Prosperity Christianity?

Question

I watched a recent show on CNN about the famed prosperity pastors. These pastors tend to associate good faith with good financial success. I am a practising Christian, hence this issue is close to me. Do you think it is wrong to associate financial success with the gospel the way these pastors are doing? Please provide a reason why you think so. I do not think it is wrong to pray to God about your finances but are they going too far with the so called prosperity gospel?

Answer 1

This is an interesting topic. I don't agree that prosperity necessarily comes from a strong relationship with the Lord, as many of the world's richest men (for example, Bill Gates) are not Christians. Also, there are numerous passages in the Bible that warn against the love of money, as it is the root of all evil, and advice to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. I do believe that God blesses those who follow Him, but read the Beatitudes from the sermon on the mount:
--blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
--blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land
--blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted
--blessed are they that hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall have their fill
--blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy
--blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God
--blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God
--blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
For each statement describing those who are blessed, there is a description of how they are blessed, and none mentions financial or earthly prosperity.
There are countless examples of those who have led strong Christian lives who have humbled themselves in order to be made great, living in utter poverty in order to utilize all that they have to serve others and the Lord. In closing, I would like you to consider the life of Jesus, who is the prime example of Christianity. He did not come as the expected king in grandeur, conquering the enemies of Judaism, but was born into a working class family then living a nomadic lifestyle to spread the word.

Answer 2

I believe they are going too far. The focus is on money and possessions. They make it sound like that's not the case, stating that it is the will of God for you to prosper. Therefore you are glorifying God in your finances. But, there is no Scriptural basis for that statement. I know. I came out of that movement. That is all it is, a movement. Financial success being linked to one's rightness with God is dangerous. There are many poor Christians in the world. They have as much standing with God as the rich ones. What if we never become financially independent? Does that mean we don't have enough faith? Does it mean we are in sin, and can't receive the blessing? That undermines faith and causes confusion. And God is not in that business, at all.

Answer 3

Years ago, Robert Schuller, pastor of the Garden Grove Community Church in California, is reported to have advised: “We do believe that sincere tithers will receive unique financial blessings . . . for faithfully contributing to God’s work.” And John Durkee, who teaches “effective management” seminars to church groups, says that “the solution to abundant living in times like these is to tithe your way to prosperity.” He adds: “Those who do give and commit themselves never have a problem about adversity or economic reversals.”

There is no difference today. Pastors teach their flocks that the more faith they have and the more “seed” they plant (offerings and tithes), the more God will bless them financially. According to the prosperity ministry, God wants us all to be rich and he wants us to be rich right now.

Now if this assertion is true, surely we would read of such in God’s word the Bible. Surely that would mean that the disciples, the apostles, and Jesus himself were all rich. After all, can anyone deny that Jesus had an abundance of faith? Can anyone deny that he always did the things pleasing to his heavenly father? Why then is it that the only time we read of him giving any money was when he paid the temple tax for himself and for the apostle Peter? Prosperity ministers insist that Jesus had many houses and they point to the money box mentioned at John 12:6 as proof that there was lots of money possessed by the disciples. Why then did Jesus plainly state at Matthew 8:20 that he had nowhere to lay his head? Why is it obvious that he had no home of his own and the scriptures report that he took all of his meals at the homes of others? Some prosperity ministers reason that if you have a treasury (John 12:6 above), then you have lots of money. Well, ten year old boys who have tree house clubs have a treasurer too, no doubt. Do we imagine those ten year olds are rich?

As for the apostles, we read that they continued to toil at the work of fishing so as to make a living. John 21:5-8. Jesus made sure that they got a big catch when they followed his instructions; yet this cannot in any way be construed to mean that thereafter they were rich men, always hauling in monster catches. The apostle Paul, and Aquila and his wife Priscilla, all were tentmakers by trade according to Acts 18:2-3. Why did God not pour out rich monetary blessings on these faithful, hardworking disciples of Christ? Why did they have to work for a living while the prosperity pastors of today drive around in luxury cars, live in million dollar luxury homes, wear Armani suits, sport huge diamond rings and all without spending one hour at a day job?

In the final analysis, there is absolutely nothing in scripture to suggest that all Christians who displayed proper faith and planted proper “seed” was thereafter blessed by God with material riches. To be sure, there were some Christians who were rich (see 1 Timothy 6:17-19) but there is nothing in scripture or in fact upon which to base any contention that it was God who showered upon them money and material riches thereby rewarding their exemplary faith.

The prosperity ministry taught by these pastors is nothing new and it is not in harmony with the truths taught in God’s word the Bible.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 4

There I agree with you. But everyone deserves to Prosper
but to do so honestly any opinion on junk mail from conartists, and foriegn tellecons callers trying to steal money for Alqueida, To kill our soldiers, I hope that you know that the next five years are going to see some really terrible events that will happen before the end of this decade. prosperity Gospel is just one part of it.

Answer 5

Deut 8:18 And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant, which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

These Scriptures show that God intends to bless us with financial success.

But our success must come out of our obedience to Matthew 6:33 that we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things (including wealth) shall be added to us.

Money must be our slave and not our master and we must serve God and not mammon.

We should seek first the Blessor and then the blessings will follow.

Answer 6

They have gone way to far. They talk about money money money but don't you think that salvation is more important. Beware of false doctrine in your search for truth and try the spirits. 1Jo 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (Actually Read that whole chapter.)

2Cr 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

Try the spirits to see if it lines up with the bible. Ask them where they got there scriptures from and read them for yourself.(You might need to read the whole verse before it and after) Don't just take people's word for it because we are human and can easily misquote the words of God.

Answer 7

If material prosperity is your goal then you would be living in sin. Spiritual poverty comes to those who build their lives around money and things. Spiritual power doesn't necessarily come from being poor, but neither does material prosperity prove anyone is spiritual.

A wise man once said, "I have had Cadillacs and I have given
them up. Having a Cadillac didn't make me more spiritual and giving it up didn't make me more spiritual either."

It is our attitude and purpose in gaining material things that will determine how much we obey God. If our gain is in order that we might better help others and build the kingdom of God
as opposed to hoarding a lot of wealth for ourselves then it is
good to be wealthy.

The Bible says 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. I believe this is saying that riches tend to make man feel self-sufficient and make it easy for him to believe that he doesn't need God as much or even at all.

We are warned in multiple verses about the "things" of this world.

"For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

"Love not the world, neither the "things" that are in the world, for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

"Set your affections on "things above" not on the "things of the
earth, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

The rich man stored up his goods in large towers and then said to himself, I now have all I can use and more so I will now take my rest and enjoy life to it's fullest;
But-the Lord said, "thou fool, this night your soul will be required of you.

In Deuteronomy the Lord warned Israel, Remember the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, lest after he has given you lands, and much cattle and houses you forget the Lord your God who delivered you from the Egyptians.

Men like J. C. Penny and R. G. LaTourneau were extremely wealthy in their lifetime but both men put millions of dollars into helping others and spreading the gospel. LaTourneau, instead of giving ten percent of his income and keeping 90 percent reversed it, and God grew his business to be the largest earth moving equipment business on earth.

Attitude and Motivation and keeping focused on God is the key. Associating financial success with spirituality is wrong and grievously in error. God will determine our success or failure with or without wealth. Our whole business in life is to honor and glorify and praise Him in what we do, say and think. By that standard we will be spiritually richer than if we owned everything in the world.

Answer 8

The "prosperity gospel" seems to me to be at odds with the actual words of Jesus in the NT, so I'm not crazy about those types. They don't bug me as much as Creationists, though.

Answer 9

I believe God wants me wealthy. How Can I feed the poor or travel places to help others. When I live pay check to pay check .It's not about the money for ourselves. It's what we can do w/ the money .
GOD BLESS

Answer 10

--WHEN YOU HAVE church leaders recommending things opposite to what Christ taught , YOU NEED TO be careful as to taking any direction from them. Please note some Bible principles and most importantly Christ teachings:
--Note what Jesus called the religious leaders in his day:
(Luke 16:14) “14 Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him.”

--DID NOT Jesus chase the money changers out of the temple , who were making unjust profit from the worship of his father Jehovah God?

(Luke 12:15-21) “15 Then he said to them: “Keep YOUR eyes open and guard against every sort of covetousness, because even when a person has AN ABUNDANCE HIS LIFE DOES NOT RESULT (my caps)from the things he possesses.” 16 With that he spoke an illustration to them, saying: “The land of a certain rich man produced well. 17 Consequently he began reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, now that I have nowhere to gather my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my storehouses and build bigger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and all my good things; 19 and I will say to my soul: “Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Unreasonable one, this night they are demanding your soul from you. Who, then, is to have the things you stored up?’ 21 So it goes with the man that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.””

--NOTE PLEASE THE WARNING of going after money as a pursuit:

(1 Timothy 6:9-10) “9 However, those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains. . .”
--IT IS INDEED the love of money , not money that God & Christ Jesus condemn!
--Note what Moses recorded about Jobs balanced stand concerning love of gold:

(Job 31:24-28) “24 If I have put gold as my confidence, Or to gold I have said, ‘You are my trust!’ 25 If I used to rejoice because my property was much, And because my hand had found a lot of things; 26 If I used to see the light when it would flash forth, Or the precious moon walking along, 27 And my heart began to be enticed in secrecy And my hand proceeded to kiss my mouth, 28 That too would be an error for [attention by] the justices, For I should have denied the [true] God above.”

*** it-2 pp. 427-428 Money ***
Money Can Be Both Beneficial and Harmful. Money provides a defense against poverty and its attendant troubles, enabling persons to procure both necessities and luxuries. (Compare Ec 7:12; 10:19.) For this reason the possibility exists of a person’s beginning to trust in money as security and to forget his Creator. (Compare De 8:10-14.) “The love of money [literally, fondness of silver] is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” (1Ti 6:10) For money, persons have perverted justice, prostituted themselves, committed murder, betrayed others, and falsified the truth.—De 16:19; 23:18; 27:25; Eze 22:12; Mt 26:14, 15; 28:11-15.
--On the other hand, the proper use of money is approved by God. (Lu 16:1-9) This includes contributing toward the advancement of pure worship and giving material assistance to those in need. (Compare 2Ch 24:4-14; Ro 12:13; 1Jo 3:17, 18; see CONTRIBUTION; GIFTS OF MERCY.) Although much good can thus be done with money, the most valuable things—spiritual food and drink, eternal life itself—can be obtained without it.—Isa 55:1, 2; Re 22:17.
--YOUR DESCRIPTION OF these 'PROSPERITY CHRISTIAN"-- resemble the Pharisees in their love of money.
--WHEN MONEY becomes involved in practicing Christianity as a goal then you have THE PSEUDO-CHRISTIANITY that Paul warned about in the following text:

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) “3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, LOVERS OF MONEY(my caps), self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 6 For from these arise those men who slyly work their way into households and lead as their captives weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, 7 always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth. . .13 But wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.”

--THE DESCRIPTION mentioned above would not be of people in general , but of those claiming CHRISTIANITY!