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― 2 Corinthians 9: 6, 7 ―
THE QUEST FOR WEALTH has during the past half-century dug its roots deeply into the soil and into the soul of mainstream Christianity. The ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is based on the idea that God bestows material blessings on those He favours, and His favour is sought by the confession of faith and the payment of tithes or other offerings for the support of the gospel ministry. There is no defined ‘Prosperity’ denomination, but the belief has been embraced by the Pentecostal Churches and by many other charismatic and mainstream evangelical churches. Originating in the United States, the doctrine has permeated Christianity worldwide, with varying intensity.
The rampant materialism of today’s secular society is a threat to multitudes of well-meaning Christian believers. Prosperity Gospel teaching promotes the conviction that God heartily approves of material wealth for those who please Him, and they are lured into joining the unbelieving world in its quest for wealth. The serious risk then is the contracting of a condition described as ‘affluenza’, the disease of greed. This arises from the ambition to be more wealthy, successful, socially admired, affluent aims that are never satisfied and which leave their victims always wanting more.
Supporters of the Prosperity doctrine claim that their primary purpose is to further evangelism and charitable works worldwide, though critics argue that the accumulation of great wealth has never succeeded in such a mission. Zeal for the Gospel and compassion for the world’s afflicted has certainly motivated many Christians to donate generously. Funds have without doubt been used conscientiously in the majority of cases, and a reflex response may well be the pleasing sense of involvement on the part of those donating. But on the other hand, the goad, the spur, to generous giving, is often the hope of financial gain as a major evidence of the Lord’s approval.
Does
the Bible Teach Such a Concept?
There are some scriptures that on the surface appear to support Prosperity doctrine. The Old Testament records that faithful Abraham was ‘very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold’ (Genesis 13: 2).
Blameless and upright Job, the greatest man among all the people of the East, was immensely rich, both before and after his long period of affliction (Job 1: 3; 42: 12).
Malachi 3: 10 appears to promise a reward for generous giving: “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it’.”
Evidently God does not in principle condemn the acquisition of wealth. His promises to Israel under their Law Covenant assured them of national prosperity, security and abundance, provided they remained faithful to the conditions of that Covenant. Tithing was the one-tenth of the produce of the earth and of the increase of livestock, consecrated and set apart for special purposes. At that time the theocratic government was also the civil government, so the tithes might be regarded somewhat in the nature of civil taxes, as well as being contributions to the religious requirements under the Mosaic Covenant. The priestly tribe of Levi, owning no land or livestock, were supported by the tithes of the other tribes, the Priests and Levites ministering in the observance of religious worship and ritual, and also serving as instructors of the people as to the complexities of the Law.
The New Testament has little to say specifically about tithing. While the Law Covenant continued to be binding upon the Jews during Jesus’ earthly ministry, and He castigated the teachers of the Law for their failure to observe it sincerely (Matthew 23: 23), He did not teach His disciples that observance of that Law was vital to their salvation. They would learn very soon that a new covenant [fn1] was to be inaugurated, first intimated at the Last Supper, shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you’ (Luke 22: 20). And Paul clearly states that ‘we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code’ (Romans 7: 6).
It is clear that those Jewish men and women who recognised Jesus as their promised Messiah were released from the strictures of the law of Moses. It was these that had kept the spirit of that law justice and mercy and faithfulness. The Apostle Paul taught his compatriots that ‘the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster’ (Galatians 3: 24, 25, King James Version).
As
Jewish Christians, the early disciples knew that they were no longer obligated
to pay tithes. And as the gospel spread throughout the Gentile world, under no
Divine mandate of tithing, the idea became irrelevant. But the New Testament is
by no means silent on the subject of giving. No fixed percentage is set, but
all are exhorted to give according to their ability, not grudgingly, but from a
pure desire to support the work of God and the needs of others less fortunate
than themselves. A rich Christian might give 10% of his income, yet suffer no
personal sacrifice, while the poor might struggle to give the equivalent of the
widow’s mite (Mark 12:41–44).
Jesus sat down opposite
the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money
into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor
widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a
penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this
poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out
of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything ― all she had to
live on.’
At whatever level, our giving must be at our personal cost. We are not permitted to sacrifice what rightfully belongs to others, for as the Apostle Paul declared: ‘If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever’ (1 Timothy 5: 8).
Jesus did not
condemn wealth as such, but He knew how easily it can become the obsession of
weak human nature, and many of His parables deal with the problem of money and
worldly possessions. The preoccupation with material wealth is a serious
hindrance to spiritual growth and well-being. For while it is proper to provide
things decent in the sight of all people, the critical issue is how we use the
money and means we hold in trust, as agents of the Lord in the furtherance of
His purposes.
Christians, like
unbelievers, are assailed by multitudes of advertisements designed to stimulate
their acquisitive tendencies: the latest iPod, the newest fashions, a
replacement for your ten-year-old kitchen, an update to your decor, the addition
of a sun room – or impress your neighbors with a 4x4 in the driveway. The
materialist culture has a vested interest in ensuring that its victims
always want more. Even young children learn to demand whatever takes
their fancy and they are usually obeyed by their
elders.
Many of the Lord’s
people trapped on such a materialistic treadmill are gambling the family
finances, pouring their tithes into the coffers of lucrative television
‘gospel-ministries’, hoping that their giving will reward them with a financial
miracle. Sometimes that appears to
happen, though the reality of the matter may be unproven. But the vast majority
of Christians experience no miracle, for if the Prosperity Gospel fulfilled its
promises the evangelical world would be peopled by millions of
millionaires!
Acquisitiveness even in small ways is unbecoming in the Lord’s people. Gaming machines, dice and card games, bingo, raffles, betting and lotteries all titillate the hope for gain. If some such activities have a charitable purpose it is quite reasonable to donate to the cause but skip the gambling. We are being observed, and Jesus cautions us to ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’ (Luke 12: 15).
It is our hearts, our time, our talents, that the Lord desires. We consecrate not merely a tenth, but our all to His service. That ‘all’ does, of course, include our money and as faithful stewards we undertake to use it wisely in our Master’s interests.
Our local churches may deserve financial support, and likewise Christian schools, care homes and hospices and refuges for the destitute. Many charities are worthy of support, and even some humanitarian organisations dedicated to the welfare of the world’s suffering millions. Many good causes are served by men and women who, without knowing it, are keeping the second part of God’s Law: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 22: 39).
And we have a moral obligation to support those who feed us spiritually, those whose lives are totally devoted to the ministry of the Gospel. The seventy evangelists sent out by the Lord Jesus were dependent on the generosity of those to whom they ministered. The Apostle Paul, in defending his status as an Apostle, reminded the church of his right to be supported with the necessities of life. But he made an important point when he asked and answered the question: ‘What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it’ (1 Corinthians 9: 18).
And our reward? What greater joy and satisfaction could there be than collaborating with our Lord Jesus Christ in His Kingdom work of blessing all families of the earth? And when the true Prosperity Gospel is preached in those days, we shall echo the words of the psalmist (Psalm 98: 2, 3):
__________________
NOTES
[fn1] The ‘new
covenant’ here ought not to be confused with that ‘New
Covenant’ which will come into operation during Christ’s Kingdom on earth, and
which is identified in Jeremiah 31: 31-34.
↑
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Scriptures cited but
not quoted
Job
1: 3: ‘and he
owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and
five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest
man among all the people of the East.’
↑
Job 42:
12: ‘The LORD blessed the
latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand
sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.’
↑
Matthew 23:
23: ‘Woe to you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your
spices mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important
matters of the law justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practised
the latter, without neglecting the former.’
↑
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Copyright August 2010
ukbiblestudents.co.uk
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