Welcome to Theology Thursday! Theology is the study of God, his relation to the world, and our relation to him. I hope these newsletters help enhance your faith and deepen your love for God and his people, the church.
Today's question:
What's the problem with the "prosperity gospel"?
Pastor Brady's thoughts:
The "prosperity gospel," also known as the "health and wealth gospel," is the idea that God rewards certain displays of faith with material wealth and physical health. Prominent televangelists and preachers associated with this message promise financial breakthroughs, healing, and earthly success to those who sow financial "seeds" of faith, usually through donations to their ministries.
While appealing to human desires for comfort and abundance, the prosperity gospel stands in direct contradiction to the teachings of scripture and distorts the character of God. Any Christian committed to the truth and authority of the full biblical witness must reject anything that smells like “this for that” theology, and help their friends reject it too, for at least the following reasons:
It Twists the Gospel of Christ
The prosperity gospel substitutes the biblical gospel of salvation through Christ with a message centered on personal gain. Paul warns against such distortions in Galatians 1:6-9, promising that anyone preaching a different gospel will be “cursed.” The true gospel is not about material prosperity but about reconciliation with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). To imply that Christ died so believers can drive luxury cars or live in mansions (or have their body’s healed now rather than redeemed later) is not only theologically wrong but also spiritually dangerous. It shifts the focus from the blood-red cross to money-green cash.
It Ignores the Biblical Reality of Suffering
Suffering is not only a consistent theme in scripture but also a key part of Christian discipleship. Jesus said plainly, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33), and he calls His followers to “take up their cross” (Luke 9:23). The apostles, far from living in luxury, often endured persecution, poverty, imprisonment, and martyrdom for their faith. Paul, one of the most faithful servants of God, wrote of being hungry, beaten, and shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). To suggest that a lack of wealth or health is due to insufficient faith is to insult the faithful men and women throughout church history who suffered for Christ.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that those in the faith will be rewarded, but our reward is not meant for this life. Our reward is eternal, and while that might be harder for us to accept in the short-term, what awaits us according to the book of Revelation is streets of gold, gates of pearl, walls made of precious stone, a flowing river of crystal clear water, and no need for sunlight or moonlight because the light of God’s glory illuminates the entire place.
Hebrews calls this place a heavenly city, and includes a passage we often call “The Faith Hall of Fame” - a list of faithful heroes who were...
…commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and the others didn’t receive their reward in their earthly lives, but because of their faithfulness they were recipients of God’s promised reward in better ways than they could have possibly imagined. Ours will be too.
It Misinterprets Scripture
Prosperity teachers often cite verses such as 3rd John 2 ("I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health") or Malachi 3:10 (about bringing tithes and receiving blessing) as proof texts. However, these are misused. 3rd John 2 is a greeting, not a doctrinal statement, and Malachi 3:10 was written to Israel under the Mosaic covenant, not to Christians under the New Covenant. The broader biblical context emphasizes spiritual riches in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), not guaranteed financial prosperity. Jesus himself warned against greed and the idolatry of wealth, saying, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).
It Promotes a Transactional View of God
The prosperity gospel reduces God to something like a cosmic vending machine - just insert a tithe or a "seed faith" offering, and out comes a blessing. This diminishes God’s sovereignty and treats him as a means to an end. True faith trusts in God regardless of outcomes. God is not obligated to bless us materially simply because we give or believe. He is sovereign, and his blessings - whether material or not - flow from his grace, not our merit.
It Harms the Vulnerable
One of the most tragic consequences of the prosperity gospel is how it exploits the poor. Many who can least afford it are persuaded to give money they can’t really afford to give, hoping for a miracle return. When healing or wealth doesn’t come, they are often told their faith is deficient, or their donation was too small. This spiritual manipulation causes immense guilt, confusion, and disillusionment. Authentic Christian ministry is marked by compassion, truth, and service, not manipulation or false hope (2nd Corinthians 4:2).
It Undermines Contentment and Gratitude
Paul wrote, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1st Timothy 6:6). Christians are called to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13), not to chase after wealth. The prosperity gospel fosters discontentment and a constant craving for more. Instead of being grateful for what God has provided, believers are encouraged to seek "next-level" blessings. This consumerist mindset is antithetical to the humility and simplicity modeled by Christ.
"Get rich quick" schemes are always scams, whether they come from a corrupt businessman or a corrupt preacher.
Conclusion
In its worst and most egregious forms, the prosperity gospel is not just a theological error - it’s a dangerous heresy that leads people away from the cross. It focuses on temporal success instead of eternal salvation; on human desires rather than God’s glory. Christians ought to have the courage to call this out for what it is: a false gospel. Any real church is committed to the biblical message that Christ is sufficient, that suffering has purpose, and that our hope is not in riches but in the resurrection.
Faithfulness to scripture demands that we reject any teaching that compromises the gospel of grace with promises of gold.
TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN!
- Pastor Brady
Have a question for Theology Thursday? Send an email to office@minierchristian.org and we'll respond, or we'll include in a future Theology Thursday Buffet.
Today's question:
What's the problem with the "prosperity gospel"?
Pastor Brady's thoughts:
The "prosperity gospel," also known as the "health and wealth gospel," is the idea that God rewards certain displays of faith with material wealth and physical health. Prominent televangelists and preachers associated with this message promise financial breakthroughs, healing, and earthly success to those who sow financial "seeds" of faith, usually through donations to their ministries.
While appealing to human desires for comfort and abundance, the prosperity gospel stands in direct contradiction to the teachings of scripture and distorts the character of God. Any Christian committed to the truth and authority of the full biblical witness must reject anything that smells like “this for that” theology, and help their friends reject it too, for at least the following reasons:
It Twists the Gospel of Christ
The prosperity gospel substitutes the biblical gospel of salvation through Christ with a message centered on personal gain. Paul warns against such distortions in Galatians 1:6-9, promising that anyone preaching a different gospel will be “cursed.” The true gospel is not about material prosperity but about reconciliation with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). To imply that Christ died so believers can drive luxury cars or live in mansions (or have their body’s healed now rather than redeemed later) is not only theologically wrong but also spiritually dangerous. It shifts the focus from the blood-red cross to money-green cash.
It Ignores the Biblical Reality of Suffering
Suffering is not only a consistent theme in scripture but also a key part of Christian discipleship. Jesus said plainly, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33), and he calls His followers to “take up their cross” (Luke 9:23). The apostles, far from living in luxury, often endured persecution, poverty, imprisonment, and martyrdom for their faith. Paul, one of the most faithful servants of God, wrote of being hungry, beaten, and shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). To suggest that a lack of wealth or health is due to insufficient faith is to insult the faithful men and women throughout church history who suffered for Christ.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that those in the faith will be rewarded, but our reward is not meant for this life. Our reward is eternal, and while that might be harder for us to accept in the short-term, what awaits us according to the book of Revelation is streets of gold, gates of pearl, walls made of precious stone, a flowing river of crystal clear water, and no need for sunlight or moonlight because the light of God’s glory illuminates the entire place.
Hebrews calls this place a heavenly city, and includes a passage we often call “The Faith Hall of Fame” - a list of faithful heroes who were...
…commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and the others didn’t receive their reward in their earthly lives, but because of their faithfulness they were recipients of God’s promised reward in better ways than they could have possibly imagined. Ours will be too.
It Misinterprets Scripture
Prosperity teachers often cite verses such as 3rd John 2 ("I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health") or Malachi 3:10 (about bringing tithes and receiving blessing) as proof texts. However, these are misused. 3rd John 2 is a greeting, not a doctrinal statement, and Malachi 3:10 was written to Israel under the Mosaic covenant, not to Christians under the New Covenant. The broader biblical context emphasizes spiritual riches in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), not guaranteed financial prosperity. Jesus himself warned against greed and the idolatry of wealth, saying, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).
It Promotes a Transactional View of God
The prosperity gospel reduces God to something like a cosmic vending machine - just insert a tithe or a "seed faith" offering, and out comes a blessing. This diminishes God’s sovereignty and treats him as a means to an end. True faith trusts in God regardless of outcomes. God is not obligated to bless us materially simply because we give or believe. He is sovereign, and his blessings - whether material or not - flow from his grace, not our merit.
It Harms the Vulnerable
One of the most tragic consequences of the prosperity gospel is how it exploits the poor. Many who can least afford it are persuaded to give money they can’t really afford to give, hoping for a miracle return. When healing or wealth doesn’t come, they are often told their faith is deficient, or their donation was too small. This spiritual manipulation causes immense guilt, confusion, and disillusionment. Authentic Christian ministry is marked by compassion, truth, and service, not manipulation or false hope (2nd Corinthians 4:2).
It Undermines Contentment and Gratitude
Paul wrote, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1st Timothy 6:6). Christians are called to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13), not to chase after wealth. The prosperity gospel fosters discontentment and a constant craving for more. Instead of being grateful for what God has provided, believers are encouraged to seek "next-level" blessings. This consumerist mindset is antithetical to the humility and simplicity modeled by Christ.
"Get rich quick" schemes are always scams, whether they come from a corrupt businessman or a corrupt preacher.
Conclusion
In its worst and most egregious forms, the prosperity gospel is not just a theological error - it’s a dangerous heresy that leads people away from the cross. It focuses on temporal success instead of eternal salvation; on human desires rather than God’s glory. Christians ought to have the courage to call this out for what it is: a false gospel. Any real church is committed to the biblical message that Christ is sufficient, that suffering has purpose, and that our hope is not in riches but in the resurrection.
Faithfulness to scripture demands that we reject any teaching that compromises the gospel of grace with promises of gold.
TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN!
- Pastor Brady
Have a question for Theology Thursday? Send an email to office@minierchristian.org and we'll respond, or we'll include in a future Theology Thursday Buffet.
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Theology Thursday: What is the purpose of Scripture?Teaching Tuesday: What Are We Doing Here? - God's BlessingTheology Thursday: Son of God, Son of ManTeaching Tuesday: What Are We Doing Here? - Knowing GodTheology Thursday: Buffet 2Teaching Tuesday: What Are We Doing Here? - Alive in ChristTheology Thursday: Murder is wrong, but...Teaching Tuesday: What Are We Doing Here? - Unity in ChristTheology Thursday: God and "Natural" Disasters
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Theology Thursday: No Creed but ChristTeaching Tuesday: Dying Breaths - Mission AccomplishedTheology Thursday: MCC Member ExpectationsTeaching Tuesday: Dying Breaths - Hosanna to the Humble KingTheology Thursday: This is our homecomingTeaching Tuesday: Easter 2025 - The Ragman Theology Thursday: Are all sins the same?Teaching Tuesday: Beyond Belief - "Come, follow me."
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