Today there is much confusion about the relationship that believers should have to prosperity and wealth.
In the Old Testament God promised material prosperity to his faithful followers. When he was bringing them to the promised land he promised prosperity if they followed his law.
12 “And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. 13 He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples.
Deuteronomy 7:12-14 (ESV)
In Psalm 81:13, 16 God offers prosperity if his people would follow him: “Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways . . . But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (ESV). Proverbs 10:4 promises: “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Pro. 10:4, ESV).
In the New Testament we find a new approach to material prosperity and possessions. Jesus made it clear that we should not have affection for money. In Matthew 6:19-34 he teaches us how to relate to money and possessions. “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matt. 6:24, NIV). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” instead, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt. 6:19, 20, 21, NIV).
Jesus is our first model and he had “no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58, NIV). Likewise, the Apostle Paul had very few possessions. Under the New Covenant the followers of God are not promised prosperity, nor does God promise material prosperity as a reward for our financial giving. Our kingdom is not of this world.
The antidote to materialism is saving up for your eternal retirement. This keeps our hearts pure from disordered attachment to possessions. Of course, we have material needs but we have a Father who knows our needs and promises that if we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you” (Matt. 6:33, NIV).
Thus, as we mature we should find ourselves less attracted to material things. We won’t be interested in that shiny new car. We will make fewer impulsive purchases. We will not empty our bank account for an expensive “toy”. Even if we are poor our hearts do not become preoccupied with making money. We will “not worry about tomorrow” (Matt. 6:34, NIV) knowing that if we make our requests known to him he will give us the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Phil. 4:6, NIV).
As we mature, we can join with Paul and say “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:11-13, ESV).
Next week we will look at the reason for the sharp difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament teaching on prosperity.
