Psalm 43:4

Psalm 43:4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. NIV

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Friday, April 23, 2010

Is God a God of Prosperity – Part 2

Another verse misused by advocates of the prosperity gospel is Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “

Prosperity doctrine advocates conveniently overlook the Lords emphasis in verses 6:19, 24 which are admonitions against seeking material wealth and exhortations to seek Godly things. The Lords intention in verses 19 through 34 of Mathew chapter 6 in it full context is clearly an emphasis on spiritual growth, not material growth. In fact verse 33 is clearly his exhortation to seek the spiritual, not the material, as our other needs will be met when we do so. One of the parallel verses in Luke puts it this ways and solidifies the point:

“13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” NIV

Here is another verse that is widely misused. III John verse 2 and many use the King James version to claim it as a prosperity verse. Lets compare the KJV to the NIV.

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." KJV
"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." NIV

This is a simple greeting, no more, no less, and has nothing at all to do with a believers “entitlement” to prosperity. It’s the same as me saying to somebody I haven’t seen in a while, “Hello, I trust you are doing well”. Several popular prosperity ministers have recanted their belief that this is a prosperity verse, while many others still insist on it.

There are too many other examples of turning the Bible on its head to fit this particular “ology” to mention here. One day I may write a book to cover all of the issues with it but the example stated will suffice for now. The bottom line to me is that none of this has anything to do with getting the Gospel out.

Any “ology” or “ism” that takes focus off CHRIST, any “ology” or “ism” that detracts from the Gospel message is to be avoided, period! Please, find another church or change the station.

Beware of cut and paste theologies that lift verses and sometimes half verses out of context to create a pretext that upon close examination create at best inconsistencies, and at worst contradictions with other parts of the Bible, for where there is inconsistency or contradiction there is error.

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

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