DOES THE BIBLE CONDEMN THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL?
By Ezekiel Kimosop
I received a question yesterday from a member of one of my teaching forums who sought to know if Scripture conveys express teachings against the prosperity gospel that is increasingly popular in contemporary Christianity.
I will attempt an answer to this question from my discernment of the teaching of Scripture.
The prosperity gospel or theology can be generally described as a set of religious doctrines that promote the offer of "miracle prayers" in exchange for money or material resources. It operates on a transactional relationship. The preachers who promote these doctrines are considered by their followers to possess special powers and "prophetic anointing" by which they purportedly perform all manner of miracles including healings and financial miracles.
While Scripture may not identify prosperity theology by its pristine name, there are several passages of Scripture that address related issues in context. Some texts of Scripture condemn excessive greed fueled by the ungodly love for money which Paul describes as "the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
Secondly, Scripture warns against obsessive compulsion in the pursuit of earthly riches at the expense of our commitment to the things of God and the advancement of the gospel. The love for earthly riches is equated with the spirit of Mammon which is diametrically opposed to God. Jesus taught that no one can serve God and Mammon at the same time (see Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13).
Scripture also warns us against insatiable greed for material resources associated with a class of preachers that are driven by the love of money and material gain rather than the exigencies and callings of the Christian faith.
Peter describes the depravity of these teachers, saying that they have "forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" 2 Peter 2:15, NKJV).
In the Old Testament Scripture, the narrative on Naaman offers a compelling illustration on the ungodliness of greed for servants of God. We learn from 2 Kings 5 that the Assyrian commander offered silver and gold to prophet Elisha following his healing from leprosy but the prophet declined to receive the gifts. His statement in 2 Kings 5:16 is instructive of his moral convictions. His firm reply to Naaman is thus: "But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused." We learn from this statement that Elisha's moral integrity was beyond reproach.
Sadly, Gehazi his servant was tempted by the gifts and he secretly pursued the Assyrian commander and lied to him that Elisha had asked for part of the gifts to meet an emergency need. God revealed to Elisha Gehazi's mischief and Elisha proclaimed that the leprosy of Naaman shall fall on Gehazi and his descendants forever. Gehazi immediately turned leprous and went into isolation.
Why did Elisha decline the gifts? Did he have enough resources for his upkeep? By the standards of today's prosperity preachers, Elisha should should have received what prosperity teachers would describe as "the fruit of his anointing"! Elisha rejected the gift yet he was in great need. The preceding accounts in 2 Kings 4:38-44 reveal that the sons of the prophets who were members of a prophetic school under Elisha's command were in dire need of resources. They lived in squalid conditions. We can confidently conclude from the above passage that Elisha was protecting his moral integrity as a servant of God. He did not wish to profit from what God had done despite his situation of need. The healing of Naaman was a divine act. It cannot be attributed to the servant of God who was merely a steward of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2).
It is further instructive to note that unlike Elisha, Balaam, another Old Testament prophet, was motivated by financial gain during his prophetic ministry and the Bible condemns his misadventures (see Numbers 22-24). Balaam was eventually killed during the battle against the Amorites under the conquest of the territory allotted to Reuben (Joshua 13:15-23). The record of Balaam's death is significant because of his rebellion against God while purporting to speak His mind. The writer of Joshua was careful to demonstrate that this enemy of God's people was finally destroyed under God's judgment.
Now fast-forward to the New Testament Scripture....
Balaam is described in negative light on the three occasions that he is mentioned by New Testament writers - Peter, Jude and John.
First, he is depicted as a man who "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:15). This is a description of a person driven by the lust for dishonest gain.
Secondly, apostate teachers are described by the writer of Jude as having "run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah" (Jude 1:11). The gain factor and rebellion against God is again contemplated in this context.
Finally, the doctrine of Balaam is associated with those who "put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14). Those who put stumbling blocks are teachers that mislead God's people into moral rebellion against God's divine standards (cf. Romans 14:13;1 Corinthians 8:9).
This rebellion was identified with a section of Christians in the compromising Church of Pergamos that earned Jesus' sharp rebuke. Our Lord singled out one Christian faithful martyr, Antipas, for commendation. It appears that Antipas was killed in Pergamos because of his uncompromising convictions (Revelation 2:13). It is highly likely that Antipas had openly condemned the moral excesses of the society of his day and paid for his convictions with his life.
The old and new apostates described by Jude are of Balaam's kind. They will all eventually perish under God's judgment in the manner that Balaam the false prophet did unless they repented and turned from their wicked ways.
Having set out the biblical foundation that outlines the greed and moral apostasy identified with prosperity teachers, we can boldly conclude that prosperity teachers that are preoccupied with collecting money from their unsuspecting followers and enriching themselves in the name of God are following after the wicked doctrine of Balaam. These latter day teachers have set aside the sanctity of the gospel of Jesus Christ and chosen to teach a concoction of heretical doctrines that advance their selfish financial interests. They must be condemned by biblically centered Christian communities and called out for what they truly are - promoters of counterfeit Christianity.
The prosperity gospel is the fastest growing global quasi-religious enterprise in contemporary Christianity today. Africa has not been spared by its menacing tentacles. This religion of mammon is controlled by popular millionaire televangelists and mega-church preachers who collect millions from their deluded followers in the name of God. Many of these prosperity preachers purport to offer "miracles" in exchange for money. They also claim to possess mystical powers including the ability to heal the sick, resurrect the dead, exorcize evil spirits, destroy demonic altars, among other things. These are unverifiable claims that are intended to hypnotize the followers into unquestioning submission and control. Even if it is granted that they posses the powers they claim, it is instructive that no text of Scripture teaches or implies that God demands money in exchange for His healing grace or for the provision of our needs. He lovingly meets the needs of His covenant people according to His divine will (see Matthew 6:5-15, 25-34, 7:7-12; James 1:17).
When the lifestyles of these millionaire preachers are closely examined, one cannot help noticing the disconnect between their avarice and sumptuous living and the condition of their poor followers who struggle to make ends meet. Some of the leading prosperity preachers live in leafy suburbs of their cities, drive top of the range limousines, fly private jets and own vast empires in property worth millions of dollars yet they are not captains of industry!
The Bible does not contemplate this pseudo religion in a biblically centered Christian community. It conveys several warnings to believers to watch lest they fall into the hands of these merchants of greed.
This is not to suggest that the pursuit of earthly riches and financial prosperity by Christians is ungodly or evil per se. There must be a moral balance informed by godly prudence in line with the teaching of Scripture. The Bible does not teach that believers should subscribe to frugality or a vow of poverty! They should earn their bread through their skills and trades even as they serve God with their increase.
Several passages of Scripture promote hard work and enterprise initiatives and condemn laziness among Christian communities (see 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15). Paul himself was a tent maker who raised part of his ministry support from his family trade.
The church requires vast resources to propel the gospel effort. True Christian prosperity must however be consistent with the principles of God's word. Christian communities should faithfully support their church congregations through tithes, offerings and Christian charity giving in accordance with the exhortation of Scripture. These resources should be handled under godly stewardship by accountable congregational leadership. It should modesty support the ministers and church workers and reach out to the needy in their community (see James 1:27).
My view is that the prosperity gospel being advanced by sections of Pentecostal and Charismatic groups today is a false gospel. It is neither sanctioned by Christ in His word nor does it serve His divine purposes for the church. I am persuaded that true followers of Jesus Christ should keep away from the promoters of this false religious enterprise and submit to the purity and authority of Scripture.
© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022
