As we talked about this past Sunday, nowhere in our scriptures does it state that, “God helps those who help themselves.” On the contrary, the Bible often tells stories about how God fought on behalf of people who couldn’t fight for themselves. I discussed how the image of the Body of Christ opposes rugged individualism and self-reliance. But there is another aspect of how this phrase get used in our culture that I didn’t have time to go into on Sunday: The Prosperity Gospel.
In the simplest terms, the idea behind the Prosperity Gospel is this: God blesses those who are righteous. So, if a person is rich and successful in life, it is because God had blessed them and their lifestyle. I have heard preachers state, “God doesn’t want you to be poor! God want to shower you with abundance! So, give boldly to our collection to show God that you are committed to his cause and God will rain that abundance back down upon you!” God helps those who help themselves: so, if you work hard and live a righteous life, God will reward your efforts. You can’t sit on your hands and wait for God’s blessings to fall into your lap; you have to work for them and God will bless you in return. In my opinion, the message of the Prosperity Gospel is manipulative at best and outright predatory at worst. It works by preying on the fears of the vulnerable for the enrichment of the powerful. Most heinous of all, this is done in the name of God despite the fact that it is in direct opposition to scripture and the words of Jesus: But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets - Luke 6:24-26 Rather, our scripture tells us of how God fought for the Hebrew people were enslaved in Egypt and could not save themselves. We hear Jesus tell the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man in Luke 16:19-31 that speaks of the dangers of ignoring the needy that cannot help themselves. Jesus also speak of the lilies of the field in Matthew 6:25-34 where he proclaims that God will provide for us just as God provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. We do not earn God’s love and blessings: we already have them. Yes, there is work to do to make sure that everyone can enjoy them, but the fact that some people are not able to enjoy God’s abundance is because of the flaws in human systems, not God withholding love. So, know that you are already loved and claimed by God. Blessings, Pastor Chris |
AuthorPastor Chris Hallam earned her degree at Princeton Theological Seminary and moved to Michigan to become a pastor. Also trained as a studio artist and graphic designer, with an interest in pop culture and social science, her passion is thinking creatively about the future of the church. Archives
October 2024
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