The Love of Money
"Some people come to me and say, well I came here to get some peace, not money, and I tell them, you NEED money otherwise you ain't gunna get no peace."
"Some people say it's about peace, joy and love. NO!! It's about MONEY!" –Creflo Dollar
"God didn't create you to be average or poor."
"If you are struggling financially, then you have not got the victory." –Joel Osteen
"Prosperity is a major requirement in the establishment of God’s will," and "God’s will for His people today is abundance" –Kenneth Copeland
"Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
-1 Tim. 6:5-11
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
-Phil. 4:11-13
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
-2 Tim. 4:3-4
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."
-Rev. 3:17-18
Today in America there is a sickness that has spread through our churches. The prosperity gospel has over run our country. It focuses on this world, money, health, comfortability, and not on the eternal things of God. It “tickles the ears” of those who listen. They want to hear “positive” things from their preacher. They want to hear how God wants them to have all that their sinful heart desires. This is not sound doctrine.
The letters to Timothy are part of what is called the “pastoral epistles” they are letters written to Timothy to teach him how to be a pastor and what he is to teach. They also have warnings on what to watch out for and what he should not allow to be taught.
In these Paul goes out of his way to tell Timothy to watch out for those who believe godliness is a means of gain. He tells him to have NOTHING to do with them but to separate from them and to warn others to do the same. Unfortunately our churches today have embraced this unsound doctrine. People do not want to hear about sin, judgement, God’s wrath/anger against the unrepentant sinner, they would rather hear about the God that loves them just the way they are (unrepentant) and wants them to have all the desires of their sinful heart. Churches are teaching people to covet after money and worldly goods instead of pursuing righteousness and godliness. Preachers are LYING from the pulpit in God’s name. They are telling people that God desires them to be rich and healthy.
When we read Phi 4:11-13 Paul says,
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
He was writing while be imprisoned. He was telling them that he had learned to be content in ANY situation, whether abased or abounding, rich or poor, hungry or full, to be in need or abounding, in suffering or in comfort, because he knew Christ and Christ strengthened him to deal with ANY situation that God would place him in. This is the opposite of the prosperity gospel. God does have wealth in store for SOME of His people, King David was rich, but he also has the opposite in store for some of his people, John the Baptist was not rich. Christ is our reward, NOT wealth and comfort in this life.
Paul warns Timothy,
“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
-1 Tim. 6:9-10
He is telling him that when we desire riches and pursue them we have erred from the faith and we will be plunged into destruction and perdition. Now contrast that with what these prosperity teachers are teaching.
It is our duty as Christians to point this error out and call out, by name, those who would pervert the word of God. We have been entrusted with the words of life, ETERNAL LIFE, and we need to preach this truth at all cost. We cannot stand by anymore and let them preach this filth because they use the name of Christ and make people “feel good”. The church in America is perfectly described in revelation when God speaks about Laodicea,
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Rev. 3:17-18
We think because we live a life of wealth and comfort we are blessed when in reality we are spiritually “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”. We need to repent as a nation and cast off this false teaching and get back to the sound doctrine of true biblical Christianity. Those of us who are in sound bible teaching churches can no longer idly look on and not speak out against this. We need to take a strong stance against this and show those caught up in this the errors of this teaching!
