If in this life, watch verse 19, this is a key verse, "If in this life only we have hope
in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."
Now let me ask this, is that consistent with the message that Joel Osteen preaches?
Is that consistent with what Kenneth Copeland preaches?
Is that consistent with the typical charismatic prosperity preaching, this gospel, the health
and wealth gospel, the prosperity gospel that says, "You know what?
If you live for God, man, everything's going to be great.
You're going to drive a fancy car like me, you're going to have perfect teeth like me,
you're going to live to be 120, you're going to be healthy, everything's going to be great."
Look, the Bible is teaching here that if in this life only we have open Christ, we're
still just so happy because we're living our best life now.
Is that what it says?
He said, "No, we're of all men most miserable."
So that tells me that if Christianity is not real, if the Bible is not true, then being
a Christian is not your best life now.
In fact, you're more miserable than somebody else.
See, there are people in this world who might be happier than you living a sinful life.
They're enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season, okay, if in this life only we have
hope in Christ.
I mean, does everybody see that there?
That you're not necessarily going to live the happiest possible life unless you're looking
at eternity, unless you're setting your affections.
Now, look, I'm not saying that you can't have joy and happiness now, but it's because
of the fact that you're looking at Jesus.
But if it was all just, "Well, this is just a way to be happy in life.
I just go to church because it makes me happy," well, you know what?
That's not a legitimate reason to go to church or to believe the Bible.
Because the Bible says that if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we're of all
men most miserable.
Why?
Because the Christian life involves suffering.
Now a lot of people live a life that is pretty much suffering free in a lot of ways.
But those of us that believe on Christ, we deny self and take up the cross daily and
follow him.
Okay?
And if that's all in vain, then that's a miserable life.
You know, I mean think about Paul.
He's beaten with rods over and over again.
He's receiving 40 stripes save one, what, five times or whatever.
You know, he's constantly in prison.
He's giving up a lot of the pleasures of this life.
He's giving up wealth.
He's giving up prosperity.
He gave up his fame and prestige in the Jews religion.
He's talking bad about him.
I mean, is that really the best life now?
But here's the thing, if he knows that he's receiving great rewards in heaven, then he's
rejoicing in the Lord and he knows that that's real.
But you know, if he were to find out that it wasn't real, man, that would be making
him most miserable.
So you see how this false lying doctrine that teaches your best life now, let me just explain
it to you.
It's because they don't believe in the next life.
That's why they're trying to live their best life now, okay?
Because Joel Osteen is going to split hell wide open, okay?
Because Joel Osteen says that Hindus are saved and Muslims are saved and everybody's saved.
He's a lying devil and a false prophet, okay?
So of course he's got to live his best life now.
Live it up, man, because you're going to be burning in hell for all eternity.
You better live your best life now, Joel, okay?
Because you're going to suffer like you can't even imagine.
And I believe hell is going to be very hot for him because he's leading others to hell.
He's going to have the worst part of hell, okay?
And he's going to be in the lowest hell.
But let me tell you something, you know, we believe the Bible.
We believe in heaven.
We believe in rewards.
We believe in the judgment seat of Christ.
We believe in the millennial reign of Christ.
We believe that in this life is only a vapor that appeared for a little time and vanished
at the way.
And we are living our lives to serve Jesus Christ because we know that if we're faithful
unto death, he'll give us a crown of life.
We're not just trying to live it up now, our best life now.
And those who are, it's because they don't even believe the Bible.
They don't believe the gospel.
You know, somebody, there was this, and I heard on the news, there was this elaborate
internet hoax spread that Joel Osteen doesn't really believe the Bible.
Well, you know, it's not a hoax.
But somebody did.
They put together some elaborate hoax about how he's leaving the Christian faith.
How do you leave something that you're not a part of?
Is what I would say to that.