Deistic Implications of Word-Faith Teachings
Posted by Vincent Cheung on June 17, 2005(The following is an edited email correspondence.)
In context, the "Charismatic theology" mentioned below is not referring to just any Charismatic theology, but the "Word of Faith," "the health and wealth gospel," or the "name it and claim it" teachings, as espoused by people like Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin. (See How To Have Faith in Your Faith by Charles Capps, but then, see The Real Faith by Charles Price.)
I am thinking that the Charismatic theology leans toward deism. In their theology, the false doctrine of a self-willed salvation also extends to things like healing and prosperity. Not only does it deny the sovereignty of God, but it makes men equal with God, and agrees with the humanistic doctrine that men are the masters of their own fate.
That’s right. Very good.
The deistic implications of WOF doctrine are not always obvious even to its critics, so I am impressed that you notice it.
Even the doctrine of justification by faith has become for them the doctrine of "I will save myself by my faith." However, the biblical doctrine of justification by faith is really teaching that we can do nothing by ourselves, that we must totally depend on Gracious Omnipotence to save us. Therefore, it is very proper to say that, by justification by faith, we are really not teaching salvation by faith as such — that is, not by some power inherent in human belief — but we are teaching salvation by Christ.
It is Christ who saves us, and not faith itself. Faith comes into the picture because it is Christ who saves us by means of giving us faith in him. It is right to say that we are saved "by faith" only if we understand it this way. Why then, does Scripture constantly affirm "justification by faith"? And why is it appropriate for us to use this expression? It is because in many places Scripture is contrasting justification by faith against justification by works, and it is appropriate for us to use this expression because we must continue to make such a contrast in our teaching, our thinking, and our living. However, we must keep in mind that "justification by faith" does not mean that the power to save is in the belief itself; rather, the saving power resides only in God, provided through Christ, and applied by faith.
As you observed, failing to acknowledge this simple distinction, some Charismatics have come to affirm a version of deism, at least in some parts of their theology. They think that God has set down some universal principles that one can operate at will once discovered. Then, Hagin draws the right inference from this false doctrine (that is, his false conclusion is the logical implication of the false doctrine), so that according to him, even unbelievers can use these "faith principles" to attain healing and prosperity. That is, if the power is in belief itself, then anyone can exercise the same power to attain the same things. To illustrate his point, Hagin even refers to the effect of a placebo to illustrate the inherent healing power of "faith."
That said, it is difficult to consistently charge them with deism, since they are not always consistent in their own teachings on the subject. On the one hand, they teach that anyone can tap into these principles or "spiritual laws" through belief; on the other hand, they affirm that God often acts mightily in response to belief.
Now, when we consistently apply the principle that divine power is in belief itself, it seems that even God’s divine power reside in and is exercised by belief, or faith. And this is exactly what the WOF teachers affirm. They fail to realize that biblical faith refers to a relationship between the one who believes and the one who is believed, so that the Christian judges God to be sufficient in power and faithful in character to carry out all his promises (Hebrews 11:11, 19).
Kenneth Copeland related an incident in which a person said to him, "God doesn’t have faith — he is the object of our faith." Apparently confused by the simple distinction, Copeland smirked and said, "He was too educated for me." And as far as we can tell, that is exactly right.
Recommended:
Pentecostalism and Cessationism
Ministry Spending and Favoritism
Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology
Vincent Cheung, Commentary on Philippians
Vincent Cheung, Biblical Healing
D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit
John MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos