False Teachings Poisoning the Church
Pt 7
“The Prosperity Gospel”
Galatians 1:6-10 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
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Now, I’m not here to call out the names of any preachers of the prosperity gospel, but to take an honest look at their message in the light of God’s word.
The Prosperity Gospel has affected the church worldwide. It’s “Name it and claim it” message is essentially that, if you want a specific blessing from God, all you need do is VERBALLY declare the blessing, then claim it…and it will be yours.
One of them put it this way: “As part of the ‘God class,’ I have absolute authority to create my own world through positive thinking and FAITH-BASED CONFESSIONS.
“Faith based confessions” is just another way to say “name it and claim it”. The promise of prosperity from God is at the core of their teaching.
Now, I believe without a doubt that God prospers His children in many different ways. He promises to meet our needs. He blesses us with peace and prospers us by guiding our way and blessing us with godly relationships.
Prosperity in the Bible is broader than money — it reaches into our health, relationships, fruitfulness in service, and spiritual well-being.
But the prosperity gospel message is that it is God’s will that every Christian has a Cadillac in the garage connected to a great big house on Sweet Street.
As one of them routinely brags, “I have the biggest house of any preacher in America.” He also claims that one day Jesus visited him and asked for his advice.
The prosperity message is, “You want to have money? Basically, you just name it and claim it…and you got it!” Your present and future hinge on what you confess. The words of your mouth will decide your quality of life and your future.
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One prosperity preacher said, “Some people say (Christianity) is about peace, joy and love. NO!! It’s about MONEY!…God is trying to put material wealth into your hands.”
Another put it like this: “If you are struggling financially, then you have NOT got the victory. God didn’t create you to be average or poor.”
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So the prosperity gospel places a huge emphasis on money and acquiring material things by faith. Faith becomes the pathway to riches.
But is this the Bible’s message?
The Apostle Paul wrote, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”–1 Tim 6:9-10
Rather than money, Scripture places a huge premium on godliness with contentment!
“6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”–1 Tim 6:6-8
Godliness with contentment is the key to happiness, not money!
“Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!”–Ecc 5:10
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Now, looking at the Prosperity gospel as a whole, here are my thoughts.
One big problem with the prosperity message is its:
I. FOCUS
When I listen to a prosperity preacher’s message, it invariably emphasizes materialism–things, stuff, wealth, success measured by money.
But the Bible warns of this view, “they are people whose thinking has been confused. They have lost their understanding of the truth. They think that devotion to God is a way to get rich.”–1 Tim 6:5
AMP …’men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].”
The emphasis of the New Testament teachings of Jesus and the Apostles is spiritual wealth, eternal things. It’s not anti-money, it’s just not the MAIN THING!
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God”–Col 3:1
Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt 6:19-21
Do you think that Peter, James, John and Paul rode around in an expensive chariot or lived in a huge mansion. No…we know they didn’t!
Do you think they amassed a lot of money–No!
The books and letters they wrote were paid for with their blood and martyrdom. With the exception of John, every one of them died as martyrs for Christ. Doesn’t sound much like Your Best Life Now!
But you rarely hear about this from the prosperity camp. It doesn’t fit the narrative of endless abundant blessings.
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A SECOND problem with the prosperity gospel is their:
II. THEOLOGY
Theology is simply the study of God. Your theology decides what you believe about God–his character, how he operates, who he is.
Let’s look at how the prosperity gospel frames GOD’S CHARACTER:
In prosperity theology, one of the most important attributes of God–His sovereign will–is often completely overlooked.
One prosperity preacher said, “When we pray, believing that we have ALREADY RECEIVED what we are praying, GOD HAS NO CHOICE but to make our prayers come to pass….It is a key to getting results as a Christian.”
God has no choice? Seriously? Sounds like I’ve become the master and God has become the slave!
Rather than acknowledging God’s sovereign will, the teaching of “name it and claim it” turns faith into an almost magical incantation. All you have to do is confess what you want and “Presto-Chango, Alacazam”…God pops out, like a genie from the lamp, willing to grant your wishes.
As that one prosperity preacher said, “God has no choice” but to do what I’m believing for.”
But God is sovereign and jumps for no man!
Ps 115:3 “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
Is 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
But listen to John:
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”–1 John 5:14-15
All prayer requests must ultimately bend to God’s will. If it is His will, then he will grant it. But if not, no amount of confession will bring it.
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And then also there is the whole theology of SEED GIVING, which in fact is nothing new.
If you had been alive in the early 1500’s and lived in Germany, you may very well have encountered a representative of the church named Johan Tetzel. Tetzel, as a member of the church clergy, would go from town to town selling what was called indulgences.
He would announce to the poor, illiterate peasants that if they wanted their loved ones to be delivered from purgatory (which doesn’t even exist), one way was to give money to the church. His most notorious slogan was,
“As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs!”
In other words, God will move on your behalf if you pay him. So the idea of paying God off to answer your prayers is nothing new.
All prosperity preachers and ministries teach this concept. Yes, it’s true that what you sow you will reap. But the prosperity gospel has conditioned the church to believe that giving God money (by giving it to their ministry) is the necessary way to get prayers answered.
They say, “God wants you to be rich (and/or healthy), but He can not bless you unless you first send money (also known as a “seed-faith offering“) to me.”
And to NOT give God money can even be the doorway to trouble:
One of them said, “If you don’t tithe (to this ministry), that’s an open door to demons.”
The promises they make to their followers if they give are something else. For example, one prosperity preacher encouraged his congregants to donate $10,000 within 90 seconds. He urged them to do this to unlock what he described as a divine promise of becoming a “multi-multi-millionaire.”
And we’ve all heard the TV telethon promises like “the first 20 people to send in $1,000 will receive a year of favor from the Lord,” and so on.
In short, God will move on your behalf if you send us your money. Sow a financial seed and God will answer your prayer, give you your miracle, multiply it back to you with much more, and so on.
Like it or not, it’s conditioning you to buy a blessing.
But what did the Apostle Peter say when Simon the Sorcerer wanted to buy a miracle from God? “Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!…your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness…'”–Acts 8:20-22
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Now, are we to give to the Lord’s work? Absolutely! Does God bless us in many different ways when we do? Yes. But does His blessing depend on our giving money? No! Nowhere in the Bible are we ever taught that answered prayer hinges on us giving God money!
FAITH is the currency of heaven, not money!
“Without faith it is impossible to please him…”–Heb 11:6
Did Abraham have to give God money in order to be declared the father of our faith? No! It says:
“Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”–Gal 3:6
What did he believe God about? “That in him (Abraham) all the nations of the world would be blessed”–Gal 3:8
You say, “But Jeff, it says Abraham tithed ten percent to Melchizedek. That was money!” Yes, he did give to Melchizedek. But not to receive a blessing from God. It was simply the act of honoring a great man!
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And by the way, one of the front burner messages of the Prosperity preachers is that “all the blessings of Abraham (including his riches) are ours as God’s children.” They quote the verse:
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus…”–Gal 3:13-14
But they leave out the last 11 words, “that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
The blessing of Abraham has nothing to do with his money, but that by faith we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit!__________________
So in summary, the Prosperity Gospel’s FOCUS and THEOLOGY are off and misleading, presenting an inaccurate and damaging version of genuine Christianity.