Have you heard about Kim Clement?

Answer:

Moses told the people of Israel to watch for a particular prophet to arise, but this lead to an obvious question: How can you be sure a man is really a prophet. After all, it is quite easy for anyone to stand up and claim that he is a prophet. Here is Moses' answer: "And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him" (Deuteronomy 18:19-20). Thus one test if a man is a prophet is whether his words are right 100% of the time. God does not lie and God knows the future, thus anyone speaking on behalf of God is always right.

A second test is found in Deuteronomy 13:1-3, "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' -which you have not known-'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." God remembers all that He says. He does not contradict Himself. Thus a prophet's words must be consistent with what God has stated in the past.

How does Kim Clement stand against this test? Using his own words given in an interview on TBN, Kim Clement stated: “You can be a wrong prophet and not be a false prophet, somebody can make a mistake with doctrine...how many Bible prophecy teachers told us things were going to happen and took out the book of Revelation and they never came to pass and nobody said a word. No books apologizing for this, a teacher can teach things and today I know teachers, great teachers who said I was wrong 30 years ago some mission doctrine, discipleship, today they say that was wrong. Now they were forgiven, but a prophet makes a mistake and he’s a false prophet and we must stone the guy right away he’s right out. Well, this there’s that aspect of it, I could have made a mistake, let me tell you something you can.” Mr. Clements states that he has made mistakes in the past and could make mistakes in the future -- both in stating the future and on matters of doctrine. Therefore, Kim Clement testifies of himself that he is a false prophet.

Mr. Clement states that the reason his prophecy might not come to pass is because it requires action on the person's part. "When you do get a word there is an action expected from you, if you don’t do it you ain’t gonna get prophecy, you can call me a false prophet I don’t really care, it doesn’t matter, it really doesn’t." ["The Prophetic Ministry of Kim Clement", TBN, August 13, 2002]. Contrast this to God's statement. "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand" (Isaiah 14:24). God accomplishes His will despite the free choices of men; such is the nature and power of God. The God Kim Clement claims to speak for is so much less confident.

In a charge against ancient Israel, God said, "Her heads judge for a bribe, her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us."" (Micah 3:11). Thus we learn that a major motivation for falsely claiming to be a prophet is that false prophets can make a lot of money. At MinistryWatch.com, I found that Clement is the President and CEO of his ministry Prophetic Image Expressions. Clement had a salary of $346,000 in 1998 out of $1,174,437 in contributions. In 2001 his ministry took in $1,296,875. Not surprising that he is not a participant of the ECFA. While wealth is not absolute evidence of being a false prophet, the large salary that Mr. Clement gives himself is a very large warning flag.

Despite his wealth, Mr. Clement has stated: "I'm not satisfied with what I got right now, I know there's more." Contrast this to the Apostle Paul's statement, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13). Mr. Clement teaches doctrine that is contradictory to the teachings of Christ.

Probably most telling is Kim Clement's statement, "I do not believe that you must be born again to obtain salvation." He also stated, "When you're born again the Bible doesn’t say that you are saved. The Bible says that when you are born again you see the kingdom. It doesn’t say that you are saved even though salvation takes place and rebirth causes you to see the kingdom of God.” ["The Prophetic Ministry of Kim Clement", TBN, August 13, 2002]. The Lord Himself stated, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Peter stated, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:3-5).

I won't bother wasting my time with Kim Clement. But if you would like to read a fairly decent review of Kim Clement and his prophecies, there is an article at "Is Kim Clement a New Age Prophet?", written by a denominational writer, that is fairly good. Some of his points about doctrine are off, but one would expect that given the writer's background.