Alex Tang
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Books Recommendation
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Medical Students /Paediatric notes
'Just in Time'-- 'God Wants You Wealthy'
by Ben Witherington
The cover photo in the most recent issue of Time Magazine says it all. It shows
a Rolls Royce, only instead of the normal hood ornament there is a cross. What
would Jesus say? David Van Bema's and Jeff Chu's article is absolutely worth the
read. It is one of his best, and it tries hard to be balanced and fair, although
the general tenor of the article makes reasonably clear that Van Bema thinks
'Prosperity Lite' is also theology lite, whether it comes from Joel Osteen or
Joyce Meyer or others. Here is the TIME article.
Since I am quoted in there twice, and my name is not taken in vain, it may be
worth a few further remarks.
The health and wealth Gospel is a profoundly American Gospel, especially
connected to blue collar Protestant religion, that thrives on the rags to riches
mythology of our culture in general. The message is one form of the general
message of 'success' or 'progress' and hence prosperity. It really does not
preach well in impoverished countries like Zimbabwe where I go to teach and
preach from time to time. Why not? Because there are not the social networks or
mechanisms to even create the possibility of wealth. If your whole nation's
economy is on tilt, your personal one is likely to be the same.
The Osteen or Dollar or Meyer Gospel plays well in places where there is a
glimmer of hope of improving one's lot in life, coupled with considerable
inequities between the uber-wealthy and the poor. If one see people getting rich
quick (or apparently so) then it is natural to think--- "Hey, it could happen to
me. This is America, the land of 'opportunity'."
But wait a minute. If it was God's plan and desire for his people in general to
be wealthy, why wasn't Jesus himself wealthy? Why did he say "the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay his head" and why did he teach us to pray only for necessities
like 'daily bread'? Why exactly is the first beatitude in Luke 6.20-21 "Blessed
are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God." And then the second one
is "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." Jesus, as it
turns out, couldn't even pay for his own funeral. He was buried by a fringe
disciple who had space in the family tomb. Did Jesus just miss out on the
blessing during his earthly life? Maybe he didn't have enough faith??? Hmmmm.
Why exactly was it that the apostle Paul had to work his fingers to the bone
making tents (cf. 1 Thess. 2.9 for example) while doing his missionary work? The
disparity between the way Paul lived and describes his own life, when compared
to the likes of Osteen Dollar or others is striking-- "I have worked much
harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, been exposed
to death again and again...Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was
stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open
sea...I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known
hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked."
(2 Cor. 11. 23-27).
Not only so, but Paul in this same 2 Corinthians letter says plainly that he
asked God to take a source of suffering away from him, a stake in the flesh, and
God said NO! (2 Cor. 12.7-9). Paul is of course engaged in mock boasting, and
ridiculing those who make the facile assumption that if they are living large it
must be God's blessing and will for their lives!!! Did Paul just not get the
memo about the prosperity and health God had in mind for him and about the
Gospel of conspicuous consumption?
There are in other words, so many problems with the prosperity Gospel just from
examining the teaching and lives of Jesus and Paul, that we don't even need to
get into James and other diatribes on the dangers of wealth. So perhaps its
about time we had a list of ten good reasons why God doesn't want you wealthy!!
TOP TEN REASONS WHY GOD DOESN'T WANT YOU WEALTHY
1) Wealth is a false god. As Jesus said. You cannot serve both God and Mammon.
Each involve all consuming loyalities and allegiance. A person should never
measure themselves, or the blessing of God on their lives by the abundance of
their possessions.
2) We are all fallen human beings with an infinite capacity to rationalize our
behavior, including especially our spending behavior. Having wealth leads to
rationalizing like that of Joel Osteen, who in the Time article says "well its
all relative isn't it?" In fact its not relative-- its absolute. And its a case
of our taking care of our poor relatives, neighbors, even strangers, and
enemies. This is what it means to love neighbor and even enemy as ourselves. The
Bible does not say love your neighbor ten percent as much as you love yourself!
3) As the psalmist says--- "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness there of."
It follows from this that we are only stewards, not owners of any property! This
being the case we have to justify keeping things, not giving them away. Or as
John Wesley put it--- other people's necessities, especially the poor, should be
taken care of before we even think about our luxuries.
4) Greed is a serious sin, and the desire for wealth often leads to greed. Try
reading the story of Silas Marner, or the even sadder story of King Midas.
5) Having wealth gives the false impression that one can secure one's own life.
One then begins to trust in one's wealth as a safety net, rather than in God.
"Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart".
6) "The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil." The desire to get rich,
especially the desire to get rich quick, at whatever cost, often causes the
abandonment of various essential Christian virtues such as HONESTY, loyalty,
self-sacrificial love for example. The question is--- can you handle wealth?
Many Christians cannot handle the temptations of wealth. They compromise their
trust in God, and so their very faith, justifying an accelerated rate of
conspicuous consumption.
7) The desire to be wealthy is a form of narcissism. It is essentially very
self-centered, self-seeking behavior. And the most primal sin of all is 'the
heart turned in upon itself.'
8) The Bible is very clear that God will hold us accountable for what we do,
with what we have in this life. To whom more is given, more is required. See the
parable of the talents. Conspicuous consumption in essence results in taking
food out of the mouths of the starving, taking dollars away from missionary
work, taking resources away from worthy charities. In other words, sins of
omission are just as serious as sins of commission. Its also what you are not
doing with your resources that God will hold you accountable for. See for
example the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Lk. 16. But even more
devastating is the fact that Jesus takes it as a personal affront if we do not
visit those in prison, feeed the hungry, and care for the sick and needy. Jesus
identifies with the poor and their plight (see Mt. 25.34-40). And just because
you may do this once and a while on a mission trip does not give you permission
to avoid living a simple life style most of the time.
9) Wealth does not very often make you happy. I used to live in the furniture
capital of America-- High Point N.C. Some of those furniture millionares were
some of the most miserable, frightened, paranoid people I have ever met. Here's
a clue. The more you have-- the more you have to lose, and the more things you
fear losing in life when it comes to property. Living in a simple manner
obviates these problems altogether.
10) Jesus extols the poor not the rich! Why would Jesus extol the widow who gave
her whole 'living' into the temple treasury (Mk. 12.41-44) if Jesus had really
believed the prosperity Gospel? Shouldn't he have chided this poor woman for
making herself even more indigent and not going for happiness and the gusto in
life? Didn't Jesus say he came that we might have an abundant life? Here's a
clue-- the abundant life has nothing to do with abundant possessions. It has to
do with having the gift of everlasting life, and having God's loving presence in
your midst forever.
There is more, but this is enough for now. Read Gordon Fee's The Disease of the
Health and Wealth Gospel (available on the Regent College in Vancouver website).
[posted with permission]
