Dangers of Prosperity Gospel
- icmarquez
- Mar 4, 2017
- 4 min read
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I am very disturbed to have seen some preachers who use the word of God and twist it to their very own motives and benefits. It grieves me as it has led astray many into the wrong direction.
Those who preach prosperity gospel will say something like:
"Accept Jesus and He will make you rich and healthy!"
"You are a child of God and therefore you deserve the best so go and pursue riches and wealth!"
"Claim abundance of blessings! If you are in a bad situation, it only means that you lack faith!"
Simply put, this “prosperity gospel” teaches that God wants us to be physically healthy, materially wealthy, and personally happy.
Now, I am not saying that being rich and money is bad. It will always boil down to our hearts, why do we want to get rich? Ask yourself if the very purpose of your money is to lavish it for yourself or is it to bring glory to God by sharing it to be a blessing to others? Also, how much is enough? I believe that you are ALREADY RICH as long as you have your daily needs covered (food and shelter), you are healthy, you have spare clothes to wear and you can attend a church without fear of condemnation, torture or death.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV
But 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.
You see, money is a great servant but a bad master. Always check your heart: do you love God or do you love money? The bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil and NOT money itself.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 ESV
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.
Quoting Charles Spurgeon:
I believe that it is anti-Christian and unholy for any Christian to live with the object of accumulating wealth. You will say, “Are we not to strive all we can to get all the money we can?” You may do so. I cannot doubt but what, in so doing, you may do service to the cause of God. But what I said was that to live with the object of accumulating wealth is anti-Christian.
Now, back to the topic.
This "prosperity gospel" is a different one from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:8-9 ESV
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
The true gospel never promises us to prosper in this world. This also brings me a verse from Jeremiah which is highly misused.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
The true gospel only promises abundant life in eternal life/heaven and not in this world.
I urge you therefore my dearest brothers and sisters, to have the Spirit of discernment and wisdom. Go to the Bible and pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Beware of preachers who are wolves in sheep's clothing; they live in lavish lifestyle and their motives are not for God.
1 John 4:1 ESV
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 ESV
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ESV
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
2 Corinthians 2:17 NIV
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
For the time is coming when 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.
Do not be blinded by these "prosperity gospel" preachers for you are setting for yourself foundation on sand and not on Jesus Christ. They water-down the gospel just so that it will be pleasing to the hearers. This is an abomination to God and does not bring glory and honor to Him. They do not bring the topic of repentance - turning away from sin and turning to God which is the very foundation of Christianity.
We are called to love God Himself and be satisfied in Him because He first loved us and redeemed us through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. Jesus teaches us to deny and die to ourselves to follow Him.
Psalm 16:11 ESV
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Matthew 16:24 ESV
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Bottomline: Are you desiring God Himself or His blessings?
God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him in the midst of loss NOT prosperity. -John Piper
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