A major tenant of the prosperity gospel is the teaching that Jesus and
his disciples were men of considerable wealth and standing. To me, this
is the most irksome aspect of the doctrine. It completely distorts the
biblical record. There's no evidence of Jesus being wealthy (or even
what we would call "middle-class"). Jesus had something far more
substantial than material wealth... he had the Father's favor.
You have to misread the record to conclude that Jesus owned a house
(which prosperity gospel proponents have done); why would he need one
when believers in every town lent out their own to him. Peter's
mother-in-law actually let them tear up her roof to lower down a
paraplegic. After having been healed by Jesus, what wouldn't she have
shared with him?
Why would he need money for groceries when Jesus could borrow a child's
lunch and multiply it to feed thousands. He didn't even need money to
pay tribute, since he call forth a fish with coin in its mouth. Jesus
was moving his believers towards a complete trust in God that meant they
were no longer obsessed with possessions. "Give us this day our daily
bread,"he taught them to pray. Do the kingdom work, and God will meet
all your needs.
Anything Jesus needed, the Father supplied. This is what makes the
prosperity gospel's speculation about monetary concerns (e.g., how much
money he might have inherited from Joseph, how much money he earned as a
craftsman before he began his ministry, how much money the twelve
disciples brought with them) so utterly insignificant.
Jesus instructed the disciples about this when he sent them out to
proclaim the coming Kingdom: "And commanded them that they should take
nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no
money in their purse..." The disciples didn't need to bring money...they
didn't even pack a lunch... because the favor of God was resting upon
them throughout their mission. Everywhere they ventured, the Father had
already made provision for them. Jesus asked after they returned, "When
I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?"
and they had to confess "Nothing."
When you are serving the Lord, submitted to his will and arrying out the
mission he has given you, you will not experience lack. You don't need a
background of privilege, you don't need to have an employment history,
you don't need a white-collar job, you don't need a bulging bank
account, you don't need to be swimming in material resources. By
consequence of your relationship to Christ alone, you will have access
to anything you need. You will lack nothing.
- Berean Joe
Tags: Prosperity Gospel
