John Ben Regesh, J. D.

Blog:

2/20/10  The Prosperity Sermon

A young pastor two weeks ago sent me a fascinating treatise about how the Bible became the mark of the devil.  I have spent a long time reading and studying it. I never outright dismiss anyone's thought; and even if eventually I do not agree, I see what they have that is a good thought. One of the things he was condemning was the preaching of a prosperity Sermon and he named people like Swaggert, Roberts, Osteen, etc.  

So in light of my own research I thought I'd give it some consideration. While I do not like the message that you need to believe and be saved and believe and be rich there are some things that do bear out in the message.  The problem is the Prosperity Preachers are not giving the full message. They are giving that part of the message that really benefits them. Do not blame them, they do not know any better.  

What they are preaching is the words of Paul and their theology, what there is of it, is based on Paul. However if you go back to Jesus and we always must go back to Jesus.

Matthew 5: 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

So, if we take Paul out of the equation, which my book does, then we must realize how Jesus was talking about the Law of God.  And if indeed we go back to the Law of God, in the First Five Books of the Bible, we find the Law So let us take a look at the Law of God and see what He says:

 Deuteronomy 7:  11Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

 12Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

 13And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee.

 14Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

 15And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. KJV

 

So we see that God makes the promise that if you obey His Laws and Commandments, that is ALL OF THEM, then He will make you prosperous. And there is more. After you die, you will be saved and spend eternity with Him. 

　

 

John Ben Regesh © 2010