“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” (Col 2:8 )
When I hear people called Christians promoting prosperity, health, wealth and happiness, sometimes I am stunned. I see the banner for the prosperity conference, I see the website for millionaires for Jesus or the six figure people, and I tip my head to the side, furrow by brow and stare. I read about a million dollar wedding after reading about the subsequent divorce, I see preachers with jets and huge homes and expensive cars and I shake my head in wonder. Other times I see bible verses twisted out of context, misapplied to support anti-Christ teachings and my muscles knots, my teeth clench, my fury stirs. And then a great sadness washes over me when I think about Jesus. What he must be thinking as he watches his children. I read the bible and I cry. I tremble in fear at the wrath to come on such seemingly nice people. Such rich and beautiful people, teaching what they call freedom, what Jesus always called slavery. Finally I can't contain my sarcasm in the irony of it all when I read things from other followers of Jesus like,
“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.”
-The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians
Paul was not rich. Jesus was not rich. None of the apostles were rich. None of them taught the prosperity gospel, none of them lived that way. They never, ever, ever raked in millions of dollars for any cause. Jesus never told any of us to do that either.
“What sorrow awaits you who are rich,
for you have your only happiness now.
What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you. (Luke 6:24-25)
How do you fit THAT into a wealth and prosperity message?
Did you ever notice too, that the preachers preaching money riches are always saying give your money to them, partner with them, donate to them, sow into their ministry? What did Jesus tell the rich man to do?
Matt 19:21-23 says;
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Jesus repeated himself for emphasis. He said things twice to make sure he had people's attention. I guess He missed that “Empowered to Prosper” seminar. And the mega synagogue that taught regularly how to have a cushy life today being the best 'you' must have been too crowded the day he was in town. I guess he didn't really have a complete revelation about this issue of money, wealth and possessions. Just think of what Jesus could have done for the kingdom with that kind of money.
A few verses later he says
“And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. (v. 29-30)
Silly Jesus. He was just a story teller. He didn't really mean anything by any of it. He was a good entertainer that Jesus but not real swift when it came to “claiming that inheritance”.
Here's a funny story he told.
“A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
And just a few verses later;
“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Luke 12:33-34)
Now isn't that silly? Did you notice that Jesus never said 'give ME money'? Did you also notice that he never said 'get yourself rich so you can have free time' or 'get yourself rich so you can do My work' or 'get yourself rich so you can be rich and everyone will want to be my disciples too so they can be rich''? Give to those in need?! Oh! Like give to the already rich preacher with her own personal jet? That ministry? Or the revival preacher who says he's not like ordinary people needing to have faith in God to pay a $500 dollar bill, he's got millions to deal with. That needy person? Or maybe it's the guy who stands on a platform among thousand of people chanting with them “Money-coming-to-me-now!” as some sort of incantation to produce wealth among the crowd. Wait I know, give to the needy...that must be the hugely famous (and need I say fabulously wealthy) evangelist who told a group of South Africans that God was going to make millionaires out of every $1,000 dollar donor to his ministry - but the offer was only good for 2 minutes - credit cards accepted. Yes those are the needy Jesus said to give to I'm sure. You think I'm making this stuff up?
Here's another example of what Jesus thought of rich people's contribution to the kingdom of God.
“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (mark 12:41-44)
So here you have people saying they follow the teachings of Jesus, when they actually live, preach, teach and encourage others to do just he opposite of what Jesus taught. They teach you how to get rich so you can give more. Jesus honored those who gave it ALL away.
Here's a cute rich man, poor man story Jesus told.
“Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. (now he's preaching!) At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead.There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’
Finally, let's take a peek at the Old Testament wisdom book of Proverbs. Some prosperity teachers like to talk about rich Abraham or Job or Jacob. I don't know why those rich men were never teaching others the “secrets” to great wealth and financial success. (Wait I know, God was waiting to pour out the better wine later, right?)
Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,but right living can save you from death. (11:4)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;wealth from hard work grows over time. (13:11)
The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many “friends.” (14:20)
Better to have little, with godliness,than to be rich and dishonest. (16:8)
The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. (18:11)
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. (24:4)
Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich. (28:6)
Proverbs has a strange little prayer in chapter 30 verses 7-9
O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs? What? If I grow rich I may deny God? That can't be right? What translation of the bible is that? That's just crazy talk. As one holy man of God recently said “Have I ever heard anyone pray that, in my life?”
It echoes more of what Jesus said in the famous "Lords Prayer", and how he said elsewhere, 'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul"
Lastly, Jesus said “Be doers of the word and not hearers only”
So now then, in light of these things, how ought we to live?
