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THE
PROSPERITY GOSPEL
All Bible
references are to the Anglicised New International Version
(NIV-UK), unless noted otherwise.
For texts not
quoted, click on the pertinent link.
Remember this: Whoever sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap
generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
― 2
Corinthians 9: 6, 7 ―
THE QUEST FOR WEALTH has during the past half-century dug
its roots deeply into the soil ― and into the soul ― of mainstream
Christianity. The ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is based on the idea that God bestows
material blessings on those He favours, and His favour is sought by the
confession of faith and the payment of tithes or other offerings for the
support of the gospel ministry. There is no defined ‘Prosperity’
denomination,
but the belief has been embraced by the Pentecostal Churches and by many other
charismatic and mainstream evangelical churches. Originating in the United
States, the doctrine has permeated Christianity worldwide, with varying
intensity.
The rampant materialism of today’s secular
society is a threat to multitudes of well-meaning Christian believers.
Prosperity Gospel teaching promotes the conviction that God heartily approves
of material wealth for those who please Him, and they are lured into joining
the unbelieving world in its quest for wealth. The serious risk then is the
contracting of a condition described as ‘affluenza’, the
disease of greed. This arises from the ambition to be more wealthy, successful,
socially admired, affluent – aims that are never satisfied and which
leave their victims always wanting more.
Supporters of the Prosperity doctrine claim that
their primary purpose is to further evangelism and charitable works worldwide,
though critics argue that the accumulation of great wealth has never succeeded
in such a mission. Zeal for the Gospel and compassion for the world’s afflicted
has certainly motivated many Christians to donate generously. Funds have
without doubt been used conscientiously in the majority of cases, and a reflex
response may well be the pleasing sense of involvement on the part of those
donating. But on the other hand, the goad, the spur, to generous giving, is often
the hope of financial gain as a major
evidence of the Lord’s approval.
Does the Bible Teach Such a Concept?
There are some scriptures that on the surface
appear to support Prosperity doctrine. The Old Testament records that faithful
Abraham was ‘very wealthy in livestock and in silver and
gold’ (Genesis 13: 2).
Blameless
and upright Job, the greatest man among all the people of the East, was
immensely rich, both before and after his long period of affliction (Job 1: 3;
42: 12).
Malachi
3: 10 appears to promise a reward for generous giving: “‘Bring the whole tithe
into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says
the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it’.”
Evidently
God does not in principle condemn the acquisition of wealth. His promises to
Israel under their Law Covenant assured them of national prosperity, security
and abundance, provided they remained faithful to the conditions of that
Covenant. Tithing was the one-tenth of the produce of the earth and of the
increase of livestock, consecrated and set apart for special purposes. At that
time the theocratic government was also the civil government, so the tithes
might be regarded somewhat in the nature of civil taxes, as well as being
contributions to the religious requirements under the Mosaic Covenant. The
priestly tribe of Levi, owning no land or livestock, were supported by the
tithes of the other tribes, the Priests and Levites ministering in the
observance of religious worship and ritual, and also serving as instructors of
the people as to the complexities of the Law.
Must Christians Pay Tithes?
The
New Testament has little to say specifically about tithing. While the Law
Covenant continued to be binding upon the Jews during Jesus’ earthly ministry,
and He castigated the teachers of the Law for their failure to observe it
sincerely (Matthew 23: 23), He did not teach His disciples that observance of that
Law was vital to their salvation. They would learn very soon that a new covenant[fn1]
was
to be inaugurated, first intimated at the Last Supper, shortly before Jesus’
crucifixion: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for
you’ (Luke 22: 20). And Paul clearly states that ‘we have been released from
the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way
of the written code’ (Romans 7: 6).
It
is clear that those Jewish men and women who recognised Jesus as their promised Messiah were released from the
strictures of the law of Moses. It was these that had kept the spirit of that law ― justice and mercy and faithfulness. The Apostle
Paul taught his compatriots that ‘the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster’ (Galatians
3: 24, 25, King James Version).
As Jewish Christians, the early disciples knew
that they were no longer obligated to pay tithes. And as the gospel spread
throughout the Gentile world, under no Divine mandate of tithing, the idea
became irrelevant. But the New Testament is by no means silent on the subject
of giving. No fixed percentage is
set, but all are exhorted to give according to their ability, not grudgingly,
but from a pure desire to support the work of God and the needs of others less
fortunate than themselves. A rich Christian might give 10% of his income, yet
suffer no personal sacrifice, while the poor might struggle to give the
equivalent of the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41–44).
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were
put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many
rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very
small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to
him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the
treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out
of her poverty, put in everything ― all she had to live on.’
At whatever level, our giving must be at our personal cost. We are not permitted to
sacrifice what rightfully belongs to others, for as the Apostle Paul declared:
‘If anyone
does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he
has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever’ (1 Timothy 5: 8).
Reacting to Materialism ― Giving and Getting?
Jesus did not condemn
wealth as such, but He knew how easily it can become the obsession of weak
human nature, and many of His parables deal with the problem of money and
worldly possessions. The preoccupation with material wealth is a serious
hindrance to spiritual growth and well-being. For while it is proper to provide
things decent in the sight of all people, the critical issue is how we use the
money and means we hold in trust, as agents of the Lord in the furtherance of
His purposes.
Christians, like unbelievers, are
assailed by multitudes of advertisements designed to stimulate their
acquisitive tendencies: the latest iPod, the newest fashions, a
replacement for your ten-year-old kitchen, an update to your decor, the
addition of a sun room – or impress your neighbors with a 4x4 in the
driveway. The materialist culture has a vested interest in ensuring that its
victims always want more. Even young children learn to demand whatever
takes their fancy and they are usually obeyed by their elders.
Many of the Lord’s people trapped
on such a materialistic treadmill are gambling the family finances, pouring
their tithes into the coffers of lucrative television ‘gospel-ministries’,
hoping that their giving will reward them with a financial miracle. Sometimes that appears to happen, though
the reality of the matter may be unproven. But the vast majority of Christians
experience no miracle, for if the Prosperity Gospel fulfilled its promises the
evangelical world would be peopled by millions of millionaires!
Acquisitiveness even in small ways
is unbecoming in the Lord’s people. Gaming machines, dice and card games,
bingo, raffles, betting and lotteries all titillate the hope for gain. If some
such activities have a charitable purpose it is quite reasonable to donate to
the cause but skip the gambling. We are
being observed, and Jesus cautions us to ‘Watch
out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist
in the abundance of his possessions’ (Luke 12: 15).
What Then is Our Reward?
It
is our hearts, our time, our talents, that the Lord desires. We consecrate not
merely a tenth, but our all to His
service. That ‘all’ does, of course, include our money and as faithful stewards
we undertake to use it wisely in our Master’s interests.
Our
local churches may deserve financial support, and likewise Christian schools,
care homes and hospices and refuges for the destitute. Many charities are
worthy of support, and even some humanitarian organisations dedicated to the
welfare of the world’s suffering millions. Many good causes are served by men
and women who, without knowing it, are keeping the second part of God’s Law:
‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 22: 39).
And
we have a moral obligation to support those who feed us spiritually, those
whose lives are totally devoted to the ministry of the Gospel. The seventy
evangelists sent out by the Lord Jesus were dependent on the generosity of
those to whom they ministered. The Apostle Paul, in defending his status as an
Apostle, reminded the church of his right to be supported with the necessities
of life. But he made an important point when he asked ― and answered
― the question: ‘What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the
gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in
preaching it’ (1 Corinthians 9: 18).
And our
reward? What greater joy and satisfaction could there be than collaborating
with our Lord Jesus Christ in His Kingdom work of blessing all families of the
earth? And when the true Prosperity Gospel is preached in those days, we shall
echo the words of the psalmist (Psalm 98: 2, 3):
The LORD has made his salvation
known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. . . . All the ends of the
earth have seen the salvation of our God.
__________________
NOTES
^[fn1] The
‘new covenant’ here ought not to be confused with that ‘New Covenant’ which
will come into operation during Christ’s Kingdom on earth, and which is
identified in Jeremiah 31: 31-34.
___________________
Scriptures cited but not quoted
^Job 1: 3: ‘and he
owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five
hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of
servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.’
^Job 42: 12: ‘The
LORD
blessed
the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand
sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.’
^Matthew 23: 23: ‘Woe
to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected
the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You
should have practised the latter, without neglecting the former.’
____________________
Copyright August 2010 ukbiblestudents.co.uk
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