John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

John Piper is a wonderful Man of God

I responded to a Piper article of a similar nature on the main forum some years ago. Here it is below:

Piper is a CALVINIST!!! While Calvinists are not the only critics of the Faith Movement, a lot of the criticisms as well as the distortion of pertinent facts seems come heavily from their camp. Piper is also one of those who believes that God was involved in the 9-11 incident, being in His sovereignty, responsible for it. Any theologian that accuses (my word) God like that has to be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to his views on brothers and sisters of a different theological persuasion. Nevertheless, let's examine some of his article:



It is true that some EXTEMISTS may teach a doctrine of prosperity for selfish gain, but this is far from being a staple of propsperity teaching. Major Faith Teachers actually dispute such a wicked notion as can be seen from the quotes below:

The faith message is not the only message in the Word of God, but some have latched onto the faith of God - what it can get them, and so forth - until they have perverted this greatest truth of God's Word. (Kenneth Hagin Jr. Itching Ears, P. 7, 1982)

For the last two years I've told our RHEMA students, "If you came here with ears itching to get faith so you can drive Cadillacs, fly airplanes, or have million-dollar homes, go home. Or else reach up, pull off those itching ears, and say, 'I'm here to receive what God has for me.' Pp. 17, 18 (Kenneth Hagin Jr., Itching Ears, 1982)

... what has happened is that a lot of Christians have made prosperity a thing for me, myself, and I - us three. They have made the prosperity message a way to get bigger houses, newer cars, more designer clothes, and a nice bank account. Many have forgotten about those in the world who don't know Jesus, and are lost and on their way to hell. (Fred Price, "The Purpose of Prosperity," Page 6)

So as can be seen from the above quotes, Piper misleads his readers by painting with a wider brush than is necessary. He does not acknowledge the fact that even some prosperity proponents have stood up against the excess in the teaching. Many just totally ignore the late Kenneth Hagin Sr.'s lanmark book, The Midas Touch.



This is a false presentation of what is being taught. What most of the faith teachers teach is that God is NOT glorified by His children being impoverished (If Piper differs on this then he really should read Matthew 7:7-11 and see how God portrays Himself as one who is better than human fathers). God is glorified when His children have more than enough - enough to take care of themselves and to be a blessing to others and the gospel. How does a Christian bring God any glory if he/she cannot pay his/her bills. That my friend is a bad testimony. Who wants your Christianity if it leaves you in poverty? Furthermore, God is glorified when we use the wealth He gives us for helping get the gospel out to the world. Fred Price further writes:

I believe that in the pursuit of wealth, the Church has lost sight of its priorities and has put seeking the lost on the backburner ... The wealth is for the body of Christ to have the funds to go into all the world and preach the gospel, and that is why God wants us to prosper. (Page 7)

First Piper creates this strawman of his own making and then he finds out-of-context Scripture to refute it. Now THAT is funny. But let's look at these. If one would read Luke 12:25-32 they will see that verse 33 is not at all in dispute with TRUE WoF Prosperity teaching since the Faith teachers emphasize giving to help others above all else. Now if Piper wants to accuse the faith teachers of not selling all of their possession, let us at least see him provide an example of this. Besides, seeing that the disciples maintained their fishing equipment, clothes, swords, and other goodies, how LITERALLY did they take Jesus on that statement?


Those who read Luke 12 in context will also see that faith teachers preach these same verses like the one in 29 to show that we are not to worry about food and clothing because God is our provider. Luke 3:11 is also true to WoF propserity teaching. Copeland writes:

Begin to include the Body of Christ in your needs. Begin to include the lost in your needs. If a man came to you needing clothes and you didn’t have any clothes to give him, both of you would be in trouble. You need clothes for yourself, and you need to be able to supply him with clothes. (Kenneth Copeland, The Laws of Prosperity, p. 25)

In luke 9:58, this is the classic "Jesus was living in poverty" teaching. yet, are we to read the gospels and see that Jesus NEVER had a place to sleep? Is Mr. Piper going without a nice comfortable bed? Finally, he takes Luke 19:8 out of context, forgetting that Zacchaeus first stole from those people and was simply making restitution for the evil that he had done now that he was saved. Therefore, Piper's strawman coupled with out-of-context Scripture is a sad declaration of how far one will go to dispute someone that they disagree with.




This man is so full of strawmen to knock down that it would be funny if it weren't so pathetic. Rather than the selfish gospel that Piper claims is being taught in all prosperity circles, Copeland writes:

If you know how to use God’s ability to receive healing and never use it to help anyone but yourself, then it won’t work foryou very long. If you can believe God for healing, help some-one else get healed. Spread it around! If you know how to believe God financially, start helping the people around you. You will begin to grow as you reach out to others. (Laws of Propserity, p. 22)

True prosperity is the ability to look a man in the eye in his moment of impossibility and take his needs as your own. Those who are spiritual are to help those who are not. We are to bear one another’s burdens. When a brother comes to you with a problem, join with him in prayer, join your faith with his. Put pressure on Satan with the Name of Jesus and get him off the man. Put pressure on the laws of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Lean on your righteousness in Jesus Christ. Lean hard on it! Lean hard on your sonship. Lean hard on the blood of Jesus. Praise God, they work! (Laws of Prosperity, p. 31)

Now, after presenting a DISTORTED and FALSE picture of what most major prosperity proponents preach, Piper then goes on to present the TRUE doctrine that is taught both from Scripture and amongst most of the WoF teachers. Yet, he presents it as his own teaching and as an argument against the strawman that he has built concerning others. I am unaware of any WoF teacher that would disagree with Piper's last statement.

I am not sure what it is that causes men like Piper and others to go out of their way to present a false picture of the Propserity message. Perhaps they want to make themselves look like the heroes who are rescuing people from a dangerous and false teaching while presenting a true and Scriptural balance. It reminds me of a comic book superhero I read some years ago who would hire supervillains to stage a public battle with him. They would take a fall and he would look like the city's great rescuer. This seem's to be what Piper is doing. However, he seems to be living in a pipe[r] dream.

Oh my gosh...while watching that video I was eating and as the screen showed the words about a little girl being thrown from a window and being smashed on the ground........I had to stop chewing. My heart started beating really fast. THAT is what he thinks glorifies God? DEATH and TRAGIDY is what he thinks is what God is all about. I started to cry.

Folks, the last time I saw a young 3 year old boy struck by a car....caught in the wheel well...dragged til the car stopped...layed mangled in a pool of blood....I stepped forward with the faith God gave me and he was raised from the dead. THAT my friend, is where God is glorified.

How on earth people are comforted by these sick doctorines.

Love death, hate prosperity??????

The Bible says "Wo unto the man who calls good evil, and evil good."