Prosperity Gospel
This week I read an article by Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Mohler was commenting on another article by Edward Luce, American editor of the Financial Times. You can find both of those articles at these links:
Would you trade eternal life for a Ferrari
A preacher for Trump’s America: Joel Osteen and the prosperity gospel
I am reminded how prevalent and damaging the prosperity gospel has become. Many thousands of people have bought into this heresy and trust me, the prosperity gospel is leading all of those people into an eternity separated from their creator God. The problem with the prosperity gospel is that it sounds good to the biblically illiterate. If God is good, then He would want me to be healthy. He would want me to be well-off, and He would want me to avoid all suffering and hardship. This is a basic boiled down belief of the prosperity gospel….and it is no gospel found in scripture. The problem is that the prosperity gospel has nothing to offer of any real worth. What good does temporal wealth offer in light of your eternal soul? In the gospel of John, Jesus says this:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 ESV
In the world you will have tribulation. When your personal theology contradicts the word of God, it is your theology that is wrong, not God’s word. We need to continuously check on our theology to make sure that it is God himself, through His word, that is teaching us what to believe.
I fully believe that followers of Jesus will be richly rewarded. I also believe in temporal blessing. I have enjoyed much of God’s goodness in my life, and I have not faced much opposition to my faith. However, to think that all God has promised will be in my life now is something called over-realized eschatology. Believing Much of what God has promised will be given when we stand face to face with Christ, and on the new earth. That blessing will last forever. God is good and He will reward His children!
For His glory!
Pastor Jonathan Welch
