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A short note to self:
At the root of my impatience is my self-centeredness. Pride is my chief enemy.
John Piper has posted an article on “Prosperity Preaching” and it’s deadly effects. A couple of excerpts from the article and then the link to the full text.
“What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.” - John Piper
“There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.” - John Piper
“Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly”
One of the things that draws me time and again to the preaching of John Piper is his relentless pursuit of the glory of God in Jesus Christ. His total lack of concern for pursuing the American Dream of wealth and comfort is so refreshing. I once heard him say something to the effect of “There is nothing wrong with Christians making lots of money, only with Christians making lots of money and keeping it.” Can you believe this statement? I pray that more and more I will become this type of person.
The prosperity Gospel is not Gospel. It is an assault on the glory of God, and kills the people who try to be saved by it.
If what we treasure and how we spend our time and money looks just like those outside the church, those outside figure, whats the difference? That’s one of the biggest problems the Church has. If we offer only more of the same of what they already have, why bother? In order for those outside the Church to be attracted to Christ we the Church must display Him as supremely desirable.
Christianity is not a religion for good or moral people. It is in fact a place for the broken and sick. This is not to say that there are some who are not in need of what Christ brings. All have sinned and have fallen short of treasuring God as they should. All have been wounded and have wounded others. Christians should be good and moral, but that is not the cause, but the effect of what Christ has done and is doing.
