The little preacher on TV with the thousand dollar suits seems to be saying "Get into your Lexus and follow my Mercedes," Do most Christians today subscribe to the doctrin of prosperity through faith?
2006-08-27 08:09:46 · 20 answers · asked by October 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
TV preachers take the prosperity through faith way too far. God wants the best for us, but we also must use what he gives us for furthering the gospel. The "name it and claim it" doctrine started off well. It encourged Christians to pray and have faith that God would provide for them what they need, but it has gone to far where some have began to pray for an excessive lifestyle that is based upon greed for personal gain, not the glory of God.
2006-08-27 08:13:49 · answer #1 · answered by shybusch 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I would not tell you this is so, There are many Christians who have a lot of money and riches. There are also to many who have nothing, just faith, not even knowing where the next meal is coming from. They are the ones who are happier and normally the ones who would give you the last thing they have. Jesus told us that the more we give the more He gives back. That is not always with money, He told us the greatest thing is love. I am sorry that some people seem to think that a well dressed preacher is rich, This is not always the case.
Much of the poverty is caused by us Christians not sharing what we have, with the ones who have not. God gives riches to prove what type of people we are. We fail Him and ourselves all the time.
So God can take away just as well as giving, with health, money and life. read about Job in the Bible. just before Psalms if you look it up.
2006-08-27 15:30:58 · answer #2 · answered by Kitt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take up your cross and follow me just means that you have God as you number one priority at any cost. It has nothing to do with physical or monetary prosperity.
To live as Jesus' example he spelled it out to us very simply. When asked which were the greatest of the commandments he answered:
Love God with all your heart, mind, strenghth, and soul above all else.
And the second is to:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
If you follow these two commandments everything else will fall into place.
If you are focused on getting rich to the detriment of loving God or others then you are not following these commandments.
The concept of prosperity through faith is an interesting one as Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Are their rich Christians? You bethcha. It might have something to do with the Christian Work ethic. Are they going to be able to go to heaven? If they have accepted the gift Christ gave us on the cross, forgiveness for their sins they will. I bet if you looked at how they treated their money, and who they shared it with it would be a lot different than a non-christian. "And we shall be recongnized because of our love for one another."
One important fact to remember when looking at "Christians" and judging all other Christians by that standard. Just becuase you go to church or say you are a Christian doesn't make you a true Christian. Just like going to burger King or saying you're a hamburger doesn't make you a hamburger.
The only measuring stick you should use for your life is Christ. and don't forget, only God knows what is in a person's heart, truly.
2006-08-27 15:25:26 · answer #3 · answered by reteach007 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus wanted people to be basic and not let their own selves get in the way. He lashed out at the Pharisees for being hypocrites. Today's preachers and their followers have turned his message of peace into one of hate. Read about the good Samaritan. The hebrews hated the Samaritans, so Jesus used one to make a point.
2006-08-27 15:17:51 · answer #4 · answered by doggiebike 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read the verses it says things like Christians will be persecuted for their beliefs but keep strong and stuff. I dont know what Christians you know, but the ones I know are honest with money (which usually means you therefore dont have a lot) and give what little they have to help others. All I know is that I have Jesus and thats enough.
By the way have you read the book Jesus Freak. It is all about Christians who have been persecuted and killed for their beliefs.
2006-08-27 15:17:02 · answer #5 · answered by A* 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Equating Peace and Prosperity is a sickness of the Modern Age, better to find your happiness elsewhere - after all - you can't take material possessions with you to the afterlife.
2006-08-27 17:56:54 · answer #6 · answered by pyrrhic_victories 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sure seems like they do sometimes. I dont want to stereotype, but a lot of them are like that. On one hand if you look at it the way a christian should then they should succeed. If they are paying their tithes, going to church, being responsable with their money it should happen..reach for the stars.. cheezy..but this could work for others too, except for the tithing thing.
2006-08-27 15:14:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well thouse morons, with the fany suits and tha Mercedes, dont understaind Christianity, "Take up your cross and follow me" means that you give up eveything and follow God.
2006-08-27 15:13:34 · answer #8 · answered by Superman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe in a balanced gospel. I think Christians can be blessed and BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS, WE CAN AND SHOULD SUPPORT MISSIONARY'S. Christians SHOULD BE HOLY AND FAITHFUL TO THE HOUSE OF God. we SHOULD TELL OTHERS ABOUT Jesus AND WORK IN SOME CAPACITY FOR THE HOUSE OF God. to BE CAUGHT UP ON ONE THING IS NOT BALLENCED.sORRY i HIT CAPS LOCK.
2006-08-27 15:21:22 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i'm a cathlic and right now god and the whole jesus **** can kiss my ***. my 3 yr old was born dead and now she has a lot of medical problems she'll never walk crawl learn or call me momma so until she can do those things god and jeseus can go to hell
2006-08-27 15:17:08 · answer #10 · answered by melissa1975666 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋