The prosperity gospel... and why it's wrong
I have long wanted to post something about this. Not because I feel the need to criticize or that I want to condemn people, but that I think that truth must be told and false teachings should be exposed. Also, I believe that since I love the Church as a whole, that I should speak the truth in that love. It's one thing to make a mistake here and there from the pulpit, it's quite another to base your entire ministry on a lie. Here's some common teachings I've noticed from various prosperity teachers. Some may preach only some of these principles, but all of them are wrong.
1. Since we are children of God, we deserve and should expect health and wealth.
2. Poverty and sickness for the believer died with Jesus on the cross of Calvary
3. When we give, we should expect something in return.
4. When we pray, we activate the power of God.
5. Freedom includes freedom from poverty.
6. If you're going through sickness, you're out of the will of God.
So, looking at this list, there's an obvious theme running through these verses and that's that God serves us. It's a selfish gospel, one that says that if you're not successful, you're not "good" enough. A gospel that says that God's will is for you to be wealthy. It's a gospel that elevates the position of the believer and lowers the position of the Father.
Let's get one thing straight, God submits to NO ONE. God is sovereign, and ruler of all things. If he chooses to bless us, monetarily or otherwise, it's not because we deserve it. The bible says that "none are righteous", that "all have sinned and fallen short". But let's look at the heresy of the statements above.
Expecting wealth goes against what Jesus said in Matthew "Lay not for yourselves, treasures on earth, where moth and dust corrupt, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Clearly, Jesus understood how close money is tied to the condition of the heart. When believers are told that they aren't wealthy, it's because they're mindset is wrong, that they aren't being "freedom minded", or some such nonsense, it enforces the belief that money is a sign of following God, that money is a sign of spiritual success. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The power of God can NOT be activated by the likes of little peons like us. The power of God is awesome, and something that can't be turned on by us through prayer. However, in the economy of God, when we pray, God listens. Sometimes he says "Yes", sometimes he says "No", and sometimes our requests don't meet with his timing. To say that we can activate the power of God shows a total lack of understanding of how biblical prayer works. Prayer is more than requesting God for things. It's a way to show honor, to give praise, to communicate with God, and above all, a way to strengthen our relationship with God.
Paul in I Timothy Chapter 6, clearly addresses those false teachers who would claim that gain equates godliness. Let's take a look:
"If anyone (E)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with (F)the sound[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching (G)that accords with godliness, 4 (H)he is puffed up with conceit and (I)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for (J)controversy and for (K)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people (L)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (M)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But (N)godliness (O)with contentment is great gain, 7 for (P)we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But (Q)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But (R)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, (S)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that (T)plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of (U)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
I Timothy 6:3-10
Logically, from this context, anyone who teaches that "godliness is a means of gain" is "puffed up with conceit and understands nothing." I'm saying this to expose the heresy and falsehood of the prosperity gospel and their teachers. If you're tracking with me, you can probably already identify a couple. I say these things because I am fed up with people justifying what they believe by saying things such as "they preach Jesus!" Wake up and smell the coffee, people! That's not the Jesus I serve! The Jesus I serve was born into a manger, not a mansion. He wore sandals and ragged robes, not Armani suits. The freedom that he gives is not freedom from poverty and lack, but freedom from sin and freedom from the guilt, depression, and shame that goes along with it.
I say these things in love because I truly believe that God can change anyone's heart and that it wouldn't be right as a brother in Christ to sit idly by while the Church is being swayed to believe an out and out lie. I want this "prosperity gospel" movement to die. This "Jesus" is a cheap substitute for the Son of God whom I love.
Lord, I pray that eyes would open, that your truth would penetrate hearts and that you would give those caught in the trap of the prosperity gospel ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of your Word. Amen.
1. Since we are children of God, we deserve and should expect health and wealth.
2. Poverty and sickness for the believer died with Jesus on the cross of Calvary
3. When we give, we should expect something in return.
4. When we pray, we activate the power of God.
5. Freedom includes freedom from poverty.
6. If you're going through sickness, you're out of the will of God.
So, looking at this list, there's an obvious theme running through these verses and that's that God serves us. It's a selfish gospel, one that says that if you're not successful, you're not "good" enough. A gospel that says that God's will is for you to be wealthy. It's a gospel that elevates the position of the believer and lowers the position of the Father.
Let's get one thing straight, God submits to NO ONE. God is sovereign, and ruler of all things. If he chooses to bless us, monetarily or otherwise, it's not because we deserve it. The bible says that "none are righteous", that "all have sinned and fallen short". But let's look at the heresy of the statements above.
Expecting wealth goes against what Jesus said in Matthew "Lay not for yourselves, treasures on earth, where moth and dust corrupt, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Clearly, Jesus understood how close money is tied to the condition of the heart. When believers are told that they aren't wealthy, it's because they're mindset is wrong, that they aren't being "freedom minded", or some such nonsense, it enforces the belief that money is a sign of following God, that money is a sign of spiritual success. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The power of God can NOT be activated by the likes of little peons like us. The power of God is awesome, and something that can't be turned on by us through prayer. However, in the economy of God, when we pray, God listens. Sometimes he says "Yes", sometimes he says "No", and sometimes our requests don't meet with his timing. To say that we can activate the power of God shows a total lack of understanding of how biblical prayer works. Prayer is more than requesting God for things. It's a way to show honor, to give praise, to communicate with God, and above all, a way to strengthen our relationship with God.
Paul in I Timothy Chapter 6, clearly addresses those false teachers who would claim that gain equates godliness. Let's take a look:
"If anyone (E)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with (F)the sound[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching (G)that accords with godliness, 4 (H)he is puffed up with conceit and (I)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for (J)controversy and for (K)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people (L)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (M)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But (N)godliness (O)with contentment is great gain, 7 for (P)we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But (Q)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But (R)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, (S)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that (T)plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of (U)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
I Timothy 6:3-10
Logically, from this context, anyone who teaches that "godliness is a means of gain" is "puffed up with conceit and understands nothing." I'm saying this to expose the heresy and falsehood of the prosperity gospel and their teachers. If you're tracking with me, you can probably already identify a couple. I say these things because I am fed up with people justifying what they believe by saying things such as "they preach Jesus!" Wake up and smell the coffee, people! That's not the Jesus I serve! The Jesus I serve was born into a manger, not a mansion. He wore sandals and ragged robes, not Armani suits. The freedom that he gives is not freedom from poverty and lack, but freedom from sin and freedom from the guilt, depression, and shame that goes along with it.
I say these things in love because I truly believe that God can change anyone's heart and that it wouldn't be right as a brother in Christ to sit idly by while the Church is being swayed to believe an out and out lie. I want this "prosperity gospel" movement to die. This "Jesus" is a cheap substitute for the Son of God whom I love.
Lord, I pray that eyes would open, that your truth would penetrate hearts and that you would give those caught in the trap of the prosperity gospel ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of your Word. Amen.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteUhm...I take issue with the idea that if you're sick you're out of God's graces...or that you've done something wrong. All it really means is that you are a human person living in this brief place who is (at the moment) subject to the fallen world. There are beautiful people who are in great standing with God who struggle with their health and all that it means is that they are perhaps stronger (emotionally, mentally and spiritually) than most BECAUSE of what they've gone through. I don't believe that you have the knowledge or the power to make such a bold and erroneous statement.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Anonymous. Yeah, it's frustrating, especially when you know people who love Jesus with all their heart, but have a debilitating condition. Justin Peters is a man who set up a ministry solely for confronting the prosperity gospel and he has cerebral palsy. There's nothing wrong with his faith in Jesus, that's for sure!
DeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteAwesome David! I deal with this on a daily basis and I have attended a church that I absolutely love and the praise and worship band may be one of the best I have EVER seen or heard. But you cannot sit in the congregation and fall into the prosperity doctrine that has stained the gospel! Most charismatic prosperity churches use Luke 6:38 right before they a tithe or offering. I was in the throws of the prosperity seeker movement back in '92 and have seen it up close and personal on many occasions since. If you get a chance email me and I would like to share some of my findings that deal with this issue in great detail. Most notably Ray Comfort and his teaching called "Hell's Best Kept Secret" Then there is the library of audio on John Mac Arthurs site that deals with a multitude of these issues. Christ came to save sinners. Not to make your Mortgage payment! That is called Personal Responsibility! Next time you encounter someone who believes so much in the Tithe.........Ask them if they eat Pork or shrimp??? When they tell you "We are No Longer under the LAW, so we can eat whatever we want" Tell them you are correct! Tithing is a Law in Malachi and we are NO LONGER under the LAW and that is Negated by 2Cor 9:7.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting such a great topic.
danoquick.blogspot.com
What a great post! I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing this valuable information with us. I have bookmarked this site and will be sure to check for updates. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDelete