The prosperity gospel[2]

 The gospel, without any form of verbosity means the message of how jesus died to save mankind from damnation. john 3:3 is a good example of the gospel. But alas! men in their nature have tainted, this message of salvation. This error began in the 21st century. It was a way to appeal to some segment of the believers who were considered very poor and it was embarrassing to the some section of the church to see that. A passage was quickly sort in the bible to appease this ones and to urge then to develop the faith that will bring to then wealth which God desires for them to have. Another reason for this is for this churches with the message to improve their tithe base in order to meet their project for the year . How so? they say if this one do not give the little they have there is no way they can get increase and it shows they do not have faith in Gods ability to meet them at the point of their need. To buttress and drive their point home a passage was required and a most suitable one is found in 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Indeed, the 4ps – progress, prosperity profit and promotion can find a place in the scriptures, but one can also zero all in material wealth like is akin in today’s teachings in many churches. What father would not want his children to have these 4ps? but, to make all a matter of material acquisition is wrong. Let us , therefore throw more light in to the above passage taken from 3 john 1:2. According to William Burkitt’s expository note, This holy man, Gaius who was so hospitable an host to the ministers and members of Christ, had but a weak and sickly body, and wanted health; strength of grace and dearness of respect, even from God himself, cannot prevail against diseases; such as are most holy are sometimes most weak and sickly. Observe, 2. That though Gaius had but a weak and consumptive body, yet had he a very thriving and vigorous soul; it is a very common, yet a very sad and true, observation, that men of strong, healthy, and active bodies, have weak, lame, sickly, and sinful souls. Ah, wretched sinner! when under obligations to serve thy God best, thou forgettest him most, and prostitutes thy health to the service of thy lusts: how does the health and ease of one day deserve the service and thankfulness of thy whole life! But, alas! instead of that, thou makest him to serve with thy sins, and lay the first fruits of thy time and strength upon the devil’s altar. Our apostle’s wish on the behalf of Gaius, namely, that his body were as healthful as his soul was holy, that he had as much health in the one, as he had grace in the other; I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. [ William Burkitt expository notes]

We are going somewhere.

To be continued

MARANATHA!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hemelvaartsdag.

  The word Hemelvaartsdag”, is Ascension-day in the Netherlands. This day is a holiday and I dare say, this is one of the two holidays in the country that bears any resemblance to Christianity. The majestic looking cathedrals having been converted to museum and others as shopping malls. The Ascensión of Jesus is one of the ultimate proofs of his divinity and his claim as the son of God. In the book of   John 8:23,  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. Let me emphasis on the records that show that no founder of a major religion in the world has dared to say they are from above or called themselves the son of God. He healed the sick, raised the dead. He did miracles, the only religious founder with this record. The miracles Jesus did was to convince the people of his claim that he has been sent from God. Read the book of   John 3:16,  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten So...
Read more

Grit as a virtue of the believer

  There are those who think anything with the slightest sign of grit and hardness   is not for them.  Those who think it should not be for you as a believer; for Christ died for us, taking our suffering and nailing them all to the cross. In today’s believers’ world, this kind of mind set should be resisted and cast out of our lives. Just like life itself does not rely on the soft side of our planet to succeed, but also its rage, for survival, so too do us humans need tough times and happier days too. Any message that tells the believers to be patient, endure and overlook ill will and let go of revenge is the best message ever told. Sad enough, some believers see that as encouraging the devil and giving place to the enemy to operative in our lives. Persecution, is seen as the devil at work and we engage in physical fight if need be .Patience, persecutions, long sufferings, oppression in some cases, maltreatment in others, campaign of calumny, and many other vice are p...
Read more

ETERNAL IN NATURE

  When the eminent philosopher Antony Flew, a lifelong atheist came to admit the acknowledge the existence of God he gave us the reason for his conversion the fact that biologists investigation of DNA has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce life, that intelligence must have been involved. Take another simpler example, the intricacies of a watch. It will be foolhardy to say intelligence was not involved in that piece; the seconds, the minutes and the hourly counts, not to talk of the months. A common thread that runs with those who say there is no God is tagging those who worship this God, serve and acknowledge him as naïve, unwise and deceived. Now, before one can make a conclusion an assertion about any matter, it is taken for granted that he has done his research, doubted it, strip away its moral paint and have all the evidence and persuasive materials to tell the world of his findings and why he thinks those of contrary op...
Read more