Last week we looked at the two phases of the kingdom of God and problems with the prosperity gospel.
One of the common elements of the prosperity message is the claim that God will bless us financially because of generous giving. Scripture does clearly teach that God will give us some blessing for our generosity. For example, we have the promise in 2 Corinthians 9:6: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (ESV). (See also Jesus’ words at Matthew 6:3-4.) But what type of blessings will God give? Paul makes his thinking on this clear in his letter to the Galatians. He teaches that when believers contribute financially to their ministers their reward is spiritual:
Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
(Gal. 6:6-8, ESV)
Paul is saying that when believers share provisions with ministers then they are sowing to the Spirit, and from that they will reap eternal life. There is no promise of financial reward. (He is not teaching that financial giving leads to eternal life; he is saying that responsible giving is one of example of sowing to the Spirit, which is another way of referring to giving one’s life to God, which leads to eternal life.) Nowhere in the New Testament is material prosperity promised to all believers in general for material giving, nor are believers ever encouraged to seek wealth.
Another prosperity teaching related to giving is the idea that giving ten percent of our income, in other words, tithing, is required under the New Covenant. They say that tithing is a kind of monthly payment due to God which opens the door to his material blessings; and failure to tithe brings financial distress. However, tithing is not required under the New Covenant. Nowhere is tithing taught after Jesus ascends to heaven. It is never mentioned when the subject of finances or giving comes up. Respected bible scholars are agreed on this. This teaching is based on the Old Covenant when tithing was required. Unfortunately, listeners often believe that God requires them to tithe and so they do. This helps to finance the congregation and reinforces the general pursuit of wealth by some leaders. But the fruit is poisoned and the Spirit will not linger long in such congregations.
Prosperity teaching distorts our motivation for giving. Believers give in order to receive a financial benefit. Perhaps they justify it with the idea that if God blesses them then they can give more generously to others and support ministries. But their hearts are motivated by reward instead of by a desire to sacrificially love God and others after the pattern of Jesus. Giving becomes an investment or gambling proposition. For example, someone in the congregation gives a testimony about the way God blessed them financially after they made generous contributions. Others hear and lay down their “bets” hoping to hit the jackpot as they heard in the testimony. But how much would they give if they did not think God would provide prosperity? Is this really “giving”? Isn’t this spiritual gambling? We cannot let even a hint of this perversion enter our soul.
This teaching leads to disillusionment with God. Those who don’t prosper begin to doubt God’s faithfulness. For some, if their giving does not “pay off” eventually they give up on Jesus and look somewhere else. We may adopt a milder version of this by thinking that our giving is essentially buying insurance against financial hardship. If you lose your job and you are poor for a few years will you believe that God has broken his promise? I regularly pray that God will bless my finances and like a child I expect that he will, but I also know that he is free to allow financial hardship. Some believers around the world practice sacrificial giving but suffer persecution or death.
The prosperity gospel also inflicts damage on souls by implying that if someone is financially lacking while others around them are prospering then there must be some lack in their faith or practice. They need to try harder or give more so they can rise up from their weak condition. Thus, the poor are actually devalued which directly contradicts Jesus’ words: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20, NIV). And as we quoted earlier, James says: “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5, NIV).
Next week we will look at how believers should utilize wealth.
