A Distortion of Biblical Prosperity

—from the pen of Pastor Charles P. Schmitt, D.Min, D.D.

One of our saints gave me a recent article from the New York Times entitled “Preaching a Gospel of Wealth in a Glittery Market, New York.” The article contains a commentary on the lifestyle of a well-known contemporary prosperity preacher.

Assuming that the article has its facts straight (and newspapers are not always good at that!), I would say, if this is indeed factual, then that this is a distortion of Biblical prosperity.

The Scriptures do speak of the blessing of God resting on the lives of God’s people. Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:9 makes an amazing statement concerning our Lord Jesus Christ—“that though He was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich”— rich with all kinds of spiritual and material blessings! Prosperity is not alien to the gospel of grace. But what we do with God’s blessings is another story.

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at all times, having all you need [but not always all that you want], you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Paul further declares, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion … [resulting] in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

The prosperity of God rests upon us in order that we might become a channel of blessing into the lives of those who have so very little. We sin against the God who blesses us when we consume His blessings on our own desires.

When I think of the needy in India, walking long miles because they can’t even afford a bicycle, I think of what a blessing it would be to sell those Rolls-Royces and private jets and, as Bill Gates has been doing, distributing that prosperity to those in such desperate need.

Someday we will all stand before our coming King. Some will be greeted with the words “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me….” To others Lord Jesus will say: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me….” Indeed “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me!” (Matthew 25:31-46)

Doing good works cannot save us. Scripture is plain on that issue. But what we do with the prosperity that God blesses us with evidences whether we have a faith in God that saves, or just a dead faith and a lifeless confession (James 2:14-26). “Lord, help us to so live before you that in that great Day we will be welcomed by you into an eternal reward! Amen.”