How the Prosperity Gospel Deceive! (Part 1)
How is it that people who attend "Word of Faith" service regularly on Sundays are influence by the prosperity gospel? What is it about the prosperity message that gets people attention? How does the prosperity gospel represent that of its "brazen" message? What are its core beliefs and practice? What are the long term ramifications of those who continue to follow this movement? As we look at Paul's letter in 2 Corinthians 11:3 where it says, "But I fear lest by any means the serpent beguile Eve through his subtlety so your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." In the Genesis account that Satan promised Eve the godhood of humanity (Gen. 3:1-7). As "little" gods that man will surpass that of what is "limited" knowledge as to what is "unlimited" as it make reference to the surpassing knowledge of God. The fact of the matter is our knowledge of God is "limited"; by which man is created by God (Gen. 1:1; 28). It is unfortunate that many alternative and new religious movements promote that of the "godhood" of man by which it is contrary to the clear teaching of scripture (Rom. 16:17-18). Many who attend neighboring "Word of Faith" service regularly on Sundays are unaware of the false teaching taught by its own leadership that men are "gods." They will utilize John 10:38-39 to promote that of the "godhood" of humanity by which it has been greatly misunderstood by those who promote that of the prosperity-faith message. As "little" gods they not only can transcend that of the knowledge of God but as Conquerors they can overcome sin, sickness, disease, and poverty. The way by which it can be accomplish is to recognize who you are in Christ, your position in Christ, and that the "Faith" Christian is a overcomer. Those within that of the Faith movement who promote that of the "godhood" of man either (1) They do not understand what happened at the Fall of Man in the garden (Gen. 3:1-7). And (2) They explicitly deny that of the Fall of Man according to Romans 5:12-24. Adam's sin and disobedience brought about the ruin of the human race. That Man is a sinner by nature and are prone to sinning (Rom. 3:23). If in fact men are "gods" than Man is perfect in his moral character. But because of the sinfulness of humanity that mere men fall short of such moral perfection by which as "little" gods they will die as mere men. God is unchanging; Man is changing. God is perfect in His moral character; Man is imperfect in his own moral character. In Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." In so many words because of the sinfulness of humanity that Man fall short of what is the perfect character of God.
Throughout this article I will begin to address the subject, "How the Prosperity Gospel Deceive?" It is very important that the Church understand why people who follow such prosperity message readily reject that of the truth of God' Word for such a "brazen" gospel. It is not only spiritual in nature but morally, psychologically, and physiological as to man total being (2 Cor. 11:3). I will begin to address (1) How people are influenced by the prosperity message? (2) What is it about the prosperity message that gets people attention. (3) How does the prosperity gospel represent that of a "brazen" gospel that are contrary to the true nature of the Gospel? (4) What are the prosperity gospel core beliefs and practice? (5) What are the long term impact of those who continue to the follow that of the prosperity-faith movement? And (6) What are the solutions to this all pervasive problems that affect that of evangelicalism and "liberal" main-line Protestant denominations (Acts 5:37, 38).
The question, "How has the Church been greatly influence by the prosperity gospel?" I remember years ago when I was in conversation with a church strategist and marketer who said to me, "In order to get people to come to your church is to tell them one thing but once you get them into your church tell them something totally different." It happened to be a mega church ministries in town whose leaders is known to be on television and radio. I find this quite appalling but at the same time very much cynical and deceptive. I have always believe that the message of the church must be consistent with its calling. But wkmhenever the church compromise that of the message of the gospel adversely impact that of its witness.
I also find it intriguing but discouraging to know that people have in fact left that of the institutional church to go to places of house of worship that appeal to their carnal nature. People today wants to attend churches that give them a sense of hope and inspiration that will give them a boost as to their negative self image into what is positive thoughts. Self-esteem theology, pop psychology, and pragmatism is the norm of many professing churches today. Instead the power of the gospel has in fact been placed on the back shelf of a disclaimer of its theological file cabinet by which to have more of a user-friendly approach to Christianity. In so many words we live in a culture that does not want to hear the truth but what makes it feel good. People today want to feel good about themselves without seeing who they really are in light of the gospel. What God's Word says about sinful humanity as oppose to the positive thought message of today's is very much on two opposite side of the pole. On one hand the gospel of Jesus Christ reveals who we are as sinners but on the other hand the positive thought message seek to "rehabilitate" the Mind; not the sinful hearts of people today (Jer. 17:9). The influence of the prosperity gospel by which it has influenced that of the Church today is that people can have all the spiritual "goodies" without them coming to know the Person of Jesus Christ.
The prosperity gospel message is very much attractive to people who are seeking to become financially prosperous in difficult economic times we live in. There are gurus, motivational speakers, life coach, and pop psychologist that prey upon people's vulnerability to give them a sense of hope and aspiration to become millionaire minded. Just because people are taught to think positive thoughts or to see themselves as millionaires does not guarantee that they will become millionaires indeed. People are not taught to look squarely at whether they can afford a big house, expensive automobile, and having a big bank account without looking into their financial status. Instead they are taught to have such "wishful" thinking by which they live in a make believe world. It is all about sowing seeds, making a "vow" of faith, reaping the harvest in terms of giving in order to secure God's blessings. But in reality these "deluded" followers of the prosperity gospel have in fact given all their monies and assets to false spiritual leaders in the church today in hopes of getting back what they invested into the televangelist Swiss bank account. The attractiveness of the prosperity gospel in reality gives people a false sense of hope and aspiration in hopes of living a prosperous robust lifestyle. In all reality and fairness that the only people who are going to benefit from the teaching that of the prosperity message are the one's who is teaching it; not those who are sitting there listening to the message especially the poor and needy. The reality of the prosperity gospel promise so much but provide so little in what it perpetuate (2 Pet. 2:3).
The "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that of its contrariness to the true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16). The apostle Paul declares, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The gospel of Christ has the ability to change the most vilest of sinners into believing Christians. The centrality of the gospel is centered upon the Person of Jesus Christ by which men are to be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). The nature of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every person who come to trust in Christ for their salvation (v. 16). Salvation is based upon God's sovereign will as to be chosen by God's election of grace (Jn. 6:37, 44). It is not based upon such "foreseen" faith in a person trusting Christ but it is based upon God's Sovereign election of grace (Eph. 1:3-11).
The "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel produces such shallowness of faith, counterfeit believers, and harden hearts. When it comes to the believers shallowness of faith is that many of God's people are not grounded in scripture (2 Pet. 3:18). In order to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ is to have such accurate knowledge and understanding of God's Word to live lives pleasing unto the Lord. An ill-advised faith hinders a person's growth in Christ by which they live such barrenness of Christian life and service. Many proponents of the prosperity gospel talk about grace but have no understanding of what grace is. God's grace is not what we do as Christians in order to receive that of divine grace. Salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone without any works or human achievement (Eph. 2:8-9). Such "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that it produces "counterfeit" Christians who appear to be sinners in saint's clothing (Matt. 7:15-21). They have never known the Lord in the first place. They have heard the gospel day in and day out but refuse to cross over the threshold of faith in Christ (Heb. 6:10-11 ff). These are apostate individuals who fill many of our evangelical pulpits, appears on Radio and Christian television utilizing the Bible to wield that of their power and influence in the name of Christianity.
Also the "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that people are harden towards the truth of God's Word in favor of living a prosperous robust lifestyle (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Despite of the overwhelming evidence that the prosperity gospel is not consistent with the truth of God's Word that many who are followers of the movement utterly reject that of the truth of scripture (2 Pet. 2:2).
In Part 2 of, "How the Prosperity Gospel Deceive" I will continue to address that of the issue of the prosperity gospel during the next article. In order to avert such a crisis in Christianity is that the church must return from cultural captivity to such biblical faith (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. Darryl is the best-selling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" He is also the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons which airs 24/7. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
Throughout this article I will begin to address the subject, "How the Prosperity Gospel Deceive?" It is very important that the Church understand why people who follow such prosperity message readily reject that of the truth of God' Word for such a "brazen" gospel. It is not only spiritual in nature but morally, psychologically, and physiological as to man total being (2 Cor. 11:3). I will begin to address (1) How people are influenced by the prosperity message? (2) What is it about the prosperity message that gets people attention. (3) How does the prosperity gospel represent that of a "brazen" gospel that are contrary to the true nature of the Gospel? (4) What are the prosperity gospel core beliefs and practice? (5) What are the long term impact of those who continue to the follow that of the prosperity-faith movement? And (6) What are the solutions to this all pervasive problems that affect that of evangelicalism and "liberal" main-line Protestant denominations (Acts 5:37, 38).
The question, "How has the Church been greatly influence by the prosperity gospel?" I remember years ago when I was in conversation with a church strategist and marketer who said to me, "In order to get people to come to your church is to tell them one thing but once you get them into your church tell them something totally different." It happened to be a mega church ministries in town whose leaders is known to be on television and radio. I find this quite appalling but at the same time very much cynical and deceptive. I have always believe that the message of the church must be consistent with its calling. But wkmhenever the church compromise that of the message of the gospel adversely impact that of its witness.
I also find it intriguing but discouraging to know that people have in fact left that of the institutional church to go to places of house of worship that appeal to their carnal nature. People today wants to attend churches that give them a sense of hope and inspiration that will give them a boost as to their negative self image into what is positive thoughts. Self-esteem theology, pop psychology, and pragmatism is the norm of many professing churches today. Instead the power of the gospel has in fact been placed on the back shelf of a disclaimer of its theological file cabinet by which to have more of a user-friendly approach to Christianity. In so many words we live in a culture that does not want to hear the truth but what makes it feel good. People today want to feel good about themselves without seeing who they really are in light of the gospel. What God's Word says about sinful humanity as oppose to the positive thought message of today's is very much on two opposite side of the pole. On one hand the gospel of Jesus Christ reveals who we are as sinners but on the other hand the positive thought message seek to "rehabilitate" the Mind; not the sinful hearts of people today (Jer. 17:9). The influence of the prosperity gospel by which it has influenced that of the Church today is that people can have all the spiritual "goodies" without them coming to know the Person of Jesus Christ.
The prosperity gospel message is very much attractive to people who are seeking to become financially prosperous in difficult economic times we live in. There are gurus, motivational speakers, life coach, and pop psychologist that prey upon people's vulnerability to give them a sense of hope and aspiration to become millionaire minded. Just because people are taught to think positive thoughts or to see themselves as millionaires does not guarantee that they will become millionaires indeed. People are not taught to look squarely at whether they can afford a big house, expensive automobile, and having a big bank account without looking into their financial status. Instead they are taught to have such "wishful" thinking by which they live in a make believe world. It is all about sowing seeds, making a "vow" of faith, reaping the harvest in terms of giving in order to secure God's blessings. But in reality these "deluded" followers of the prosperity gospel have in fact given all their monies and assets to false spiritual leaders in the church today in hopes of getting back what they invested into the televangelist Swiss bank account. The attractiveness of the prosperity gospel in reality gives people a false sense of hope and aspiration in hopes of living a prosperous robust lifestyle. In all reality and fairness that the only people who are going to benefit from the teaching that of the prosperity message are the one's who is teaching it; not those who are sitting there listening to the message especially the poor and needy. The reality of the prosperity gospel promise so much but provide so little in what it perpetuate (2 Pet. 2:3).
The "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that of its contrariness to the true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16). The apostle Paul declares, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The gospel of Christ has the ability to change the most vilest of sinners into believing Christians. The centrality of the gospel is centered upon the Person of Jesus Christ by which men are to be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). The nature of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every person who come to trust in Christ for their salvation (v. 16). Salvation is based upon God's sovereign will as to be chosen by God's election of grace (Jn. 6:37, 44). It is not based upon such "foreseen" faith in a person trusting Christ but it is based upon God's Sovereign election of grace (Eph. 1:3-11).
The "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel produces such shallowness of faith, counterfeit believers, and harden hearts. When it comes to the believers shallowness of faith is that many of God's people are not grounded in scripture (2 Pet. 3:18). In order to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ is to have such accurate knowledge and understanding of God's Word to live lives pleasing unto the Lord. An ill-advised faith hinders a person's growth in Christ by which they live such barrenness of Christian life and service. Many proponents of the prosperity gospel talk about grace but have no understanding of what grace is. God's grace is not what we do as Christians in order to receive that of divine grace. Salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone without any works or human achievement (Eph. 2:8-9). Such "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that it produces "counterfeit" Christians who appear to be sinners in saint's clothing (Matt. 7:15-21). They have never known the Lord in the first place. They have heard the gospel day in and day out but refuse to cross over the threshold of faith in Christ (Heb. 6:10-11 ff). These are apostate individuals who fill many of our evangelical pulpits, appears on Radio and Christian television utilizing the Bible to wield that of their power and influence in the name of Christianity.
Also the "brazen" message of the prosperity gospel is that people are harden towards the truth of God's Word in favor of living a prosperous robust lifestyle (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Despite of the overwhelming evidence that the prosperity gospel is not consistent with the truth of God's Word that many who are followers of the movement utterly reject that of the truth of scripture (2 Pet. 2:2).
In Part 2 of, "How the Prosperity Gospel Deceive" I will continue to address that of the issue of the prosperity gospel during the next article. In order to avert such a crisis in Christianity is that the church must return from cultural captivity to such biblical faith (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. Darryl is the best-selling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" He is also the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons which airs 24/7. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
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