Beloved,
I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it
goes well with your soul.
3 John 1:2
The above verse is a favourite among Prosperity
believers but, as I quote it from the English Standard Version, its importance
might not be immediately apparent. Other translations use the word ‘prosper’.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all
things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
(New King James Version)
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may
prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. (New American Standard Version)
The Greek word translated 'prosper' originally
meant doing well on the road, such as on a business trip, and came to mean
being successful. Hebrew words translated prosper and prosperity in the Old Testament
had similar meanings: to push
forward, to be good, to be wise, to be profitable, to deal prudently and to
enjoy success. Only quite recently has to
prosper taken on the meaning of becoming rich.
The modern Prosperity Gospel developed from the much
older Holiness Movement but it seems to me that money and material wealth is
much more important to ‘Prosperity’ believers than it was to those who preceded
them. Even a few generations ago, a teacher like E W Kenyon (1867-1948), who
many ‘Prosperity’ preachers point to as their inspiration, expected God to
provide for him without expecting to be personally rich: at times, he may
have handled a lot of money but it passed through his hands and did not stick
to his fingers.
The first misunderstanding I want to avoid, therefore,
is that material wealth is available to Christians just for the asking. As I
explained yesterday, self-interest and selfishness defeats our prayers.
The second misunderstanding is that by giving we can
in some way trigger an automated blessing from God. We cannot! Giving is not
like buying into a guaranteed investment plan. Of course, God is pleased with
obedience but it does not qualify us for a reward of riches; rather, our
obedience begins to change us into the sorts of people who, if God so wished, could be trusted with
riches.
The third misunderstanding is that sowing and reaping
is a way to get rich. I will explain why tomorrow.
_____________________________________________
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Copyright © All Souls Clubhouse Community Centre & Church and Philip Evans
2013.
Scripture
quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright
© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
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