Recently I find myself once again locking horns with the prosperity gospel preachers. The added intensity came when someone passed me some booklets written by John Avazini, http://www.avanziniministries.org/content/. The goal of his ministry is this: "To teach God's people the uncompromised truth about Biblical Economics while delivering an anointing for financial victory." Notice that Bibilcal Economics are in caps. Many of his 'prosperity truths' are scriptures that have been taken out of the context of the passage, misintepretated and misquoted. One example is he takes Mark 4:20 "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty and a hundredfold." He says the seed is the money that we have to give and the good soil is the good ministries that are around e.g. ministries that is Christ-centered and preaching the gospel. So if we accept the word (what he says of seed = money and sowing it on good soil), we will receive, thirty, sixty and hundredfold in terms of financial blessing. I am very disturbed.
I asked myself, what was the goal of Jesus' ministry? Biblical Economics? More often than not. Jesus spoke about giving away. Jesus highlighted the widow's two mites, her giving was the most in light of the others who gave out of their abundance. Jesus defined what giving sacrificially meant and not how her giving would be rewarded or she will reap a financial harvest. When Paul in 1 Corinthian 9:6 - 15 spoke about "sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully..", yes, Paul was talking about giving in terms of money however if we continue to read the whole passage, what we reap bountifully can be in terms of blessings besides money - vs 10. "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of righteouness. The word "HE" refers to God, God is the one who enables us to give and He will be the one who will multiply our seed, i.e. ability to give. He will also be the one who will increase the harvest of righteouness. The phrase "harvest of righteouness" is old testament reference taken from Psalm 112:9 "He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever;his horn is exalted in honor." Hence, the word righteouness in 2 Corinthian was quoted with the background of giving to the poor. It's important for scriptures to interpret scriptures so that we gain a correct understanding of what it means.
So what's wrong with the prosperity gospel?
1. The focus of teaching is always on financial prosperity and gain
2. It usually quotes verses and interpret it out of context of what the whole passage means. That's eisegesis which means intepretation of the text using one's own ideas. We need to exegete, let scriptures interpret scriptures, do word studies, gather background information to find out what the passage truly means.
3. They often refer to the word "seed" as money... which is not how scripture defines seed.
Having stated my views against the prosperity gospel, I believe God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory - Philippians 4:19. Notice the word is "NEEDS" not "WANTS"... God's supply to our needs and not to meet the extravangances of our lifestyles. Give generously and reaping material benefit only is not a cause and effect principle.
I asked myself, what was the goal of Jesus' ministry? Biblical Economics? More often than not. Jesus spoke about giving away. Jesus highlighted the widow's two mites, her giving was the most in light of the others who gave out of their abundance. Jesus defined what giving sacrificially meant and not how her giving would be rewarded or she will reap a financial harvest. When Paul in 1 Corinthian 9:6 - 15 spoke about "sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully..", yes, Paul was talking about giving in terms of money however if we continue to read the whole passage, what we reap bountifully can be in terms of blessings besides money - vs 10. "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of righteouness. The word "HE" refers to God, God is the one who enables us to give and He will be the one who will multiply our seed, i.e. ability to give. He will also be the one who will increase the harvest of righteouness. The phrase "harvest of righteouness" is old testament reference taken from Psalm 112:9 "He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever;his horn is exalted in honor." Hence, the word righteouness in 2 Corinthian was quoted with the background of giving to the poor. It's important for scriptures to interpret scriptures so that we gain a correct understanding of what it means.
So what's wrong with the prosperity gospel?
1. The focus of teaching is always on financial prosperity and gain
2. It usually quotes verses and interpret it out of context of what the whole passage means. That's eisegesis which means intepretation of the text using one's own ideas. We need to exegete, let scriptures interpret scriptures, do word studies, gather background information to find out what the passage truly means.
3. They often refer to the word "seed" as money... which is not how scripture defines seed.
Having stated my views against the prosperity gospel, I believe God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory - Philippians 4:19. Notice the word is "NEEDS" not "WANTS"... God's supply to our needs and not to meet the extravangances of our lifestyles. Give generously and reaping material benefit only is not a cause and effect principle.
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