All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Why do churches now usually base their teaching on prosperity?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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For clarity, not all do base their teaching on prosperity. It is true many do, but we must be careful to differentiate between the ones who do and those of us who do not.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Have you seen their offering plates & their buildings & the cars they drive & the houses they live in?
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Char,
Here is a question. Is the Word of God for all people? I know that sounds silly, but the answer is important before we look at prosperity and how it is not Biblical as preached by many today.
I will add that one can teach grace, hell and damnation, casting out demons and teaching on the Holy Spirit. These are not in opposition to each other. There are some differences in what various people may teach on these subjects, but the subjects are compatible. The propserity is not, but we will get into that after your response to the question above.
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Wait, you went down the wrong trail as many Americans do ... no disrespect intended, but the Bible was not given to Americans only and apply only to their way of life. The question is that if God's Word is for all people then any universal doctrine must be omni-applicable (a term a friend of my came up with that makes so much sense). Can you take the prosperity gospel (seed-time-harvest) and apply it to all people around the world? How does this apply to the Christian in jail for his/her faith that may be executed tomorrow or who has had all their possessions taken from them? How does it apply to the mother and/or father who woke up today in a area of the world where they wonder if their family will have a meal today? If it cannot be applied to them as well then the teaching that God wants all people to prosper and be wealthy if they only plant a seed is not a valid teaching. In fact to present this teaching to these people as doctrine is a slap in their face. The last thing many of them need to hear is that all the need is more faith and to plant a seed.
Take note: There are several types of promises in God's Word. There are universal (to all people) and specific (to a particular person or group). There are eternal and temporal promises. There are conditional and unconditional promises. Thus a promise may be specific/temporal/conditional, or any combination of the three categories. One must identify whether the promise actually applies to them, for often it does not. With that said there are principles to be gleamed from every type of promise, even if the promise does not apply to us personally.
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The question is not whether people can work their way out of debt, improve their situation or be blessed by God. The question is whether the properity gospel, built on seed-time-harvest, is a biblical doctrine that is universal to all. The answer is that it is not.
Note: You did say that the Bible was given to all, but your illustrations are based on American views and do not take into account the world at large and the many various situations people find themselves in. The prosperity gospel speaks to an American mindset and is not tranferrale to all people.
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Permalink Reply by Colby on
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It's interesting to look at the distribution of wealth/prosperity in the world as measured by GDP per capita (total economic output per person). The global average is $11,900.
- The wealthiest nations include oil-producing countries that embrace Islam. At the top of the list: Qatar, with a per person GDP of $98,900.
- The U.S. is in 11th place at $48,300.
- China and India, although farther down the list, at $8,400 and $3,700, respectively, have been among the world's fastest growing economies for some years now. They are gaining on the U.S. and Europe.
- Many of the world's poorest nations are found in Africa. Zimbabwe and the Congo, at $500 and $300, respectively, are at the bottom.
Source: CIA World Factbook
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What??? God is blessing non-Christians? I wonder what kind of seed they are using? Probably very poor humor on my part.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen King on
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The Seed-Time-Harvest is in Genesis 8:22. It is a principle of multiplication valid so long as the world endures. But it does not work in the Kingdom of God. It is written in 2 Cor.1:20 (niv) " For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him, the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God" So then the 'Law of distribution' is as follows; Galatians 3:22 "But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised being given through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe."
The Seed-Time-Harvest principle has been amplified beyond reason. It is absurd in that, instead of preparing the people for the advent of the Kingdom of God, which is surely at the door, the church is taught to embrace that which is of Egypt. Israel multiplied in Egypt but the promise to Abraham, which about inheritance, stood. When they reached Canaan the land and all in it was distributed to them to posses.
I will seek the righteousness that is by faith for I know that He who promised is faithful.
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Char,
The teaching known as prosperity gospel is focused on wealth, gaining riches in this life. It is American oriented and basically originated in the US because of the wealth in this country. The story you shared would not qualify under their teaching as abundance. Look at the story. She had enough to share with others, but that is not the abundance that these teachers are talking about. In your story she had a little food left over, not an abundance. These prosperity preachers talk about planting a seed - send their minsitry $1000 and God will supernaturally multiply it back to you. One of these individuals went as far as to say give a $1000 tonight and you will be a millionaire tomorrow. He flew to another country the next day.
You are trying to make your view of God blessing us fit into the prosperity gospel ... it just does not line up. Their focus is on material wealth. I could go into a lot of detail on this, but really don't want to.
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Char,
Because you have not heard it does not mean it does not exist. You are trying to defend something based on your personal limited experience, but none-the-less there is a very popular prosperity teaching out there on TV and through various evangelist that is all about worldly wealth. This teaching uses various terms.
Yes, there is a Biblical principle seen as seed-time-harvest, but that is not what those associated with what is called the "prosperity gospel" are teaching. I encourage you to research it and see what we are talking about and why we are so concerned.
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