Todd Bentley has entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff.http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Id=1
A number of church leaders who endorsed Bentley have expressed shock at this 'emotional affair' and separation from his wife. It is amazing to me that church leaders would be shocked by this, but were not shocked by his self glorifying teaching, angel worshiping antics, and violent attacks including kicking a woman in the face, knocking a man's tooth out, and leg dropping a pastor? (as can be demonstrated if you look through this blog under 'false teaching').
What does it say about the present state of affairs when church leaders will endorse a false prophet such as Todd Bentley, and are only disturbed when they hear he is cheating on, and has separated from his wife ?(I consider an 'emotional affair' is still cheating). It seems that they view marriage as more important than the gospel. How sad that so many put up with hearing a false gospel, as Paul said to the Corinthians:
2 Corinthians 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. (ESV)
I think we need to ask the question, which is worst? Preaching a different Jesus, and a false gospel? Or breaking up a marriage? Scripture says that both are sins, but the former is far worse.
Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (ESV)
Preaching a false gospel is worse than divorce, worse than adultery, worse than abortion. Scripture teaches:
Matthew 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! (ESV)
Some say that right now is not the time to point the finger at Todd Bentley. Some say we should just pray. But this kind of thinking implies that marriage is more important than the gospel? Of course we should pray, and especially for Bentley's young children. But we should also evaluate our priorities. Is the Gospel as important to us as it was to Paul? Do we believe that those who preach a false gospel should be accursed! If so, then we should pray for more than Bentley's marriage. We should pray for his soul, and we should pray for all of the church leaders who endorsed him, and all of those leaders who kept quiet for fear of unpopularity. And we should pray for those who have taken part in this revival - that they would know the truth, and that the truth would set them free. And we must contend for the gospel, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again.
Jude 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (ESV)
