I don’t write too many blog posts that are negative in tone, but I’m not afraid to sound out a warning against something dangerous or offensive to the glory of God. The prosperity gospel is just that – it’s dangerous and it’s offensive to the Author of redemption. Al Mohler describes it more eloquently that I, but we feel the same.
When Steve Brown spots something deceptive he says “It stinks! It smells like smoke! It’s from the pit of hell!” That’s how strongly I feel about this notion that God wants you to be rich and wealthy in this life and the pathway to that is to make some televangelist rich and wealthy with your hard-earned money.
I’ll be brief, but here’s why it upsets me so…
- Too many missionaries have sacrificed their wealth for the gospel.
- Jesus lived without a place to lay His head.
- The riches of this world aren’t worthy to be compared with the next.
- Martyrs. ‘Nuff said!
- Gross mis-applications of Holy Scripture.
- Gross mis-understanding of Jesus’ teachings.
- Focus on this life over the next.
- Poor people being sucked dry and driven to debt by wealthy “preachers.”
- Latter-day revelations and utter nonsense substituted for biblical revelation.
- Invitations to get healed or get rich, but not to get saved.
- Americanized, individualized, materialistic infiltration into biblical theology.
- Bad tupees, big gold rings, and personal jets… for Jesus’ sake, right?
That’s my rant. They are rare, but Al fired me up. Oh, and John Piper fires me up about it too…
Back to the Bible. Back to the suffering, bleeding, but living and risen Christ who offers redemption from the cost of sin!
photo credit: teadrinker
