I Hate The Prosperity ‘gospel’

The prime reason I despise the “prosperity ‘gospel'” is because it is not gospel.

Jesus did not die to make me healthy and wealthy. Unlike some, Jesus did not run a con job. “Marvel not that the world hates you…,” He says. “In this world you will (not might) suffer persecution.” We are to “exult in our tribulation,” “consider it all joy when (not if) we encounter various trials,” and “all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will (not might) suffer persecution.”

I hate it because I’ve seen too many sucked up in it and when their grey matter returns they toss it…and too often toss Jesus with the lie.

Here are good words from Jared Wilson on the subject:

“To be clear, the prosperity gospel—a theology of a Protestant subculture largely occupied by (but not limited to) Pentecostal and charismatic believers that posits financial blessings and physical health are God’s will for the faithful—is an especially pernicious plague in the world, now fully exported and a global affront to true Christianity. And its problems aren’t merely theological. The prosperity gospel movement exploits the poor and many others in ways implicit and explicit that often cross fully into the category of spiritual abuse.

When we couple this very real religious epidemic with wider (but also very real) concerns about social justice, income disparities, economic disadvantage, and the like, evangelicalism’s money problem makes total sense. Prosperity theology—“health and wealth,” “name it and claim it,” and so on—turns God’s commands into formulas and faithful obedience into a kind of magic. The prosperity gospel twists biblical concepts into a counterintuitive mix of superstition and pragmatism. This heterodoxy ought to be rejected wholesale.”

This comes from a longer and worth-reading article you can read here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2021/fall/rejection-prosperity-gospel-missing-gods-provision.html?

Amazingly, to me, the “pg” is proclaimed and accepted by all too many inmates. Perhaps that is the main reason I hate it. Prisoners never exposed to genuine Christianity are subjected to this garbage and fall victim, yes, victim to its proclaimers.

I am NOT saying all proponents of “pg” are conmen and women. I believe some are, and would go to the wall saying Benny Hinn is based on his son’s book.

Sadly I believe some of the “pg” proponents genuinely believe what they are selling.

So I try to often pray that the Lord would open their eyes and hearts to truth.