The JDS and Kenotic Heresies: Unmasking the NAR's "Born-Again Jesus" Error

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and Word of Faith (WOF) movements do not enter a church carrying a banner that reads "Heresy." Instead, they enter like a Trojan Horse—using familiar vocabulary, high-energy worship, and promises of supernatural power to quietly alter the core DNA of the historic Christian faith.
At the center of this theological shift lie two deeply intertwined errors: The Jesus Died Spiritually (JDS) Doctrine and Extreme Kenotism.

While framed by modern teachers as deep "revelation knowledge" designed to unlock the believer’s supernatural potential, these doctrines are not modern at all. They are ancient Gnostic ideas repackaged for a 21st-century audience—redefining who Jesus is, what happened at the cross, and what it means to be a Christian.

Part 1: Unmasking the JDS Heresy ("The Born-Again Jesus")

The Historical Lineage: Kenyon to Copeland

The JDS doctrine was synthesized by E.W. Kenyon (1867–1948), whose writings blended Pentecostalism with themes borrowed from New Thought metaphysics. Kenyon posited that physical death could not pay for spiritual sin; therefore, Christ had to die spiritually.

This framework was popularized by Kenneth Hagin (the "father" of the Word of Faith movement) and broadcast globally by Kenneth Copeland.

"He [Jesus] was made sin. His spirit was separated from the Father... He died spiritually. Spiritual death is the nature of Satan. Jesus took the nature of Satan into His spirit while on the cross."
— E.W. Kenyon, What Happened from the Cross to the Throne (1945), p. 45

"He [Jesus] was the first person ever to be born again. Why did His spirit need to be born again? Because it was damned. It was separated from God. He died spiritually."
— Kenneth Hagin, "How Jesus Satisfied the Law," The Word of Faith magazine (Nov. 1978), p. 7

"Satan conquered Jesus on the Cross and took His spirit into the dark regions of hell... He [Jesus] was in hell three days and three nights taking our punishment... He was born again in hell."
— Kenneth Copeland, Believer’s Voice of Victory broadcast (1988)

"He [Jesus] was to become one with the nature of Satan... Jesus Christ knew the only way He could stop Satan was to enter His domain. He had to become one with him... He became sin. He became Satan's nature."
— Benny Hinn, Orlando Christian Center sermon (Dec. 15, 1990)

The False Claims of JDS

• Satanic Nature: Jesus relinquished His divine nature on the cross, taking on the spiritual, fallen nature of Satan.
• Torment in Hell: Jesus spent three days and nights in hell being tortured by Satan and his demons to satisfy God's justice.
• The First Born-Again Man: Having suffered in hell, God's voice resurrected Christ’s spirit, making Him the first human being to be "born again" out of spiritual death.

The Biblical Refutation

• The Finished Work on Calvary: When Jesus breathed His last, He declared, "It is finished" (Tetelestai—paid in full; John 19:30). The atonement was completed fully on the cross, not continued in hell.
• A Pure, Physical Sacrifice: Scripture insists we are reconciled through Christ's actual physical body and blood: "He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death" (Colossians 1:22; see also 1 Peter 2:24). Jesus never took on a satanic nature.
• Communion with the Father: Moments before His physical death, Jesus stated, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46). His spirit returned immediately to the Father, never entering Satan's custody or demonic torment.

Part 2: The Kenotic Heresy (Stripping Christ of Divinity)

The NAR Adaptation: Bill Johnson and Bethel Church

While JDS addresses the cross, Extreme Kenotism addresses Christ’s earthly ministry. Rooted in a misinterpretation of kenosis (Philippians 2:7), this doctrine was adapted by modern WOF and NAR figures, most notably Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California.

"Jesus could not perform miracles until He was anointed by the Holy Spirit... He did all His miracles as a man in right relationship with God... If He performed miracles because He was God, then they are unattainable for us. But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle."
— Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth (2003), p. 29

"Jesus laid aside His divinity and operated as a man bound by human limitations, dependent on the Holy Spirit."
— Bill Johnson, Face to Face with God (2007), p. 107

"Jesus didn’t do any of His miracles as God. He did every one of His miracles as a man who was completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit."
— Todd White, Power and Love Conference transcript (2017)

Why It Distorts the Gospel

While historic Christianity affirms that Jesus was fully human, extreme Kenotism denies His active divinity during His earthly ministry. By stripping Christ of His divine attributes, these movements demote the Unique Creator of the universe to a mere prototype or functional blueprint for modern believers.

The Biblical Refutation

• Addition, Not Subtraction: Philippians 2:6–7 states that Christ "emptied Himself" by taking on the form of a servant—adding a human nature to His divine Person (Hypostatic Union)—not by surrendering or discarding His deity.
• Fullness of Deity Maintained: Paul explicitly affirms Christ's ongoing divinity during His earthly walk: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9).
• Sovereign Divine Authority: Jesus consistently demonstrated His inherent divine authority while on earth—forgiving sins on His own authority (Mark 2:5–10) and declaring His intrinsic power over life and death: "I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again" (John 10:18).

Part 3: The True Objective—The "Little Gods" Deception

Why are JDS and Extreme Kenotism so vital to WOF and NAR theology? The objective is fundamentally anthropocentric: it elevates man by demoting Christ.

"You don't have a God in you; you are one."
— Kenneth Copeland, The Force of Love (Audio tape #02-0028, 1987)

"If God reproduces Himself, what does He produce? Gods. You are a god with a little 'g'."
— Creflo Dollar, World Changers Church International sermon (April 17, 2002)

"I am a 'little god'... I have His name. I'm one with Him. I'm in covenant relation. I am a little god! Critics, be gone!"
— Paul Crouch, Praise the Lord broadcast on TBN (July 7, 1986)

If Jesus had to be "born again" (Kenyon, Copeland) and operated only as an anointed man (Johnson), then believers are exact functional equivalents to Jesus on earth. This shift transforms Christianity from faith in the finished, unrepeatable work of Jesus Christ into a self-exalting quest for personal spiritual authority, decreeing reality, and dominion.

Summary

The Jesus Died Spiritually (JDS) doctrine and Extreme Kenotism are not modern revelations; they are ancient Gnostic errors repackaged for the 21st century. As documented through the exact words of E.W. Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, and Bill Johnson:

• JDS Heresy: Falsely claims Jesus lost His divinity, took on Satan’s nature, died spiritually, and suffered in hell to become the first "born-again man"—directly contradicting Christ’s declaration on Calvary: "It is finished" (John 19:30).
• Kenotic Heresy: Strips Christ of His active deity during His earthly ministry, falsely claiming He performed miracles purely as a Spirit-filled man—denying that "in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9).
• The "Little Gods" Deception: Demotes the unique identity and finished work of Jesus to elevate human authority, reducing Christ to a mere prototype so believers can claim to be His functional equivalents on earth.

Conclusion

When we pull back the curtain on these teachings, their true intent becomes unmistakable: they elevate man by demoting Christ. By redefining the Cross and stripping Jesus of His divine glory, the Word of Faith and New Apostolic Reformation movements offer a dangerous trade—exchanging the sovereign Savior of the universe for a self-exalting pursuit of personal power.

As believers, we must reject this modern Gnosticism. Our salvation does not rest on a mythical struggle in hell or our own imagined divinity, but on the unrepeatable, physical, finished sacrifice of the God-Man on the Cross. Stand firm, guard the flock, and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Seeing this red flag in your own congregation? Reach out to us here.

Action Steps:

1. Check the Glossary: Visit our NAR Glossary to see if your church is using these redefined terms.
2. Compare the Claims: Read our 10 Signs of Church Drift to see if these patterns exist in your congregation.
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