Prosperity question.

[W2L]

Of they'll find something in the bible they can twist into the nonsense the greedy/lazy will believe. Wonder how long those in their congregation generally take to realize they have/are being duped?

God has no problem with us being rich, many a good man in the bible was, but he doesn't just grant it. Work hard, be smart, and do well, don't and don't.

What does the Lord mean when He says do not store money on earth but in heaven?

 

[Danielwright2311]

Prosperity preachers say God wants us to be rich, having an abundance of wealth. However Jesus said not to store money on earth but in heaven. How do prosperity proponents explain this? How can i have wealth if im not storing it on earth? If i build a luxurious mansion, am i following Jesus command that says not to store wealth on earth?

Prosperity preachers are part of this world they could not reject it nor could they deny it.

If they did reject it or deny it they could not be rich as it is the world that would not give to them if they did.

Go out and look to the preachers who preach to reject this world and see how rich they are and compare them to the others who do not preach the rejection of this world.

 

[W2L]

Prosperity preachers are part of this world they could not reject it nor could they deny it.

If they did reject it or deny it they could not be rich as it is the world that would not give to them if they did.

Go out and look to the preachers who preach to reject this world and see how rich they are and compare them to the others who do not preach the rejection of this world.

Thank you. I agree.

 

[RaymondG]

You are pointing out wrong in me (according to you ) but then act like you dont point out wrong in people? and then you warn about being holier than thou? Do you see a problem here brother?

I only remember telling you many times that I saw nothing wrong with what you believe. Can you quote where I said otherwise? My words are for the readers....I already know that your list of doctrines are hard and fast....so trying to persuade you against them would be futile....

 

[Blade]

So.. what did you do when those storms hit Florida and Texas? What have you done to help those people in Calf with those fires? Or to help that Church that NEVER got burned down.. nor the pastors house yet ALL in that Church lost there homes. What did you give? Gave till it hurt? Shall I keep going?

There are over SEVEN THOUSAND promises in Gods word for HIS people that LOVE HIM. Go read them.. try to grasp that..THOSE ARE FOR YOU!

1st... we are not Gods police force. And lol.. yes we can Judge but were told NO..well when we do we FORCE God so to speak to judge us if we are NOT doing it in love. Look read here.. see the LOVE for these "Prosperity preachers" do you? You know.. they are in error right? Oh we LOVE them so much we cry and weep for them so much.. DUH been praying for them since they are FAMILY right? And DUH we treat them the same as if it was our spouse or kids that were falling missing it or in sin right? We duh take them before our Father.. like the 12 did.. They prayed 24/7.. see they LOVED them.. they wanted hurt for them..to came BACK to win them back to the Father. Those that fell. It was based on LOVE

Yet.. Prosperity preachers.. is not sin.. nor of this world. Like I started.. in what did you do.. see some of these preachers I know of.. took TRUCK LOADS of food and stuff..HUGE TRUCK LOADS to Florida and Texas and fires. NOT ME. Some that have JETS did you know PAY for the fuel out of there own pocket? "but that money comes from the church"..NOPE not one dime. See some of them were RICH before they came to Christ now use that money FOR Christ. Oh you read about the HOMES..again.. what WORLDLY TV NEWS show that.. YOU think tells the truth? Told you .. what HOMES were built that again NO ONE DIME came from the Church? One has to DIG.. to know.. and they KNOW they are not here to PLEASE MAN.. to please you.

They dont have to answer to you..but to GOD. So they never ever post this. One gives MILLIONS that they need to others that dont. OH I have NEVER read that one.. WHY? WHY no really WHY? And oh we LOVE JESUS SO MUCH!

Anyway.. I am no one.. if I see hear someone on sin and GOD wants me to do something.. I am already praying for them as I would my kids or wife. I love them THE SAME as I love Christ. They are family. I KNOW my sin..I know my Father. So.. NOT TO BOAST... I have talked to some. D Wilkerson.. Oral Roberts.. yeah.. I am 57 and watched read people going on and on about something they said or did.. and those two men were not there. I know what the word says.. so me being NO ONE.. NO ONE I went to them and asked... BOTH talked to me. And NO it was NOTHING Like the people were going on and on about.

Love them. pray for them if you think they are in error. Treat them as YOU want to be treated.. see the good in them 1st.. is CHRIST being preached? Oh.. how much do they SPEND in 3rd world nations? See I can SEE HEAR what you do.. I can AGREE on some things..yet.. If it was by WORKS one was saved.. compared to SOME of them.. I would not be saved.. some have given more then they take in.. but they dont share that with the world. They dont have to.. you believe it or not..matters not. They dont no ever will answer to you or me. And God will NEVER ask me about them..

He will ask ME what I did to help..when I kNEW they were in error.. why I didnt take it before HIM pray for them bind the enemy and his lies..that is trying to take hurt lie to my FATHERS KIDS..as I see it

 

[RaymondG]

Prosperity preachers are part of this world they could not reject it nor could they deny it.

If they did reject it or deny it they could not be rich as it is the world that would not give to them if they did.

Go out and look to the preachers who preach to reject this world and see how rich they are and compare them to the others who do not preach the rejection of this world.

Are you saying those that preach "rejecting the world" are poorer than those that dont? And that you measure the correctness of their doctrine by their material possessions?

 

[aiki]

Prosperity preachers say God wants us to be rich, having an abundance of wealth. However Jesus said not to store money on earth but in heaven. How do prosperity proponents explain this? How can i have wealth if im not storing it on earth? If i build a luxurious mansion, am i following Jesus command that says not to store wealth on earth?

I don't know how Prosperity Gospel preachers square their false doctrines with Scripture. Really, I don't think they bother. They are counting on the general gullibility, spiritual juvenility and doctrinal ignorance of their audience to make their preaching successful, not careful biblical exegesis. It is, after all, only the gullible, juvenile and ignorant who are attracted by the "snake oil" they are selling.

How does one accumulate wealth on earth without contravening Christ's command not to? No idea. I think Prosperity Gospel preachers just ignore Christ's words in this instance. You wonder if they have also ignored these other verses:

Matthew 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

1 Timothy 6:9-10
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

[RDKirk]

Prosperity preachers say God wants us to be rich, having an abundance of wealth. However Jesus said not to store money on earth but in heaven. How do prosperity proponents explain this? How can i have wealth if im not storing it on earth? If i build a luxurious mansion, am i following Jesus command that says not to store wealth on earth?

First point is that most of the "you's" in scripture are to the Body of believers, not to individuals. Prosperity is not for individuals, it's for the Body.

So everyone has read the parable of the rich fool. That man was prosperous beyond even his own expectation, and thought his prosperity was all for his own consumption, so he built bigger barns to hold it. But then God took it from him.

Jesus followed up with the message: Prosperity is for the Body, not for the individual member. Those who are prosperous are stewards of wealth who are expected to distribute it to the rest of the Body.

Paul gave it more details:

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” -- 2 Corinthians 8

Paul references Exodus 16 as the model for the Church economy. That is the story of the manna from heaven. God stated up front that each person was to receive exactly the same amount. Although some gather more than that, and others gathered less, it was measured out and each got the same amount.

Notice, importantly, that Paul does not refer to any of the Promised Land promises of wealth--he maps the economy of the Church to Israel in the wilderness. This is an important point, because the Church is free of bondage, but we are not yet in our Promised Land. We are still going through the sanctification of the wilderness journey.

With regard to storing treasure in heaven, we must ask the question: What is "treasure?"

More importantly, because it is Jesus talking: What does Jesus treasure? When Jesus speaks of "treasure" what is in His head?

Quite simply: Us. We are Christ's treasure. We are the treasure for which He sold everything to purchase.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6

Nothing on this earth will translate into heaven except those souls who are saved. There is nothing we can do on earth that will translate into Heaven except what we do for those souls who are saved.

Building up treasure in heaven is what we do in love for one another. The "wealthy" man in heaven will be the one who has many saved souls saying, "I remember you--you fed me one day." "I remember you--you came by to visit every day I was ill." "I remember you--when I was on the brink of suicide you told me how Jesus gave you peace."

 

[W2L]

I only remember telling you many times that I saw nothing wrong with what you believe. Can you quote where I said otherwise? My words are for the readers....I already know that your list of doctrines are hard and fast....so trying to persuade you against them would be futile....

Thank you. You seem to be passive aggressive.

 

[W2L]

So.. what did you do when those storms hit Florida and Texas? What have you done to help those people in Calf with those fires? Or to help that Church that NEVER got burned down.. nor the pastors house yet ALL in that Church lost there homes. What did you give? Gave till it hurt? Shall I keep going?

There are over SEVEN THOUSAND promises in Gods word for HIS people that LOVE HIM. Go read them.. try to grasp that..THOSE ARE FOR YOU!

1st... we are not Gods police force. And lol.. yes we can Judge but were told NO..well when we do we FORCE God so to speak to judge us if we are NOT doing it in love. Look read here.. see the LOVE for these "Prosperity preachers" do you? You know.. they are in error right? Oh we LOVE them so much we cry and weep for them so much.. DUH been praying for them since they are FAMILY right? And DUH we treat them the same as if it was our spouse or kids that were falling missing it or in sin right? We duh take them before our Father.. like the 12 did.. They prayed 24/7.. see they LOVED them.. they wanted hurt for them..to came BACK to win them back to the Father. Those that fell. It was based on LOVE

Yet.. Prosperity preachers.. is not sin.. nor of this world. Like I started.. in what did you do.. see some of these preachers I know of.. took TRUCK LOADS of food and stuff..HUGE TRUCK LOADS to Florida and Texas and fires. NOT ME. Some that have JETS did you know PAY for the fuel out of there own pocket? "but that money comes from the church"..NOPE not one dime. See some of them were RICH before they came to Christ now use that money FOR Christ. Oh you read about the HOMES..again.. what WORLDLY TV NEWS show that.. YOU think tells the truth? Told you .. what HOMES were built that again NO ONE DIME came from the Church? One has to DIG.. to know.. and they KNOW they are not here to PLEASE MAN.. to please you.

They dont have to answer to you..but to GOD. So they never ever post this. One gives MILLIONS that they need to others that dont. OH I have NEVER read that one.. WHY? WHY no really WHY? And oh we LOVE JESUS SO MUCH!

Anyway.. I am no one.. if I see hear someone on sin and GOD wants me to do something.. I am already praying for them as I would my kids or wife. I love them THE SAME as I love Christ. They are family. I KNOW my sin..I know my Father. So.. NOT TO BOAST... I have talked to some. D Wilkerson.. Oral Roberts.. yeah.. I am 57 and watched read people going on and on about something they said or did.. and those two men were not there. I know what the word says.. so me being NO ONE.. NO ONE I went to them and asked... BOTH talked to me. And NO it was NOTHING Like the people were going on and on about.

Love them. pray for them if you think they are in error. Treat them as YOU want to be treated.. see the good in them 1st.. is CHRIST being preached? Oh.. how much do they SPEND in 3rd world nations? See I can SEE HEAR what you do.. I can AGREE on some things..yet.. If it was by WORKS one was saved.. compared to SOME of them.. I would not be saved.. some have given more then they take in.. but they dont share that with the world. They dont have to.. you believe it or not..matters not. They dont no ever will answer to you or me. And God will NEVER ask me about them..

He will ask ME what I did to help..when I kNEW they were in error.. why I didnt take it before HIM pray for them bind the enemy and his lies..that is trying to take hurt lie to my FATHERS KIDS..as I see it

Not one dime? Did i ever say such a thing? No sir.

 

[W2L]

I don't know how Prosperity Gospel preachers square their false doctrines with Scripture. Really, I don't think they bother. They are counting on the general gullibility, spiritual juvenility and doctrinal ignorance of their audience to make their preaching successful, not careful biblical exegesis. It is, after all, only the gullible, juvenile and ignorant who are attracted by the "snake oil" they are selling.

How does one accumulate wealth on earth without contravening Christ's command not to? No idea. I think Prosperity Gospel preachers just ignore Christ's words in this instance. You wonder if they have also ignored these other verses:

Matthew 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

1 Timothy 6:9-10
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Thank you. I was once ignorant and listened to these preachers, then i came to CF and started to learn the scriptures, and now i see their teaching for what it is.

 

[W2L]

First point is that most of the "you's" in scripture are to the Body of believers, not to individuals. Prosperity is not for individuals, it's for the Body.

So everyone has read the parable of the rich fool. That man was prosperous beyond even his own expectation, and thought his prosperity was all for his own consumption, so he built bigger barns to hold it. But then God took it from him.

Jesus followed up with the message: Prosperity is for the Body, not for the individual member. Those who are prosperous are stewards of wealth who are expected to distribute it to the rest of the Body.

Paul gave it more details:

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” -- 2 Corinthians 8

Paul references Exodus 16 as the model for the Church economy. That is the story of the manna from heaven. God stated up front that each person was to receive exactly the same amount. Although some gather more than that, and others gathered less, it was measured out and each got the same amount.

Notice, importantly, that Paul does not refer to any of the Promised Land promises of wealth--he maps the economy of the Church to Israel in the wilderness. This is an important point, because the Church is free of bondage, but we are not yet in our Promised Land. We are still going through the sanctification of the wilderness journey.

With regard to storing treasure in heaven, we must ask the question: What is "treasure?"

More importantly, because it is Jesus talking: What does Jesus treasure? When Jesus speaks of "treasure" what is in His head?

Quite simply: Us. We are Christ's treasure. We are the treasure for which He sold everything to purchase.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6

Nothing on this earth will translate into heaven except those souls who are saved. There is nothing we can do on earth that will translate into Heaven except what we do for those souls who are saved.

Building up treasure in heaven is what we do in love for one another. The "wealthy" man in heaven will be the one who has many saved souls saying, "I remember you--you fed me one day." "I remember you--you came by to visit every day I was ill." "I remember you--when I was on the brink of suicide you told me how Jesus gave you peace."

Thank you. Thought provoking post.

 

[Danielwright2311]

Are you saying those that preach "rejecting the world" are poorer than those that dont? And that you measure the correctness of their doctrine by their material possessions?

Yes I am just as Jesus did, have a nice day.

 

[GTW27]

Prosperity preachers say God wants us to be rich, having an abundance of wealth. However Jesus said not to store money on earth but in heaven. How do prosperity proponents explain this? How can i have wealth if im not storing it on earth? If i build a luxurious mansion, am i following Jesus command that says not to store wealth on earth?

Since I know that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I sought out The Lord on the subject of prosperity preachers, like the ones you describe, and this is what He said, "Truly, truly, they have their reward" So let the wicked, continue to do wicked, and let the righteous continue to walk uprightly. When The Lord returns in All His Glory, He is bringing His rewards with Him. If only they knew, the surpassing worth of truly knowing Christ Jesus ,then they would know, all the riches of the entire world can not compare to even a moment in His Presence.

 

[W2L]

Since I know that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I sought out The Lord on the subject of prosperity preachers, like the ones you describe, and this is what He said, "Truly, truly, they have their reward" So let the wicked, continue to do wicked, and let the righteous continue to walk uprightly. When The Lord returns in All His Glory, He is bringing His rewards with Him. If only they knew, the surpassing worth of truly knowing Christ Jesus ,then they would know, all the riches of the entire world can not compare to even a moment in His Presence.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Sparagmos]

Whereas I don't subscribe to the prosperity gospel, I believe it's okay for a Christian to build a mansion. There is no biblical scripture telling us to be poor except in the spirit. What works for me is I have transferred ownership of my money and everything I have (valuable or not) to God. Am only in possession of what He has given me and thereforehelp others in need while still living a decent life. I have heard God tell me to give away some of my most prized possesions and i obeyed. I have owned a few luxurious items, lost them and money too, but wasn't Shaken at all. This is not true boast rather to share how God tests us via money. My friends thought I was crazy to rejoice and give thanks amidst the losses. My pleasure comes from Jesus alone and if I want to live in a Mansion and can afford it, why not?

Because you could live in a more modest house and also buy a house for a destitute family for the same cost as a mansion.

 

[Sparagmos]

Since I know that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I sought out The Lord on the subject of prosperity preachers, like the ones you describe, and this is what He said, "Truly, truly, they have their reward" So let the wicked, continue to do wicked, and let the righteous continue to walk uprightly. When The Lord returns in All His Glory, He is bringing His rewards with Him. If only they knew, the surpassing worth of truly knowing Christ Jesus ,then they would know, all the riches of the entire world can not compare to even a moment in His Presence.

He said “truly, truly?” Really?

 

[ToBeLoved]

I think many of the prosperity gospel preachers chose this so they could be rich and somehow feel they are Godly at the same time.

I’m not sure what percent is real or not and I won’t speculate, but there is money to be made off of God and I think that have a good schtick if they are in it for the money.

I notice how many of them pass their “ministry” down to their kids as an inheritance. That’s sketchy IMHO. Not that it’s impossible but I don’t feel it’s probable without the wealth that goes with it.

 

[Sparagmos]

Normally the Christian work ethic will line our pockets quite well. Also help keep us out of trouble.

I know so many hard working poor people.

 

[ToBeLoved]

The prosperity "gospel" is probably the most widely held heresy in the US church. Imagine what that message must look like to one living in the 3rd world...

Given the number of poor and destitute you would think it wouldn’t be.

But then I think many choose it so they can have riches. Then they seem really Godly and prosperous.