Prosperity Gospel Problems

Prosperity Gospel Defined

The prosperity gospel is "An aberrant theology that teaches God rewards faith—and hefty tithing—with financial blessing" (Christianity Today).  

It claims that God rewards increases in faith with increases in health and/or wealth and states that the atonement of Christ includes not just removing of sin, but also removal of low finances and illness (Carter, J., 2017, May 3).  

Example Passages Taught by Prosperity Preachers in Context with Scripture

Spiritual Blessings, Not Physical

The prosperity gospel is one where certain bible verses are taken out of context.  For example, a prosperity gospel preacher may refer to a passage in Exodus that says, “You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.  None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days” (Exodus 23:25-26 ESV). 

In this instance, if God's laws are obeyed, the people are ensured a fair distribution of food in Israel.  God's law ensured a health standard higher than other neighbors.  This passage shows some ways in which God's blessing comes, however, it raises a problem-the suffering of the righteous that is faced by Job.  It becomes clear that the deepest of God's blessings are not physical but spiritual (Cole, R. A., 2008).

Forgiveness Not Physical Healing

Another example could be where Isaiah writes, "But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).  

In this instance, the suffering servant (who became Jesus) carried the guilt and sins of the people and was able to bring the people of God back into fellowship with their heavenly Father, where the benefits include reconciliation to God and forgiveness.  Elwell states, "All mankind has gone astray, but through the suffering of the servant there is still the possibility for peace and healing. Jesus Christ gave himself that he could be our peace and that through him we could experience healing and restoration of fellowship with the heavenly Father" (Elwell, W. A., 1989).  Peter refers to the prophet Isaiah when he states, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1 Peter 2:24-25).  In other words, through Jesus' suffering His people have found forgiveness (Elwell, 1989).  

Donations for Ministry, Not Become Wealthy

The final example is a passage in Malachi where God states, "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’  Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need" (Malachi 3:7-10).  

In this instance, God is expecting a renewal in worshiping Him.  It involved support for the Temple personnel (priests, Levites, widows, orphans, and aliens) and the sacrificial offering.  Israel's failure in not giving enough in expenses to support these aspects resulted in failure to show loyalty to God in worship (Elwell, 1989). 

Later on, God states, "You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape'" (Malachi 3:14-15).  

Paul warns about greed.  He says that false teachers in the church have "constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain" (1 Timothy 6:5).  Elwell states, "The ultimate explanation is that their minds have been 'corrupted' and have been robbed of the truth. Their motivation is sheer profit" (Elwell, 1989).

Job Suffering

Job was “blameless, and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1).  However, The Lord let Satan test Job.  The book of Job states that a messenger said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you” (Job 1:14-15).  Other messengers came to tell him that Chaldeans killed his servants and that his sons and daughters have died (Job 1:16-19).  Satan also “struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (Job 2:7).  Job confessed to God and said, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:2, 5-6).  God said to his friends who ridiculed him that “you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” and they did what the Lord asked with the sacrifices (Job 42:7-9).  God restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10).  

Paul and Satan Harassing Him

A messenger from Satan was involved in harassing Paul as well, as he states, “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited” (2 Corinthians 12:7).  Paul pleaded with the Lord, but He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  He then boasts in his weakness and the power of Christ.  He says, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). 

Expect Persecution

Therefore, as New Covenant believers, we are to expect persecution but boast in how Christ’s power helps us endure that persecution.  Jesus even states, “And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:12-13).  He also says, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19).  However, He tells us that He has overcome the world.  Jesus states, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  Paul even states, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). 

Peter also says that we should not surprised and to even rejoice in sharing Christ’s sufferings.  If we are insulted for Christ’s name, then we are blessed and should not be ashamed.  Peter writes, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:12-14, 16).  There is a greater prize, as Paul says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).  

Example Preachers/Keys to Detect Prosperity Gospel

Examples of prosperity gospel preachers include Creflo Dollar, Pat Robertson, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and Paula White-Cain.

There are six keys to detecting the prosperity gospel:

1.  Absence of doctrine of suffering

2.  Absence of doctrine of self-denial

3.  Absence of serious exposition of Scripture

4.  Absence of dealing with tensions in Scripture

5.  Preachers that have unreasonably high lifestyles

6. Prominence of self (Carter, 2017).  

References

Carter, J. (2017, May 3). What you should know about the prosperity gospel.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-you-should-know-about-the-prosperity-gospel/.

Christianity Today. (2021). Prosperity Gospel. ChristianityToday.com.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/topics/p/prosperity-gospel/.

Cole, R. A. (2008). Exodus: an introduction and commentary. (D. J. Wiseman, Ed.) (Vol. 2). 

        Inter-Varsity.

Elwell, W. A. (1989). The Suffering Servant. In Baker commentary on the Bible. Baker Books.

Holy Bible: ESV (2001). Good News Publishers. Wheaton, Illinois.