Is suffering for the cause of Christ better than pursuing prosperity? According to one senior pastor, Steven Croft, a believer has to choose one or the other. So let me lay a little foundation here, a bit of a framework.
I came across this article from Pastor Croft, and in this article, he is critiquing the prosperity gospel. He says it’s a false doctrine. And his criticisms are on point. I don’t find fault with what he says about the prosperity gospel.
But I disagree when he says suffering is the call of believers.
Let’s get into it
Table of Contents
- Listen to Podcast
- The Church’s Pyramid Scheme
- Prosperity Gospel vs. Kingdom Prosperity
- Bad Church Doctrine Exposed
- A Few Thoughts About Being Rich
- God’s Covenant Includes Material Wealth
- God’s Kingdom Is a Top Priority
- The Battle Against the Kingdom of Darkness
- A Final Word
- Break Free From the Tithe Deception
Listen to Podcast
Please Note: The following is an edited, summarized version of The Tithing Hoax podcast.
The Church’s Pyramid Scheme
When you look at the prosperity gospel, the preachers on top of the pyramid benefit the most. The preachers get rich while the people in the pews remain broke, busted, and disgusted. People pay tithes and offerings based on promises, such as financial breakthroughs or supernatural debt cancellation. But these “prophecies” don’t come to pass.
The pastor has a genuine concern for believers who follow the prosperity theology. He believes they’re being taken advantage of. I agree with him. Prosperity gospel preachers are exploiting people. The preachers reap the rewards of a false doctrine at the expense of God’s people.
Prosperity Gospel vs. Kingdom Prosperity
The pastor wants to “shut the mouth” of prosperity gospel preachers. He says the believers’ inheritance is eternal life through the forgiveness of sin by Jesus Christ, by grace through faith.
Eternal life is the real promise. I don’t take issue with that. But he says suffering is our call on earth, not prosperity. I will explain why I have a problem with that comment.
We must have discernment. Let’s not confuse the prosperity gospel doctrine with kingdom prosperity. There’s nothing wrong with having material abundance. Let’s not take a negative view of prosperity.
Bad Church Doctrine Exposed
Back in the day, the church taught that money was evil and that being poor makes you more righteous. There was a mindset that having financial struggles was okay. The church made people feel comfortable with living in lack.
The modern-day church’s pendulum has swung to the other extreme in recent years. The message is to pay your tithes, and you’ll prosper.
My thing is, let’s not go from one extreme to the other. Yes, the prosperity gospel has its flaws, but let’s not glorify being poor or broke. Let’s be objective.
It doesn’t do the body of Christ any good to go from one radical belief to another. Let’s not fall victim to old-time religion that we’ll get ours in the sweet bye-and-bye.
This church doctrine is false, proclaiming the only opportunity believers have to enjoy abundance is when they die and go to heaven. And this doesn’t even make sense.
First of all, heaven is the spiritual realm. In the spiritual realm, you don’t need money, clothes, a house, etc.
We exist in a three-dimensional earth realm. The physical world requires that we have material things. Spiritual things are for the spiritual realm, and material things are for the material world.
A Few Thoughts About Being Rich
He states it’s not God’s intent or will that all believers experience riches. It’s true. Everybody will not become a millionaire or a billionaire. But understand this. Wealth is relative. A person’s income level is based on their lifestyle.
For instance, one person can earn $50,000 a year and live comfortably. Someone else may earn $500,000 a year, which works for them. Others may live off $5 million or $5 billion annually.
The point is each individual is rich in their own right.
God’s Covenant Includes Material Wealth
God wants His people to experience prosperity. Look at the covenant relationship between God and the children of Israel. God always intended for his children (Hebrew Israelites) to possess material things in the earthly realm.
When he brought them out of Egypt, he brought them out with silver, gold, and many material possessions (Exodus 12:35-36, Psalm 105:37). As part of the Mosaic Covenant, the Lord promised the Israelites what? A land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:17).
Look at Deuteronomy 28. There’s a whole list of blessings promising material abundance (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). God always intended for His people to experience health, wealth, and prosperity, not to exclude their spiritual well-being.
Mosaic Covenant blessings always depended on Israel obeying the Lord’s commandments. Why? Because everything began with ancient Israel’s spiritual relationship with the Most High. This is why obedience comes first, then the blessings flow.
So, God wanted to mature the children of Israel spiritually. Why? One reason is so they could handle the blessings. The Hebrew Israelites needed wisdom. They needed their minds renewed by following the Lord’s covenant instructions.
Obedience comes first, then the blessings flow.
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God’s Kingdom Is a Top Priority
Yeshua Hamashiach (aka Jesus the Christ) said, “Seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).” And then what? All these things will be added unto you. What things? Material things.
Yeshua’s disciples expressed concerns about their physical needs being met, such as what they would eat, wear, and so forth (Matthew 6:31).
What’s the key to our material needs being met? Seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Yeshua’s teachings capture the essence of the Most High’s covenant relationship with ancient Israel.
God’s primary concern is our spiritual well-being, but not to the exclusion of our material well-being. So, we must first focus on our spiritual health, wealth, and prosperity. Why? So we can adequately manage the material blessings God gives us.
The Battle Against the Kingdom of Darkness
The call of believers is not suffering. Our call is to establish God’s kingdom on earth. We’re here to replace the kingdom of darkness with the kingdom of light. This mission requires not only spiritual know-how and material resources. And God provides us with everything we need.
Prosperity is a part of God’s kingdom. Can I get an amen on that? Does that mean we won’t suffer? No. Suffering for the gospel is a part of life’s journey. Is it our calling? No.
One problem with the prosperity theology is that it gives believers and people a false reality. It makes them believe “bad” things won’t happen to them and that they won’t experience ups and downs. And that is not true. The Bible tells us that we’ll face some unpleasant stuff.
1 Peter 4: 12-13: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
We battle to take over the earth for the Most High. So, we’re going to encounter opposition. And no amount of money, tithes, or offerings will shield us from these things.
A Final Word
Let’s bring it home. Are you going to suffer, or are you going to prosper? It’s not an either-or situation. From a Bible perspective, you can enjoy prosperity. Prosperity is a part of God’s kingdom. But trials and tribulations are a part of life.
Yes, we’re going to go through tough times. But here’s the key. We’ll go through hardships and come out on the other side, with God getting the glory.
Break Free From the Tithe Deception
Discover the truth about tithes the church doesn’t want you to know. Go here.
