Final follow-up on John Hagee

Two months ago, I posted about John Hagee, a gentile Christian televangelist who supports Israel to the point that he believed Jews didn't need to believe that Yeshua was the Messiah (in gentile terms, he claimed they don't need to believe that Jesus was the Christ). Hagee rationalized this by saying Jesus didn't come to be the Messiah, or at least, not the Messiah the Jews were looking for.

To look into the matter further and see if these accusations were true, I read Hagee's book in which he made these claims, In Defense of Israel. After investigating these claims, I wrote a follow-up post on John Hagee here.

This past week, a Messianic friend related to me the following news: John Hagee has agreed to retract his statement about Jesus not being the Messiah, and has further agreed to rewrite the chapter in his book in which he made these claims.

Below is the message as related by Christian missionary Don Geraci. The post is interesting; I don't agree with all Geraci has to say, but I am glad to hear that Hagee will retract his misunderstand of Jesus' Messiahship.

"Hagee Heresy" Update... Breakthrough and Answer to Prayer
by: Don Geraci

Since the writing of my commentary, "The Mystery of Lawlessness and The Hagee Heresy", a significant development has taken place that must be both publicized and applauded:

'The Hagee Heresy' has been retracted!

Rev. John Hagee has agreed to rewrite the chapter in question in his new book, "In Defense of Israel" - i.e. the section of the book that made the clearly heretical claims about the Messiahship of Jesus.

Reference: "John Hagee Declares: "Jesus Did Not Come to Earth to Be the Messiah" http://threshingfloor.onevoicemm.net/weblog/?p=868"http://threshingfloor.on
evoicemm.net/weblog/?p=868

That is good news and certainly an answer to prayer, such as I noted in the conclusion of my commentary. I exhorted us to pray for such a retraction from Hagee and deliverance from a spirit of delusion that prompted him to astonishingly deny the Messiahship of Jesus.

A noted and very reputable evangelical leader/scholar who had written a strong rebuttal of Hagee's heretical teaching on Jesus' Messiahship in his new book, 'In Defense of Israel', was recently able to dialogue with Hagee on this issue. The result of that dialogue was that John Hagee agreed to rewrite the chapter in question, submit it for scholarly review prior to publication and be open to future input on this issue. Certainly we can all rejoice in this good news and commend John Hagee for submitting to godly counsel and reproof. The fallout in both evangelical circles and the Jewish community could have been significantly greater without such a retraction. Instead of addressing the 'Hagee Heresy', we can instead exclaim, 'Hallelujah, Hagee!'

Of course we will have to await the revised section in his new book before a final verdict on the whole issue. Hopefully, there will be no questionable statements or doctrines that resurrects any question whatsoever about the fact that Jesus IS - and always has been - the Jewish Messiah.

Let me emphasize that my commentary, "The Mystery of Lawlessness and The Hagee Heresy", was critical of the Hagee doctrinal stance - not John Hagee personally. I am aware that there are many 'fans' of John Hagee in the Body of Christ (we should be fans of Jesus first and foremost - He never fails). My concern and contention was that, based on 1 John 4:1-3, every born-again believer - myself included and including leaders such as John Hagee - are subject to the delusion that prompted him to make such heretical claims about Jesus' Messiahship. The alarm needed to be sounded to EVERY believer at this critical juncture in the eschaton!

Tragically, it happened to a very renowned evangelical leader with a large following in the Body of Christ. It could have happened to any other leader as well - and especially, as I noted, in the 'Peacenik' Movement which displays a clear pattern to avoid or circumvent the name of Jesus and proclamation of the full gospel in its ministry endeavor to 'bless' Israel.
By now we in the Body of Christ, in light of recent, tragic downfalls of various leaders, should recognize that NO man or woman is beyond scrutiny or above reproach. We look to Jesus and the gospel - not men. My concern was for the honor and integrity of the gospel and Jesus' Name and not for criticism of any man (note how Paul - in Gal.1:8-9 - actually speaks in more judgmental language!).

I believe, as stated in my commentary on 1 John 4:1-3, that there is an important and larger lesson to be learned from this whole perplexing issue. We must proclaim the gospel and Jesus' Name openly and unashamedly in these last days as the Bridegroom, Jesus, prepares to return for His Bride, the Church. To not do so is to our own peril since we will be subtly but actively vulnerable to the same spirit of antichrist that tragically - albeit temporarily (praise God) - influenced John Hagee.

This incident also, I believe, signifies a watershed moment in the 'Peacenik' Movement.
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Messiah Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14).

Forgetting the 'Hagee Heresy' and straining ahead - for Zion's sake and the Kingdom's sake...

Pressing on - in proclamation of the gospel 'to the Jew first and also to the Gentile'...

To win the prize - the salvation of Israel and the Nations...

For which God has called us in Messiah Jesus...that is, the Great Commission.

Simply put, the time for 'making a bridge for peace' to Israel and the Jewish people is over.
It is time to proclaim 'The Prince of Peace' to Israel and the Jewish people!

This Prince of Peace is Jesus and we are not ashamed to acknowledge Him. The Hagee incident is a clarion call to all believers, especially those in the 'Peacenik' Movement, to now shift gears and launch into an evangelistic mode - a new, glorious 'set time for Zion' - in which she will experience not only the love of Christians but also the One who has caused Christians to love. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10).

After all...is it not Jesus who has given us this great love for Israel and the Jewish people?

The fact is - we have now spent several decades seeking to persuade the Jewish people that we are truly repentant of the institutional Church's historical sins of anti-Semitism and persecution and educating the Body of Christ thereof. The time of oversaturation has arrived! Israel and the Jewish people now know - without question - that the evangelical Christian Church is their best friend and supporter. The Church has been taught about the 'sins of the fathers' (if they in fact really were 'fathers' of the faith) toward the Jewish people and demonstrated heartfelt remorse for its tragic legacy. We have 'loved' Israel and the Jewish people to the saturation point. We must now shift from a 'comfort' to a 'conviction' mode regarding Israel. No turning back...especially after the Hagee incident.

Now we must proclaim the gospel unashamedly so that the conviction of the Holy Spirit can move many Jewish hearts to a saving knowledge of Jesus as their God and Messiah. Ample seeds of love have been planted in Jewish hearts. Time is short! God's heart is for souls to return to Him - both Jew and Gentile - before that trumpet sounds. The eternal destiny of many Jewish souls hangs in the balance. Without a gospel witness they will perish - like any Gentile, I might add!

"And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?" (Rom 10:14).

It is time to call John Hagee and all Christians in the 'Peacenik' Movement on board the full gospel train so that 'all Israel will be saved' and to prepare them for the soon Coming of the Davidic King who will reign forever and bring true, lasting peace for Jerusalem. Then we can all attain the unity of the faith - Jew and Gentile - as we present one gospel as one Body and declare together:

"Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the WHOLE will of God." (Acts 20:26-27).

Israel shall know the truth - the whole truth - and the truth shall set them free...
for whosoever will. They need to hear the whole will of God in this hour. Scripture and the urgency of the hour mandate it!

Israel and the Jewish people are no different than any other nation or people group - they must repent and believe on the Lord Jesus! And they are entitled to - and deserve - a full gospel message at this late hour. Should we not have a burden to rescue and deliver Jewish people from the coming 'Time of Jacob's Trouble'? To withhold the full gospel at this critical juncture in the eschaton is a travesty - and surely the worst form of anti-Semitism. Ponder this sobering reality!

In the Spirit, a line has been drawn in the sand - and the Hagee incident has drawn that line!

We have a choice (1 John 4):

Either... You are not ashamed of the gospel and Jesus (4:2) and are an overcomer (4:4)

Or... Be seduced by false spirits and false prophets (4:1) and be lured into the intensifying spirit of antichrist prevailing in our midst (4:3)

Where do you stand?

Will you continue to ride the 'Peace Train' led by a march of men to a precarious destination at best? Or... Will you proclaim the 'Prince of Peace' and join the gospel train and Jesus' army to win the prize of the upward call of God in Messiah Jesus?

The line has been drawn in the sand!

In Christ,

Don Geraci