THE GOSPEL OF GREED - Part I

THE GOSPEL OF GREED – Part I

During the coming days, I feel compelled to address a monumental and burgeoning problem within the institutional church.  In truth, it is a rather contentious issue that many have wrestled with for years.  That is, how have we, the leaders and adherents of Christianity, allowed the central teachings of our faith to become infiltrated and diluted by an overarching emphasis on material gain and prosperity?  Five referential or experiential resources will be utilized to address this key contemporary issue: 1) an article reprinted on Facebook by Pastor-Servant Tumi Nkoane of Durban, South Africa, “Was Jesus Rich/Wealthy?” 2) a Time Magazine feature article published September 10, 2006, entitled, “Does God Want You to Be Rich?” 3) the teachings of selected leaders in Christendom, 4) my personal observations, insights and revelation on this matter, and most importantly, 5) the teachings of scripture, i.e. Kingdom Principles that specifically address this controversial subject.

Before we begin, allow me to be perfectly clear.  If this series is interpreted by any as the vain ramblings of a ‘hater’ of prosperous people or prosperity itself, such readers will not have carefully tuned in to my own heart or the tone, timbre and text of the scriptures.  Unquestionably and unequivocally, The Holy Writ reveals that GOD is desirous of our total prosperity, which includes spiritual, emotional, physical and financial considerations.  Biblical evidence?

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

III John 1:2

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Nevertheless, our current ecclesiastical dilemma begs the following questions: ‘Have we now gone too far?’  ‘Have we replaced the divine will with our own will and our passion to accumulate more and more?’  ‘Have we become self-serving or greedy?’  ‘Is our actual focus on Kingdom-building, or on empire-building?’  With these mission-critical questions as a backdrop, let us begin. 

The insightful article referenced above, “Was Jesus Rich/Wealthy?” is reprinted below for your prayerful consideration:

As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus is as rich as God is rich.  Indeed, our Lord owns everything and possesses all power, authority, sovereignty, glory, honor, and majesty (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; John 1:1, 8:58, 10:30, 17:5; Colossians 1:15-18, 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:3).  Yet during the time Jesus was here on earth, He willingly relinquished His eternal riches and most of the privileges of His deity.  Becoming poor indeed, our Lord took on the nature of a lowly and humble servant (Zechariah 9:9; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 2:6-8).  And by the time our Savior endured the tortures of the cross for us, His earthly possessions amounted to no more than the clothes on His back which were seized and divided by the soldiers who crucified Him.

Sadly, however, there are many prosperity preachers today who would like you to believe that Jesus was rich while here on earth and that God wants nothing more than to lavish His children with an abundance of material blessings.  After all, a rich Jesus would certainly make it easier for them to persuade their flocks that God wants them to be rich too.  However, a materially rich Jesus Christ is utterly incompatible with biblical truth.  Even a cursory examination of the Bible should dispel any notion of our Savior being wealthy in any earthly sense.  During His public ministry, Christ and His disciples depended on the hospitality of others as they ministered from town to town (Matthew 10:9-10).  As Jesus told a would-be follower “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Luke 9:58).

It is unfortunate, then, that this false teaching about Christ’s wealth and its concomitant “gospel of greed” has gained a foothold in churches today.  As Solomon aptly taught, however, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9), for we can see that Paul addressed similar matters in his own churches: “Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.  Keep away from them.  For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.  By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.” (Romans 16:17-18)

Paul’s terse commentary in his first letter to Timothy regarding those who see godliness as a means to financial gain captures the essence of Christ’s numerous teachings on the dangers that accompany a heart that is bent on the accumulation of earthly treasures: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:9-10)

Indeed, the New Testament is filled with lessons where Jesus chides the rich and praises the poor.  He taught us to “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) He taught us to avoid storing up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But, instead, to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-21) Our Lord, who knows the hearts of men, is aware of the deceitfulness of riches and what a considerable stumbling block wealth can be.  The sentiment of Proverb 30:9 which declares “I may have too much and disown you and say who is the LORD” reverberates through the entirety of God’s Word.  Thus, it would be a strange paradox indeed—and one that would certainly dilute the gospel message—if Jesus Christ was a member of the rich class of people who, as He declared, would find it so difficult “to enter the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 19:23) [The article, “Was Jesus Rich/Wealthy?” is now concluded].

In closing, I am totally cognizant of the fact that this devotional series may not ‘sit well’ with some persons who are likely sincere in their faith, but  have been slowly and systematically deluded into thinking that their positions and teachings on this issue are in alignment with the Word and will of God.  Despite our best efforts to color our current state-of-affairs in a different light, I am firmly convinced that this distorted and erroneous teaching (Prosperity Preaching) constitutes a satanic strategy to undermine the very heart of the gospel message, and to thereby nullify the evangelical mission of the church.  This false doctrine is a clear and present danger to believers, and by extension to those souls whom Christ would have us win in these end-times.  We are being craftily challenged; so, what will be our courageous response?  Prophetic voices must rise up with spiritual authority to echo the eternal truths of God’s Word.

Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!