The Prosperity Gospel

What is the Prosperity Gospel?

The teaching that Christians have the right to expect wealth and good health

How can Christians achieve wealth and good health?

Making a positive confession of faith as well as ‘sowing seeds’ through the payment of tithes and offerings to religious causes

How did this approach become popular? What was this approach also known as?

Through prominent television evangelists at the end of the 20th century and now has a following among some in Protestant Churches, as well as in many Pentecostal denominations and Charismatic Churches. It is also known as the ‘Word-Faith’ movement because of the teaching that it's not good enough to merely believe what the Bible says about well-being; one must proclaim out loud that they have health and wealth

What are Charismatic Churches?

Individual churches that may differ from their denomination in that they emphasise escatic religious experiences and miracles of healing

What are Pentecostal churches?

Independent churches and denominations that emphasise the working of the Spirit in the Church, especially through prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing and exorcism

What is the Prosperity Gospel?

The teaching that faith and giving to the Church will bring health and financial blessings

which passages emphasise the importance of faith?

• ‘You do not have; because you do not ask.’ James 4:3

• ‘If you have the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘‘Move from here to there’’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’ Matthew 17:20

The theme of faith is combined with the view that the covenant that God made with Israel included a promise of material blessing

What images are portrayed of the people of God?

inheriting a land that is ‘flowing with milk and honey’. These insights seem to portray a God who is not ascetic, nor prescribing an ascetic ideal

What other insights are there presented in the Hebrew Bible?

The hypocrisy of participating in worship whilst ignoring the needs of the hungry, the fatherless, the widow and other suffering people

What does A.H. Anderson say?

‘When people do not receive what they have confessed, it is usually because of a negative confession, unbelief, or a failure to observe the divine laws. Some faith teachers reject the use of medicine as evidence of weak faith, and overlook the role of the suffering, persecution and poverty in the purposes of God.’

What does P. Barnett say?

‘In the Old Testament it is clear that the multiplication of resources was viewed as the blessing of God… in the New Testament, however, this enrichment is reinterpreted as spiritual fruitfulness and caring support in the family of Christians. …What Paul promises to the generous giver is not wealth-in-return but ‘all that you need’ and also sufficient for ‘every good work’ (2 Cor 9:8).

What is the first point made by Blomberg about using the Bible to establish a Gosepl of Prosperity?

God never promised prosperity to all individual Israelites based on their personal levels of faithfulness or obedience to Torah. This promise was given to the nation as a whole. It was clear that godly Israelites could remain poor, in part, through oppression by others

What is the second point made by Blomberg?

God never made similar arrangements with any of the other countries surrounding Israel; therefore, it is a mistake to apply promises in the Old Testament to modern-day nations

What is the third point made by Blomberg?

No New Testament text ever makes the promise of peace and prosperity contingent on faith or obedience to the Church of Jesus Christ or to individual believers

What does Blomberg note?

The blessing that believers receive for their faith is often not wealth but the spiritual qualities of hope and love to achieve more good works in the world (2 Cor 9:8)

What does the Bible not talk about?

That we should aspire to extarvangent luxury; in fact, throughout the Old and New Testament the message is about being aware of it’s corrupting influence

What does Blomberg conclude?

There are many passages that speak about God's power being perfected in weakness and suffering. The hardships Jesus endured in his life and his manner of death do not seem to confirm the Prosperity Gospel