Most people who are against prosperity ministries are spot on correct. The truth is, if God intended for everything to go right in our lives, they would. Christians suffer in their physical bodies, with money, and everything else. That’s a fact that cannot be disputed. The error in prosperity ministries is not having material blessings, but preaching that they are available to every believer and some who are milking money out of their congregations. If you respond again, address the issue of christian persecution, poverty, health concerns, etc.

Your concern may be the blessings, but mine is how this teaching is turning people away from salvation through a false gospel. And I am speaking as a woman who sat under these ministries for a number of years and as a woman who has many material blessings. Also, I am still a fan of Paula White. But thank God my focus is on Him rather than the expensive bags I am able to buy, the vacations I plan, the money I make, my health, etc. So please don’t be deceived.

Deuteronomy 8:18

18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

It is obvious that God was speaking to a specific group of people. Was there a covenant sworn to your forefathers? This doesn’t prove your claim.

Joshua 1:7,8

7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Again, who was He talking to? If we accept your assertions, should we also believe that this applies to us:

Joshua 1

2Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel

Were you given any land? Also, verse 8 talks about the book of the law. What law is that? Here is one of the laws that Moses gave to the people:

6If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;

7Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;

8Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:

9But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

Remember, you brought in Joshua 1:7-8 which according to you tells us to meditate on and obey the law of Moses as it will lead to us becoming prosperous. Would you put someone to death for enticing you to serve another God? You can’t apply one part of Joshua 1:8 without applying all of it. Again, it doesn’t prove your claim.

Job 22 (King James Version)

28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Have you studied the book of Job? If this passage proves your claim, then here is a challenge for you: “decree” that the war in Iraq stops tomorrow. Or, decree that the Atlantic Ocean is parted like the Red Sea. Or I’ll try to make it simple decree that you will never suffer any ailment in life. I especially await your response to this one. It’s pivotal to the point I’m making.

As for my scriptures, the very fact that you would doubt my assertion is true (that being the most important message is salvation) is a serious red flag. In fact, prosperity is not important at all (note, I didn’t say it was a sin, just not important). Here are a few:

John 3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again

Galatians 1

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

So if Jesus came to save people from their sins and gave no commandment to preach prosperity and riches, could the prosperity ministries be “another gospel”? It’s obviously the case. What happens if one preaches another gospel? What exactly does the gospel mean to you? Why are bible believing christians severely persecuted in other parts of the world? In your opinion, did they not pray hard enough or meditate on the law (remember the passage your brought in)?

Remember, you stated that you do not like debate but would rather have a discussion for learning purposes (although, debates are for learning purposes). All I ask is that you back up your claims by showing an understanding of the texts in context and how they relate to the real world. Otherwise, thanks for stopping by.

The most important message of Jesus is NOT prosperity but salvation. Any minister who preaches otherwise should be avoided. There is no scripture to support ministries based on prosperity. Now if you’d like to bring in the scriptures you feel back your opinion, please do so and we can have a debate regarding the issue. Fair?