disciples in Luke when they asked him to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans who refuse to receive him and give him lodging, was certainly NO fundamentalist !
Jesus disavowed the eye for an eye teaching , saying , ‘You have heard it said unto you , an eye for an eye , but I say unto you …’
Lest you should cite the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke as if it were somehow a prooftext for a place of irreversible torment , consider an alternative interpretation .Consider that the story of the rich man who goes to Hades and the poor beggar named Lazarus was designed by Jesus how in the Kingdom of God that Jesus hoped to see set up on Earth , the poor would be shown to be most cherished by God and the corrupt rich would see that they were NO longer ruling on Earth . Think of how the epistle of James speaks in figurative terms about the fate of the greedy rich ,
‘Go and howl ye rich men , your gold and silver is cankered and the rust shall eat your flesh like it were fire .’
The notion that the story of the rich man and Lazarus reveals what actually happened in the afterlife, is quite far fetched , when one considers that if a person literally had an after death body and IF it was literally completely on fire would someone whose whole body was on fire merely ask for their toungue to be cooled ?
The word in the original Greek text of the story of the rich man and Lazarus that is “translated” in many English bibles as “tormented” is apparently the same word that is in other verses in the gospels translated as ’sorrowful’ . So was the rich man in the story of the rich man and Lazarus ’sorrowful in this flame’ or ‘tormented in the flame.’ ?
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is apparently very similar to an earlier story in the Jewish Talmud about a rich tax collector and a poor Torah student …where there is a reversal of fortunes also and the rich man in that story finds himself forever over and over trying to reach out and drink a stream which receeds away when he tries to drink it , where as the poor man finds himself in a paradise .
Fundamentalism looks more to the teachings of Augustine of Hippo,John Calvin , Charles Spurgeon , J.N. Darby , Francis Schaeffer .
The teachings of Jesus are far better , far more wise then the teachings of those men !
Here below is a copy of a an essay I posted on another forum that mentions how Moses presented arguments to God in Exodus not to go through with the [tenative] plan to destroy the Israelites, when he witnessed them worshipping the golden calf in the wilderness , and persuaded God to not go through with the planned destruction. If Moses interceeded and persuaded God to not go through with fostering a grim state of affairs for the wayward Israelites in the Sinai , there is a precedent on how God could be persuaded by polite , reasonable argument to reverse some punitive judgement . Thus, the thesis of the essay (I’d like to post below) is that if God was persuaded by argument to reverse a judgement against the Israelites, it is then plausible that God might be persuaded by the prayers and intercession of Christians to let people out of whatever “hell ” they may have been dammed to and send them somewhere else.
Even if that somewhere else is some sort of neutral place which has neither the privations of hell nor the rewards of heaven .
______________________________________________________
MOSES AS A PRECEDENT
In Exodus 32:7-14 and Numbers 24:11-30, Moses presents respectful arguments to Yahweh (God) for God NOT to go ahead with an apparently tenative plan to destroy the Isrealites after the Isrealites had severely offended their Lord . According to both texts God is evidently persuaded by the arguments presented by Moses and does NOT go ahead with the announced plan to destroy or disinherit the Israelites .
Moses thus interceeds on the behalf of these people who have severely offended God and persuades God to show them mercy / grant them clemency .
THE QUESTION WHICH WE OUGHT TO ASK IS :
If it is a good act for Moses to interceed on behalf of those in Old Testament times who had offended him and to try to persuade God grant them some sort of pardon —wouldn’t it behoove us to take an approach in the spirit of Moses and ask God to pardon the souls of whatever atheists and sinners might be in “hell” and have Jesus redeem those souls out of hell –or at least give them remediation –if not full redemption so that they may be taken to another place than a “hell” ?
After all , a person doesn’t have to be Moses to adopt the example of interceeding on behalf of the fallen and /or unbelieving , that Moses adopted .
According to the book of Revelation, Jesus has the keys to death and hell (or Hades —to use the apparent word in the original Greek) . A key can be used to unlock as well as lock in .
Many Fundamentalists like to quote Hebrews 9:27 that reads , ‘It is appointed unto men once to die and after that cometh judgement’ , yet here with the case of Moses interceeding on behalf of the Isrealites we have a case of a Divine Judgement being reversed by someone presenting RESPECTFUL to God arguments on behalf of the other people .
(It is interesting to note , by the way, that Hebrews 9:27 does NOT state that the judgement takes place immediately after death —it reads after but it does NOT read “immediately after” . It is also interesting when unpacking the concept of divine Judgement in the Bible that Isaiah 1:27 refers to judgement as having a redeeming and NOT just punitive role , ‘Zion shall be redeemed with judgement ‘) .
Perhaps, as the Isrealites were shown clemency by Moses interceeding on the behalf of those unbeliving Israelites, perhaps the souls of atheists and sinful hedonists who are in a “hell” might be shown clemency by us who are Christians asking God to send Jesus to let them out of such a realm of damnation ?
Devil took advantage of Brother Carlson’s love and concern for the people. He nearly did it to me too, but God showed me clearly that He will have mercy to whom He will have mercy. Most probably, almost all the people Carlson was worried about would be going to heaven. God judges by the heart. God knows the heart regardless of what state or religion one is in. Now, if someone clearly presented JESUS to a person and God convicted the person but the person still denied Him (JESUS), then that could be a different story. The person may end up in hell. God knows exactly how He judges people who have not heard about Jesus well. God is infinitely SMARTER THAN ALL people AND MORE MERCIFUL THAN ALL! If God clearly told a homosexual or any other sinner that what he or she is doing is bad/ungodly and the person rejects the warning from the Lord, that person is in real trouble and danger of hellfire. Carlson got carried away. In fact, he may need to understand that even his grandfather may be in heaven. God will heve mercy to whom He will have mercy. The grandfather had worked for God many years and God is very merciful not to allow him to be stolen by the devil. That drinking and the ridicule it brought were part of his punishments on earth for whatever he may have done. Many a time God allows His servants who backslid to suffer in this world instead of throwing them into hell. Most of the time God allowed sinners to keep enjoying themselves in this world because they will be going to hell for eternity. God knows what He is doing! HE KNOWS!!! HE KNOWS!!! HE IS EXTREMELY LOVING!!! He even showed me that my father who had abused my mother through adulterous lifestyle was in heaven based on me doing what He (God) told me to do on behalf of my father during my mother’s funeral. God had told me to make sure I told the thousands of people that my dad killed my mother because of his adulterous lifestyle which caused him not to pay needed attention to my mother. I did it in the presence of my father and numerous people. That was how beautiful God is. My father spent most of his last days praying the rosery (catholic) and onto God. God knows what He is doing. He judges you according to what you know. God judges us according to how much we know. AGAIN, God judges us according to how much we know. Do not be surprised if many muslims who were doing their best to serve God in their own way (according to what they know) go to heaven if they have not heard about Jesus Christ. God speaks to and deals with everyone. He gave us conscience. AGAIN, God judges us according to how much we know of Him. The difference is that those who know Him well enjoy life better (deal with the world better). Those who do not know Him suffer a lot. They may go to heaven, but they have been cheated in this world because they did not get the opportunity to hear and then accept Jesus as the Bible taught and then deal with the world’s problems with Jesus as the Helper. But, listen carefully–God knows their hearts. Only God can judge! Remember–God will have mercy to whom He will have mercy.
Akaolisa has the right attitude and insight. Those of you who called him the anti-Christ, was he the anti Christ before Satan deceived him? Will he be the anti-Christ after God gives him a revelation of Hell and bring him to his senses? Satan went after him very hard because he was the ONLY one doing it right. Most high profiled TV evangelists do not have a deep scriptural foundation with any religious affiliation. This man was raised as stable as one can be in The Church of God in Christ. Due to a “hurt” that he did not close the door on, the devil was able to get in.
Wow, I just heard about this stuff 2 days ago. I remember he had such a good heart and loved Jesus. Lord, touch Reverend Pearson’s mind and restore him to You…. to know Your presence… to know You.
Fill him with Your light and love.
We bless him and thank You for rescuing his life and ministry. In Jesus name, Amen.
Wow, I just heard about this stuff 2 days ago. I remember he had such a good heart and loved Jesus–KELLY
RESPONSE: How do you know Kelley , that he doesn’t still love Jesus ?
How do you know that Reverend Pearson doesn’t love Jesus more than the eternal torment doctrines taught by Fundamentalist and Calvinist preachers like Calvin, or Charles Spurgeon , or Jerry Fallwell, or whoever wrote some book ofthe so-called “divine Revelation of Hell ” ect ?
A lot of the literalistic hellfire thinking breeds an outlook more like the pharisees and hardly anything like Jesus .
but God showed me clearly that He will have mercy to whom He will have mercy–akaolisa .
Dear akaolisa ,
Might the people who are the subjects of he will have mercy of those whom He will have mercy–be eventually everyone ?
After all, St.Paul in Romans 11:32 when referring to the Jews and Gentiles wrote ,
‘he hath concluded them all in unbelief so he might have mercy upon them all ‘.
Would not the word ‘all’ in that verse eventually apply in some sense to every person in the Jewish and Gentile categories ?
Granted some people might be remediated rather than fully redeemed.
Hence the reference to , ‘Fear him that can destroy the body but not the soul /fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell’
Could be that some souls might be so corrupted that they might have to be broken down into their component elements, however , if a person has an individual spirit , separate from their soul , perhaps the spirit of a corrupted person –such as unrepentant serial killers and blasphemers ect might have their spirit redeemed even if their soul is not ….
The prospect of some *other * person like my Grandparents or Carlton Perason’s grandparents going to a place of endless anguish be that anguish spiritual or physical , is far more disturbing than mself going there .
I’d rather have myself tormented for eternity than my grandparents or Carlton Pearson’s Granaprents. After all,Jesus taught it is more blessed to give than to receive . That would apply even to eternal life .
Fundamentalists sometimes claim that it would somehow taint heaven to have an unbeliever or “unsaved” person let in , so then even if one accepts that premise —why not send them to some other place a neutral place that has neither the suffering and privation of hell, nor the pleasures of heaven …say a place of bland comfort where they could be bored for all eternity as a punishment, *instead* of tormented ?
Another factor to consider is that though the epistle of the Hebrews does state that it ‘is appointed unto men to die and after cometh judgement ‘, it does NOT state that immediately after death cometh judgement . There is NO “immediately” in that verse .
Furthermore, the verse does NOT rule out the possibility of Jesus redeeming someone while they are in the process of being judged .
FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT,THIS MEANS PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS MENTALLY. JUDGE HE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED,YET STAND AND DECLARE THAT JESUS IS THAT JESUS WHO DIED AND ROSE. MY STRUGGLE IS THIS, IF SATAN DOES NOT EXIST,THEN WHO WAS JESUS SPEAKING TO WHEN HE REJECTED OFFERS TO GAIN WEALTH AND LAND,AND THROW HEMSELF OFF THE MOUNTAIN TO SHOW THAT HE WAS IN FACT JESUS,AND THEN TOLD A CERTAIN SPIRIT TO GET THEE HENCE BEHIND HIM. I AM CONVINCED THAT THAT CERTAIN SPIRIT WAS SATAN. ALL WE CAN DO FOR THE BISHOP IS PRAY AND BELEIVE THAT HE WILL BE CHANGED BY THE RENEWING OF HIS MIND.REMEMBER THAT GODLY PRAYER IS STRONGER THAN EVIL INFLUENCES.
A foolish person would focus more on someone else’s soul and neglect.If you can read this response, you are not in heaven yet. This means that you have to make sure that you are saved and not left behind. It is not enough to quote scripture of how Chirst died for you and that you know that you are saved. Try quoting, if you offend part of the law that you are guilty of it all. This means anything less than holiness results in Hell! Pastor Pearson has a good heart. He is in a spirit of Error, but do what Jesus would do and pray.My prayer for him is for God to give him a revelation of Hell. Since he does not believe that it exists, he will come back stronger than ever. I love this man; so many (ministers) were so glad he fell. Even in the Church of God and Christ, he had haters. Folk are folk, and some did not feel comfortable with his success.
I grew up in San Diego, CA, and remember Bishop Pearson, when he was just ‘Carlton Pearson’ as well as his parents and siblings. Coming from a musically talented and anointed family, I was always blessed to hear him, sing or share the gospel of Jesus. He along with his family was Bible-believing. When I first heard Bishop Pearson talk about the Gospel of Inclusion, I was totally shocked and disappointed because, what he was promoting and preaching was totally contrary to the Word of God that he had preached for so many years. Today, he is adamant about this ‘universal gospel and his current opinion that Satan does not exist. When did he cease to exist and where was Satan, when the Bishop believed in the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ? The book of beginnings – Genesis introduces Satan as the Serpent that was instrumental in the fall of Adam and Eve. The book of Isaiah 14-12-15 tells us about the fall of Lucifer/Satan. His objective continues to be that all people not believe that he exists. We are warned in the Scriptures to watch and pray, to abide in the Vine- Jesus and to let His Word abide in us. The Word of God continues to speak life and the truth to whosoever will believe, whosoever has an ear to hear and the heart to receive. God never changes and is the same yesterday, today and forever. Mankind changes, but God does not nor does His Word change. THE WORD THAT WAS TRUE WHEN BISHOP PEARSON PREACHED IT IS STILL TRUE TODAY, ALTHOUGH HE HAS CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT GOD’S WORD THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. WHAT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS WAS THE DESIRE OF THE BISHOP’S HEART. There are many voices in the world today trying to sway us from the right to the left–getting us to leave the path of righteousness for a metaphysical, universal and demonic consciousness that will only lead to an eternity without God. ‘Whenever we stray, we are never tempted by God, but we are drawn away, enticed and baited by our own evil desire (lust, passions).’ “Then the evil desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully matured brings forth death.” James 1:14-15 AMP). God loves all mankind– there is no question, but whether we love Him is dependent on our obedience to Him and His Word. HOW CAN A PERSON SAY HE OR SHE LOVES GOD– YET DOES NOT BELIEVE ALL OF GOD’S WORD (THE BIBLE)? The Bible is not just a ‘good book.’ It is God-breathed and contains words of life (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Let’s offer fervent, effectual prayers for Bishop Pearson. God loves Him and is not willing that any should perish but come unto REPENTANCE. What some people don’t realize is that if we don’t elect to believe in Jesus (John 3;16) and accept God and His Word, we leave ourselves open to Satan by default. God will never force anyone to accept Jesus but, we must willingly (and not by default or proxy) accept God’s gift of eternal life by opening our hearts and surrendering our lives to the Lord. This is the only way to receive His gift of eternal life and avoid an eternity without Him in hell with Satan and his demons.
Sister Sellers, if you grew up knowing the family and know that they have a strong foundation then you equally know that God does not invest in a soul just to leave him/her when they need him most. In fact, God is not as easily evicted as the Church teaches. As a tenant, he is a slow mover. In this case, he sees Bro. Pearson’s heart not his mouth. Whatever was placed in Pastor Pearson is still there. The real problem lies with the Church. We preach about the devil but really do not know his works. Satan comes in at will and snatches the best of the flock. We full gospel folk are so busy beating up on wounded saints that we forget to take authority against the power of darkness in them. Out of Pearson’s own mouth, he told how he became deceived. When that strong delusional demon came to him and spoke, he simply assumed that it was God. As one pastor put it, “sometimes Satan sounds more like God than God.” Had he asked the question, “Are you of God and has Jesus come in the flesh?” That demon would have denied Christ, and he would have known. Instead, he was so consumed about the whereabout of the soul of his grandfather (which you might know) that he started a conversation with the enemy. From there, it only got worse. The devil is not stupid; he knows that we all have weaknesses. Carlton’s weakness was a childhood obession with his grandfather being in Hell(so he thinks). This obsession turned into a deep hurt and opened up a window in his soul whereby a deceiving spirit could enter. I do believe that God (in his mercy) will show him the very place he says does not exist-”Hell.” I believe Pastor Pearson will be stronger and more powerful the next time around.
The most recent postings about Bishop Pearson suggest that he is the anti-Christ. I don’t believe that he is ‘the anti-Christ’ although; he might be anti-Christ in light of the perverted gospel he has been propagating. Also, there is a strong possibility that he has committed the unpardonable sin: Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). That is insulting the person of the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Trinity and His power, role and work before God.
I am late in doing so, but I would like to address a comment I received from S. Lacey last year in November. I would only like to respond to his final statement in which he said; “I do believe that God (in his mercy) will show him (Bishop Pearson) the very place he says does not exist- “Hell.” I believe Pastor Pearson will be stronger and more powerful the next time around.”
Bro. Lacey, you are correct in saying that God will show or allow Bishop Pearson to see hell and find out that it’s real, but unless he REPENTS of his sin, he will end up in hell and it won’t be due to God’s mercy but His judgment. I say that because of what the Word of God says in reference to what Bishop Pearson is preaching (his ‘inclusion gospel.’) The Apostle Paul wrote to the churches at Galatia and said: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ACCURSED. As we said before, so say I now again. If ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed [Accursed in Greek -an-ath'-em-ah -refers to a person or thing doomed to destruction]. (Galatians 1:8-9) In response to the statement about Bishop Pearson being stronger and more powerful the next time around, I share this scripture from 2 Peter 2:21: “For it had been BETTER for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
I know that as long as we are in these houses of clay, we will be tempted and sometimes one can even backslide, but those who do fall still CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN the Word of God even if they are not living a life of holiness before the Lord.
Let us watch, fast, pray and stay in the Word of God, so the Word will be in us. King David said that he hid God’s Word in his heart, so that he would not sin against God. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
In closing I leave you with this scripture verse: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25)
In Christ Alone,
Victoria Sellers
Atlanta, GA
Seems that J is Rev Pearson himself or a close associate writing on his behalf. True?
Be sincere and tell me.
I would like to address both Andreas and Bro. J:
Andreas, unfortunately, Bro. J is really Bishop Pearson, because he does not possess the same knowledge of God’s Word. He could on the other hand be a sympathizer (at best).
Bro. J, you sound like a very misguided man, who is totally uninformed about the promises and the divine will of God. I would like to address a couple of your statement, because you should know the truth!
Bro. J: Jesus gave the ’supreme’ sacrifice and paid the price for mankind to be REDEEMED AND RECONCILED back to God. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.“ (1 Peter 2:24). God gave Jesus as His gift to the world and all we have to do is believe on Him and receive His gift of eternal life (heaven).(John 3:16-18) We have been redeemed from the curse of the law. ‘If we believe on Jesus, we shall not perish, but we believe not, we are damned for our unbelief.’
Bro. J:
I don’t know who you consider to be ‘fundamentalists,’ but, from the beginning of time, man was given freewill. Although, Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden and He even instructed them on how they should conduct themselves in the garden (they had parameters to walk in), they chose to disobey Him and listen to the devil. The devil is still trying to seduce mankind today to go his own way and disobey God, because he (the devil) knows he is defeated and wants all of mankind to perish along with him. God is pleased with our faith and obedience to Him. Each day, we have the opportunity through our choices to choose life or death, blessing or cursing; our decisions determine whether we live with Him in this life and next or apart from Him — now and for eternity. God is a holy and expects His children to be holy in our lifestyle (Christian walk). (1 Peter 1:15-16) God will not violate His laws to accommodate those, who choose to disregard Him, His Son and His sacrifice, His Spirit and His Word and still expect to go to heaven.
The following scripture is clear about, who will go to hell: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable , and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelations 21:8)
Bro. J, God does not want us to live in fear, which comes from the devil, but has given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7).
Be about the Word of God: study to show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15) and like David –hide His Word in your heart so you won’t sin against God. (Psalm 119:11)
Watch and pray, so you won’t fall into temptation. (Matthew 26:41). If you know the truth, the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
In Christ Alone,
Victoria
Atlanta, GA
Anndreas,
I meant that J is NOT REALLY Bishop Pearson, because he lacks skill and knowledge of the Word of God.
I did catch this error.
Victoria