The founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo has warned Christians to beware of messages that trivialises the gospel which says, ” once you’re saved, you’re always saved even when you live carelessly.”
Oyedepo gave the warning on December 9 at the church’s yearly Shiloh programme holding at the Ota, Ogun State headquarters of the church.
He said being born again does not mean one would remain born again if one does not live according to the scriptures that one professes.
Quoting Philippians 2v12, he said the believer has a responsibility to work out his own salvation and hold it tightly.
He said, “Once born again does not mean always born again. There is a need to take responsibility to stay in the faith and abide in faith.”
The Winners’ Chapel Bishop who had always kicked against the idea of eternal salvation without responsibility on the part of the believer expressed great concern over the kind of gospel that is being preached today in some churches.
“I’m bothered about the form of teachings going on today. What we have is an all-inclusive gospel. Anybody in Church is saved. Anybody that goes to a conference is saved. That is not the Bible. Many in the Church can’t tell when they were saved because they are not.”
He also expressed great concern about some pastors who claimed to be born again, but who in actual fact do not have salvation experience.
He said some of the pastors see ministry as a career adding however that ministry should be a calling, not a career. “Many just want a means of livelihood, many just want the ego of the office. Their messages do not show they know what they are doing”
On the abuse of grace message, he wondered why some preachers now encourage people to live anyhow in the name of preaching grace.
He urged his listeners not to be deceived saying, “don’t be deceived by any teacher. Sin has to become past tense or else you pass with it. Be careful what you hear. Heaven is on heaven’s terms. Don’t be deceived. Whosoever practices righteousness is righteous.”