The so-called "Prosperity Gospel" is an abuse of the Scriptures

Much has been written about "Prosperity" - many, especially in my tribe, the Charismatic wing of the Church. Much has been written to defend the so-called "Prosperity Gospel" and much has been written to challenge it as a distorted message.

The Apostle Paul himself in one passage of 1 Corinthians should be enough to debunk the absolute claims of the proponents. I'll get to that passage in a moment.

I must first say that one of the main problems with those who advocate some form of the "Prosperity Gospel" is that it misuses the Old Testament and in particular the Sinai Covenant that God made with Israel. The basic conditions were that if Israel obeyed God they would be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) with all the material blessings promised in the Covenant. Of course, the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28 (v. 15-68) were also promised for disobedience (the prosperity teachers don't ever "claim" these promises!)

The Sinai Covenant DOES NOT apply to Christians today. It was made ONLY with the ISRAEL AS-A-NATION and it ENDED with the coming of the New Covenant. When exactly did it end? Some argue it ended with the death and resurrection of the Lord and others would say it ended with the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD70. Regardless, it is over. The abuse and misuse of the Old Testament and not understanding with Covenants applied to whom continue to lead people to promote false teachings. There are 5 main Covenants outlined in the Old Testament - the Noahic, the Abrahamic, the Sinai, the Davidic, and the New Covenant.

But getting back to the misuse/abuse of the Sinai Covenantal blessings for Christians today, the argument is that if Christians obey God (some within the Hyper-grace movement actually disregard the importance of obedience), then God will make them rich. They view this as a guaranteed promise of God today for any Christians who believe it and who are obedient. 

Can one cherry-pick passages from the Bible to support this idea? Absolutely! And that is exactly what the prosperity teachers have done. As I've said, they misapply an OT Covenant that doesn't apply to them (and is over!), and then they misinterpret New Testament passages and arguably even most interestingly, avoid many others.

What passages do they avoid? Pretend don't exist? Attempt to "explain away"?

How about 1 Corinthians 4:8-13? 

4:8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us, you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

Was the Apostle Paul somehow in sin? Was he in unbelief? How in the world did the Apostle end up hungry, in less than 'designer clothing', and even without a house? These aren't the blessings of the Sinai Covenant!? These are the verses that Prosperity Gospel teachers emphasize. (I'm sure they avoid them like the plague!)

What Paul is describing would be the curses promised upon those who were disobedient at the end of Deuteronomy 28! Do Prosperity teachers want to make the argument that Paul was somehow walking in sin at this point in his ministry? That is the ONLY CONCLUSION they could come to.

But wait...!!!! Not only did Paul experience such things, but he has the audacity to go on in v. 16 to admonish the Corinthians "be imitators of me"! Why would he ask the Christians to do the things that led to his obvious lack of blessing?! 

And thus my point, the Prosperity teachers are misleading God's people by misusing the Word of God. Beyond the misapplication of Covenantal promises that do not apply to them, they are also guilty of NOT TEACHING the whole counsel of God's Word. By picking and choosing the verses/passages that support their conclusions/doctrines, they are not being faithful to God and His Kingdom. 

Paul knew the "secret" of being content in all of his worldly circumstances (Philippians 4:11) - He knew material blessing and he also knew prison. He'd been rich and he'd been poor. He had everything and then he'd have nothing. 

This is the balance of Scripture. This is also the example of the Lord Jesus, who had at one point had no place to lay his head (Matt 8:20). Paul at the point in his ministry when he was writing 1 Corinthians (4:11 - "to this present hour") he is attesting to being homeless! 

The other extreme is also an abuse of Scripture that somehow if we are godly we will be poor. That is also a misuse and misinterpretation of God's Word. God prospers us. God provides. Paul's "secret" is the key from Phil. 4:11 - that we can be content regardless of our circumstances. Whether we are rich or poor. Whether we own a home, are renting one, or even are homeless!

I've seen many people hurt by this false teaching. God may intend for you to materially rich or He may not. Whatever you do, don't misuse promises from an obsolete Old Testament covenant that was never applicable to Christians under the New Covenant. And by God's grace, may we all learn Paul's "secret"!

For such a time as this...