Intellectuelle

I have so little patience for that kind of "health and wealth" preaching. Taking John's "wish you all the best" intro to a personal letter and turning that into God's wish for our "prosperity ... health, wealth ... success in life" ...

"Success" in the kingdom of God is counted by being last. Wealth and prosperity don't figure into it, except under "the deceitfulness of wealth" category as a thing that can choke us.

Oooh, beware.

How much we are yielded to God will determine how much prosperity we enjoy in our lives.

I hear this so often, unfortunately, and it puts complete power to determine one's own "prosperity" in one's own hands. What a horrible burden! A burden Christ came to lift!

I do think that, as our souls prosper, so will we, but prosperity in this sense surely goes beyond the material, though material blessing will often be included. But the point of the blessing isn't us; it's God and His own purposes. (IOW, God doesn't "want" us to prosper and be in good health; rather, He grants these things in His good pleasure and love and purposes.)

That "direct and easy way" line is a scam, too.

So, then Paul's soul must have been failing, since Paul had his thorn in the flesh. Perhaps, Timothy, also was a loser in the spirit realm because he had stomach problems. I would have to conclude that Jesus was not doing too well either since he was indigent and supported by charity. WOW this changes everything....OR perhaps the verse it taken totally out of context and the subsequent explanation should be shoveled out the door with the rest of the trash. I'm just a bit annoyed at stuff like this.

On the other hand, we could get ourselves some big hair, big chairs and lots of mascara and go on the road with a crusade. Money and Beauty-God will give it to you if you buy my special formula...only $99.95.

I thought the author's claims vis-a-vis 3 John 2 were preposterous.

I also wonder how this health/wealth hooey plays in countries where candid Christianity virtually guarantees intense suffering or death? (Jesus owned a Malibu mansion and drve a BMW camel, right?)

The tragedy of this misreading of scripture is especially troublesome among places in the world and among groups of people who, let's face it, will probably not see prosperity of this type in their lifetime. I'm talking about most of the developing world. Has God not blessed my lower class brothers and sisters in Brasil, South America, where I grew up? What kind of arrogance would make me believe that I'm more deserving of God's blessings than they are?

By the way, prosperity gospel is wildly popular in Brasil and therefore especially destructive and tragic.