Lack of finances=lack of faith?

[Susan]

I don't think so. I believe that there is much Biblical evidence that the poor and lower-middle class are not lacking faith.

Yet I have seen Faith teachers and followers go so far as to say that if you don't have money, you don't have faith.
 

 

[wildernesse]

Although I chose the first answer (money isn't a factor), I really believe that the last is the truth. I believe that as you grow as a Christian, you cannot be poor--that you realize your blessings and the gifts you have and how wonderful they are, and are amazed that you are provided for. And that your personal and spiritual qualities are enriched.

So I would say that a Christian cannot be poor--but I'm not really speaking about money, am I?

--tibac

 

[SavedByGrace3]

a

 

[Chloe]

The amount of money one has, is no indicator of that person's faith.
Our fruitfulness, however, is.

 

[seebs]

I would ask the people who believe that, if you have true faith, any request you make will be granted, to *PLEASE* ask for all the cancer victims in the world to be cured *right now*.

Thank you.

 

[SemperReformanda]

Wow!

It's so refreshing to be among Christians with common sense! I grew up within the Word of Faith heresy, and for many years really did believe that a person's spirituality could be measured by their bank account. I also very arrogantly believed that if a person's child wasn't healed it was because of a lack of faith, and a million other hideous things for which I needed to repent when I left.

It's sad to me to see how many people are wounded and disillusioned by the pernicious false teachings of the Word of Faithers. It's sweeping the 3rd World presently, offering false hope to millions of poor people and turning their eyes from the One True God and onto materialism. It's so sad. Right here in Kiev two of the biggest churches around are Word of Faith.

 

[JohnR7]

Originally posted by didaskalos

Technically, I am not "rich" by the world's definition... but I do have all needs met and have no worries about it.... so I suppose I am "rich".

Perhaps what you mean is that your not rich by the american standard. By the worlds standard, if you live above the poverty line, then your rich.

My wife comes from a family of 7 and they grew up on a income of about $200 a month. A lot of that had to go to school fee's and supplys. So I think she may have a little bit of an idea of what it is to be poor.

Her father was an health inspector, and he had chances to take bribes, but he would not. I am sure that had a impact on her growing up. As poor as they were, he would not take dishonest money.

 

[GraftMeIn]

James 2:5
Listen, my dear brothers: 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?

 

[GraftMeIn]

Originally posted by seebs
I would ask the people who believe that, if you have true faith, any request you make will be granted, to *PLEASE* ask for all the cancer victims in the world to be cured *right now*.

Thank you.

heehee seebs! hey why stop at cancer though? Shouldn't these people be able to travel through the world healing everyone of everything that ails them?

 

 

[Susan]

I myself wonder why Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Ken Copeland, Paul Crouch, John Hagee (who along with Hinn has claimed to do resurrections) and all the others didn't go to the World Trade Center site, lift the buildings, and resurrect everyone inside.



They say they can move mountains and raise the dead: that would have been the perfect opportunity to prove their claims.

Yet not a one showed up to even try.

 

[LouisBooth]

I haven't seen those that seemed to advocate that post a reply yet??

 

[Andrew]

Lack of finances = lack of faith?

NO it means you have plenty of faith and are perfectly in the will of God. It means God has blessed you with much. so just rejoice in your lack of finances and thank God for being poor.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I haven't seen those that seemed to advocate that post a reply yet??

Maybe it is because as they have pointed out a zillion times, they do advocate such silly notions. Susan is just continuing her usual habit of throwing up a suggestion (in the form of a "poll") that has no basis in reality, assigning that false notion to some poor victim, and then imagining she has accomplished something when virtually everyone takes sides with her.
I have been in the faith movement over 25 years and have never heard anyone say these things.

 

[LouisBooth]

Then hobs, I think you might not have been listening..they say it a lot.

 

[Andrew]

quote:"Maybe it is because as they have pointed out a zillion times, they do advocate such silly notions. Susan is just continuing her usual habit of throwing up a suggestion (in the form of a "poll") that has no basis in reality, assigning that false notion to some poor victim, and then imagining she has accomplished something when virtually everyone takes sides with her."

Hobs, you took the words right outta my mouth! *LOL

 

[JohnR7]

Matthew 16:6
    Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

There are teachers out there there mix truth in with error. Jesus warned people to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees.

If someone were to cook up a pot of stew and they put only a little bit of poison in it, would you want to eat that stew? Of course not, because that little bit of poison would ruin the whole pot.

Matthew 16:12  Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.


 


 

 

[wildernesse]

hobart schmedly:

Rather than simply scoff at the wrong-mindedness of the original question, why don't you try to answer it and other questions about what you beleive, if you believe that faith=whatever you want. I know that God gives us the desires of our hearts if we put Him first, but don't you think that putting Him first changes the desires of our hearts sometimes?

Since there seems to be a misunderstanding about your beliefs, why don't you try to explain them or give links to resources that explain them.

--tibac

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Originally posted by wildernesse
hobart schmedly:

Rather than simply scoff at the wrong-mindedness of the original question, why don't you try to answer it and other questions about what you beleive, if you believe that faith=whatever you want. I know that God gives us the desires of our hearts if we put Him first, but don't you think that putting Him first changes the desires of our hearts sometimes?

Since there seems to be a misunderstanding about your beliefs, why don't you try to explain them or give links to resources that explain them.

--tibac

Thanks for the benefit of the doubt. Here are just a few we have been working for some time.
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/17159.html
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/15483.html
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/21596.html

 

[ZiSunka]

I used to be dirt poor, living on less than $5000 a year. Yet that is exactly when I trusted and depended on God the most.

Now I work at two food pantries, and about 1/6 of the people who come in for help are Christians. Full of faith, but poor nonetheless.

I think God sets us into the circumstances He knows will make us grow the most, and he sets our brothers and sisters in Christ into poverty to test our love and willingness to give and share.

 

[wildernesse]

Thanks Hobart for the links--I have since discovered another thread about related to this topic. I haven't been here all that long and don't know how many times everyone here has ridden this ride.

I'm sorry if I jumped to conclusions, but I think that instead of saying that this is the same old same old, you could just have posted those links to begin with. So those of us who are new could see for ourselves that this is a merry-go-round of sorts.

Thanks again.

--tibac