{"id":595,"date":"2017-10-17T08:30:26","date_gmt":"2017-10-17T16:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/randyalcorn\/?p=595"},"modified":"2017-10-17T05:14:28","modified_gmt":"2017-10-17T13:14:28","slug":"prosperity-theology-tells-us-live-now-kings-not-servants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/randyalcorn\/2017\/10\/prosperity-theology-tells-us-live-now-kings-not-servants\/","title":{"rendered":"Prosperity Theology Tells Us to Live Now as Kings, Not Servants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"king-crown-prosperity-theology-patheos\"$ <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve written in my books (including\u00a0Managing God\u2019s Money<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Money, Possessions, and Eternity<\/em><\/a>) and on my blog about the false doctrine of prosperity gospel. This philosophy teaches that the more money you give away, the wealthier you will become. Following God through giving and other forms of obedience becomes a formula for abundant provision and the celebration of prosperous living. This is, in essence, a Christianized materialism.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0this video<\/a>, I talk about how such teaching is from the pit of hell.<\/p>\n

<\/iframe><\/p>\nSee also \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.epm.org\/blog\/2014\/Oct\/8\/poison-prosperity-gospel\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Poison of Prosperity Gospel<\/a>\u201d, which includes a video with words full of truth from John Piper.<\/p>\nIn Philippians 3, the apostle Paul discusses his credentials of success, his diplomas, and awards. These he once highly valued, but now he says, \u201cWhatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ\u201d (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Phil%203.7-8\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"Phil 3.7-8\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">Philippians 3:7-8<\/a>). Actually, this translation is too delicate. Paul did not call his credentials and possessions \u201crubbish,\u201d but\u00a0dung.<\/em>\u00a0Excrement. That\u2019s how he viewed the things he once valued, when stacking them up against Christ. Contrast that with today\u2019s prosperity preachers, their heavy jewelry swaying as they strut across the stage.<\/p>\nAs a result of following Christ, Paul lost everything. What little money and possessions might have passed through his hands he considered a loss. He describes his daily adversity, persecution for Christ, and nearness to death (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/2%20Cor%204.7-12\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"2 Cor 4.7-12\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">2 Corinthians 4:7-12<\/a>). Later Paul refers to his troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, sleepless nights, and hunger, as well as the experience of nearly dying, and being sorrowful and poor (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/2%20Cor%206.3-10\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"2 Cor 6.3-10\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">2 Corinthians 6:3-10<\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/2%20Corinthians%2011.23-29\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"2 Corinthians 11.23-29\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">11:23-29<\/a>).<\/p>\nPaul seems to make a case for what might be called \u201cadversity theology,\u201d or the \u201csickness and poverty gospel.\u201d I wonder if in his dreams the apostle ever heard a faint chorus of voices from the future saying, \u201cPaul, you don\u2019t have to live like this\u2014why don\u2019t you trust God and live like a king\u2019s kid?\u201d The truth is, Paul heard some of these voices in his own day. In fact, Paul had to defend himself against the \u201csuper apostles,\u201d well-off ministers who berated him because he couldn\u2019t claim their wealth and prestige (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/1%20Cor%204.8-13\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"1 Cor 4.8-13\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">1 Corinthians 4:8-13<\/a>). He says to them, \u201cAlready you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings\u201d (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/1%20Cor%204.8\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"1 Cor 4.8\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">1 Corinthians 4:8<\/a>). He adds, \u201cWe are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!\u201d (<a class=\"rtBibleRef decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/1%20Cor%204.10\" target=\"_blank\" data-reference=\"1 Cor 4.10\" data-version=\"esv\" data-purpose=\"bible-reference\" rel=\"nofollow\">1 Corinthians 4:10<\/a>).<\/p>\nPaul faced off with these prosperity preachers, pointing out that they\u2019d jumped the gun on reigning with Christ by living now as kings rather than as servants. Paul\u2019s point is clear: Don\u2019t try to reign prematurely! Dress like a servant. Let\u00a0God<\/em>\u00a0put robes of honor on you when He brings you to His kingdom. Don\u2019t put them on yourself now!<\/p>\nTrillia Newbell posted this recently on Twitter: \u201cI\u2019ve never cried over a tweet, until today. 2.7 million people potentially saw this falsehood. This is why we preach the gospel:\u201d She followed with the tweet:\u00a0\u201cIf you obey GOD you will never be broke another day in your life.\u201d\u00a0 T.D. Jakes #anditcametopass\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nMany responders to Trillia\u2019s post, and to others who retweeted it, seemed perplexed, and some were even angry. A number of them asked, what was her problem with what T.D. Jakes said? That they would even ask shows us how deeply rooted in our thinking the health and wealth gospel can become.<\/p>\nChristianity Today<\/em>\u00a0recently published an article written by Costi Hinn (the nephew of faith healer Binny Hinn) about being freed from the clutches of the prosperity gospel and false teaching. It\u2019s well worth reading:<\/p>\n<blockquote>Benny Hinn Is My Uncle, but Prosperity Preaching Isn\u2019t for Me<\/strong><\/p>\nAlmost 15 years ago, on a shoreline outside of Athens, Greece, I stood confident in my relationship with the Lord and my ministry trajectory. I was traveling the world on a private Gulfstream jet doing \u201cgospel\u201d ministry and enjoying every luxury money could buy. After a comfortable flight and my favorite meal (lasagna) made by our personal chef, we prepared for a ministry trip by resting at The Grand Resort: Lagonissi. Boasting my very own ocean-view villa, complete with private pool and over 2,000 square feet of living space, I perched on the rocks above the water\u2019s edge and rejoiced in the life I was living. After all, I was serving Jesus Christ and living the abundant life he promised.<\/p>\nLittle did I know that this coastline was part of the Aegean Sea\u2014the same body of water the apostle Paul sailed while spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. There was just one problem: We weren\u2019t preaching the same gospel as Paul.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/ct\/2017\/october\/benny-hinn-costi-uncle-prosperity-preaching-testimony.html\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read the whole article.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nPhoto:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve written in my books (including\u00a0Managing God\u2019s Money\u00a0and\u00a0Money, Possessions, and Eternity) and on my blog about the false doctrine of prosperity gospel. This philosophy teaches that the more money you give away, the wealthier you will become. Following God through giving and other forms of obedience becomes a formula for abundant provision and the celebration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2661,"featured_media":596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[157,156],"class_list":["post-595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-and-giving","tag-health-and-wealth-gospel","tag-prosperity-theology"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Prosperity Theology Tells Us to Live Now as Kings, Not Servants<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Paul faced off with prosperity preachers, pointing out that they\u2019d jumped the gun on reigning with Christ by living now as kings rather than as servants.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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