The Spiritual Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel

“The early church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.” – Leonard Ravenhill.

 If you adhere to the teachings found within the prosperity doctrine, please allow some room to consider my words. And I pray that the Bible will act as an arbiter between us and allow you to see the problems inherent in this doctrine. In fact, the teaching frequently goes by the descriptor, “the Prosperity Gospel”. I do find this to be ironic, considering it is a self-condemning name. It seems to distinguish itself from the Biblical gospel, as if it recognizes that it has some fundamental divergence from God’s word.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed”. (Galatians 1:8 KJV)

Accursed is strong language. It suggests to us that some time should be taken to understand the ramifications of this teaching, and to determine if it passes the Biblical litmus test. If it doesn’t, it is a false teaching given by a false teacher. If it detracts from our relationship with God, it is condemnable and heretical.

JESUS CHRIST - Much greater than a "Superstar

I don't like going to church (especially a new church) and feeling like I've just seen yet another performance of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar."

If you haven't seen the play, it ends with the suicide of Judas and crucifixion of Christ. The end.

We Christians know that the crucifixion of our Savior is not the end. It's a new beginning, a second birth, "born again," to quote Jesus' conversation at night with the sympathetic, believing pharisee, Nicodemus (John 3.)

I've heard the proverbial THE END from prominent televangelists. For instance a couple years ago I was watching Pat Robertson referencing Jesus on the "700 Club." I paraphrase him, "[It's amazing when you realize] that this man was born to die." With all due respect to Mr. Robertson, I ask how is that statement different than any other human being's fate on this earth?

Scared straight: educational ponderables as a deterrent to sexual sin.

Maintaining one’s purity in an impure society is difficult. Spiritual strength is paramount to overcome iniquitous allures. Yet, the Bible also gives us plenty of council on the practicality of righteousness, and how it is easier to walk upright if we learn to avoid temptations outright. So this article is focusing on the practicality of holiness.. and how education can give us pause from fornication and/or adultery, by showing us the fearful physical or worldly consequences that could befall us. For when sin touches this world and our lives, it doesn’t just sully our souls; it can have lasting effects on our bodies and mental state. If you’ve had unprotected sex, have a new partner (or more than one partner) this is a consideration. And if you’re a Christian struggling with this temptation, this article is meant to scare you straight and take the edge off that unrighteous desire. Sex is not a trivial activity. And Christians that face temptations should reinforce their fortifications from fornication with information.

Understanding these consequences forms a deterrent to engaging in sexual immorality. This principle is embraced Biblically as well as worldly. It’s for this reason that we are taught that cigarette smoke can cause lung cancer or emphysema. The association of the potential `what-if’ warns us of the risks involved in tobacco, and these risks help to steer us away from this product. And within the sexual niche of this discussion, it can similarly be seen in the government’s educational drive for condom use as a means of safeguarding our bodies from the dangers of unplanned pregnancy and venereal disease (particularly AIDS, which alongside unwed pregnancy has an adverse effect on social programs and hence governmental resources).

Shame

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things have become new”. (2 Cor 5:17)

This article is not for the brow beating of the saints. It is not meant to condemn or diminish the Lord’s children by suggesting they should wallow continually and eternally in the past affairs of their flesh. When we are born again, we are new creatures in Christ, and the feats of the flesh are the dead memory of our old self, our “old man”. This article seeks to look at a rare occurrence where a Christian’s standing in Christ may not be on as solid as they had presumed. And as such, is intended to cause reflection as to whether we conform to this odd spiritual malignity, a holdover from our past that has no place in our present or future.