Promising Prosperity
October 6, 2008
Today, the Dow Jones Industrial average fell below 10,000 points. Global markets are panicking in spite of the $700 billion “rescue” bill Congress passed this past week.
Moments like this reveal true character. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “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.”
How we view money is a direct reflection of our character and, unfortunately, un-Biblical views of money have seeped into churches. The prosperity gospel touted by “ministers” such as Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, et. al promise God’s blessing for poor people giving extraordinary amounts of money to their churches. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Al Mohler makes an excellent point about how the prosperity gospel ultimately hurts those it claims to help:
“We are not promised economic or financial prosperity in the Gospel. We are promised what money cannot buy and poverty cannot take away.
It is also easy for non-Charismatic critics of prosperity theology to look down on those who were so susceptible to its false promises. Many devotees of prosperity theology are desperate in ways the more privileged cannot understand, and they are prey to both lenders and preachers promising prosperity.
I must wonder how many other Christians — far removed theologically from Charismatic prosperity theology — might have bought into a very different prosperity theology. Have we all been seduced by the idea that prosperity is a given? Do we now think that prosperity is our right? Do we associate prosperity with the blessings we receive in the Gospel?”
John Piper expresses perfectly the danger of believing this false gospel.
