On the "Prosperity Gospel"

“So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” -1 Peter 4:19

It is interesting that in the above passage, the Apostle Peter speaks of suffering as potentially “God’s will” for us. In my last post I spoke about the prevalence of false prophesy that covers so much of the modern church.  There are many in this world who, like the false prophets of old, preach “‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all!” (Ezekiel 13:10)  There is a companion group to them which I briefly alluded to in that post, a group which often goes hand-in-hand with the most prominent "prophets" of our time, and it is a group which is often just as, if not more so, damning than that of false prophesy. It is made up of those leaders and preachers who proclaim what is commonly known as the "Prosperity Gospel".

This theological line of thought may be presented in different ways, but let me sum it up thus: it is, according to these preachers, the will of God that His children, the heirs of His kingdom, be prosperous not merely in spiritual things and not merely in the life to come, but right now, in this life. They teach that health and wealth are promises that you only need to claim in faith in order to receive. Healing is always God's will and physical as well as spiritual prosperity and "abundance" are always God's will for you in this life.

It is telling that the most prominent and popular teachers of this ideal are often quite rich, appear frequently on TV and often with a message that includes "exercising your faith" by giving "sacrificially" large sums to their ministries.  In any other environment, such individuals might be denounced as thieves and derided as peddlers of snake oil by an outraged public. Within large segments of the church, however, they are applauded as leaders, visionaries and men of God possessing great faith. Their own wealth and prosperity are often presented by themselves as a proof of the legitimacy of their message and the blessing of God that came to them once they started to trust in the philosophy they push, and once they supposedly began to give sacrificially to others (as they now ask others to give to them).

It is a sad thing that within the church the response is often one of acceptance, of leaving them be lest we be considered too judgmental. Indeed, if anyone does speak out against such men and women, they are often called out for holding a "judgmental" attitude and are asked to keep quiet and let other be. Nevertheless, when the glory of God is our subject we cannot, indeed we dare not let such matters go unchallenged.

The problem with the so-called Prosperity Gospel is really very simple: it does not work.  There will always be those who are richer than others, so one man's riches hardly stand as proof of his philosophy.  What is telling is that the prosperity gospel teaches that these promises of health and wealth are true for all; and yet so very few will ever experience the slightest sign of this in their lives.

I speak from experience. I grew up in churches where this view was proclaimed and lifted up, where poor churchgoers, experiencing both health and financial hardships (not always their own fault) cried out to God regularly, claimed His promises, listened with itching ears to every passing preacher who stood up and told them to trust God (and give to their ministry) and that He would turn their situations around in a supernatural manner because that is what He promises.

It would seem that God is very slow to keep his promises, if promises they are.  What is the reason?  We could easily say that it is the fault of the individual, that despite their tears and their scripture quoting, they have not truly trusted God.  According to this philosophy, it is a far easier thing to put your faith in Christ so that He will save your soul from Hell and wash you clean from sin than it is to trust Him enough that He will grant you a physical healing or tell a bill collector to back off.  It would seem God is free and generous with His grace in securing for you an eternal future with Him, but if you desire any passing blessings in this lifetime you had better start jumping through some hoops.

I find it incredible that such a view is accepted by anyone at all, much less by such broad groups of people within the church.  However, we must be reminded that people will "look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3).  We want to have prosperity and health now, so we listen, we hope, we do outrageous things to obtain it, and when we don't obtain it, we accept that we do not yet have enough faith, because even this seems better than accepting that this life is not perfect, that it is often very hard and that it involves suffering and hard work.

I think perhaps the greatest proof of all that the Prosperity Gospel is both a sham and a shame, a creation of man born of selfish desire, is the testimony of the lives of the Apostles.  Of all the men in history who will claim that they did not possess a faith that was true and strong and pure?  These who endured endless hardships, persecution and were often put to death for their undying commitment to preach the good news, not of health and wealth, but of salvation?

How is it that, when God "promises" (if indeed He does) health and wealth to His faithful children, these who gave all that they had, even their very lives, spent those lives undergoing persecution and imprisonment?  How is it that they, as Paul testified, " faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside." (2 Corinthians 7:5)?  How is it that Paul, through whom the Holy Spirit penned much of the New Testament, said while he was imprisoned for his faith that “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”?  How could he have learned to be content with little, if God promises much to all?  How is it that, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 God refused to heal Paul of a particular affliction?  That passage alone should be the end of all talk of the so-called Prosperity Gospel.

Although it may sound judgmental, to speak against this sort of preaching is merely to perform an act of Biblical discernment, to “test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God.” as the Scriptures instruct us (1 John 4:1).  In speaking against it we also stand up for the glory of God, for in preaching such messages the faith of many is shaken and their hearts broken over a supposed flaw in their faith that simply isn’t there.  It breeds resentment for illnesses that go unhealed and for “promises” that go unrealized.  It preys upon the weak, the sick and poor as they give money they cannot afford to line the pockets of those who speak these messages.  It makes a mockery of true preachers as those without the church see the popularity and devotion given to such men and assume this practice of seeking money while promising wealth that never comes is the hallmark of our faith.  In degrades the majesty of God by taking His image and exchanging it for that of a business suit and a ledger.

Brothers and sisters, let us leave behind us all concept of the “Prosperity Gospel” and trade it instead for the true Gospel; the Gospel of Jesus Christ who tells us that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)