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Commenting On Prosperity Preaching
Does God promise that if you will become a Christian, you will also become rich and have great health?Many popular religious speakers and writers say "Yes!" Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Creflo Dollar (yes, his real name), Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, among others, teach this. Their claim is, as a believer you put yourself in position for material goods, health, social position, career heights and debts paid. This popular religious movement has spawned sound bites that promise almost anything you want, like: "Say it; do it; receive it; tell it," (Kenneth Hagin).
First, this is based on misquoted and partially quoted passages in the Old Testament, presented without regard to context. Over and over these advocates of prosperity quote passage from the Old Testament (examples: Deut. 29:9; 30:5; 1 Chron. 22:13). Look closely at those, and see if the context bears out the promises they are making. God did promise prosperity and land to His people, the nation of Israel. God formed this nation from the offspring of Abraham, and maintained a unique relationship with them to bring Christ from them. That covenant and the associated material promises cannot be claimed by everybody today.
Second, prosperity preachers impose a materialistic purpose on the death of Christ. A favorite passage is Isaiah 53, where the claim is made that Jesus died the heal us of all our diseases (spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, etc.). By opening up this promise beyond the context of spiritual benefit, they may attract the masses but they have to ignore the New Testament fulfillment, announcing that He died for our sins (see Romans, Galatians, etc.).
Third, they routinely generate excitement that is primarily emotional and temporal. The televised showmanship of these preachers works on the emotions and temporal desires of their listeners. The appeal is to excitement that is emotionally shallow, spiritually empty and deceitful (many of their listeners remain in poverty, or do not recover from their illnesses). Prosperity preacher eventually tell people, they can command God: "As a believer, you have a right to make commands in the name of Jesus. Each time you stand on the Word, you are commanding God to a certain extent because it is His Word." Kenneth Copeland (Our Covenant with God, 1987, p. 32)
Isn't it clear, religion has been commercialized, marketed and televised for audience appeal, often with a stunning profit motive? The leaders of these movements often live sumptuous lives of excess, funded by people they say are deficient in faith (thus poor and sick). If you want to know what God has to say, read His Word. He speaks plainly, and it is not about fame and fortune, it is about faith and forgiveness.
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1)
