Many folks blame the prosperity message for the shipwreck of the faith of many. Personally, I find the search for blame purely western in philosophy, hoping to preserve the feeling of one's own self-righteousness, and seeking to bury personal error deep in someone else's fault. It's a fruitless debate.
But very often the principles of the prosperity message are set up like this: The preacher has a language of his own:
- He says "sow your seed". That means give money.
- He says "sow abundantly". That means give a lot of money.
- He says "If you do you will reap abundantly." That means "Welcome to Heaven, the city after Las Vegas, where you can never lose."
- He says, "Sow in to good soil." That means "Give me a lot of your money."
There's really no wonder why any thinking individual would balk at such a suggestion. It doesn't take a spiritual vision to see the chicanary in this. Some call it toxic. Anyone should call it fraud. And we've all seen it.
It's clear this is not the gospel. However, to argue against these ideas is a waste of time, because they're foolishness. It is equally foolish to try to pin the above to anyone who preaches the prosperity message, because Paul started it. To review, here is the essence of the prosperity message:
2 Cor. 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."[a] 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
To argue that this passage is not about money is blind foolishness. To argue that the abundant reaping comes after you are dead is likewise foolish. This passage underscores the two-fold purpose of prosperity:
- 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion
- and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
There is a third reason Paul underlines in verse 14. Prayers go out because of the abundant grace manifested. Glory abounds in the church when the grace of God is manifested. (A church is alive when wonders are happening that are clearly not program driven.)
The unspoken heretic many hate said something once that I've always remembered whenever times seemed hard: "Do you think my income is dependant on my salary? If that were true, I'd be enslaved to the world's system. But I operate from another system, where Jesus is king. It's abundantly clear that my salary is entirely dependant on my giving, because God supplies seed to the sower, (not to the pirate who buries his treasure--I added that part )."
It is important to sow, using a financial metaphor. The farmer always expects a return, because it's built into creation. The prosperity preacher did not invent the metaphor, Jesus started it, and Paul cemented it into revealed principle. The more seed sown, the more abundant the harvest. God doesn't multiply seed in the storehouse. He multiplies the seed that has been sown in the field.
One point is very true, and must always be kept in mind: It is important to know where God wants you to sow...Jesus made that clear, too in his parable of the soils. Seed is wasted on the footpath, in the rocks and among the weeds. Where a history of great harvest abounds, there the seed should be thrown.
It's not the guy who taught you this that should necessarily be the soil you want to sow into...but I wouldn't discount the possibility, either. Not all who want you to prosper and be free of debt more than they want to eat are evil people.
