The History of the Prosperity Gospel

The source by which the prosperity gospel came from is from a Gnostic source: that of falsely so-called knowledge (1 Tim. 6:20).  The "unique" or supposed knowledge by which many Faith leaders claim to receive "directly" from God is in the form of such Revelation Knowledge. The quality and quantity of such knowledge or "gnosis" are beyond the mere words of the Bible or that is revealed within a person's human spirit outside the boundaries of scripture (2 Pet. 1:20).  The "knowledge" by which many Faith leaders claim to possess is what are exclusive; not what is inclusive as if they have a corner on the truth (Jude 8-10).  The truth of the matter is that God's Word is accessible to the Church as a whole; not those who claim to such "inward" voice of the spirit so as to receive such spiritual "revelation"  as a "direct" pipeline from God (Deut. 29:29).

   The Late Oral Roberts of The Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma claim to have gotten a "revelation" from God in regards to the idea of prosperity according to 2 Corinthians 8:9. In this particular passage (i.e. 2 Corinthians 8:9) says by the apostle Paul by paraphrasing, "That Jesus became poor that we might be rich." The elder Oral Roberts when he read this verse was excited about the fact that Jesus death on the cross provided material prosperity.  The worldview of many Faith leaders is that to be poor is sin but many of them fail to realize or to ignore the fact that the poor we are going to always have.  There are many other biblical passages of scripture that Faith leaders give as a biblical "defense" in support of the prosperity theology like that of 3 John 2, John 10:10, and Matthew 6:33 by which many of these particular passages of the Bible has in fact been taken out of its context to mean something different than what is "warranted" in scripture. The apostle Peter warns of men who are ignorant and unstable so as to distort the truth as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16).

   Whenever such Charismatic leadership pervert the truth of God's Word that many of their followers are adversely affected by such biblical distortion (2 Pet. 2:2).  The hermeneutics (e.g. "science of interpretation") of many Faith leaders attempting to interpret God's Word is to ignore that of the plain meaning of the context of scripture to seek some spiritual meaning so as to turn the Bible on its own head.  Many Faith leaders persist in reading "into" the text of scripture to seek some spiritual "insight" or revelation by their novelties of teaching (2 Tim. 4:3-4).  Prosperity theologians are not biblical scholars but are "mere" teachers who claimed to be called by God as to receive some kind of spiritual "anointing."  The basics of biblical hermeneutics is to compare scripture with scripture so as to shed light upon those passage of the Bible that are difficult to understand (1 Cor. 2:13, 14). Unfortunately both Charismatics and Pentecostal leadership today are poor Bible readers and interpreters of scripture. They lack in both sound biblical exegesis ("reading out of") and biblical theology (2 Tim. 2:15).

   The history of the prosperity gospel and that of its proponents of the prosperity theology fit within the allegorical school of thought: that of heretics like Valentinism and Marcion who interpretation of the Old Testament are in fact very much frightful as to their understanding of the oneness God of the Bible in relations to the Genesis account of creation (2 Tim. 2:17-18).  The weirdness of many Faith leaders in the church today is that they (1) Turn the Bible on its own head by questioning God's Word. (2) Argumentative with the theistic God of the Bible. And (3) the prosperity gospel elaborate but theological scheme by "spiritualizing" many of both the OT and NT passages of scripture.

   I find it quite worrisome and troubling to witness many Faith leaders question God's Word (Matt. 4:1-11).  Misquoting of scripture, misinterpretation of the Bible, and wrong application characterized many prosperity teachers today.  When it comes to misquoting scripture they do so quoting portions of a Bible passage (e.g. 3 John 2) at the exclusion of the whole. Whenever the student of the Bible quote a passage from the Bible must take into account the whole message.  Unfortunately many prosperity teachers will in abundance "misquote" the scripture for the sole purpose of building their case in point or very much well to influence the minds and hearts of people to convince them that they are "authentic" Bible teachers who claim to have such an "anointed" message (2 Cor. 11:3; 13-15).

   There are Faith televangelists who appear on Christian radio and television that are very much argumentative when it comes to what God's Word says.  Many Faith leaders claim to say what God says but in truth God did not say what they claim to say what God says.  Can you imagine what it is like when two people are in an argument but neither parties are not listening to each other. Instead of communicating with each other they are talking at each other.  We cannot expect for God to talk to us when in fact He has already given us His Word. The problem with many Faith leaders today is to dispute what God's Word says by claiming to say what God says but are always at odds with the truthfulness of scripture. What God's Word says is true and reliable as oppose to many prosperity teachers who claim to say what God says by speaking "directly" to them (Jude 8-10).  Many of these Faith leaders are always going back and forward with what they claim God says but what they say is very much confusing but convey such message of uncertainties. Whenever professing Christian teachers are at odds with God claiming to say what God's Word says without any biblical precedence are sure signs that they are not under Christ's rule or Lordship.

   The elaborate but theological scheme of the prosperity message is that it gives people the idea that such message is "directly" from God.  Many Faith leaders claim to have gotten a "revelation" concerning that of the prosperity gospel (2 Cor. 8:9). The historical linage of the prosperity gospel is connected to "New Thought" metaphysics (1 Tim. 6:20).  The basic premise of "New Thought" is Mind over matter.  In so many words practitioners of "New Thought" believe in the power of the Mind to overcome sickness, disease, poverty, and even death.  The principle of "Faith" backed by the Bible guarantees that the "Faith" Christian will experience living a prosperous lifestyle. As the  book of Proverbs says, "As a man think so is he." In so many words the prosperity gospel teach that, "What you think is what you get." The elaborate but theological scam of the prosperity gospel is that it gives people a false sense of hope that have no basis of reality.
   As I have said before that the history of the prosperity gospel is "knowledge" that many Faith leaders claim to have gotten a "direct" revelation from God as to the principle of prosperity (Col. 2:18-19).  Along with the history of the prosperity gospel via Revelation Knowledge that many of the essential of the Christian faith has in fact been explicitly denied by those who claim to carry the message of faith and prosperity throughout the world (Gal. 1:8-9).  The essential Christian doctrines that has in fact been denied by the history of the prosperity gospel is that of the Bible, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, the Fall of Man, Sin, and salvation (1 Jn. 4:1 with Acts 17:11). The fundamentals of the Christian faith as it relates to the Bible, The Person of Jesus Christ, and biblical characters are interpret by many Faith leaders in terms of what is spiritual or "allegory" so as to give it a "new" metaphysical twist as to its characterization to fit within the cultural context of the history of the prosperity gospel (2 Tim. 2:17-18).  Thus, the history of the prosperity gospel and that of its proponents of the prosperity theology interpret many of the biblical text of scripture through such "spiritual" matrix. In so many words the system of the prosperity gospel are allegorical in thought by which many Faith leaders view everything from the vantage point of such allegory.  The cross of Christ "symbolize" as the serpent dying on the cross, Adam and Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit in losing their godhood, the "triune" God of the Bible in need of faith to create the universe, Jesus as a product of God's spoken word of faith, and many of its alluring and enticing doctrines that give credence to such allegorical methods of interpretation.
   The allegorical methods of interpretation that has been imported by the system of the prosperity gospel and that of its proponents is its arbitrary interpretation of the Bible.  From the standpoint of the prosperity theology ranging from its historical basis, interpretation of the biblical text of scripture, the characters of the Bible are viewed from the matrix of such allegorical interpretation. The system of thought perpetuated by the history of the prosperity gospel and its proponents are akin to such "metaphysical" mindset.  Many Faith leaders who are promoters of the prosperity gospel are not true biblical scholars but "mere" teachers who are of such allegorical school of thought (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
   Even though the history of the prosperity gospel is very much Gnostic in its orientation as a movement is that many of its proponents have such a misunderstanding of the doctrine of revelation, inspiration, and illumination when it comes to the character of scripture.  The essence of the doctrine of the character of scripture are interwoven with that of the authority of the Bible (2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:16). The fact the matter is that the written revelation of the Bible is what God has already revealed in His Word. There is no need for any additional revelation nor revelation of the spirit by which everything that is pertaining to life and godliness is reveal within the written revelation of God's Word (Deut. 29:29).  To add or to take away from God's Word is to incur that of God's divine judgment (Rev. 22:18-19).  When it comes to that of the doctrine of inspiration as it relates to the authority of scripture is that God inspired the Word of God. Such inspiration extends to that of every word of scripture (2 Tim. 3:16). The means by which the written Word of God had to be written was that holy men of God were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21).  The Holy Spirit is the Author of scripture.  When it comes to the doctrine of illumination is the Holy Spirit give believers the understanding of His Word (Jn. 14:26). The Holy Spirit (God) does not give revelation nor inspiration but illumination as to the believer's understanding of what God's Word says.


Rev. Darryl Miller is the president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. He is the best-selling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnosis Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" Darryl is the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" which airs 24/7 @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. As a apologist, conference speaker, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."