Prosperity Gospel: The Problem and the Balance
The problem
Most often than not, when the issue of prosperity is mentioned, what comes to the mind of an average Nigerian, particularly Christians, is money or being material rich. In other words, prosperity equates material wealth and financial capability. Is this surprising? I do not think so, especially because of the damage some preachers have done to the subject of prosperity. This line of thought is a product of the kind of teaching known technically as the prosperity gospel, where the proponents teach that health and material prosperity is a right of all believers in Jesus Christ. In other words, prosperity gospel teaches that all must be rich and that sin is the only factor that could prevent a Christian from being materially prosperous. Sadly, this misleading teaching has gained great popularity and wide acceptance by a major part of the Church in Nigeria today. This teaching, rather than liberating the Church, is putting it in bondage and limiting the impact of the Christian message in the public sphere.
When I listen to various sermons on radio, television and as I read in the print media as well as on the social media, I cannot but think about how it is that prosperity has assumed a different dimension in Nigeria. Everywhere seems to have been permeated with the message of breakthrough and prosperity which is undoubtedly promoting corruption. You hear almost on a daily basis of atrocities some people commit in the name of God while preaching their gospel of prosperity, and expectedly, the evils that men who have listened to the unbalanced sermons on prosperity perpetrate. As a matter of fact, it is no longer news that Nigeria is one of the most corrupt nations on planet earth today. The subject of corruption is the most talked about and strongest challenge facing the people and nation of Nigeria today. Corruption is evident in virtually all the strata of the Nigeria society.
Unfortunately, the Church, which is the ground and pillar of truth, and that should supposedly be the conscience of the society has also been caught in the web of this deadly plague. The Christian fold is now divided on the definition of prosperity, as evident in the debate that broke out in Nigeria, following the news of the gift of a private jet given to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, a former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), by members of his congregation, on the occasion of his birthday and 40th ordination anniversary.
The debate centered on the opulent lifestyles of some pastors within the Nigerian Pentecostal circles as highlighted earlier in 2011by Forbes, a popular American business and financial information magazine, which published a list of some Religious Functionaries as the richest pastors in Nigeria. While some Nigerian social commentators see the acquisition of private jets and the display of opulence by some pastors, especially those belonging to the Pentecostal circles as signs of divine prosperity, others see it as a dent on the image of the church in the public sphere.
In any case, the proponents of the prosperity gospel, as being preached in Nigeria, promise their adherents almost anything and everything in the name of prosperity. They claim that Christ promised health and wealth by all means. Prosperity preachers argue that poverty in the lives of Christians can only be traced to sin, faithlessness, and unbelief.
Undoubtedly, poverty is one the major crises confronting Nigeria today. While this is not a challenge peculiar to Nigeria and indeed Africa, the continent houses most of the poorest human beings on earth. Sadly, a recent study conducted by the Brookings Institution, a United States of American think-tank reveals that Nigeria is home to some of the poorest people on earth today.
Because poverty has affected every aspect of Nigeria’s national life, the Church has had her share of the challenge and since the Church cannot fold her arms in face this situation, she has looked for ways of responding to the unfortunate situation. One of the ways devised by some Church leaders to accomplish this goal, is by using the Word of God to give hope and encouragement to the people, and it was from there that the message of prosperity spread and increased.
Prosperity preachers argue that the church should work hard to combat social, political and economic oppression in our society. The theology found its springboard on how Jesus Christ ministered to the poor and outcast in the society. While this is true, it is however unfortunate that, in the process of doing the above, many have misinterpreted and manipulated the word of God to suit their purposes.
The prosperity preachers, as they are popularly being referred to, have also claimed that most people have refused to get their material prosperity and miracles because of faithlessness and unbelief. The fallout of the teachings of these prosperity preachers is that they do not usually emphasize the supremacy of God on any issue as it relates to individuals and mankind as a whole. The very important issue of sin is also not a very important topic in the content of the prosperity gospel theology.
The Balance
According to Samuel Abogunrin, ‘the promises of material blessing by Yahweh were contingent on complete loyalty and obedience on the part of Israel. Unfortunately, today, the eager audience is fed with the great promises of God’s abundant blessings, almost to the neglect of the conditions under which those blessings will flow. At this juncture, I like to say categorically and emphatically that God is not against the success of His people, but there is a balance according to His word. It is worthy to mention at this juncture however, that, while the Old Testament gave an elaborate and comprehensive teaching on wealth and poverty, as well as God’s favourable deposition to the poor; the word of God never promised wealth for everyone. A comprehensive look at the relevant Bible passages quickly reveals that the Old Testament (or biblical) view of wealth is more complex. In fact, scripture teaches three basic principles about wealth.
First, wealth is not condemned. For example, we read in Genesis 13:2 that Abraham had great wealth. In Job 42:10 we see that God once again blessed Job with material possessions. In Deuteronomy, Proverb and Ecclesiastes, wealth is seen as evidence of God’s blessing. But even though wealth might be an evidence of God’s blessing, believers are not to trust in it. Proverbs, Jeremiah and others teach that the believers should not trust in wealth but in God.
Second, when wealthy people in the Bible were condemned, they were condemned for the means by which their riches were obtained not for the riches themselves. The Old Testament prophet Amos railed against the injustice of obtaining wealth through oppression or fraud. Micah spoke out against the unjust scales and light weight with which Israel defrauded the poor. Neither Amos nor Micah condemned wealth per se; they only denounced the unjust means by which it is sometimes achieved.
Third, Christians should be concerned about the effect wealth can have on our lives. We read in Proverbs 30:8-9 and Hosea 13:6 that wealth often tempts us to forget about God. Wealthy believers may no longer look to God for their provision because they can meet their basic needs. We read in Ecclesiastes 2 and 5 that people who are wealthy cannot really enjoy their wealth. Even billionaires often reflex on the fact that they cannot really enjoy the wealth that they have. Moreover Proverbs 28:11 and Jeremiah 9:23 warn that wealth often leads to pride and arrogance.
