Prosperity Gospel
Galatians 1-6,7
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all.
Here apostle Paul uses the word another gospel . During that time there was a false teaching that to be saved you have to do some parts of the law again and Paul stands against it and says it is another gospel and not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the same way in the modern day there is another gospel emerging out in the name of prosperity gospel. It is similar to the actual gospel of Christ but only tells half the truth of the actual gospel. Satan uses this gospel especially on born again Christians to divert them from Christians becoming a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us see the things this Gospel hides.
- To partake in sufferings
But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed 1 Peter 4-13
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8-18
God has called us to partake in the sufferings we have in the world and it is by this sufferings we come closer to God. If we dont have the sufferings we drift away from The Lord like what we hear in the prosperity gospel which only preach blessings and not sufferings. Peter says it is not new and we should rejoice in it cause all the things work for good for those who love Jesus. If you have a sickness it will make you humble and make you more reliant on God. If you are waiting for a prayer to be answered it will make you more reliant on God. If you are persecuted you will come even more closer to God. The sufferings will make us holy and makes us come closer to God.
2. All the things I need and not all I want
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4-19
My God will meet all your needs and not all you want. This verse is often misquoted as God will give all you desire. No God will give you all you need because He knows better than us and if you dont get what you ask for, believe God that you dont need it or you dont need it now. When satan came to Eve he told the biggest lie which till now all believers fall for it. He said did God give all the fruits in the garden to eat. When Eve said no, he lied if God loved you He would have given that fruit because when you eat it you will become like God Himself. But we need to have faith that nothing separates me from the love of God and if God dosent give what I ask for i dont need it actually or i dont need it now currently and He will give me at the right time when i want it.
3. Set your mind on things above.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3-2
The other thing this gospel teaches us is only earthly and makes us earthly minded not concentrating on things God wants us to have. All the teaching today are about earthly blessings. All the conferences happening today, new churches built, funds collected is it happening on the vision God gave to today’s church leaders or pastors or is it their own wish. They preach to material blessings and earthly wealth and make us forget the eternal blessings and spiritual blessings our Lord gave us through His death on The Cross and to live according us to His will. Let us think and turn to the real Gospel of Christ.Amen.
Sol.Leo