WHAT ABOUT THE PROPERITY GOSPEL? Part 2
There are many, many propagators of what I must refer to as a false teaching. It requires spiritual discernment to determine who is teaching false doctrine. The Holy Spirit can help in that regard. Our focus is to be on God and not material things. So what are the main beliefs of the Prosperity Movement? The prosperity gospel movement has four main beliefs:
Jesus purchased all the benefits of salvation for this life.
Jesus purchased complete physical healing for His people in this life through His death on the cross. By perverting the teaching of Isaiah 53:5 and John 10:10, prosperity gospel preachers assert that Jesus died to take away every sickness in this life and to atone for the “sin” of financial poverty.
A present-day inheritance. In the Abrahamic covenant, God promised a vast material and financial inheritance for believers in this life. If a person believes in Jesus, he will inherit great possessions and tangible blessings in this life. This is borne out in the fact that each of these preachers of heretical doctrine are very wealthy, with mega homes, yachts, and personal jets.
Give to get. Prosperity gospel preachers teach their followers that the way to gain riches is to give more money to the kingdom, especially by giving to their churches and ministries. The quantity of material and financial prosperity one expects to gain is in proportion to what one gives. Sadly, I’ve heard of elderly folks who have donated everything to these charlatans in the hopes of receiving a ten-fold return.
Name it and claim it. Faith and prayer empower people to lay hold of physical and material blessings in this life. Certain leaders in this movement have popularized the term ‘Word of Faith’ to capture the essence of their teaching. Accordingly, if someone exercises enough faith, he will no longer have to be subject to the crippling effects of sickness and disease. If individuals continue to suffer afflictions or poverty, it is due to their lack of personal faith. When we pray in faith, we compel God to make us prosperous, particularly when we declare that we already possess the desired blessing. Likewise, some teachers discourage their followers from speaking negative words, lest they bring negative things into being. It is very sad to me that such as great gift as salvation is subjugated by wrongly interpreted scripture.
Be careful with this because while God doesn’t desire for us to be poor and sickly, we do live in a sin-sick world where right is often clouded by the deception of our adversary. God allows all this for His own purposes; purposes we may never understand. “Trust the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
RL Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/field-guide-on-false-teaching-prosperity-gospel
No comments:
Post a Comment