Blessings Now

Prosperity Theology
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Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.—Malachi 3:10

Tom Ruggirello

Prosperity Theology is a belief dear to millions of Christians. It holds that God provides material prosperity to those he favors. These teachings can be found in varying degrees in Protestant, Pentecostal, and Charismatic churches. Its adherents state that believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the “sowing of seeds” through the faithful payment of tithes and offerings.

The success of the movement accounts for the popularity of many of the mega-churches we see today. Such success can be best understood with the realization that most Christians accepting this message are not well versed in the Scriptures. In fact, many of the preachers of this theology do not focus on the Scriptures at all. Prosperity, it appears, is an appealing message. What do the Scriptures say about prosperity as a reward for belief?

Jesus said, “The man who will not take up his cross and follow in my footsteps cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27, Phillips). Dying on a cross is one of the most inhumane and painful methods of death. Jesus was not saying that his followers are all going to be crucified or even suffer excruciating pain. He was talking figuratively about carrying a cross. Roman criminals destined for execution were expected to carry their own cross. The labor it took, and the shame that went with it, was considered part of the punishment. Jesus began his journey to Golgotha carrying his own cross, and only when his strength gave out was Simon constrained to carry it for him.

Jesus was saying that his disciples must be willing to bear the burden that is given to them. However, when Jesus gives us a cross to bear, it is not a punishment. In reality, it is for our blessing. It is a unique privilege. Carrying our cross is an opportunity to identify ourselves with the greatest act of selfless love the universe has ever witnessed.

There may be suffering, there may even be some shame. When we understand in whose footsteps we are following, these seemingly negative things of cross-bearing become an opportunity to show our love for the Lord and the cause for which he carried his cross.

Jesus and the church must be fully tried and tested. Although their life experiences are those which are “common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13), the end result is anything but “common.” Out of trials and suffering come learning and growth that could never be developed otherwise.

This principle was powerfully seen in Jesus’ own experiences: “Son though he was, he had to prove the meaning of obedience through all that he suffered. Then, when he had been proved the perfect Son, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who should obey him.” (Hebrews 5:8,9, Phillips).

Jesus was always an obedient son. However, his obedience through trying and difficult circumstances was especially important for his own development. As a result of the strength he gained, and the full reliance on God that he developed, he became a qualified high priest, able to nurture those who faced their own trials and temptations (see Hebrews 2:18). This is true spiritual prosperity, achieved by Jesus, a man who owned no worldly possessions except the robe on his back (Matthew 8:20). He set the standard for the prosperity we seek, not temporal wealth, nor physical health, but a life lived for God’s glory, and for the service of others.

Knowing that God’s plan of salvation is centered on the cross of Christ, we know in both our heart and mind that bearing the cross we are given is worth the effort and that some day our lives, too, can make a difference. We can contribute to the work of restoring mankind back to perfect life and to a perfect relationship with God.

However, Jesus must prove that we are committed to his cause. A half-hearted commitment is not enough. The cause is too important for a lackadaisical effort. God is too great for divided loyalty. The only way to prove our commitment is to place a cross on our shoulders. Those who are not fully committed to the cause of Christ will eventually lay it down, live a life of compromise, or not continue to make it the focal point of their lives.

In life’s struggles there may be times when our knees buckle and our backs grow weary. Jesus is not standing over us with a magnifying glass to see if we perform perfectly. He understands that we are by nature weak vessels, and he covers our shortcomings with his own merit. He wants pure heart intent. He wants us to strongly desire to carry our cross, and when we drop it because we are weak or tired, he picks it up and puts it back on our shoulders.

Why Do We Serve God?

Prosperity Theology raises the question of motivation. Are we to come to God only because we think that he will prosper us temporally?

Unfortunately, many have been misled by such teachings into false expectations. When these are not satisfied, they give up on God, or lose their faith altogether. Pastor Russell describes the proper motivation when coming to God: “If he have a sufficient love for righteousness, love for truth, honorable and noble principles of life, to desire to glorify his Creator by following the paths of righteousness, he will, after complete consideration, determine that duty calls him to a full self-surrender” (Harvest Gleanings, vol. 2, p. 450).

That is a powerful thought. If we love righteousness, if we love noble principles—such as justice, truth, and love—if we want to use our lives to glorify God in the best possible way, then we will find ourselves compelled to take up our cross and join the Lord’s cause. We will see this opportunity as our duty. If that is what is in our hearts, and we can commit to it from now to eternity, then we can, and we should, accept the call to full consecration, to a life of self-sacrifice.

A life of self-sacrifice is indeed a noble approach to life. Sometimes the world, as well as Christianity, has trouble seeing the practicality of noble ideals. Noble ideals don’t pay the bills. They often do not lead to success in life. You cannot spend noble sentiments. But, in reality, the ideals of consecration and cross bearing are the most practical and meaningful approaches to a life worth living.

When we take God’s long-term view of our lives, we realize that he knows the ideals of consecration will reap unparalleled rewards and benefits in the end. Think of a world where money has no meaning. Think of a society where success is gauged by the good character of people and their devotion to God rather than by the financial success achieved. In that type of environment, consecration would be the measure of success. A life lived for the glory of God would be the standard held up as an example to others, not material prosperity.

By devoting our lives to God in this age, we are taking part in building the framework of a social structure that is the very goal of God’s plan. That plan will reach its complete fruition when every individual in the world is consecrated to him. When God’s will is supreme in the hearts of everyone, then a new reality will be seen regarding the practicality of living God’s will. Then we will see a truly prosperous society. Temporal prosperity will follow, but it must first be preceded by devotion to God and his principles.

In Luke 14, Jesus continued his discussion of discipleship. He spoke of “counting the cost” to see if we could truly live a life of devotion and sacrifice. He concluded his thoughts by saying, “only the man who says goodbye to all his possessions can be my disciple” (Luke 14:33, Phillips). This brings to mind the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-23. He was a young man who had a good heart and he wanted to know what was required to become a disciple of Jesus. Jesus said to the young man, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21, Net Bible).

The man counted the cost and decided it was too high. He had no idea what he lost by saying no to Jesus. Did Jesus really mean it when he said that he should sell all his possessions? Did he mean it when he said that we should say “goodbye” to our possessions? In Matthew 25, Jesus talked about his expectations of us. There he gives the parable of the servants who were each given certain talents. Those who made the most of what they were given were the most pleasing to the Lord. The one who did not properly use the talent that he was given was called “slothful” and his one talent was taken away.

Jesus’ lesson illustrates that from the moment we consecrate our life to the Lord, our possessions should be considered consecrated as well. They are no longer our possessions, but the Lord’s. We say goodbye to them. They are now talents we must use in the Lord’s service. How we use those talents directly reflects our level of commitment to the Lord.

A willingness to use all that we have to serve the Lord is part of counting the cost. Can we say goodbye to our possessions? Can we consider them as belonging to the Lord? Can we use them in ways that would honor and please him? If we can, then we will begin the process of growth and development that will lead to deep and lasting spiritual prosperity, prosperity of the spirit, prosperity of self-sacrifice in the interest of others. Jesus called this living an abundant life (John 10:10).

After their generous help and support, the apostle Paul assured the Philippian brethren of the Lord’s care for them. He said, “My God will supply all that you need from his glorious resources in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, Phillips).

“That is a divine promise, made to be kept… He does not bind himself to give me all I may lust after; no, not even all I may pray for. Many of my wants are purely artificial, and born of selfishness. I may crave wealth, and he may see that my soul would be richer if I were poor. I may ask for some promotion, and he may know that my way to holiness lies through a valley of humiliation and disappointment. So he only agrees to give me what I need, which is a very different thing from what I may be craving.” —T. L. Cuyler.

True prosperity cannot be measured by the amount of money we have, or by our physical health. These are misleading measuring rods. If we leave our lives in God’s hands, follow his will, and live by his principles, then he will care for us, giving us what we need to grow spiritually.

May we each continue the search for divine wisdom that seeks not the fleeting pleasures of temporal wealth, but for the eternal prosperity found in the glorious resources of heaven.