The History of the Prosperity Gospel: Revelation, New Thought, and the Bible
The history of the prosperity gospel traces its historical origins in both the philosophy of hedonism and utilitarianism (Col. 2:8). On the one hand a "Christian" hedonist pursues that of his or her pleasure as a means to an end. In so many words the means justifies the end (e.g. "pleasure"); not the end that justifies the means. Most "Christian" hedonist are not concern about the consequences of their action simply because they seek that which will give them pleasure. In the words of most "hedonist," "I got to have it all. And I will do anything to get it that going to satisfy me." Not only is the "Christian" hedonist pursues that of his or her own pleasure but their persistence to go to whatever cost to fulfill their fleshly nature. That is what known as, "consequential fatalism" by which the "Christian" hedonist can see a train heading their way but steps in front of the train by which they are not concern about getting hit by the train. Even though the analogy that I gave concerning the "Christian" hedonist pursuit of pleasure (e.g "standing in front of the train") but the outcome of such consequences is to get hit by the train ("fatalism") as a means to justify the end.
The ethical virtue of a "Christian" hedonist (e.g. prosperity teachers) and that of its followers is to pursuit that of happiness: that of pleasure-seeking as its proper goal of action. There is nothing unethical when a person pursues that which is going to glorify and honor God. My greatest desire is to impact the lives of people whom I come into contact with for the kingdom of God in order that they can help others come to know the Person of Jesus. This is of such moral ethical virtue by which it will be pleasing unto the Lord. On the other hand if I was in the ministry for what I can get out of it monetarily than the pursuit by which I pursue such happiness it only creates such a spiritual void in my life by which I continue to pursuit other things that is going to make me happy. I am going after one fleeing device to another by which I will find myself being unhappy.
The unethical pursuit of happiness by many prosperity teachers is what is material gain for the sole purpose of Self. Listening to the message taught by self-promoting individuals it is all about Self at the exclusion of others. They claim to be in the best interest of the people so as to them experiencing "total" life prosperity but it is done so in a way that reflect that of their own self-interest. I will consider such 'Christian" hedonist as amoral and immoral because of the callousness of their hearts and to rob people of their monies and assets to fulfill their own selfish desires. False spiritual leaders will say and do anything despite of such consequences do what they have to do just to get their financial needs fulfill. Many prosperity teachers are marketers and scam artist that will utilize at will the Bible to manipulating by deceiving others to make a "vow" of faith to "bankroll" into the televangelist's Swiss bank accounts. The extent by which many "Christian" hedonist live such lavish lifestyle demonstrate their lack of concern and empathy by living in luxury homes, driving expensive automobiles, and fly Lear jets to preach the gospel (i.e. "prosperity message") across the globe. This is the means that justify the end of many prosperity teachers today. The consequences of what they teach, "how" they live their lives adversely affect those who are followers of their churches and ministries (Gal. 1:8-9; 3:1, 2-4; 2 Tim. 2:17-18).
When it comes to that of utilitarianism is that actions are right in proportion as it tends to promote happiness; wrong ("financially being in lack") as it tends towards the reverse of happiness. Their are two crucial areas by which to explain that of the nature of utilitarianism as it relates to the actions of many "Christian" hedonist in the professing Church today. Many "Christian" hedonist or evangelical utilitarianist will consider their actions as to be morally upright. It will be very difficult to convince the "Christian" hedonist that their own action does not reflect that of the character of God nor is it pleasing unto the Lord. Most utilitarianist within the evangelical church today does that which is right in their own eyes. Self-righteousness, pride, conceitedness, and egotism is at the heart of many "Christian" hedonist in the professing church today (e.g. Rom. 10:1-4).
The "actions" of many "Christian" hedonist or utilitarians will consider what they do is right despite the contrary. What are the actions of many "Christian" hedonist today that reflect that of the glory of God? What is the happiness of many "Christian" hedonist today? Does what the "Christian" hedonist do pleasing to the Lord? How does what the "Christian" hedonist say and do impact the lives of others who attend their churches and ministries? These are questions that needs to be answered by those who are "Christian" hedonist or utilitarians in the church today. Quite unfortunately most "Christian" hedonist will avoid at all cost by being challenge by those who are their critics. In so many words "Christian" hedonist who promote that of the prosperity gospel refuses to get into a dialogue with those who they believed to be of the devil. It is our responsibility as God's people to give an answer to those who are interested in the Christian faith (1 Pet. 3:15).
The actions of many "Christian" hedonist in the evangelical church today does not reflect that of the character of God simply because of their "meism" attitude. Whatever those actions promoted by many "Christian" hedonist can vary but the underlining action of utilitarians are to become so preoccupied with Self (2 Tim. 3:1). They are lovers of themselves at the exclusion of others pertaining to what concerns them the most. I have meet people who I have come into contact with that are out for Self. I have always said that people who are selfish are very miserable lonely people who cannot stand to see themselves in the mirror. It is all about their needs and what they want from others. It is not in the interest of self-promoting individuals to show any consideration of others. It is about them and them Only.
There we have it the skin of the truth of the prosperity gospel. There is some "element" of truth when it comes to the history of the prosperity gospel because of what it appears to offer. It promises people so much but fail to deliver on its promise. It is also long on appearance but short on substance. Never in the history of the church today where the prosperity gospel that has in fact attract billions of followers who have been lured into the trappings that appeal to the flesh; not the necessity of spiritual growth in the Lord (2 Pet. 3:16).
It is very important that followers of the prosperity-faith movement see this "brazen" gospel for what it truly is: that it lack that of the character and nature of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). It is not a gospel centered upon the Person of Jesus Christ nor does the prosperity gospel have the power to change the lives of self-centered people into believing in Christ (Gal. 1:8-9). The cult of New Thought associated with the history of the prosperity gospel is in the business of "renovating" people's Mind but not the heart (Jer. 17:9). The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it. The doctrine of the prosperity gospel bears thorns and thistles; not the fruitfulness of a believer's spiritual walk with the Lord.
There are core beliefs and values of the prosperity gospel which must be seen in light of God's Word (1 Jn. 4:1 with Acts 17:11). The beliefs of the prosperity gospel are "metaphysical" in nature: God as a Faith Being, that of faith as a "tangible" electrical force, Jesus as created by God's spoken word of faith, recasting the historical characters of the Bible into such "Faith" icon, the esoteric revelation of the Bible, the "little" gods doctrine, the Abrahamic covenant, the anointing, and the "revamp" of the Christian faith (Rom. 16:17-18).
The "psychological" aspects of the history of the prosperity gospel is to control human communications (i.e. hear, read, and see) and communication as to people's self-expression. When it comes to controlling the flow of information that is vital so as to shed light upon the false teaching of the prosperity gospel is that many of its victims are "cut off" from what they read, sees, and hear. In so many words when there is an apparent threat from the outside world and critics of the movement in and of itself is that Faith leaders discouraged many of their members from reading any outside source of material. They must stay alignment with what the prosperity theologians say about what is "total" life prosperity. There is always a "leakage" in the system of the prosperity gospel whereby the ceiling falls on the erroneousness of it false teaching (2 Pet. 2:1).
Also when it comes to controlling what a person communicate within themselves that any independent thinking and "genuine" self expression are strictly forbidden. By enforced dogma of the prosperity gospel perpetuated by many Faith leaders is that of constriction. By many of its "victims" being made to conform to the contours of the prosperity-faith message is that of Faith confession. As televangelist Benny Hinn once says, "Don't let such faith-destroying words come out of your mouth." In so many words when it comes to experiencing "total" life prosperity is that the Faith Christian must claim prosperity by faith. It is based upon the Faith Christian staking their claim based upon God's Word (e.g. Rom. 10:17). As the Faith Christian verbally make such "positive" confession of faith outwardly but inwardly the radical transformation as to a person's thought pattern begins to change as to envision themselves as being prosperous. To "rehearse" verbally such "positive" confession of faith based upon God's Word will the Faith Christian experience such psychological damage by which they are damaged spiritually (2 Tim. 2:17, 18). Even though a person experience such financial "crisis" they are taught to not cave into the reality of what they are experiencing but to deny what people actually experience by making such "positive" confession of faith. To think otherwise people are made to believe that it is because of their lack of faith or apparent sin in their lives. The idolatry of the prosperity gospel that is worshipped by many of its victims are entrapped by what it suggest by not making a "negative" confession of faith. They are forbidden to say within themselves that they have a simple headache but to deny reality by making such "positive" confession of faith based upon God's Word that they are not sick but that they are well. Whenever people suppress their inner most feelings about what they are actually experiencing (e.g. "headache") at the expense of such carcinogenic faith is to experience a person's faith being spiritually shipwrecked (2 Tim. 2:17-18).
In conclusion the history of the prosperity gospel is from a Gnostic source: that which is via Revelation Knowledge (1 Tim. 6:20). The origins of the history of the prosperity gospel is based upon what it revelatory: that is within a Faith leader's human spirit to discover the principle of faith and prosperity. There is a philosophical basis "behind" that of the history of the prosperity gospel that is both hedonistic and utilitarian in nature: that of pleasure-seeking and psychological determinism. Pleasure seeking in the sense of what the "brazen" image of what the prosperity gospel has to offer. It is long on appearance but short on substance. It is devoid of the saving grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The prosperity gospel major on "rehabilitating" one's thought processes but that its message fall short on changing people's hearts (Jer. 17:9). When it comes to "utilitarian" or "utilitarianism" is that followers of the prosperity gospel are determine at all cost to experience "total" life prosperity. Regardless of the cost or consequences many of its victims will do or say whatever to experience such economic and social mobility. That is what is called "psychological" determinism. As Faith televangelist Leroy Thompson says, "Money cometh to me Now. I will never ever be broke again." That is the attitude of many "utilitarian" in the professing church today. They have convinced themselves of what they are saying but it is based upon a lie. For people to go against their God-given conscience is to become "desensitize" to the truth by which they will experience such moral bankruptcy. (1 Tim. 4:2).
Lastly, the milieu control of the history of the prosperity gospel is that many of its proponents as well as its victims are "control" by the flow of information that will be needed for them to evaluate and to reassess the whole gamut of the false teaching of the prosperity theology. The "milieu" control of the prosperity gospel is controlling what people says and feel about what they are truly experiencing in their day to day life. The message of the prosperity gospel strictly" forbid people from any "independent" thoughts and feelings of self-expression. In reality they are stifle from any meaning growth by which they must remain within the "confines" of its core beliefs and values. For people to make such "positive" confession of faith at the expense of what is true reality is to experience such mental breakdown by which it breeds spiritual confusion: that of a shipwrecked faith (2 Tim. 2:17-18). In order for the Church to avert such a crisis within Christianity is to reevaluate and reassess their beliefs and experiences in alignment with the biblical teachings of the Bible (1 Jn. 4:1; Acts 17:11).
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 bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" @ www.Amazon.com. He is also the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" which airs regularly @ 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."
It is very important that followers of the prosperity-faith movement see this "brazen" gospel for what it truly is: that it lack that of the character and nature of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). It is not a gospel centered upon the Person of Jesus Christ nor does the prosperity gospel have the power to change the lives of self-centered people into believing in Christ (Gal. 1:8-9). The cult of New Thought associated with the history of the prosperity gospel is in the business of "renovating" people's Mind but not the heart (Jer. 17:9). The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it. The doctrine of the prosperity gospel bears thorns and thistles; not the fruitfulness of a believer's spiritual walk with the Lord.
There are core beliefs and values of the prosperity gospel which must be seen in light of God's Word (1 Jn. 4:1 with Acts 17:11). The beliefs of the prosperity gospel are "metaphysical" in nature: God as a Faith Being, that of faith as a "tangible" electrical force, Jesus as created by God's spoken word of faith, recasting the historical characters of the Bible into such "Faith" icon, the esoteric revelation of the Bible, the "little" gods doctrine, the Abrahamic covenant, the anointing, and the "revamp" of the Christian faith (Rom. 16:17-18).
The "psychological" aspects of the history of the prosperity gospel is to control human communications (i.e. hear, read, and see) and communication as to people's self-expression. When it comes to controlling the flow of information that is vital so as to shed light upon the false teaching of the prosperity gospel is that many of its victims are "cut off" from what they read, sees, and hear. In so many words when there is an apparent threat from the outside world and critics of the movement in and of itself is that Faith leaders discouraged many of their members from reading any outside source of material. They must stay alignment with what the prosperity theologians say about what is "total" life prosperity. There is always a "leakage" in the system of the prosperity gospel whereby the ceiling falls on the erroneousness of it false teaching (2 Pet. 2:1).
Also when it comes to controlling what a person communicate within themselves that any independent thinking and "genuine" self expression are strictly forbidden. By enforced dogma of the prosperity gospel perpetuated by many Faith leaders is that of constriction. By many of its "victims" being made to conform to the contours of the prosperity-faith message is that of Faith confession. As televangelist Benny Hinn once says, "Don't let such faith-destroying words come out of your mouth." In so many words when it comes to experiencing "total" life prosperity is that the Faith Christian must claim prosperity by faith. It is based upon the Faith Christian staking their claim based upon God's Word (e.g. Rom. 10:17). As the Faith Christian verbally make such "positive" confession of faith outwardly but inwardly the radical transformation as to a person's thought pattern begins to change as to envision themselves as being prosperous. To "rehearse" verbally such "positive" confession of faith based upon God's Word will the Faith Christian experience such psychological damage by which they are damaged spiritually (2 Tim. 2:17, 18). Even though a person experience such financial "crisis" they are taught to not cave into the reality of what they are experiencing but to deny what people actually experience by making such "positive" confession of faith. To think otherwise people are made to believe that it is because of their lack of faith or apparent sin in their lives. The idolatry of the prosperity gospel that is worshipped by many of its victims are entrapped by what it suggest by not making a "negative" confession of faith. They are forbidden to say within themselves that they have a simple headache but to deny reality by making such "positive" confession of faith based upon God's Word that they are not sick but that they are well. Whenever people suppress their inner most feelings about what they are actually experiencing (e.g. "headache") at the expense of such carcinogenic faith is to experience a person's faith being spiritually shipwrecked (2 Tim. 2:17-18).
In conclusion the history of the prosperity gospel is from a Gnostic source: that which is via Revelation Knowledge (1 Tim. 6:20). The origins of the history of the prosperity gospel is based upon what it revelatory: that is within a Faith leader's human spirit to discover the principle of faith and prosperity. There is a philosophical basis "behind" that of the history of the prosperity gospel that is both hedonistic and utilitarian in nature: that of pleasure-seeking and psychological determinism. Pleasure seeking in the sense of what the "brazen" image of what the prosperity gospel has to offer. It is long on appearance but short on substance. It is devoid of the saving grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The prosperity gospel major on "rehabilitating" one's thought processes but that its message fall short on changing people's hearts (Jer. 17:9). When it comes to "utilitarian" or "utilitarianism" is that followers of the prosperity gospel are determine at all cost to experience "total" life prosperity. Regardless of the cost or consequences many of its victims will do or say whatever to experience such economic and social mobility. That is what is called "psychological" determinism. As Faith televangelist Leroy Thompson says, "Money cometh to me Now. I will never ever be broke again." That is the attitude of many "utilitarian" in the professing church today. They have convinced themselves of what they are saying but it is based upon a lie. For people to go against their God-given conscience is to become "desensitize" to the truth by which they will experience such moral bankruptcy. (1 Tim. 4:2).
Lastly, the milieu control of the history of the prosperity gospel is that many of its proponents as well as its victims are "control" by the flow of information that will be needed for them to evaluate and to reassess the whole gamut of the false teaching of the prosperity theology. The "milieu" control of the prosperity gospel is controlling what people says and feel about what they are truly experiencing in their day to day life. The message of the prosperity gospel strictly" forbid people from any "independent" thoughts and feelings of self-expression. In reality they are stifle from any meaning growth by which they must remain within the "confines" of its core beliefs and values. For people to make such "positive" confession of faith at the expense of what is true reality is to experience such mental breakdown by which it breeds spiritual confusion: that of a shipwrecked faith (2 Tim. 2:17-18). In order for the Church to avert such a crisis within Christianity is to reevaluate and reassess their beliefs and experiences in alignment with the biblical teachings of the Bible (1 Jn. 4:1; Acts 17:11).
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 bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" @ www.Amazon.com. He is also the Podcast Host of, "ASK DARRYL" which airs regularly @ 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."
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