The Wealth Gospel

4:11-13 "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

I would rather talk about more pleasant things, but I feel I must point out the fact that this passage (along with many many others) undermines the false teaching prevalent in some branches of the church that claims God wants all of His children to be rich.

Now it has been made clear already that God has indeed made all His children rich, even in material things. But the teaching of some is a deadly distortion of this glorious Biblical truth. The Bible says that we are rich, even if we possess nothing. It is all ours, and it has all been marshaled for our best interests. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we are going to have a lot of it in our pockets or in our bank accounts. Many times it is God’s will that His people’s pockets and bank accounts be more empty than full.

Some teach that if we have enough faith we will all have abundant money and possessions. This is a dangerous twisting of Scripture. Paul says that he is content EVEN WHEN IN POVERTY! Paul indeed was in poverty much more than in abundance, not because his faith was so small (who would dare to say such a thing!), but because this was God’s best for Paul.

It was not only God’s best for Paul, Paul’s poverty was God’s best for us. If Paul had been rich, he would have been much less able to get through to us in his writings. It is because he suffered so severely and was deprived of so much and yet maintained such zeal and joy and love that he can have such a powerful testimony for Christ to us. PRAISE GOD FOR PAUL’S POVERTY!!!

Those who preach a gospel of health and wealth are fixated on the things of the earth, as if this is the end-all. But the living God is so mighty that He uses poverty and sickness and hardship and persecution to bring about faith and joy and holiness and love. PRAISE GOD FOR MY POVERTIES AND SICKNESSES AND HARDSHIPS AND PERSECUTIONS!!! Have you ever said that before? It’s not too late to begin.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!

Come, disaster, scorn and pain!

In Thy service, pain is pleasure;

With Thy favor, loss is gain

I have called Thee, "Abba, Father";

I have stayed my heart on Thee

Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;

All must work for good to me.

(from "Jesus, I my cross have taken" by Henry Lyte, 1824)

Father, forgive me for how I wail at the slightest pain. Forgive me for feeling sorry for myself when You have given me all there is to give. What a terrible sin it is for me to complain! Please, Lord, help me to be well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake. Help me to truly believe that when I am weak, then I am strong.