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Two months back, a preacher and New York Times bestselling author posted a sale on his home which he admitted he couldn’t afford to maintain anymore. His home was an Orange County Mansion that was valued at $2 Million.
The preacher in question preaches prosperity theology. What makes a prosperity teaching is not the presence of the huge mansions, expensive cars, private jets and expensive brand label clothing. It’s the position of the heart.
Prosperity teachings put a whole lot of emphasis on the financial blessings of God, luring people into the Christian faith by using a hook of more money, material wealth and possessions. In a nutshell, prosperity gospel puts more emphasis on wealth and the self than it does on Christ.
On the surface, the message of prosperity theology has a partial truth to it. Indeed God wants to bless us and provide for us. It’s His desire that His people never go hungry and actually live on an excess so that we can be a blessing to others. But the danger of prosperity gospel puts more emphasis on the blessing than on the one who gives the blessing.
Colossians 3:2 tells us to “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Prosperity gospel poses a threat to believers because at the heart of it, it promotes and even creates a poverty culture amongst God’s people.
A poverty mindset and a prosperity teaching have this in common: they put too much emphasis on the individual needs of people, placing the self at the center of the universe and making our needs, our wants and our desires more important than the will of God.
Sure God wants to bless us, but He wishes to do so on His terms, not ours. When we put too much emphasis on material blessings we miss out on the other more important blessings God wants to give us such as stronger faith, better character, lasting relationships and a deeper experience of His love.
A prosperity gospel is no gospel at all because the true gospel speaks of us dying to ourselves and now living with the desires that are that of Christ. No longer do we walk in a poverty mindset, but one that finds true satisfaction and joy in Jesus alone and money, possessions and earthly wealth simply become an add on.
It’s pretty clear really that a prosperity teaching reflects a poverty mindset where our needs – which are endless – never find contentment and are always at the center. True Christian living puts Jesus at the center and looks first to Him for joy and satisfaction whether we are living in plenty or in little.
