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In this episode, we’ll be examining the Prosperity Gospel. To start, we’ll define what we believe it to be and address its challenges. The Prosperity Gospel, often called the “health and wealth gospel” or “name-it-and-claim-it theology,” is a controversial teaching that equates faith with financial success, physical health, and personal well-being. At its core, it claims that God rewards believers with material prosperity and near-perfect health if they exercise enough faith, speak positive declarations, and give generously—especially to the ministry promoting these beliefs.

While this doctrine promises abundance, we want to make clear from the outset that it distorts the Biblical message of the gospel. Specifically, it shifts the focus from Christ’s work on the cross to earthly riches, as warned in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 about the dangers of loving money. This episode will explore the key beliefs and issues with the Prosperity Gospel, offering a biblical perspective on God’s true promises for His people.

Back in episode 212, You are Richer Than You Think…there were these two statements that we made:

  • “There are no poor people in Heaven!” – Episode 212
  • “You can’t be poor and go to heaven!” – Episode 212

So we believe in the Prosperity Gospel, right?!

No. 

As found in Ephesians chapter 1, we see clearly the richness of the inheritance of the sons of God. For those of us that have trusted in Christ, and are now called the Sons and Daughters of the most high God. Because of the nature of our relationship to Christ, we are wealthy beyond comparison! This is not only a present spiritual reality, it’s our future trajectory!

With some teachers of the Bible, there is a misunderstanding that this wealth applies to our physical reality today. They teach that God will prosper you financially today! 

To be clear: we are not in that same theological camp.  We are not saying that all Christians are financially prosperous. What we are saying is that our worth and our value goes beyond the checkbook!



4 Main Beliefs of The Prosperity Gospel

Source: Ligonier Ministries

The prosperity gospel movement has four main beliefs:

1. Jesus purchased all the benefits of salvation for this life. Jesus purchased complete physical healing for His people in this life through His death on the cross. By perverting the teaching of Isaiah 53:5 

    • But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, NIV84)  
    • along with John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10, NIV84)
    • …The prosperity gospel preachers assert that Jesus died to take away every sickness in this life and to atone for the “sin” of financial poverty.

2. A present-day inheritance. In the Abrahamic covenant, God promised a vast material and financial inheritance for believers in this life. If a person believes in Jesus, he will inherit great possessions and tangible blessings in this life.

3. Give to get. Prosperity gospel preachers teach their followers that the way to gain riches is to give more money to the kingdom, especially by giving to their churches and ministries. The quantity of material and financial prosperity one expects to gain is in proportion to what one gives.

  • Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38, NIV84)

4. Name it and claim it. Faith and prayer empower people to lay hold of physical and material blessings in this life. Certain leaders in this movement have popularized the term Word of Faith to capture the essence of their teaching. 

    • Accordingly, if someone exercises enough faith, he will no longer have to be subject to the crippling effects of sickness and disease. 
    • If individuals continue to suffer afflictions or poverty, it is due to their lack of personal faith. 
    • When we pray in faith, we compel God to make us prosperous, particularly when we declare that we already possess the desired blessing.
    • Likewise, some teachers discourage their followers from speaking negative words, lest they bring negative things into being.

What’s wrong the Prosperity Gospel?

Simply put, it’s a false Gospel. There are a few reasons why:

  1. It distorts the Gospel of Christ.
    • To know that you are in good standing with God, you need to have some sort of financial prosperity or blessing. If you don’t have that, you must not be in good standing with God. 
    • Promotes a works based salvation – you have to “do” or “become” or “have” in order to have “proof” that you “have arrived”…
    • The best blessings come in physical, and material form in this life.
  2. Many passages are cherry picked and taken out of context by Prosperity preachers.
    • When one is rigid with their systematic theology, one will surely find that there are verses that challenge our comfort level. We need to acknowledge that there is, to some extent, a good and necessary tension that we should feel about some of these promises just mentioned. We shouldn’t dismiss them out of hand, but we have to take them within their proper context, and also in the context of the whole counsel of the Word of God.  A handful of these verses that we shared are ones that we use in our ministry!  But it is important to note that we don’t, and will not use them as some sort of guarantee that God is our cosmic vending machine. Our goal is to use them in their proper theological context as a solid way to help Christians apply God’s truths to their lives. 
  3. It ignores the topic of trials and suffering.  Prosperity gospel preachers express often that If you are suffering or are poor, you are not a good Christian.
  4. It promotes materialism and gain. Think about the Parable of the Soils, where Jesus interprets the story for them. He says that the seeds fell on thorny ground. The desire to be rich choked out Word and made it unprofitable. The Word of God clearly speaks to the dangers of wealth and loving money.
  5. It exploits vulnerable people. It does so by manipulating the simple minded along with those that are financially challenged.  How?  They challenge them to either one time, or regularly “sow a seed of faith” of money INTO THEIR organization or church, ministry or organization.
  6. It lends itself to laziness or extreme risk-taking. 
    • Sadly, many that are in the cycle of being financially challenged and even poor, they do not see their own ability to affect change in their own financial situation other than being a good Christian and giving away as much money as they can. 
    • Prosperity theology tends to the idea that being faithful and loving Jesus, and being charitable (especially to THEIR ministry), are the things that God requires, and prosperity is the direct result of doing those things. 

 

What Does the Bible say about the Prosperity Gospel?

We would love to answer that question…but not in this episode.  Listen to our next episode where we will explore in part 2 of this mini-series – Biblical Stewardship vs Prosperity Gospel.

 

Resources to consider

 

Next Steps

 

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