Well, let's look at what Jesus said shall we?
It's the verse right after the one you all have been quoting.
"Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Apart from the fact that this has been quoted out of context and Jesus is talking about when the Son of Man sits on his throne, Matthew 19:28-29 - those of us who follow Christ receive those things now.
Homes - maybe not literally, but how many of us go to other people's homes for meals, study groups or fellowship? How many of us have Christian friends who would not fail to offer us a bed for the night, or longer, should we need it?
Brothers/sisters/parents - we are members of God's family. There are fellow Christians - our brothers and sisters because we all have one Father - in almost every city in many countries of the world. We can move to a new town, go to a different church and find people who love the Lord as we do. The Lord could tell us to go to another country to meet Christians there, serve them or just enjoy worship with them.
The fact is, some of Jesus' disciples were rich.
Were they?
Why then did Peter say that they had left everything to follow Jesus? Why did Jesus have to tell Peter to take a fish and look in its mouth, for a coin to pay their temple tax? Why, when Jesus was faced with more than 5000 hungry people, did Philip not say "no problem, we'll release some funds and go and buy food", instead of "even 8 months wages would not be enough to feed this lot"?
And very much so. I underlined the part that's important for emphasis.
It doesn't matter how much you emphasis it - that verse does not say that Christians will receive literal homes, money and possessions because they follow Jesus.
This world is temporary; we are pilgrims and strangers passing through. We are not called to accumulate great wealth and call it our reward for following Christ.
And in another gospel where Jesus and the disciples were talking about the same subject, Jesus points out that yes, anyone who does such things will also be subject to many persecutions.
Yes. Christians who are loyal to Christ no matter what, can expect to be discriminated against, mocked, ignored, beaten or face violence and death for their beliefs. All of us should be prepared for that.
So the question I have to some of you is this: Could Kenneth Copeland (as a rich man who's received these promises) be experiencing a persecution of being backbitten and tongue scorched by a lot of people as God pointed out in that passage.
No.
Challenging someone who misquotes the Scriptures, uses select verses as justification for doing what they want and is criticised by other Christians, is not at all the same as someone who confesses Christ, refuses to disown him and stop following him even when they have great hardship/suffering imposed on them. Try telling a Christian who is in prison for their faith that they are in the same position as a rich preacher who gets some critical statements made about him.
It's something I hope some of you will stop and ponder
And hopefully come to the correct conclusion.
I, for one, don't want to touch God's anointed, regardless if I agree or disagree with them.
"Touch not God's anointed" seems to be a verse, taken out of context, that some Christians use to justify any sorts of behaviours. We need to be open, honest and accountable - lights to the world, penetrating the darkness - not hiding behind Scripture and misusing it to justify our actions. A Christian accused of fraud? Touch not the Lord's anointed. A preacher suspected of child abuse/sexual practices? Touch not the Lord's anointed.
I wouldn't touch Mr Copeland either - not even with a barge pole.
