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What Christians Need To Know About the “Prosperity Gospel”
There is no doubt that God wants his people to be in good health and have loving families, fulfilling careers, and wealth. The Bible is full of God’s promises to us that these things will come to us if we have faith and follow His will. Some TV pastors and other ministers preach that if we believe, the windows of heaven will always open and pour blessings down on us. Some call this teaching the “prosperity gospel” and refer to some ministers who preach it as “prosperity pastors.”
The prosperity gospel promotes the idea that if we have enough faith and live according to the principles of Christian living, God will always reward us with wealth, good health, and prosperity. Some pastors preach that if Christians give generously to their church or ministry, God will greatly bless the givers.
The teaching that our faith, our service to certain causes, or how much money we give to a Christian group automatically determines how we are blessed is not found in the Bible. Instead, scripture reveals that human life is full of struggles, heartache, loss, and grief. We suffer through difficult trials such as illness, financial struggles, unemployment, and dysfunctional families. Jesus predicted that we would have troubles, but told us not to worry about them because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
