Here's an excellent article documented some of the numerous unBiblical
teachings of the infamous heretic and con artist, Benny Hinn.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
HERMENEUTICS THAT HARM
Benny Hinn's Misuse of Scripture to Support False Doctrine
by W.E. Nunnally
In the previous edition of "The Quarterly Journal," numerous
examples of Benny Hinn's interpretations were discussed, which
pointed to a logical, systematic attempt to establish himself as
an authoritative biblical commentator. The primary purpose of
this study below is to investigate the effect Hinn's hermeneutics
(methods of interpretation) have on doctrine and practice.
To a select few who have questioned the unorthodox teachings of
Benny Hinn, the faith healer has claimed lack of formal Bible
training as a primary reason for his unbiblical declarations.
"You know, in a way, I really envy those who have had Bible
training. ... I was really hoping I could go to Bible school or
something. But it never really happened that way."[1]
"But I knew so little about biblical teaching at that time."[2]
Yet to the thousands of patrons of Hinn's books and telecasts,
a quite different scenario is painted. In his 1995 publication,
"Welcome, Holy Spirit," he claims that:
"After over a decade of Bible instruction [combined with] a
lifetime of living in the Holy Land ... you could say I had
mastered the Bible. ... I have spent thousands of hours studying
the Bible and reflecting on practically every word."[3]
In the last issue, an entire section was devoted to examples of
Hinn's appeal to exceptional "insiders knowledge" of the biblical
world.
Hinn has even enlisted testimony from some of his "partners in
ministry" to further boost his credentials as an authoritative
interpretator of Scripture. In a recent advertisement for Hinn's
ministry, actress Donna Douglas said:
"The insight that Benny has into the Scriptures is absolutely
amazing to me."[4]
The hermeneutical or interpretive framework of Hinn is not
simply a matter of academic curiosity. Historically, those who
have departed from the commonly accepted and time-tested methods
of legitimate Bible interpretation have erred sooner or later in
matters of faith and practice. Hinn is no exception.
Hinn's past unorthodox theology is well documented. As
sensational as his aberrations were, and as much criticism as
they attracted, the reader should be aware that despite his
rhetoric to the contrary, many of his positions have remained
unchanged. A prime reason for this is that his basic
hermeneutical methodology (interpretive approach) has remained
the same. Because it has not changed, his core beliefs about the
nature of the Bible, its message, and the character of God remain
unaltered.
ADDITIONS AND CHANGES TO THE BIBLICAL TEXT
Hinn is a man of great conviction. He believes so strongly in
the correctness of his theological presuppositions that he has
gone so far as to actually change or add to biblical revelation
to support them. For example, in the past, he has said with
respect to Job's declaration, "The Lord giveth and the Lord
taketh away" (Job 1:21):
"I have news for you. That is not Bible. That is not Bible.
The Lord giveth and never taketh away!"[5]
Hinn's edict caused him embarrassment. In 1993, he apologized
for his criticism of Job's pronouncement and said,
"Now let me tell you something else I said once that I so
regret I said. Poor Job, I hope he's still my friend in
heaven. ... I made a statement one day, I said uh, something
about Job, 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away," that he
was in unbelief."[6]
To support his belief in the lordship/dominion of man over the
earth, Hinn added this statement to the text of Genesis, "[God
told Abram He] could not touch this earth 'til a man gave it back
to Him."[7]
In 1991, Hinn wrote that on the basis of Ephesians 5:23, all
Christians should pray, "You are the savior of my [physical]
body." In support of this statement, he reread the biblical
text, "He Himself being the savior of my body." Hinn's
rendering is in opposition to the inspired words of Paul, "the
body," which in context, refers to the Body of Christ, the
Church. Based on his change/addition to the text, Hinn
concludes, "If Jesus Christ is the savior of the body, then your
body ought to be made whole."[8] This is a perfect example of the
equation: additions/changes to the text result in faulty exegesis
(interpretation), which in turn results in erroneous faith and
practice.
In the past, Hinn's additions to biblical revelation have not
been limited to a word or two. In a fund raising homily for the
Trinity Broadcasting Network, Hinn introduced an entirely new
concept to the Church, which the Holy Spirit supposedly confirmed
by direct revelation, and further supported by reference to the
Scriptures:
"I want to break the Devil of Poverty tonight. You say, 'Well,
Benny Hinn, I don't believe there's a demon of poverty.' Oh, yes
there is. Do you realize that...in my bedroom I had a vision.
Now...if you have troubles with this, it's your problem. But I
woke up one night and saw a man in my bedroom and you say, 'Wow!'
Look, I've seen more visions than you realize and those things,
when you deal with the supernatural, supernatural visions are
just common things, all right? I saw in my bedroom a man
standing mocking me. He was thin and his clothes were torn off.
And the Spirit of God said, 'That's the Devil of Poverty.' And I
sat up in bed--I wasn't asleep; I wasn't dreaming--that thing was
there. And I said, 'I rebuke you in Jesus' name.' And the Holy
Ghost stopped me and said, 'You're rebuking it wrong. ... You
don't rebuke with saying, "I rebuke." You rebuke with, "Thus
saith the Lord!" Use the Word against that devil.' ... And you
know what I did? I said, 'The Bible says,' just like Jesus said,
'It is written.' And when I did that, that thing vanished. And
from that day 'til this, I'm telling you, I'm telling the truth,
I don't have debts." [The clear implication is that this should
be done by all Christians, and they will become free of debt,
too.][9]
Just after his extrabiblical revelation about the existence of
this special spirit-being, its purpose, his explanation from the
Scriptures on how to deal with that spirit, and what result it
will have in the life of the believer, Hinn continues on the
themes of prosperity and healing:
"Make a pledge, make a gift. Because that's the only way
you're going to get your miracle. Miracles don't happen when you
lay around and say, 'Let me feel something.' Miracles happen
when you do something, and then you [sic] gonna get it. Then you
[sic] gonna feel it. The man at the Gate Beautiful never got
healed...while he was sitting. No. He was healed as he stood.
The Bible says Peter picked him up and while he stood the power
of God hit him. As you give, the miracle will begin. All right,
so get to the phones and get busy."[10]
The above passage to which Hinn refers appears in Acts 3:1-11.
In verses 6 and 7, the origin of both the faith and the action is
Peter, not the man about to be healed. An unbiased reading of
verses 7 and 8 contradict Hinn's assertion that God responded to
the man standing up, and that he was healed "as he stood." This
rereading constitutes yet another addition to the inspired
biblical record. Verse 8 specifically states, "and leaping up he
stood..." Therefore, in verse 7, it would appear that Luke is
trying to say that the miracle took place before the man stood,
at the approximate time that Peter began to lift him up.
Thus, rather than an objective reading of the text in question,
Hinn's interpretation appears to be driven by his theological
presupposition that people must first exhibit faith and then put
that faith into physical action before they can become candidates
for healing. This would appear to be in closer conformity to the
Roman Catholic emphasis on works rather than to biblical
revelation.
Richard Mayhue has noted these presuppositions on the part of
Hinn.[11] After careful analysis of the entire Bible, however,
Mayhue demonstrates conclusively that effort, and even faith, on
the part of the afflicted is not a prerequisite for healing
according to the biblical pattern.[12] From examples such as the
Creation, the Flood, the raising of Lazarus and Jairus' daughter,
and other biblical miracles, it is clear that God does not
require human action or faith in order to display His power.
Elsewhere in the same homily, Hinn observes:
"The same way you activate your faith for a physical miracle,
you activate your faith for a financial miracle. When you want a
miracle physically, you have to move your arms, your legs,
whatever. Jesus saw one day a man with a withered hand. He
said, 'Stretch it!' OK. How do we get a financial miracle? By
giving! That activates our faith! That gets our faith
loose! ... Every time I put my tithe in...or an offering, I say,
'Thank you for my harvest.' Audibly, I say it. Audibly. 'Thank
you for my harvest.'"[13]
In Hinn's interpretation of the healing of the man with the
withered hand, Jesus commands, "Stretch it!" His understanding
of this command is clearly the same as that delineated in his
previous comment: you must begin to move the ailing part before
God will heal it. In other words, the same presuppositional
error he exhibited above is evident in this example as well. In
place of the clear intent of the command (to expose the ailing
limb for all to see), Hinn has added a theological significance
to the act which exists in his belief system, but which is not
readily evident in the text itself.
Having committed one error of interpretation, Hinn compounds
the problem by applying the principle of "action to energize
faith" to the action of giving. Because the concept is
unbiblical with respect to the physical realm, it only follows
that the same concept is unbiblical when applied to the financial
realm.
Hinn has again illustrated his belief that faith is an external
creative force which has to be "activated" and "loosened." In
addition, his emphasis upon the importance of the spoken word in
this process is at the very heart of the Confession/Faith Message
and not that of the Bible.
The Bible has strong words to say about the negative results
which follow when its revelation is supplemented by man. Most
interpreters living on this side of the Reformation are deterred
by the warnings found in scriptures such as Deuteronomy 4:2;
12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18, etc. It is quite telling
that Hinn is not.
MORE RECENT EXPRESSIONS OF HETERODOX THEOLOGY
The Nature of Christ. In recent days, Hinn has become less
bold than to add to the Bible outright. By employing his own
brand of pre-Reformation hermeneutics, however, he still manages
to support all of his favorite doctrines. For example, Hinn
continues to teach that Jesus actually became sin, and took on
the nature of Satan himself.
"Now the Lord said to Nicodemus, 'As Moses lifted up the
serpent, so shall the Son of Man be lifted up.' You know, that
verse...years ago used to bother me. ... I thought, 'Why the Lord
[sic] comparing Himself to a snake?'... Well--I--someone put in
my hand a book by Martin Luther, the great reformer. And I'm
riding on a bus...reading this book called "Justification by
Faith" by Martin Luther. ... In this book he says, 'There is a
verse in the Bible that used to bother me.' ... I was so amazed,
I spoke out and said, 'You, too?' [Laughter.] ... God used his
book to give me an incredible truth. Martin Luther says in his
book, he says, 'The Holy Spirit showed me what Jesus meant in
this.' And he goes into describing the fact that serpents are
symbols of sin in the Bible, that the lowest animal on earth is
the snake, and the lowest thing on earth is sin, and that Jesus
became the lowest thing on earth when he took our sin and gave
the scriptures how, 'He who went to the lowest became the highest
and fills all in all,' and so on. Powerful! And somehow I began
to understand, dear God! Jesus was made sin for me!"[14]
Analogies used by authors of Scripture are usually of such a
nature that when every aspect of the analogy is taken to its
logical conclusion, the analogy breaks down. By use of the word
"As," Jesus has set up an analogy. His intent is to draw
Nicodemus' attention to the fact that He will be "lifted up" for
the purpose of healing in a manner similar to an event which
happened under the ministry of Moses. When the analogy is taken
to the extreme, Jesus must then be analogous to the serpent, and
since serpents are symbolic of sin, Jesus must become sin or
sinful. A similar example of the danger of pressing analogies
too far appears in the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8).
If the analogy is pressed to the extreme, the unjust judge must
be interpreted as an allusion to God, which is contradictory to
His character as revealed elsewhere in Scripture (e.g.
Deuteronomy 32:4, etc.).
Hinn also notes that his source for this teaching is the book,
"Justification by Faith," by the great reformer Martin Luther. He
states that Martin Luther wrote that he was troubled by the same
passage which concerned him. Further he asserts that Luther was
led to the correct interpretation by divine revelation from the
Holy Spirit.
To set the record straight, it must be observed that Martin
Luther never wrote a book entitled "Justification by Faith." Nor
did the great reformer ever express confusion about the meaning
of this text. Nor did Luther claim divine revelation for his
interpretation of John 3:14. In no place in his works does
Luther ever suggest that Jesus took on a sin nature or the nature
of Satan. What Luther does say is that as He hung on the cross,
He was "regarded" as evil, despised, and "an archvillain" by
ungodly, worldly men in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12, etc. He
states uncategorically that Christians:
"Must even then learn to ignore this figure and outward
appearance of Christ. ... I will still regard this vile worm as
the Savior...not as a worm, serpent...devil. ... The world
regards Him as an accursed, damned man. ... In reality, of
course, He is not a serpent; He is the lamb of God. ... Christ
is not a serpent, a vile worm...a dragon, or a demoniac, as His
slanderers claim. ... Let them perish!"[15]
Quite the opposite of supporting Hinn's interpretation, Luther
places a curse upon those who hold such views!
If the origin of this interpretation is not Martin Luther,
where could Hinn have obtained such an unbiblical view of the
nature of Christ? This doctrine originated with the mystic E.W.
Kenyon, and was probably passed on to Hinn in the teachings of
faith teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Frederick Price, and
Kenneth Copeland.[16] That Hinn continues to draw from his roots
in the Faith movement in such a recent broadcast should be an
indication to all interested that his past repudiations have been
in word only.
As in the case with Hinn's interpretation of the "prophecy" of
Kathryn Kuhlman,[17] Hinn exhibits the same problem interpreting
the communication of Martin Luther as well. In other words,
whether the communication under consideration is from 1400 BC, AD
30, AD 1500, or AD 1970, the theological agenda of Hinn is of
paramount importance, not the intentions of the original
communicator. Individuals who exhibit a pattern of misconstruing
messages such as this should be approached with great caution.
All Christians Should Walk in Divine Health. It is well-known
that in the past, Hinn taught that no Christian should ever be
sick and should walk in divine health. One of the ways he
grounds this in Scripture is by drawing an analogy between the
Church and Israel at the time of the Exodus. In essence, because
all Israel was healed in the Exodus, all members of the Church
should also be healed. He taught this in his 1993 book, "Lord, I
Need a Miracle."[18]
He reiterated this teaching, however, as recently as December
1994:
"When Israel came out of Egypt, God performed an incredible
miracle. And that is when He healed all of Israel. I mean the
Bible says, 'Not one feeble among them were traveled [sic] when
they came out.' But what happened? ... the amazing thing is, in
Exodus 12 we find they ate the lamb and the blood was sprinkled
on the doorposts. And the cross was presented to Israel. Even
though they did not know it, it was because of eating the lamb,
it was the first Passover, is what brought that great miracle.
.... The Israelites were all healed when they ate the Passover.
When people are saved they ought to be healed at the same time.
.... The Bible says, 'When He brought them out. ...' The reason
so many are not healed, they're not out yet. In Psalm 105:37
it says, 'When God brought Israel out of Egypt. ...' Then it
says, 'there was not one feeble among all the tribes.' [Paul
Crouch interjects, 'And Egypt is a type of sin.'] Egypt is a
type of the world. The reason they are not healed is that they
aren't brought out yet. ... God healed all under the law. Why
not all under grace? It is God's will to heal. ... When, when,
when Jesus said to the man, 'I will. Be thou clean,' that was
clearly a promise. He said, 'I will.' Well, if He'll heal one,
He'll heal two. If He heals two, He'll heal three. If He heals
three, He'll heal four. Otherwise He's a respecter of persons.
.... when we take that bread [of the Lord's Supper], we should
get our healing at that [moment]. ... When they [Israel] ate the
Passover, they were all healed. That's when the miracle took
place in Egypt."[19]
What should be observed here is that this passage evidences
Hinn's continued belief in the Faith Message, and that he goes so
far as to suggest that those who are not healed when partaking of
communion are still living in sin or are not saved. In some
respects this would appear to be an even more radical position
than he espoused before he "renounced" the Faith message.
With respect to his statement, "God healed all under the law.
Why not all under grace?" Hinn has begun with one false premise
and preceded to build another on top of it. It is a matter of
the biblical record that not all saints were healed or walked in
continual divine health, in either the Old Testament or the New
Testament. The same situation may safely be said to exist today.
When Jesus said, "I will," or better, "I want to," it was in
response to the sick man's statement, "Lord, if You want to, You
can make me clean." In Jesus' response to the man, He said, "I
want to. Be thou (singular) clean" (Matthew 8:3). In context,
Jesus' statement was to this one man. It was not a blanket
"promise" which extends to all people, in all places, in all
ages. If Benny Hinn were to apply this same methodology to all
the words of Jesus, he would have to sell all that he has and
give it to the poor (Matthew 19:16-21).
When God expresses His sovereignty, it is never at the expense
of other aspects of His character (e.g., His justice). To
suggest such, and thus remove the sovereignty of God, is to
create a theological impossibility.
Equally important, the Lord's Supper is not a magical ritual.
The will of God cannot be manipulated or dictated by our
consumption of the elements of bread and wine. This assumption
by Hinn is again dependent upon his faulty interpretation of
Exodus 12 and Psalm 105:37, and therefore must be judged
illegitimate.
Recently, Hinn further advocated the same teaching to Trinity
Broadcasting Network viewers in reference to the fulfillment of a
statement (which Hinn calls a "prophecy") by the late Kathryn
Kuhlman, to the effect that there will be end-time services in
which everyone will be healed. Hinn states that this prophecy
will be fulfilled in his services:
"Now, we are going to see that happen. We will see that
happen, Paul [Crouch]. Before Jesus comes back, I am going to
see that happen. ... I have begun to pray...that God will heal
all. And why not? ... Exodus 12...when they all partook of the
Passover...a people who came out of slavery should be healed in
one glorious service before leaving Egypt. God healed them
all. ... Psalm 105:37."[20]
Transubstantiation. Hinn has also aligned himself with a
medieval superstition by promoting the Roman Catholic doctrine of
transubstantiation. This doctrine teaches that the elements of
communion are changed into the literal body and blood of Christ.
He informed a recent Trinity Broadcasting Network audience:
"God really gave me a revelation...that when we partake
communion, it's not just communion, Paul [Crouch]. We are
partaking Christ Jesus himself. He did not say, 'Take, eat, this
represents my body.' He said, 'This is my body, broken for
you...' When you partake communion, you're partaking Christ, and
that heals your body. When you partake Jesus how can you stay
weak? ... sick? ... And so tonight, as we partake communion,
we're not partaking bread. We're partaking what He said we would
be partaking of: 'This is my body.'"[21]
Confession, Prosperity and Commanding God. Part and parcel
with Hinn's teaching on the divine health of all Christians is
his continued emphasis on the importance of positive confession
as a means to obtain and keep one's healing.
In 1990, with reference to Proverbs 13:22, Hinn encouraged his
studio and viewing audience to confess:
"Say after me, all of you, everybody say it, 'The wealth of the
wicked is mine.' [The audience repeats.] One more time. [The
audience repeats.] One more time. [The audience repeats.]"[22]
Likewise, with regard to Numbers 14:28, Hinn offered this
interpretation:
"'If you'll say it, I'll do it,' that's what God says. ... So
when you confess it you are activating the supernatural force of
God. Do you know that confession activates heaven? Confession
releases the spirit world. I'm telling you. Do you know, Paul
[Crouch], something? A witch told me ... 'As a witch I used to
kill birds with words. ... There are three words they [witches]
continually speak on your life and every Christian: poverty,
death and sickness.' ... And then suddenly a scripture popped
into my mind. ... 'No weapon formed against thee shall prosper,'
--Isaiah 54-- 'and every tongue that shall arise against thee in
judgment thou shalt condemn.' ... I said to the Lord, 'Lord, how
do I condemn?' He [God] said, 'With words.'... And do you know
what the Holy Spirit said to me? He said, 'If witches can speak
death, you can speak life. If they can speak poverty, you can
speak prosperity.' And the Spirit of the Lord said to me, He
said, 'Words activate heaven.' Jesus said, 'The words that I
speak, they are spirit; they are life.' When you speak, you
speak spirit, you speak life. ... We confess tonight that we are
blessed. We are prosperous."[23]
The context of Numbers 14:28 is negative. God is actually
judging the people for their ungodly murmuring. Hinn announces,
"When you confess it you are activating the supernatural forces
of God ... confession activates heaven ... releases the spirit
world." Faith as an external force and human ability to
manipulate the supernatural by words are beliefs common in pagan
magic, but are entirely foreign to biblical faith.
The historical position of the orthodox Christian church has no
place in its doctrine of revelation for theology to be informed
by the faith or practice of those involved in the occult.
Revelations, experiences, and practices of witches are of no
consequence to the faith and life of a New Testament believer.
To think that the Holy Spirit would agree with revelation
derived from the occult, and then use this revelation as a basis
for further extrabiblical revelation, which in turn informs faith
and practice, is blasphemous beyond words. This is another
teaching which Hinn has never disavowed.
As much as Hinn would like to believe that we are of like
nature with Christ, we are not Jesus. Our words are not "spirit
and life." We are not "little gods" and do not speak with the
same life-giving, creative authority with which He spoke. No
amount of wishful thinking or exegetical gymnastics will place
man above the status in which God placed him within the created
order. He reserves this privilege for Himself alone. To usurp
this privilege makes us not one in nature with God, but rather
one in nature with the generation of the tower of Babel (Genesis
11:1-9) and Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-15).
In more recent, post-reformation, broadcasts, Hinn again
affirmed his continued belief in the doctrine of Confession:
"It is God's will to heal...but...we as believers must claim
the promises. ... You take the Word and say, 'You said in Your
Word,' and something happens. ... Healing is ours. It's a part
of our inheritance. There is a place for violent faith. ... If
we get that kind of faith, we're gonna see miracles. Sometimes
it's not enough to say, 'Lord, heal me.' ... Sometimes it takes,
it takes aggressive faith. The Bible says, 'The prayer of faith
will save the sick.' Not just prayer, the prayer of faith. That
prayer must be full of faith and power to bring salvation from
that sickness. And sickness, Paul [Crouch], is limited death.
Think about it. When a body is sick, that sick part is dying.
That's limited death. God wants to give us life. 'I have come
that they might have life and have it more abundantly.'"[24]
"...violent faith. I think the time has come that we take what
is ours aggressively. You see, God will not give you anything
until you go after it hard. ... People are tired of hearing,
'Maybe.' They want to hear the positive. God will do it no
matter what the devil does, no matter what the world says, no
matter what the skeptic says. God will do it!"[25]
"I believe it is not only God's will for you to be healed, but
it is His will that you live in health until He calls you home
(see Job 5:26). ... I am not one who prays, 'If it be your will,
Lord, grant healing to this person.' It is His will! You will
never hear me pray such faith-destroying words as 'If it be Your
will, Lord, heal them.' God intends for you to rise and be
healed. Today. Tomorrow. Always!"[26]
These fresh proclamations are no different in substance than
those made in his 1991 book, "'Rise & Be Healed!'":
"Ladies and gentlemen, saint of God, healing is the will of God
for you. Never, ever, ever go to the Lord and say, 'If it be thy
will...' Don't allow such faith-destroying words to be spoken
from your mouth. When you pray 'if it be your will, Lord,' faith
will be destroyed. Doubt will billow up and flood your being.
Be on guard against words like this which will rob you of your
faith and drag you down in despair. It is His will. Jesus said,
'I will.'"[27]
In 1993, Hinn approvingly recounts an incident in the life of
heretic William Branham in which Branham began to demand his
healing on the basis of Isaiah 45:11:
"Then he [Branham] said, 'Lord, if the Word is health to all my
flesh, I will stand on Your Word that says "concerning the work
of My hands, you command Me"' (Isa. 45:11). The Lord did not say
to 'ask,' He said 'command Me.' And that is what Branham did.
God promised it and the evangelist commanded Him to do it."[28]
One of Hinn's recent discourses included the statement:
"You can tell God what you want. You just express your faith
in what you want. ... You can tell God what you want."[29]
Hinn lays down four "simple" laws which, if obeyed, "...you
will live in health. And when sickness comes, you'll command it
to leave your body." On the basis of Exodus 15:26, the first of
Hinn's conditions is Heed:
"You must 'hearken' to the voice of the Lord. In Hebrew, the
word means both to 'hear and declare.' You must hear it, speak
it, and confess it. The importance of this first step cannot be
overlooked."[30]
On the basis of Jeremiah 17:5, Hinn continues to believe and
teach that healings, once obtained, may be lost as a result of
lack of faith.
"The Lord not only wants you to receive your healing, He wants
it to continue. Here are seven specific ways you can keep your
healing. 1. Trust in God. 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man
/ And makes flesh his strength, / Whose heart departs from the
LORD' (Jer. 17:5)."[31]
The thread of commonality which binds all these pronouncements
together is Hinn's undaunted commitment to the doctrine of
Positive Confession. It makes no difference to what length he
has to go to make the Scriptures say what he needs them to say.
It matters not that he has to cite a known heretic to establish
authority for his pronouncements.[32] No leap of logic is too
great for this mentality. Positive confession accentuates an
unbiblical emphasis on works and results in unbiblical doctrines
such as the possibility of "losing a healing."[33] Even the
concept of the "Full Counsel of God" is run over roughshod
(Matthew 26:39; James 4:3, 4, 15; I John 5:14, etc.) in every
attempt to establish the theological agenda of the interpreter.
After numerous renunciations of the Prosperity Gospel, little
seems to have changed with Hinn. In April 1994, he proclaimed:
"And now here's something wonderful. The Bible says in Genesis
26 that in the same year Isaac sowed, he reaped. The same year.
Well, God Almighty wants to give you that miracle the same year
you sow for it. Let's believe Him tonight for it. And really,
it's according to your faith." [34]
A New Twist on an Old Issue. In recent days, Hinn has appeared
to tone down his flamboyant style and his doctrinal rhetoric,
possibly because of his status as a newly ordained minister of
the Assemblies of God. Perhaps this allegiance would finally put
him on the road to reform. Then in February 1995 he announced:
"My friend, if you've had, hear this, if you've had a
face-to-face encounter -- my, I feel the anointing under this! --
if you've had a face-to-face encounter with Christ Jesus, you
cannot turn away from Him! You can't turn your back and live the
old life again! It's impossible! Peter said, 'They have gone
from us, for they were never a part of us. The dog has gone back
to its vomit.' If you go back to the old life, I don't think
you've ever met the Redeemer."[35]
Many readers will not have a problem with Hinn's espousal of
the doctrine of "Eternal Security." Numerous denominations hold
this as a cardinal tenet of their belief system. These same
religious bodies would, however, have a problem with the fact
that Hinn has attributed I John 2:19 to Peter (especially since
he claimed to be under the "anointing"). They, too, may have
concerns about Hinn's citation of II Peter 2:22, since this has
historically been used against the doctrine of Eternal Security
(cf. the larger context of II Peter 2:20-22). More appropriate
to support a belief in Eternal Security would have been a passage
such as John 10:28-29 or 11:26.
What is even more significant is that Hinn recently signed a
doctrinal statement in order to qualify for ordination with the
Assemblies of God which singles out the doctrine of Eternal
Security as a doctrine which cannot be believed by its ordained
ministers. Indeed, all Pentecostals and most Charismatics (along
with Methodists, Freewill Baptists, etc.) have rejected belief in
Eternal Security on the very basis of scriptures like II Peter
2:22!
CONCLUSIONS
From a brief survey of the variety of the dates of the
citations in this investigation, it should be abundantly clear to
those who wish to know the truth that Hinn has not changed any of
his teachings despite his many promises. If the premise of this
study is correct, that the interpretive framework of any
individual lies at the heart of his ministry, Hinn's inability to
change his theological positions makes perfect sense. His
theology cannot change until his interpretive practices come into
line with those of historical orthodoxy.
Hinn has the cart in front of the horse. His agenda drives his
hermeneutics. His need to produce novel interpretations, to
establish his own credibility/authority, and to support his
heterodox theological agenda is the motivating force which keeps
his hermeneutics in a deplorable state. He is therefore trapped.
His theology cannot change until he changes his interpretive
approach, and he cannot change his interpretive approach because
his theology is dependent upon it.
Hinn's popularity is a visible reminder of the poor spiritual
health in which the Church finds itself today. That one man can
create a "cult of personality," an elite priesthood which can
pronounce authoritative interpretations binding upon thousands of
believers is almost inconceivable. Such popularity is a sad
indication of the willingness of the majority to follow any
authoritative voice which feeds the carnal craving of so many in
the body of Christ for the "new."
His past explanations of heterodoxy as resulting from lack of
formal training would appear to be a step in the right direction.
His recent actions, however, such as his successful circumvention
of the educational requirements for ordination in the Assemblies
of God, indicate that his priorities lie elsewhere.
Nevertheless, his observation is still legitimate, and should
encourage clergy and laymen alike to develop a strong foundation
in both theology and hermeneutics.
Finally, we must reject both the methods and the results of
ministers whose track records indicate a cavalier regard for the
Word of God (see II Corinthians 2:17; 4:2; II Timothy 2:15; II
Peter 1:20, etc.). In order for the Church to enjoy a sustained,
truly biblical revival, we must first return to the concepts of
Sola Scriptura, "Scripture interprets Scripture," "the Priesthood
of the Believer," and evidentially based interpretation. If we
do, the blessings of God are sure to follow. As we exalt His
Word above personalities, agendas, human emotion, personal
experience, and opinion, God will also exalt us. If we do not
heed the call to another Protestant Reformation, we are doomed to
return to the spiritual darkness of the Middle Ages.
Editor's Note: Dr. W.E. Nunnally is Associate Professor of Early
Judaism and Christian Origins at Central Bible College and
Adjunct Professor of Hebrew Language at the Assemblies of God
Theological Seminary in Springfield, Mo.
Endnotes:
1. Audio tape made of a three-way telephone interview (9/3/91)
involving Randy Frame, J. Rodman Williams, and Benny Hinn in
preparation for Frame's article which appeared in the 10/28/91
issue of "Christianity Today," "Best-selling Author Admits
Mistakes, Vows Changes," pp. 44-45.
2. Benny Hinn, Signs & Wonders Conference, General Session, March
9, 1995. Video tape #95SWC52.
3. Benny Hinn, "Welcome, Holy Spirit." Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1995, pp. 57, 199.
4. Video vignette from the 1994 "Covenant Partners In Ministry
Conference on the Holy Spirit" featured on the Orlando Christian
Center broadcast, Trinity Broadcasting Network, 2/20/95.
5. Benny Hinn, Orlando Christian Center broadcast, Trinity
Broadcasting Network, 11/3/90.
6. Benny Hinn, Orlando Christian Center broadcast, Trinity
Broadcasting Network, 6/13/93.
7. Benny Hinn, World Charismatic Conference, Cassette tape,
8/7/92.
8. Benny Hinn, "'Rise and Be Healed!'". Orlando: Celebration
Publishers, 1991, pg. 64.
9. Benny Hinn, Praise-A-Thon, Trinity Broadcasting Network, April
1990. In a November 1990 version of this story, the Holy Spirit
gave him different directions, and his address to this demon
contained only the "blessings of God." See G. Richard Fisher, et
al., "The Confusing World of Benny Hinn," second edition, pp.
99-100 for a transcript of the alternate episode.
10. Praise-A-Thon, April 1990, op. cit.
11. Richard Mayhue, "The Healing Promise." Eugene, OR: Harvest
House Publishers, 1994, pg. 33.
12. Ibid., pp. 91, 102, 134, etc.
13. Praise-A-Thon, April 1990, op. cit.
14. Benny Hinn, "Praise The Lord Show," Trinity Broadcasting
Network, 12/6/94. This unbiblical doctrine has been repeated
time and again by Hinn. See for example Benny Hinn's sermon of
12/9/90, op. cit. See also Stephen F. Cannon, "The Quarterly
Journal," "Good Morning, Holy Spirit - Benny Hinn and Revelation
Knowledge," Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 11-13.
15. "Luther's Works," edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T.
Lehmann. 55 volumes. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1955-1986, 22:341-344).
16. See E.W. Kenyon, "New Creation Realities: A Revelation of
Redemption." Seattle: Kenyon's Gospel Publishing Society, 1964,
pg. 44; Kenneth E. Hagin, "The Name of Jesus." Tulsa: Kenneth Hagin
Ministries, 1981, pg. 31; Frederick Price, "Identification,
Number 3." Inglewood, CA: Ever Increasing Faith Ministries,
1980, tape FP545; Kenneth Copeland, "What Happened from the Cross
to the Throne." Fort Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1991,
audiotape #02-0017.
17. "The Quarterly Journal," Vol. 15, No. 2, pg. 21, endnote 29.
18. Benny Hinn, "Lord, I Need a Miracle." Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1993, pp. 63, 64, and 67.
19. "Praise The Lord Show," 12/6/94, op. cit. See also, Benny
Hinn, "Praise The Lord Show," Trinity Broadcasting Network, 1/24/95
where he expressed the same unbiblical concept. See further
comments regarding Hinn's use of Exodus 12 and Psalm 105:37 (cf.
Isaiah 63:13-14) in "The Quarterly Journal," Vol. 15, No. 2, pg.
18.
20. Benny Hinn, "Praise The Lord Show," Trinity Broadcasting
Network, 12/27/94.
21. Ibid. See "The Quarterly Journal," Vol. 15, No. 2, pg. 17 for
additional comments.
22. Praise-A-Thon, April 1990, op. cit.
23. Ibid.
24. "Praise The Lord Show," 12/6/94, op. cit.
25. Benny Hinn, Orlando Christian Center broadcast, Trinity
Broadcasting Network, 9/26/94.
26. "Lord, I Need a Miracle," op. cit., pg. 63. See also the
"Praise The Lord Show," 1/24/95 where Hinn expresses the same
unbiblical concept.
27. "'Rise and Be Healed!'", op. cit., pg. 37.
28. "Lord, I Need a Miracle," op. cit., pp. 74-75.
29. Benny Hinn, Praise-A-Thon, Trinity Broadcasting Network,
April 1994.
30. Ibid., pp. 72-73.
31. Ibid., pg. 100.
32. Stanley Burgess and Gary McGee, Editors, "Dictionary
Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements." Grand Rapids: Regency
Reference Library, 1988, pp. 95-97; C. Douglas Weaver, "The
Healer-Prophet, William Marrion Branham: A Study of the Prophetic
in American Pentecostalism." Macon, GA: Mercer University Press,
1987; and Stephen F. Cannon, "The Quarterly Journal," "A Prophet
Sent from God? Examining the Life and Claims of William M.
Branham," Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 1, 8-9.
33. See further, "The Healing Promise." Mayhue proves conclusively
that there is no healing in the biblical record which was
subsequently reversed for any reason (pp. 34-35).
34. Praise-A-Thon, April 1994, op. cit.
35. Benny Hinn, Orlando Christian Center broadcast, Trinity
Broadcasting Network, 2/20/95.
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