Few things have given modern man a false sense of security the way the prosperity gospel has.
Every week millions of people attend “church” to hear the proclamations of the health and wealth preachers who tell them that in exchange for their faithfulness, God is just waiting to move every problem out of their way and give them a smooth path full of money and good times.
Some even tell the listeners that financial contribution to the preacher’s ministry or church is the key that will open up God’s bank vault. Every year countless books are sold promising the reader these blessings. Big names like Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, and plenty of others have raked in mountains of cash preaching such ideas.
A few years ago a sweet lady was cutting my hair when she found out I work in ministry. That led her to open up about how she faithfully watched her Kenneth Copeland program, faithfully sent her money in, and was just waiting on the day God was going to come through with her big financial blessing and she wouldn’t have to cut hair anymore. I shudder to think what God is going to do with those who have used His name to take advantage of such people.
They get their theology by the tortured reading of verses easily taken out of context. A few examples:
“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” – Psalm 37:4 KJV
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10
“My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” – 3 John 1:2
If these verses really mean the health and wealth promises these charlatans claim, and if faithfulness were a path toward riches and a life of ease, somebody forgot to tell Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, and especially Jesus. Paul especially showed us this problem and that this temptation is nothing new. With one line tacked on to the end of a list of others, he told us in inspired words exactly how God feels about prosperity gospel pushers.
In 1 Timothy 6 he wrote to Timothy to warn him about faithless men. After a series of characteristics to watch out for, he specifically called out the “useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself” (1 Timothy 6:5 NKJV, emp. added).
Anyone who pushes the idea that the Christian life is the path toward earthly, material gain is somebody who doesn’t get it and doesn’t belong in the church. They have “corrupt minds” and are “destitute of truth.”
The rest of the section (through to 6:10) highlights just how dangerous it is to love money and desire to be rich. In contrast, we are to be content with food and clothing echoing Jesus’ promises in Matthew 6. Contentment with such things and a godly life is all we need (6:6-8). It’s the way we can be truly rich. Somehow, Joel Osteen and co. missed this teaching.
Paul’s message is simple: when you realize that, beyond basic sustenance and shelter, God is all you need, then you will always have everything you need. You will be rich beyond all measure with what really matters.
The Christian doesn’t need the prosperity gospel. We’ve got the real Gospel, which guarantees true, lasting, incorruptible prosperity the world and the worldly-minded will never understand.
