Most
Xns I know are not prosperity gospel devotees. But, they will say things like "there's nothing in the bible that says you can't be rich and a
Xn". I got to thinking recently is that true?
Firstly what is rich? Most people I know wouldn't consider me rich. Mainly because they live in a better suburb have higher incomes and drive nicer cars than me. But compared to people through out time I am
friggin’ loaded and compared to people round the world I am also
friggin’ loaded. Purely by having running water a flushing toilets more clothing than I can wear in a week, a perfectly functioning mode of transport that will get anywhere around the city I live, a telephone,
Internet connection, food that is so cheap and plentiful it only takes up 20% of the family budget and stable housing that I will one day own outright... means I am extremely rich. This is far far more than almost anyone in the world past or present could even imagine being possible.
None the less most people I know would not consider me rich. So one of the problems is that the average westerner understands rich as simply having more than most of those around you. So for someone with more than average in a poor suburb might feel richer than someone less than average in a rich suburb even though the first person might have less than the second person.
None the less lets look at some of the texts...
Mathew 19:21 The Rich Young Man
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
Proverbs 23:4
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist.
Luke 16:13
No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." God The Pharisees, who were lovers of money , heard all this, and they ridiculed him.
Acts 5:1-5
But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it.
The first
Xns to be chucked out of church is a couple who die because
they sold their own property and didn't share all proceeds with everyone. Can you imagine a church visitors card with...
[] I would like to find out more about becoming a member if this Church (N.B this will involve selling all you own and contributing that to a common pool)
Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
Here Jesus is comparing the biggest known object with smallest known hole. Although I've often heard people say this just means it's harder not impossible. I don't think could be right. Surely the point is that this is something that is physically
impossible.
Psalm 49:1-9
Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp. Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly, no ransom avails for one's life, there is no price one can give to God for it. For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice, that one should live on forever and never see the grave.
rich to grave rest of us restored
1 Timothy 6:10
Money is the root of all evil
The list goes on and on... Especially from Jesus. Here are some of
Jesus sayings about money. (Care of
www.pcusa.org/stewardship/bigtent/jesusmary.pdf)
Money and Possessions
- The Rich Fool—Luke 12:16-21
- The Shrewd Manager 16:1-8
- The Talents—Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27
God’s Ownership
- The Cost of Discipleship—Luke 14:28-33
- The Faithful and Wise Servant—Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-48
- The Great Banquet—Luke 14:16-24
- The Master and his Servant—Luke 17:7-10
- The Shepherd and his Flock—John 10:1-18
- The Tenants—Matthew 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-11; Luke 20:9-18
- The Thief—Matthew 24:42-44; Luke 12:39-40
- The Two Sons—Matthew 21:28-32
- The Unfruitful Fig Tree—Luke 13:6-9
- The Unmerciful Servant—Matthew 18:23-35
- The Watchful Servants—Mark 13:34-37; Luke 12:35-40
- The Wedding Banquet—Matthew 22:2-14
- Human Prosperity and Poverty
- The Lost Sheep—Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7
- The Rich Man and Lazarus—Luke 16:19-31
- The Widow’s Mite—Mark 12:43-44
- Bigger Barns—Luke 12:16-21
Gratitude
- The Workers in the Vineyard—Matthew 20:1-16
- The Pharisee and the Tax Collector—Luke 18:9-14
- Woman Anointing Jesus—Luke 7:36-49
- Following God in Finances
- Two Masters—Matthew 6:24
- Deny Self and Follow Me—Matthew 16:24-26
- Don’t Worry About Life—Luke 12:22-34
- Good Measure will be Given Back—Luke 6:37-38
- Much Given, Much Required—Luke 12:48
Eternal Reward
- The Hidden Treasure—Matthew 13:44
- The Lowest Seat at the Feast—Luke 14:7-14
- The Sheep and the Goats—Matthew 25:31-46
- The Valuable Pearl—Matthew 13:45-46
- The Wise and Foolish Builders—Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49
And, it's all through the law and the prophets too. One of the things that marks the God’s people being how they care for the poor. This
was taken up by the early church who were well known for how they looked after the poor.
For most of us we don't think as
ourselves as being greedy when we are accumulating wealth. We
usually talk about being good stewards of our money. Saving it for a rainy day but Jesus even challenges this kind of thinking.
Luke 12:22-34
He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
When it comes to stewardship I'm pretty sure that most of what is talked about as good stewardship is how we handle other peoples money not how we handle our own So it's more like how we handle the company expense account or how charities handle monies donated in grants. Not whether we buy a share portfolio or invest in property.
Obviously the prosperity gospel is about a neat a fit with the text as Satan worshipping random acts violence gospel. When it comes to the question can you be rich and a
Xn. I reckon the answer just has to be no.
A few years ago I went to what I'd describe as a
Xn money scam seminar. Kind of a "God wants you to get rich quick and here's how". The question was asked can you handle the responsibility of looking after huge amounts of cash for God? I could feel the whole room itching to yell out "yes!!!" In a moment of quiet introspection I thought you know what I don't think I could be appropriately generous if I had loads of cash. I'd live in a better suburb drive a better car and buy a real nice guitar. Years later I''m still living in a suburb that is synonymous with unemployment or at best blue collar but not trade qualified. So, it was quite a surprise to see one of the seminar lecturers living in the same suburb as me. I wondered did everything fall flat for him or is he earning huge dollars but choosing to slum it. I just wasn't brave enough to ask.
