Three Reasons People Believe The Prosperity Gospel

For a greater part of my christian life, my understanding of christianity was shaped by the Charismatic and Word of Faith movement. The idea that God saves us to bless us with material wealth, divine health and a good life is characteristics of the movement. Prosperity, divine health is my portion! I am walking in blessings and divine health! These are but just a few cliches of the movement.

Fundamentally, the theology of the movement isanthropocentric, oppossed to Christianity been theocentric. In the prosperitygospel, also known as the "Word of Faith," the believer is told touse God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just theopposite"God uses the believer. Word of Faith or prosperity theology seesthe Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills.

About three years ago, I began drifting from the beliefs of charismatism. The drift was precipitated by a number of books I read by CharlesR. Swindoll. One of the titles that made a difference in my life was; "So,You Want To Be Like Christ? Eight Essentials To Get You There". That book disturbed my theology. My drift however, was gradual, at a snail's pace, as I had not fully grasped what was wrong with the prosperity, health and wealth gospel. Many of my friends held to do those beliefs and still do, and not having the requisite knowledge to counteract it, I kept what I had encountered to myself.

During the same period also, I was exposed to ReformedTheology. My world was thrown into complete chaos--positive chaos if there is a phrase like that. All the beliefs I have held before were challenged. All my "heroes" were been described as false teachers. That was too much to take. But gradually, dedicating myself to reading and studying the Bible, the puzzles started falling in place. I haven't fully grasped all there is to the Christian faith, but I have gained some understanding I believe I can share.

Of prosperity and divine health, I have come to three conclusions of what's behind this heresy.

1: A Depraved Mind Deprived Of Truth

1 Timothy 6:3-10

There is no place in the Bible believers are promised prosperity and divine health. To believe God saved us to prosper us is a sign of a depraved mind. The proponents have corrupt minds and corrupt the minds of their followers. They are greedy. They pry on the innocent, using their position of influence to lead people astray. They are robbers who fleece the sheep for selfish gains. They are deprived of truth not understanding the truth of God's word. Anyone who believes and accepts the prosperity and divine health nonsense is clearly guilty of thinking godliness is a means of gain.

The Bible clearly warns the love of money is the root of all evil. Yet, point this out to the proponents of the prosperity gospel and they will in turn inform you "it is the love of money that is evil not money". Very well said, money indeed is not evil, but the love of it. But how can one have money at the root of their theology and yet deny they love money? If you believe in the prosperity gospel, you love money! However you try to look at it, you love money. At the root of your desire for riches, is the love of money. You want to be rich, and you desire that so much, don't you? The diagnosis: you love money.

2: A Low View Of Scripture

To believe Jesus Christ died to make you prosper and successful is a blatant lie. It is a result of under valuing the weight and glory of Holy Scripture. Much of the proof texts used to propagate prosperity and divine health are complete mishandling and distortion of the word of truth. I will examine two popular ones:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.(2Corinthians 8:9).

(i) "Though he was rich,yet for your sake he became poor"...This in no sense speaks of material prosperity. The riches been spoken about here is the glory He left behind in heaven, putting aside His divinity to live the life of a human being. If we are to interpret the riches here as something earthly, the question we must answer is that, where He came from, i.e. heaven, was there transactions of money which makes Him rich? No, the riches is the glory He laid aside to become human and live amongst us. (Phillipians 2:5-9).

(ii) "so that you by his poverty might become rich" All human beings by virtue of our sins are wretched and separated from God's glory (Rom 3:23). To be separated from God's glory makes us poor and souls deserving of God's wrath. But Jesus stepped in, He descended from His glory to make us who will believe in Him, rich, not in terms of material blessings; but reconciliation unto God and restoration from from our sinful state to live lives glorifying to God.( Eph 1:3-4) When we read riches as material blessings, we under value what God did for the Christian through  His death and resurrection. He died to reconcile sinners to God, not to make sinners rich.

The next popular representing divine health is a little phrase "By his wounds you have been healed" which is pulled from "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness . By his wounds you have been healed.For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."(1Peter 2:24-25).

Now, "By his wounds you have been healed" is another blatant abuse of the text to say what it is not saying. That phrase in the context it appears says nothing about physical healing.  The healing in the context is simply forgiveness of sin in Christ. The context is so clear, I wonder how we twist it. Sin is a disease, a disease that separates us from God. And by Jesus' wounds on the cross, we were healed of the disease of sin and brought back into fellowship with God.

3. Disregard For Sound Doctrine

Sound doctrine--rightly dividing the word of truth has been replaced by messages to entertain and stimulate itchy ears. In the last days, we are told "people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."(1Timothy 4:3-4).

We indeed are living in the days and the descriptions above fits many church folks. What their Pastor or spiritual leader says is the truth and they won't hear anyone else, not even when you point them to the truth as revealed in the Bible. Paul admonishes Timothy to "...flee these things"(1Timothy 6:11). Why will you not flee from that which will lead you "...into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."(v9).

In conclusion, we must indeed  work and be good stewards of what God blesses us with. We must however not approach God with the false notion of prosperity. God doesn't owe us anything. But if by His Sovereignty and Providence, He gives us riches to enjoy, we must live our days in gratitude and generosity:

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.(1Timothy 6:17-19).

Sowing Seed Of Faith: Greed or Generosity?

2 Corinthians 8, 9.

Have you noticed it? Money -- prosperity, a comfortable and good life -- has become a major motivation for becoming a Christian amongst many in our days. Wealth, abundance, guaranteed protection from danger is promised on many pulpits--great and small-- week after week, day after day in the name of faith, sowing seeds and positive confessions.

Many throng into churches, not because they are regenerated souls seeking God. They come at the back of "what's in it for me?" and they hear what they want to hear: "Give your life to Christ and all your problems will be solved". "Are you struggling in life?Try Jesus, He will change your life". "Do you want to marry, be successful in business? Try Jesus". Of course, Jesus changes lives. But there is a more glorious agenda of God in our state of redemption: "conforming us to the image of Christ" (Romans 8:29). Personally, I believe if we keep insisting or are made to believe faith in Christ positions us for a good life and immunizes us from danger, we are spiting those brethren enduring persecution in other parts of the world. Has their faith been rendered ineffective? Or they not being faithful in sowing seeds? Also, believers of earlier centuries in church history died martyrs deaths, refusing to denounce their faith to save their lives. Hebrews 11, which can be described as the hallmark of faith in Scriptures, doesn't only narrate stories of victory. Unfortunately, we stop too soon on the accounts of victory, ignoring the other gory accounts. Talk about Hebrews and probably vs 1 and vs 6 are the most quoted: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."..."And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." True, God rewards those who seek Him. But who said reward in anyway means material prosperity, health and wealth? God does reward with material blessings, I don't doubt that. But it is not a guaranteed promise to every believer. While on God rewarding those who seek Him, can we also appeal to the suffering that comes to those who will enter the kingdom of God? "...through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

In Hebrews 11, while some "through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."(vs 33-34), others were also "tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy— wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised"(vs 35-39). Did you read the last verse? "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised". Faith, in no way guarantees us a smooth passage here on earth and no amount of "seed sowing" can change situations that God won't change.

How pathetic! The gospel--God's good news of reconciling sinners unto Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ at calvary-- has become what Scriptures explicitly warns against: If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.(2Timothy 3:3-5).

"...imagining that godliness is a means of gain". This is a perfect description of the Christianity many are professing today--equating faith in God with material prosperity. But we need a stern reminder that "...godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."(2 Timothy 6:6-10).

"Sow a seed of faith into the anointing" "The environment is charged, God is here to bless you. Take your wallet, your purse, wherever your money is, sow a seed of faith into this atmosphere" "Sow a seed for open doors" Sow a seed of faith for your breakthrough....These are words common on charismatic pulpits. And recently, another new act has emerged. Walking to the pulpit and dropping money while a preacher is preaching? Are we now buying God's blessings?...And if you are observant, you must not miss this current craze of fund raising in Church. How predictable this has become. Every guest preacher must raise funds after his message: Ghc1000, Ghc500, Ghc200, Ghc100, Ghc50, Ghc20, Ghc10....whatever you have in your wallet/purse, don't go without sowing a seed. What's going on? Don't misunderstand me. I believe in the principle of sowing and reaping: giving. It is a biblical principle. The point of this post however is to address the abuse of a biblical principle thereby promoting greed and preying on of innocent and gullible souls.

In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul has been collecting money for the Jerusalem church which was in need. The church in Macedonia, which was far less materially prosperous, compared to the Corinthian church has been very generous in this gift of giving:  "We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. "For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints"(2 Corinthians 8:1). Note the phrase "of their own accord". Paul didn't coerce them, he didn't manipulate them. They gave willingly. Unlike today, when much of our giving to the work of God is precipitated by manipulation and in extreme cases pronouncing of curses on people who don't have to give. In writing to the Corinthian church about this exercise of collecting money for the Jerusalem Church, Paul used the example of the Macedonian church to  appeal for a show of  generosity and genuine christian love in parting with their money: "But as you excel in everything— in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you — see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine." (2 Corinthians 8:7-8). "I say this not as a command..." Note that also. Clearly, Paul was appealing to their generosity rather than manipulating and exacting from them.

Let's look at Chapter 9 now. "...I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. ". (vs 5). Paul sent people ahead to collect what has already been promised by the Corinthian church, "willing[ly], not as an exaction(excessive or unjust demand for money, extortion).  "The point is this:" Paul continues, "whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."(vs6-7). I believe Paul in vs 6 is making a contrast between being generous and stingy when he used the words bountifully and sparingly.

The whole idea of giving, is to engender generosity, not greed as we see it today. We are not engaged in a business transaction with God. Our blessing is not grounded in how much we give and don't give. Generosity is never about how much a person gives, it is always about the heart behind the act of giving: "God loves a cheerful giver". Remember the widow's mite? Remember Simon The Sorcerer? "Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!" (Acts 8:18-20). We can't bribe God, we can't court His blessings and gifts with money. No matter how much seed-faith we sow, our relationship with God is not driven by what we give. It is driven by what He has already given: “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16).