American Gospel #3
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Introduction
Introduction
Prosperity Gospel time!
Many people whenever they think or hear of Christianity today think of the prosperity Gospel. If I have enough faith, or if I give enough money, God will bless me and give me the desires of my heart. This idea has been touched on throughout the American Gospel film several times and tonight will be yet another reminds of the flaws with this type of belief.
We read of numerous examples in the Bible where people have faith in God but they aren’t financially prosperous and they aren’t physically healed. One of the biggest problems with this type of teaching is that it doesn’t completely twist the teachings in Scripture but it also doesn’t align with Scripture 100%. Let’s think about this for a minute tonight. Which lie is easier to detect: Something that is obviously wrong and corrupt from the outside or something that looks really nice on the outside but on the inside is corrupt? Satan is a lot of things but stupid isn’t one of the descriptors as to how he attacks humans. He’s smart - He’s prowling around like a lion ready to devour people who aren’t prepared and standing upon God’s Word. This is why it’s so important for us to know our Bibles and to stand on what the Bible actually teaches rather than what our heart or mind wants the Bible to teach.
Take the idea of healing for a minute. We read in the Bible that God heals people through supernatural means at times. Jesus does this in His earthly ministry left and right and we see this happen after His ascension in the book of Acts as well. Some take this idea of supernatural healing to be normative for God’s children. The argument goes like this: God loves His children (true). God wants what is best for His children (true). Sickness is not the way that God designed things to be (true). Therefore, it is never God’s will for me to be sick (false). This sounds close to true. God does love His children. He does want what’s best for us. Sickness wasn’t a pre-fall thing. Of course we don’t want to be sick if we can avoid it… So we might think that it’s not God’s will for us to be sick. However we read in the Bible that sometimes people are sick for a reason. Sickness is a result of sin entering the world! Jesus heals sick people to showcase the power of God and point people to the Father. People like Paul have a thorn in the flesh and are not healed. Why? I thought God didn’t want me to suffer! Isaiah 55:8-9 shares with us that our plans aren’t always God’s plans
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
We have to get our ideas and views in line with what the Bible says - rather than what we want the Bible to say. Sometimes it’s not God’s will to bring about the healing - and that’s ok because He’s God! The danger in the prosperity Gospel movement is this: If you don’t get healed… the problem is YOU. You don’t have enough faith. You don’t believe in God’s power. You have a problem. You’re the reason God isn’t blessing you… Because after all, it’s always God’s will to heal and bless financially. This simply isn’t something substantiated in Scripture. Have you ever had someone articulate something like this to you before? If so, how did you respond?
I’ll be honest - I have. Having T1D I’ve had people tell me that if I just have more faith in God then He would cure my pancreas and I wouldn’t have to take insulin anymore. The reason that He hasn’t done that is because I don’t have enough faith. This teaching literally has led to the death of people as they stop taking their medication in order to prove their faith in God. Others are driven to depression because they do have faith in God’s power and goodness yet they aren’t healed and they’re being told each week by this speaker that God wants to heal them and that they are the problem. This theology is devastating and we desperately need to go back to Scripture because Scripture alone must determine what we believe.
Let’s dive in to tonight’s session:
Video
Initial thoughts from this section?
Here was an interesting survey I found this week about how American Christians view wealth. This survey included 700 self-proclaimed Christians back in 2006;
Obtaining wealth…
God wants people to be financially prosperous.
Agree: 61 percent
Disagree: 26 percent
Material wealth is a sign of God's blessing.
Agree: 21 percent
Disagree: 73 percent
Poverty can be a blessing from God.
Agree: 45 percent
Disagree: 49 percent
Jesus was not rich, and we should follow his example.
Agree: 48 percent
Disagree: 44 percent
…And giving it away
If you give away your money to God, he will bless you with more money.
Agree: 31 percent
Disagree: 63 percent
Christians in the U.S. don't do enough for the poor.
Agree: 49 percent
Disagree: 43 percent
Giving away 10 percent of your income is the minimum God expects.
Agree: 39 percent
Disagree: 57 percent
In general there’s some good and some bad… But remember this was from 16 years ago! These numbers have likely only gotten “worse” as our view on money and healing has continued to get more and more warped by our culture and by false teachings from so called Christians. Costi Hinn from this documentary has written several books in the years since and one of them is called, “God, Greed, and the Prosperity Gospel.” Toward the end of the book he shares this quote by Randy Alcorn, “Abundance isn’t God’s provision for me to live in luxury. It’s His provision for me to help others live. God entrusts me with His money not to build my kingdom on earth, but to build His kingdom in heaven.” Wealth is a tool - it’s not the end. Wealth is given by God for God’s glory and God’s Kingdom to advance - not for personal satisfaction and elite social status.
Breakdown:
I love this statement from tonight, “God saves me because I can’t attain my best life now - no matter how hard I work, I can’t pull it off on my own!”
Authentic Biblical Christianity is about dying to self and following our Master - the idea that we’re our own master and that we can demand what God does is idolatry. Think about the silliness of thinking that you and I are the master and ultimately in control of it all. How many of you are planner type people? That’s me! How many times have you spent hours and hours making a really good plan as you think through lots of details only to have the event or day come up and things literally go the opposite way? See, it’s so easy to buy into this illusion that we can control what happens to us but the fact of the matter is that so many things are simply outside of our control and that’s part of being human.
Some believe that they can speak things into existence and one of the most popular texts of Scripture they love to claim while doing this is Philippians 4:13 which we’re studying on Sunday
13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
Why do you think people in Prosperity Gospel churches love to quote this verse? What’s the danger of taking this verse out of its context? Where does it stop, right? Taken at surface level, you can quote Philippians 4:13 to justify anything you want. You can claim victory over your opponent because you can do all things through Christ. You can declare yourself debt free because you can do all things through Christ. You can claim healing because you can do all things through Christ. It doesn’t matter how many times you claim prosperity, your checking account isn’t going to magically add a zero overnight. I’m all for positive thinking to an extent, but come on, that’s ridiculous! It doesn’t matter how many times you claim Philippians 4:13, if you’re under 6 feet tall and you can’t jump very high, you’ll never be able to dunk on a 10 foot tall basketball goal. Stop claiming and start training! This belief system views God has a vending machine to get what we really desire and want rather than coming to God Himself for the satisfaction that we truly need.
Let’s evaluate some of these discussion questions from this session:
Another topic where people easily
1. What is so dangerous about the idea that God heals people who have enough faith in Him?
This leads to pride or it leads to depression. It puts man in control and God as our servant and whenever He doesn’t give us what we want the problem is ourselves rather than God having something different/better in store for us. This message leads people to despair and it’s dangerous!
2. Who should the Gospel primarily be about? Yourself or God?
a. The Gospel does talk about ourselves and what Jesus has done for us… But it’s mainly about what God has done for sinners like us!
3. What do we all need as humans?
a. Some self-help
b. A motivational pep talk
c. A makeover
d. A resurrection
4. God’s plan for our lives doesn’t always line up with our ideal plan for ourselves. What must we do whenever this happens?
We must bend the knee to Scripture rather than bending Scripture to what we want to have happen.
5. What are some things that don’t always line up between the “American Dream” and God’s plan?
The American Dream promises wealth and happiness - a wife, kids, house, dog - whenever you work hard. This isn’t guaranteed in Scripture. The American Dream of success and 2nd chances and opportunity can be a great thing… But God’s plan is far greater than earthly wealth, success, and happiness.
6. We don’t want to just do good deeds… We must give out good news
7. God isn’t opposed to wealth – but He is opposed to the love of wealth
8. Words are powerful, but do we have the power to speak things into existence?”
a. Only God can!
9. Are there 1st class and 2nd class citizens in Christ?
Absolutely not! We are one in Christ. No superChristians!
10. Why is it a good thing that the Gospel isn’t simply about health, wealth, and happiness?
If that’s it then we’d die happy and wealthy but we’d be going to hell because we’d still be dead in our sins! The Gospel is about transforming our dead heart and changing our outlook on life to bringing God glory rather than seeking to please ourselves.