Prosperity: Jesus

 Job's 'comforters' thought there must be hidden sin in his life to account for his loss of prosperity, but they were wrong.  God approved of Job, yet He permitted Satan to destroy everything of earthly value that Job possessed.

The well-to-do Pharisees lived and breathed a prosperity theology, labelling everyone beneath their social caste as 'sinners'.  Christ's disciples betrayed their own assumptions when they asked -- 

“Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” - John 9:2

Jesus responded by saying their presupposition was entirely wrong --

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, this happened so the power of God could be seen in him." - John 9:3

 In other words, God had a higher purpose for this man's adversity that simply didn't fit in the neat little categories of 'do good and you'll be well off' and 'Do bad and you'll suffer'.

Consider the disciples response to this --

“I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

 The disciples hadn't yet grasped the significance of their Lord's lifestyle.  The one whose Father said --

“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” - Matthew 3:17

-- was the same Son of Man who didn't have a place to lay His head and owned nothing but a robe and sandals.

Jesus said of His Father --

For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. - Matthew 5:45

God extends common grace to all.

What we call prosperity is often incidental - an evil person may have good soil and a large crop, while the good person has poor soil and a small crop.  As Christ's account of the rich man and Lazarus demonstrates, an evil person may live a long life, suffer little and prosper, while the righteous person may have life cut short, suffer considerably and live in poverty.  Jesus says things will turn around in eternity, but often not until then.

Not only may the righteous suffer despite their righteousness, but often they will suffer because of their righteousness.

Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. - 2 Timothy 3:12

The early Christians continually suffered for their faith --

Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. - 1 Peter 5:9

A materialistic world system, with its emphasis on personal peace and prosperity, does not look with favour upon a true disciple of Christ.





John Piper - Jesus and the Prosperity Gospel
Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly