If you're an advocate of the kind of guaranteed prosperity and health doctrines that are particularly popular with a certain section of the charismatic church, sooner or later, you're going to bump into reality, head first.
When you check the boxes of tithing, memorizing and reciting certain scriptures and loudly proclaiming what it is you desire and still you're just about getting by, and your eyesight is getting worse, and you've got a touch of rheumatism - the question inevitably crops up.
Why does my life not look like what the big-name preachers tell me it should look like?
The name it and claim it folks know this - which is why they produce much material on why the things they teach don't line up with anyone's experience (Except perhaps, their own financial situation, and that's because they're such "good ground" to send all your generous donations to so you can release a miracle in your life...).
I saw one such attempt today, and for the first time, instead of just feeling angry at the blatant fleecing of the flock, I actually felt profoundly sorrowful for the woman speaking.
Her sister had suffered with terminal cancer, and had gone to her grave believing with all her heart that she would be healed. She lived right, she gave tithes and offerings, she prayed many, many prayers of agreement and spoke out many, many scriptures. All the usual excuses about why she wasn't healed were not applicable.
The speaker said that she had asked God why her sister had died, because, quite understandably, her faith was rocked by seeing it happen.
She believed that God replied to her that her sister died because she kept saying 'I believe I am going to be healed', when she should have been saying 'I believe I am healed'.
What a shackle of legalism these people put themselves under - a constant round of scripture confessions and watching every single word that comes out of their mouth in case they accidently say something which would make God helpless to assist them, while simultaneously teaching that God is an indulgent papa who gives them all their hearts desire.
Prosperity gospel is such an impotent teaching in the face of the storms of life, and I truly felt sorry for a woman who worships such a capricious, pedantic idol-god.
7/28/2007
Name-it-and-claim-it and the Divine Pedant.
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25 comments:
"which would make God helpless to assist them, while simultaneously teaching that God is an indulgent papa who gives them all their hearts desire."
I've always tried to express this, and you nailed it down.
Thanks.
It's a shame, but my brother is a Benny hinnite, and Kenneth Copelandite. I don't understand why he can not see what you just so plainly explained here, but he can't.
Have a great Lord's Day.
I have always been unable to understand how anybody could believe that Prosperity teaching.
It just shows you how prone Christians are to say and do stupid things.
We need God's grace.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
Fantastic entry, Libbie. I have actually come to see the intrinsic value of my own suffering in fulfilling the words of Paul:
"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." (Col 1:24)
Good as usual, Libbie.
It comes to smack more of magic, doesn't it? If you don't get the incantation just right, it won't work. "'Lev-i-OH-so, not 'lev-i-oh-SO.'"
I was in the WOF for a while. You are right, it is a form of legalism. You do have to be so careful to say and do everything just right.
Good post.
I saw a "healing" down in south Mississippi. The healers literally beat a poor boy down to the ground "laying hands" on him. He had a disfigurment on his face. After quite a bit of time passed, the disfigurment was clearly not going away. The anouncement was made that God healed him but it is going to take a while to see the results. This movement is a discredit to itself.
Great post, Libbie! This is a little off track, but I wanted to comment on something one of your commenters said:
"It just shows you how prone Christians are to say and do stupid things."
It's not a matter of stupidity or a lack of intelligence; it's just plain old selfishness. "I'll believe as long as I'm going to get somethiing out of it." The selfish motives of the heart are what empower the heretical prosperity gospel.
I have known people who "walked an isle" simply because they were told by those "witnessing" to them that God would fix everything in their lives.
One man I know was on his way to jail for drugs, facing bankruptcy, and his wife was pregnant with their second child. He "got saved" because he knew the group of folks who were witnessing to them were wealthy and he hoped they would get him out of his trouble.
They did; they took care of his wife and children by setting her up in an apartment and sending her money every month while he was in jail. They visited him in prison, took care of all his family's needs, and helped get him started in a business when he got out of jail.
His first week at church, after getting out of prison, they stood him up in front of the whole congregation and presented him with a huge check. Everyone cheered. He and his wife quickly slipped back into gambling, partying, and drugs.
For years, things went back and forth like this. He would get in trouble and "repent" and they would shower him with money. He would go back to the world, knowing he had this church to fall back on. And they kind of used him as their poster child for how generous they were and how God "showers blessings" on those who come to Him.
Problem is, he wasn't "coming to God," he was after money and a quick fix. They weren't doing him any favors. They were actually hindering his repentance.
He was not truly repenting and turning to Jesus "no matter what;" he was just sorry he got caught and wanted someone to bail him out. He was a slick salesman (that was his profession) and he knew how to use all the right lingo. To be honest, he fit right in with this crowd.
" Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." (1 John 2:15-16, NKJV)
If folks were truly turning to Jesus no matter what - even if He calls them to be dirt poor, sickly their whole life, and face years filled with trials, then they would not be likely prey for the prosperity hounds.
It's a love for riches, physical health and beauty, and worldly lusts that make them likely targets of the enemy.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24, NKJV)
Stacy, I dont know; if I thought some divine technique could get me rich, I would go for it.
There is nothing wrong with wanting ones family to prosper. That is why most Christians work hard at their careers. Naturally, this needs to be kept in balance and we need to be ready to be sacrificial in our use of time and money.
Some of those taken in by Prosperity Teaching are Africans living in poverty who have a very understandeable desire to better their lives for their famililies' sake as well as their own.
The problem with Prosperity Teachuing is that the Bible does not promise earthly wealth as a reward for spirituality.
That is why I think this is as much a problem of sense and stupidity as it is a problem of selfishness.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
It is just sad.Where is the comfort and assurance of answered prayer in this kind of teaching? Where is the spiritual growth? And who eventually benefits?- it is unlikely to be those who follow all these 'rules'
Not to mention the ignoring of all the scriptures that call us to dsicipline, sacrifice, whole hearted service and seeking firdt the kingdom of God.
Libbie, this false teaching and misrepresentation of our heavenly Father makes me spitting mad too!
And I say this as one who believes that God heals, who believes that God wants to prosper us financially, who believes in tithing, and who believes in the importance of a good confession.
But I also believe the words of Christ that in this world we will have tribulation, and the words of James that these things come to produce perseverance and refine our faith that is worth more than silver or gold. And the words of Paul that teaches that it is in the glory that is yet to be revealed that our present sufferings will be truly recompensed.
God is not manipulated by our faith. Nor is he restrained by our mistakes. He is sovereign and not a hair of our head falls to the ground without his will. He is our loving heavenly Father who works all things for our good, even the most vile of situations that we struggle to reconcile with his perfect will for our lives.
My own faith for healing or prosperity goes along the lines of Daniel's three friends great confession of faith:
The God I serve is able to do it,
He will deliver me,
But even if he does not, I will not flinch and inch from my love, devotion, faith and service of my Lord, the true King of all things.
...incidentally, anyone who goes to the grave in faith for a promise they did not receive in this life, is in very good company! [Heb 11:39]
Such brothers and sisters do not have my pity, certainly not my scorn or derision; they have my utmost respect.
Amen to that - just to clarify, I didn't feel sorry for the woman who had gone to Glory - I felt sorry for her surviving sister.
I too believe in a healing, incomparably generous God - He just isn't at my command :-D
Chris,
On what basis do you say that God wants to prosper believers financially?
If we are not of this world, why expect God to bless us with it?
Libibe, no clarification necessary. I thought no less of you. :-)
Matthew, If God does not bless you financially, who does??
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights*
[*Offer excludes financial provision.]
Not in my Bible! ;-)
Seek first and foremost the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, then all these things will be added.
Whether God adds them isn't our desire; our desire is to seek His kingdom above all else, as well as His righteousness.
However, God does bless those who do this.
Chris,
If a believer is blessed financially, then that is God's blessing and they should be thankful for it.
However, that was not what I asked you.
Let me re-phrase, based on your last comment-
What makes you think that God wants to give the gift of financial prosperity to all believers?
Matthew, do you really believe that God wants you poor?
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. (2Co 9:8-11)
How can we express the generous nature of God to the world if we have nothing spare to give? Or do you believe that generosity is not a gift given to all believers either?
I suppose this could depend on your definition of 'poor'. The Lord grants each of us what is needful- He daily loads us with blessings and benefits. But He also knows those of us who would fall if in posession of much- those of us for whom the temptation of much wealth would be too much. He certainly does not leave us without and in that sense He does bless us all financially. Some are in a better position to give than others- but then demonstratin generosity as believers does not always have to be about money- in fact it can mean a lot more if it is about time and effort and thought. Just my tupence worth :)
Chris,
Being poor can be a good thing. God has chosen the poor of this world who are rich in faith.
Poverty teaches lessons.
Did God want the apostle Paul to be prosperous financially?
What about John the Baptist? Did God want him to be prosperous?
'How can we express the generous nature of God to the world if we have nothing spare to give?'
You know, our Lord did mention a certain poor widow. Generosity was not out of the question for a lady with nothing to spare.
> I suppose this could depend on your definition of 'poor'.
Susanna, thanks for your "tuppence" as Matthew reminds us, it can go a long way! I think you are absolutely right. So many arguments boil down to semantics at the end of the day.
I would also put it to you all that the term 'financial prosperity' is also one that can be misunderstood. To my mind it means "having enough and to spare" and "able to be generous in every situation". God does not give us wealth to accumulate, like grain stored up in barns, but he does bless us with an abundance of "bread for eating" - our needs; and "seed for sowing" - so we can bless others. This is not exclusive to money, but most certainly includes it.
Make no mistake, your heavenly Father wants you to be blessed financially - just not the way the preachers in the white suits would lead you to believe! ;-)
> Poverty teaches lessons.
Yes, so does pain. If you are wise you will learn the lessons quickly! ;-)
Chris- Just out of interest.....how do you view the 'financial situation' of Pastor's/ full time workers in the church who are never going to humanly have a lot financially? Or the families where. although there is sufficient there is no way to be generous in every financial need situation because mum stays at home to look after the children?. I am intrigued.
Susana,
There will always bee need of some kind; Jesus said we would always have the poor amongst us. If we are motivated purely by the need we see, then you are right, not even the richest person would have enough to be generous into every situation.
But I believe it is always possible to be generous. Matthew mentioned the widow's mite which reminds us of that fact. Sometimes generosity takes more faith than at others, and we all face financial difficulties at times, but my confidence in such times rests in the generous nature of my heavenly Father - a nature I know he wants me to reflect.
I have faced financial pressures myself lately. Ones that would easily be resolved by giving less money - but, you see, I have seen what that money can do. If I spend the money on my own needs, what then? Tomorrow I still have needs and nothing of eternal value has been done. But, for example, I gave £24, a tiny amount really, towards the total cost of 60K for a mission into Cuba - a mission that saw over 5000 people give their lives to Jesus, get baptised and become a part of the church.
Things like that make you see money in a whole different way. Now I want to give more, not less! So instead I make sacrifices in other areas, and press into God in faith that he will bless me financially... but I do so not because I want to store up treasure on earth, quite the opposite, so I have more to invest in that which is of eternal significance. I have found that God always provides the right amount at the right time, and my own needs are always met... abundantly! - we need to remember that he himself is our source not just our employer who is just one of the means he provides. Seeking first the Kingdom and receiving your own needs as a result, works in the area of finance too!
As for the full time pastors you mention. In my experience they are some of the most generous people I know! I'm also very happy knowing that my generosity enables their generosity into situations I would never personally be able to go.
(Sorry for the long answer!)
That was a very good answer because it clarifys a lot more clearly what you were saying and what your definition of generosity is :) I agree totally with you- sacrificial giving is an important pasrt of the Christian life and God does indeed supply all our needs.
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