The False Prosperity Gospel

[james1523]

The prosperity gospel is false not because God doesn't want us to prosper, but because the goal of the prosperity gospel is not the person of Christ or Heaven, but a person's own happiness, success, financial security, health and provision on this Earth.

God wants us to be healthy, secure, and happy and provided for, but these things ultimately lie in the person of Jesus Christ and God the Father, and not in the creation or the world.

Many flaky Christians believe that God giving us "abundant life", or "life to the full" means to have a successful, good and happy life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The true meaning of having life to the full, is to receive the divine eternal life into our being, (that is the Spirit of Christ), and then to live a life in the kingdom of God (the ruling and authority of God) and do the Father's will on Earth.

For Jesus Christ, having life to the full meant going to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world.
For many saints having life to the full meant being counted worthy to suffer martyrdom for Christ.
For Paul, having life to the full meant to live for Christ and to die and be with the Lord and be approved by Him (Phil 1:21).

 

[Davy]

Hi James 1523, I am in absolute agreement with your comments. I have watched a number of TV evangelists who only seem to talk about getting riches from God. To give the TV evangelist money and then God will give them money. They seem to overlook the fact that most of the first century Christians had to endure famines and hardship. Some lost everything they had as a result of persecution resulting from refusing to deny that Christ was Lord, including their lives.

They need to take a carefully look at what Agur wrote. This was the son of Jakeh and was the writer of the 30th chapter of the book of Proverbs. He probably lived sometime during the period from Solomon's reign to Hezekiah's reign. He makes quite a stirring statement in Proverbs 30:7-9, which states: (NIV) "7-Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8-Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9-Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God." This is a very interesting statement, as it is within the book of Proverbs which was written by King Solomon. Who sadly fell away from worshiping the only true God, and started worshiping the false gods of his foreign wives. Solomon had riches beyond our imagination. When the Queen of Sheba came to visit him, his wealth took her breath away. (1 Kings 10:2-9; 2 Chronicles 9:1-9) Getting rich is not the key to serving God faithfully, as Solomon showed. In fact, serving God when you are struggling financially, actually shows you will keep on worshipping God, whether you have money on not. This proves a marked degree of faith and loyalty, and is the best way to store riches in heaven. Just as Jesus stated in Matthew 6:19-21: (NIV) "19-Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20-But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21-For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

 

[RJ]

The prosperity gospel is false not because God doesn't want us to prosper, but because the goal of the prosperity gospel is not the person of Christ or Heaven, but a person's own happiness, success, financial security, health and provision on this Earth.

God wants us to be healthy, secure, and happy and provided for, but these things ultimately lie in the person of Jesus Christ and God the Father, and not in the creation or the world.

Many flaky Christians believe that God giving us "abundant life", or "life to the full" means to have a successful, good and happy life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The true meaning of having life to the full, is to receive the divine eternal life into our being, (that is the Spirit of Christ), and then to live a life in the kingdom of God (the ruling and authority of God) and do the Father's will on Earth.

For Jesus Christ, having life to the full meant going to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world.
For many saints having life to the full meant being counted worthy to suffer martyrdom for Christ.
For Paul, having life to the full meant to live for Christ and to die and be with the Lord and be approved by Him (Phil 1:21).

Prosperity is in the eye of the beholder as in the eye of the young rich man, what did he gain but loss.
I don't have all I would like to have but I have more than enough to go around some. We all, to different extents, have our own trials and tribulations but the prize comes at the end. I have all I need, a beautiful family, church family...I am blessed!

 

[Bendito]

The prosperity gospel is false not because God doesn't want us to prosper, but because the goal of the prosperity gospel is not the person of Christ or Heaven, but a person's own happiness, success, financial security, health and provision on this Earth.

God wants us to be healthy, secure, and happy and provided for, but these things ultimately lie in the person of Jesus Christ and God the Father, and not in the creation or the world.

Many flaky Christians believe that God giving us "abundant life", or "life to the full" means to have a successful, good and happy life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The true meaning of having life to the full, is to receive the divine eternal life into our being, (that is the Spirit of Christ), and then to live a life in the kingdom of God (the ruling and authority of God) and do the Father's will on Earth.

For Jesus Christ, having life to the full meant going to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world.
For many saints having life to the full meant being counted worthy to suffer martyrdom for Christ.
For Paul, having life to the full meant to live for Christ and to die and be with the Lord and be approved by Him (Phil 1:21).

Personally I don't know of any 'prosperity preachers' that teach their people to spend all their wealth on themselves....All the ones I've seen teach that we are blessed to be a blessing...Money is for sharing....Healing is for sharing..etc...All of the blessings of God are for sharing...They teach 'Freely we have received, freely give....

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

The prosperity gospel is false not because God doesn't want us to prosper, but because the goal of the prosperity gospel is not the person of Christ or Heaven, but a person's own happiness, success, financial security, health and provision on this Earth.

God wants us to be healthy, secure, and happy and provided for, but these things ultimately lie in the person of Jesus Christ and God the Father, and not in the creation or the world.

Many flaky Christians believe that God giving us "abundant life", or "life to the full" means to have a successful, good and happy life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The true meaning of having life to the full, is to receive the divine eternal life into our being, (that is the Spirit of Christ), and then to live a life in the kingdom of God (the ruling and authority of God) and do the Father's will on Earth.

For Jesus Christ, having life to the full meant going to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world.
For many saints having life to the full meant being counted worthy to suffer martyrdom for Christ.
For Paul, having life to the full meant to live for Christ and to die and be with the Lord and be approved by Him (Phil 1:21).

Greetings James 1523,
Sir I would like to explain something to you because it is clear you do not understand truly what it is you are talking about when it comes to prosperity teaching. You are NOT TOTALLY INCORRECT but incomplete.

First thing to understand is that biblical prosperity is NOT simply about finances. Yes sir finances is a piece of the pie but NOT the main focus.

Look at it this way - see a pie cut into slices - each slice represents a portion of Gods prosperity. You can have a health slice and relationship slice and friends slice and so forth and yes finances is but one slice.
You take one slice out of the pie and you no longer have a whole pie and it is the same with biblical prosperity - you take one piece and focus on it and you no longer have biblical prosperity.

As for the rest of your statments - well sir I will be as bold to say they are not 100 percent correct at all and I would ask that before you go on making such claims as you have that you would seek God and His word with an open heart and have Him show you His truth in this.

The way you have used scripture here is not at all in context.
I would be happy to share some truth with scriptures if you are honestly wanting to understand true biblical prosperity.

God Bless you my Brother
James W