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Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud - Religion - Nairaland

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Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud by pheesayor(m): 11:57am On Dec 23, 2013
WHY THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL IS A FRAUD



THE LIE: Christians will prosper even if Nigeria remains sick and poor.

THE TRUTH: God will prosper a few people through miracles and wonders. A few will have breakthroughs. But God’s plan for the prosperity of the majority is through a well-ordered, well-governed prosperous society. The answer to the various prayers for breakthrough lies simply in the transformation of Nigeria. The path to transforming Nigeria is not through Christians believing and confessing prosperity scriptures. It is by their choosing obedience, faithfulness and righteousness. It is by refusing to pay or give bribes. It is by upholding the sanctity of sexual fidelity strictly and solely within the confines of marriage, abhorrence of fornication and adultery, hearts and conducts pure and true. It is by the pastors and leaders of CAN and PFN telling the political leaders the bitter truth like Jesus told Herod, Elijah told Ahab and John the Baptist told Herod; rather than flocking around corrupt politicians cap-in-hand. That way, the Nigerian church, both its leaders and followers, will be the salt and light, God will then use our righteousness as a seed to heal and transform Nigeria. Most of us will thus become prosperous. We will no longer need breakthrough seeds, breakthrough offerings, breakthrough teachings, breakthrough conferences etc. Rather, we will be living continuously in breakthrough because the nation has broken through. THIS PROSPERITY GOSPEL THAT GIVES US A HOPE THAT THE MILLIONS OF NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS WILL BECOME PROSPEROUS REGARDLESS OF THE STATE OF THE NATION IS A FRAUD.

Just look around you. Nigeria is full of millions of struggling people; and many of those people are Christians. If we preach the truth, it delivers results, it sets free. We have preached this prosperity gospel for 30 years. At the end of it, what is the situation of Nigeria?

1. 54% live on less than N6,000 monthly worse than almost 70% of Sub-Saharan African countries including Togo (28%), Ethiopia (31%) and Uganda (38%)!; (World Bank’s World Development Report 2013)

2. Life expectancy of 52 years is 33rd in Sub-Saharan Africa; (World Bank’s World Development Report 2013)

3. Lagos is the 3rd most difficult city to live in the entire globe; (Pocket World In Figures 2013 Edition, International Economist) and

4. “1.2 billion people live in destitution out of which 100 million are Nigerians”: Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly – World Bank Country Director for Nigeria; The Punch, Wednesday 13 November 2013; Page 32.

The situation of the average Christian, whether traditional, evangelical or Pentecostal, is not better than the average Nigerian. Christians are suffering as much as the average Nigerian. Why?

The prosperity gospel misses a fundamental principle and pattern of Divine prosperity. GOD’S PRIMARY PLATFORM AND STRAYEGY FOR ENSURING THAT THE MAJORITY PROSPER AND LIVE WELL IS THROUGH A WELL-ORDERED, WELL-GOVERNED PROSPEROUS SOCIETY; NOT THROUGH BREAKTHROUGHS AND MIRACLES.

God’s perfect plan was revealed in Eden. God cleaned out the confusion on the earth and transformed Eden into “heaven on earth” with every imaginable abundance. Then he put Adam there. Adam didn’t need to bother about asking God daily for food, a house or a car. He was in an environment that was prosperous. Consequently his conversations with God were communion, fellowship and worship; not petitions and requests. This is God’s plan for man’s prosperity.

The situation of the environment is so crucial that even when Adam fell, in order for the curse to take effect, God had to curse the environment. If the environment remained prosperous, Adam would have remained prosperous. So God cursed “Adam’s economy”.

Gen 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. KJV

The prosperity gospel deceives us into thinking that we will prosper in multitudes as millionaires and billionaires while Nigeria is languishing in poverty. That is not God’s pattern. When God sends rain, it blesses both the righteous and the unrighteous. The way for the righteous to prosper is for there to be rain of prosperity on the country.

Matt 5:45b for he (God) gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. Living Bible

Forget about a Nigeria where there are hordes of millionaires and billionaires because they are Christians while the nation is languishing in poverty. That expectation is not validated by the scriptures, neither by history nor current affairs. All prosperous peoples and civilisations have a very small ratio of very rich people; but they are societies that are well-ordered and well-governed promising almost everyone a minimum standard of living. They have excellent public and MISSION schools that are very affordable providing all children regardless of the estate of their parents access to excellent education; superb and affordable public and MISSION hospitals provide world-class healthcare; functional transport systems which are so comfortable and accessible are used by both the rich and poor so people don’t have to wake at 4am get to work at 8am as several people do in Lagos. The Messenger and CEO can sit side by side in a functional, neat, well-managed train etc. And the poor, the widows, the orphans have sufficient welfare support from MISSIONS and the government, so that none need live below the poverty line, as almost 100 million Nigerians currently do. Tax and charity are high, but the management of the public and MISSION treasury is efficient and transparent so people don’t complain. This is God’s prosperity plan.

Breakthroughs and miracles are a confirmation of the power of God and the Lordship of Jesus, primarily as a sign to those who are yet to commit to the Lordship of Jesus, and secondarily as an encouragement to those of us who have. But breakthroughs and miracles are not the basis on which the majority will enter into prosperity. If we are going to prosper in substantial numbers (and this is God’s plan) Christians must take up the responsibility for transformation by being true salt. It doesn’t take our occupying the commanding heights in politics, commerce or industry. All that it takes is our righteousness and faithfulness.

Please pause for one moment and let us think together. How come the majority of Nigerian Christians who are praying and confessing prosperity will grab the first opportunity to get a green card in America or a residence permit in Europe? Is it because there are more churches in those countries? Or is it because the spiritual climate is more fervent?

We have been conned into believing that as long as we tithe, sow, pay firstfruits, believe and confess, we will live in an ocean of financial prosperity regardless of the situation of Nigeria. Are we saying tithes, sowing, etc. is not necessary? We are not saying that; on the contrary tithes are a requirement in both the Old and New Testament. We encourage you to pay your tithes in your local church. HOWEVER, FIRSTFRUITS DEFINED AS YOUR FIRST INCOME IN THE YEAR WHICH MUST BE GIVEN 100% IS NOT IN THE BIBLE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GIVE 100% OF YOUR FIRST INCOME IN 2014 OR ANY OTHER YEAR; IT IS NEITHER A DEMAND NOR REQUIREMENT. After your tithe which we reiterate is a requirement, any other offering is freewill. You are not under obligation to pay your January 2014 income as firsfruits. There are so many contrary feedbacks we have received to our position on tithes. Many don’t believe that tithing is a New Testament requirement; some are probably withholding their tithes to protest the unjustifiable and unbiblical lack of transparency in financial management of several churches; others believe that tithes should be given to the needy or wherever we choose, not the necessarily the church. We will address these issues in a separate post. If you have a contrary view, please wait for the relevant post. By God’s grace, it shall be up before the end of the year. We plead with you to save your comments on tithes till then.

ACTION POINTS: WHAT SHOULD EACH OF US DO?

1. Commit to a holy lifestyle for without holiness, no man shall see God. Without your unwavering commitment, holiness is unattainable.

2. Flee fornication and adultery. Cut off every sexually immoral relationship.

3. Stop paying or receiving bribes, regardless of what it will cost you.

4. You cannot be lazy. You must study the bible diligently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit so you can find out what is right.

5. Pray regularly and diligently. Pray for your church leaders and pray for the church in Nigeria. Pray for true revival. Banish the spirit of Mammon in prayer. Ask God in prayer to cleanse His Body in Nigeria and make us true salt and light. It helps to pray a lot in other tongues.

6. THE DUTY OF ENSURING YOU ARE NOT MISLED IS THE DUTY OF EVERY SAINT. Give what the bible says priority over what your Pastor says

7. Recognize false teachings motivated by greed and refuse it. 2 Peter 2:1-6 1 3 These teachers in their greed will tell you anything to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago and their destruction is on the way. Living Bible.

8. Pay your tithes faithfully

9. Refuse to be compelled to pay firstfruits

10. Meditate on the scriptures below

SCRIPTURES:

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health , EVEN AS THY SOUL PROSPERETH. KJV

Matt 5:45b for he (God) gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. Living Bible

2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. KJV;

2 Chron 7:14 (“These Lies Must Stop Translation”) Nigerian Christians are quite good at fasting, praying and seeking to prosper. But it pains my heart that much as they pray, fast and seek to prosper, majority of my children in Nigeria are suffering and living in poverty. The reason is that they have conformed to the evil behavior and customs of their country, particularly bribery and corruption. If a sufficient number of Nigerian Christians resolutely resolve to shun this vice, and stop paying or giving bribes, I will heal their land. My transformed children will make their government’s transformation agenda a possibility and a reality. Then both my children and many other Nigerians will enjoy the riches and greatness I have destined for Nigeria.

Luke 11:42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For though you are careful to tithe even the smallest part of your income, you completely forget about justice and the love of God. YOU SHOULD TITHE, YES, but you should not leave these other things undone. Living Bible

https://www.facebook.com/LiesMustStop
Re: Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud by PastorKun(m): 8:00pm On Dec 23, 2013
This article is hypocritical as it supports the foundation on which the fraudulent prosperity gospel is built which is tithes. Tithing remains the biggest fraud in the history of mankind and is definitely not a true christian doctrine.

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Re: Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud by pheesayor(m): 1:42pm On Dec 24, 2013
Pastor Kun: This article is hypocritical as it supports the foundation on which the fraudulent prosperity gospel is built which is tithes. Tithing remains the biggest fraud in the history of mankind and is definitely not a true christian doctrine.
your opinion
Re: Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud by PastorKun(m): 1:59pm On Dec 24, 2013
pheesayor:
your opinion

Nope, it's a well documented biblical based + sound fact. tongue
Re: Why The Prosperity Gospel Is A Fraud by fredx4(m): 3:50pm On Dec 24, 2013
When men shall say there's a casting down, you shall say there's a lifting up. God can make you prosperous no matter the country you live in. Buh my question is that, is christianity all about prosperity? I assumed the article was going to be about that.

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