2Peter 2:1  But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2Peter 2:2  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
2Peter 2:3  By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.



I think its important that we continue our study on 2 Peter 2 and the issue of false teachers. This is relevant for all of us because none of us are so innately wise that we cannot be deceived. In fact, if you believe that you cannot be deceived, you are ALREADY deceived - on that very point, at least.

Furthermore, the Scriptures warn us that false teachers will outnumber the true ones in popularity in the Last Days. Paul for example taught:

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2Ti 4:4  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

He then goes on to say:

2Ti 4:5  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.



Today there are a lot of people who want to be RICH "BIBLE" TEACHERS. They don't want to be evangelists, enduring hardship, lack of sleep, and having to deal with people who are hateful or indifferent. Much more fun to be a "teacher".

The key to succeeding in that line of work, as any clever marketer will tell you,  is to teach people WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR. They have "itching ears" - give them what they want. If the people want better sex, more money, high powered rock and roll, personal fame, fun with alcohol and a license to sin because of the grace of God, teach them that that is perfectly acceptable and that Jesus came to provide all that, and God wants them to go for it as long as they do it for "the Kingdom". If you do that, and you have charisma, you might go far! Until of course, God catches up with you. End of rant.

2Peter 2:3  By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

What is "covetousness"?

Covetousness is defined may be defined as an inordinate passion for the acquisition of wealth. How much passion for wealth is OK? If you are not indifferent to wealth, you probably have too much passion for it. Sometimes God ordains that a believer have wealth, but the Scriptures warn against "desiring to be rich".

1Ti 6:8  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
1Ti 6:9  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1Ti 6:11  But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

Other synonyms include greediness, avarice and so on. It is the love of money. Covetousness is a strong desire for lots of the things of the world, the things money can buy.

If acquiring a better house or a better car means more to you than God and His interests, you are a covetous person. Covetousness is a form of idolatry. It is to value the things of this world more highly than God. The "god" of a person is what they love, sacrifice for, esteem, trust in and work for the most. For many people, this is money. But this is not an acceptable attitude for a child of God. We have a Father who can provide ALL we need without us being primarily focussed on money.

False Teachers are Generally Covetous and Teach Covetousness

2Peter 2:3  By covetousness they [the false teachers] will exploit you with deceptive words;

False teachers deceive people in order to gain a material advantage. If someone says, "God has said , ", or, "The LORD says, " and the LORD has NOT said, that person is a deceiver.

So the classic template for these kinds of deceptive words goes something like this:

"Now as I was sitting on the platform, the LORD spoke to me, and He said: 'I want to break the bondage of debt tonight. Call the people to make a sacrificial DEBT BUSTING offering, and if they act NOW, I will break the bondage of their debt. Hallelujah!' "

or how about:

"You know its ok to be rich. Abraham was rich. God wants to you to be rich too, but something is blocking the release of those precious finances to you. But tonight, we are going to deal with it, bless God. The LORD said, "Tell the people to plant their best seed faith offering, and I will Open the Windows of Heaven and provide a 100 fold return. I will break the curse." But beloved, you must act NOW. This special blessing won't be available for long. Ooooh, I feel the power of God tonight! I'm never wrong when I feel it like this."

After that might follow a testimony of someone who received a large inheritance after giving to the preacher. You get the drift.

Beware of Christian Ponzi Schemes

Ever got those emails from Nigeria telling you that you have been chosen to receive $43,000,000 (FORTY THREE MILLION DOLLARS) from the widow of a deceased dictator? And all you have to do, if you reply to them, is pay some kind of admin fee to release the money? I get about 5 a day of these kind, most end up in my spam folder and I never read them. Victims of these scammers who send off the money are going to get another letter saying there is yet another person who must be bribed, fee that must be paid, etc etc.

Now let us compare this to the modus operandi of some seed faith preachers.

Instead of the rich widow, it is GOD who is going to make you rich. Instead of the admin fee, there is the seed faith offering. But you must keep believing, and keep giving, even when it doesn't work.

The person who is really being enriched in these operations is the scammer or the preacher. They are selling false hope to people who want to be super rich.

I am not saying that God does not bring financial blessings to people who are generous. He does. But the perversion comes when it is reduced to a "law" or "formula" and the emphasis is on the money, not on the true priorities of the Holy Spirit. The hypnotic words of the preacher urging generous gifts become the substitute for God's voice. Lies are employed in order to make people empty their wallets. These practices, according to the Scriptures, will SURELY bring the destruction of God upon the perpetrators.

"for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. " 2 Peter 2:3b

We need to learn the voice of God for ourselves. Did you notice that Jesus told people to give to the POOR? Not to his ministry. Yes, there were people who gave to Jesus' ministry, but they didn't do it to BECOME rich, some of them already WERE well-to-do.

You need to make sure in your giving that you are not being played for a sucker by a deceiver who is a lover of money, a lover of the praise of man, an esteemed false teacher in the apostate part of the church.

Personally, it is disturbing to me that many TV preachers seem to need to keep coming up with more and more bizarre ways of raising money, ways which drag down God's Holy name, while they themselves live in luxurious mansions and fly around in private jets. Just because it seems to WORK well for them does not mean that God approves.

2Pe 2:2  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

You see this kind of blasphemy even today in the kinds of songs and movies that have been put out.

Here is a classic one by Phil Collins which kind of illustrates what I have been talking about.

,

Nice write up, if only they would read and learn. Prosperity gospel is a tool the devil is using to defraud and enslave so called christians.

years back, I watched Tunde bakare on TV say he has banned his kids and entire household from watching TBN, I felt irritated at the statement. But now with a more mature mind, I look at TBN and I cant help but agree totally with Tunde Bakare. you're hardly 30mins on TBN before you see a preacher confidently raising funds in the most bizarre means.

I hope the prosperity gospel adherents of CEC, winners chapel and KICC who throng this thread are reading and learning. It is a false gospel designed for your itchy ears by fraudulent teachers who want to take advantage of you, a word is enough for the wise.

Nice post

frosbel:

We need to learn the voice of God for ourselves. Did you notice that Jesus told people to give to the POOR? Not to his ministry. Yes, there were people who gave to Jesus' ministry, but they didn't do it to BECOME rich, some of them already WERE well-to-do.

I really liked this bit

If you dont want to proper put your hands up! I need to bless lives cant afford to be poor. Abraham was not poor and i am a seed of Abraham. Laka donsa mende mende all things are mine. Gbam.

3 John 2

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health , even as thy soul prospereth.
KJV

The desire of God is that i prosper and remain healthy even as my soul prospers. It is the devil that make pple sick and poor Jesus came to give us life in its fullness.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
KJV



1 Cor 3:21-22

21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours ;

22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours
KJV

God has given me all things in this present world and the world to come. It is not suffer suffer for earth enjoy for heaven, it is enjoy for here and continue and enter a bigger enjoyment in heaven.

nuella2:

If you dont want to proper put your hands up! I need to bless lives cant afford to be poor. Abraham was not poor and i am a seed of Abraham. Laka donsa mende mende all things are mine. Gbam.

I too want to prosper since I am a seed of Abraham, . . . but wait a minute nuella2, I thought you said Abraham was not born again, how come you are his seed and want to prosper like him?  Aren't you greater than Abraham?

^^^
I didnt say he was not saved. Dont derail the thread sir. If you want to talk about when they became born again, you can resurect that thread.

He was a righteous man on earth, being born again got to do with the spirit of a person.  There was no new creature on earth until christ died. The death, burial, resurrection and ascension of christ brought about a new race of people.

nuella2:

^^^
I didnt say he was not saved. Dont derail the thread sir. If you want to talk about when they became born again, you can resurect that thread.

He was a righteous man on earth, being born again got to do with the spirit of a person.  There was no new creature on earth until christ died. The death, burial, resurrection and ascension of christ brought about a new race of people.

How am I derailing the thread ma?  It was you that said you are a seed of Abraham and my question is that if Abraham was not born again how are you his seed and ready claiming his prosperity?  Unless you are saying that being saved is different from being born again. Is Abraham's righteousness different from yours?

^^^
If the righteousness of Abraham was just okay by God, why on earth did Jesus still have to die. Dont you think Jesus suffered for nothing if there was nothing significant about his death, If his death will really make no difference what and why did Jesus die?

The blood of animals could not make the spirit of a man alive unto God.

Heb 9:11-15

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.KJV


Without the dead of christ verse 15 says the people who died before christ could not receive the promise of eternal life.  The blood of animals only sactified the flesh verse 13, but the blood of christ could purge a man's body, spirit and soul to serve the living God.

Why was Abraham in hell?

Why didnt he go to heaven immediately he died, HE could not cos only the blood of christ could present people perfect before God.

nuella2:

^^^
If the righteousness of Abraham was just okay by God, why on earth did Jesus still have to die. Dont you think Jesus suffered for nothing if there was nothing significant about his death, If his death will really make no difference what and why did Jesus die?

I believe you could answer my question. Is Abraham's righteousness different from yours? In other words is Abraham's righteousness according to faith or works?

The Deceitfulness of Riches

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful" (Mark 4:18-19)

There is currently a widespread teaching among evangelicals that material prosperity is a right which accrues to the Christian who will do certain things. This "prosperity gospel," however, is merely a false front for the old-fashioned sin of "covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

The Lord Jesus, in His parable of the sower, warned that this "deceitfulness of riches" along with "the cares of this world" and then "the lusts of other things" could soon choke out whatever place the Word of God might once have had in the believer's life. In no way does the Lord ever promise material wealth to a Christian, but the desire for money and its power has surely crushed the spiritual lives and testimonies of multitudes. "They that will [i.e., desire to] be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts. . . . 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 Timothy 6:9-10). If, by His grace, the Lord does enable a Christian to acquire wealth, it should be regarded as a divine stewardship and opportunity for ministry.

The apostle Paul, who died penniless in this world but with great treasures laid up in heaven, expressed it thus: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come" (1 Timothy 6:17-19). HMM

For more . . . .

Insightful commentary overall, but I am a bit concerned about this aspect:

frosbel:

How much passion for wealth is OK? If you are not indifferent to wealth, you probably have too much passion for it. Sometimes God ordains that a believer have wealth, but the Scriptures warn against "desiring to be rich".

Indifference cannot be the appropriate attitude for a Christian towards wealth - if you are 'indifferent' how can you be a good man that leaves an inheritance for his children's children? How can you prepare for the future if you are indifferent/not concerned about wealth?

What we should focus on the core motive behind any pursuit, be it wealth, education or anything else.

What is clear is that money should never be the ultimate pursuit of a Christian, and should not determine the level of joy that Christian experiences.

What we should emphasise is on contentment not indifference.

I also asked why Jesus still had to die? And what was Abraham doing at the other side of Hell? What was he waiting for?

Jesus became poor for a reason, it is only people that preach false gospel that preach against the properity of the christian.

2 Cor 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
KJV

Jesus was rich but became poor for my sake, so i could be rich. Any gospel outside this is false.

nuella2:

^^^
I also asked why Jesus still had to die? And what was Abraham doing at the other side of Hell? What was he waiting for?

Can't you see the picture God was painting? Abraham believed God and righteousness was imputed to him, when we believe the finished work of Christ on the Cross righteousness is imputed to us by the Holy Spirit. Abraham believed God and gave his promised son to be sacrificed on the very spot God gave His promised Son to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. So, don't you see what God did for Abraham He did for all those who will believe as Abraham did? Why is he the father of faith, why would the whole world be blessed by him? Abraham was of cause enjoying in paradise where Jesus promised the repentant thief.

OLAADEGBU:

Can't you see the picture God was painting? Abraham believed God and righteousness was imputed to him, when we believe the finished work of Christ on the Cross righteousness is imputed to us by the Holy Spirit. Abraham believed God and gave his promised son to be sacrificed on the very spot God gave His promised Son to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. So, don't you see what God did for Abraham He did for all those who will believe as Abraham did? Why is he the father of faith, why would the whole world be blessed by him? Abraham was of cause enjoying in paradise where Jesus promised the repentant thief.

I agree to this point that Abraham believed in the promise of a saviour. But my point is, that was not all, he still had to wait for the promise to be fullfilled before enjoying eternal life. Jesus still had to shed his blood for them so they become perfect, to enjoy that which they have believed.  If i promise my son that i will give him a car, when i travel to Dubai, that he believe me is a grarantee that i will give him( worthy to recieve the gift) i am pleased that he could believe me, But has to wait for me to go to Dubai and come back. So the promise can be fulfilled thats my point.

nuella2:

Jesus became poor for a reason, it is only people that preach false gospel that preach against the properity of the christian.

2 Cor 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
KJV

Jesus was rich but became poor for my sake, so i could be rich. Any gospel outside this is false.

This verse is showing the premier example of giving, as it shows how the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself. He was the Creator of the entire cosmos (Colossians 1:16), with all its infinite riches, yet He left it all to die a cruel death, utterly impoverished, with even His meager garments stripped away as He was spiked to the cross. This great gift of grace is the standard against which our own practice of the grace of giving must always be compared.

Giving is not just financial but of our time, talent and resources. Paul prayed that we prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers.

The Greatest Love
February 14, 2011

"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Genesis 22:2)

There are many types of love in the world--romantic love, marital love, erotic love, brotherly love, maternal love, patriotic love, family love, and love for all kinds of things--pets, food, money, sports, and on and on. But what is the greatest love?

Love is probably the greatest word of the Bible and, by the principle of first mention of important biblical words, the first time the word "love" occurs should be a key to its use all through the Bible.  Rather surprisingly, love is first encountered here in our text, speaking of the love of a father for his son, of Abraham for Isaac, the son of promise.  Furthermore, the father is being told by the very God who made the promise to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice!

From the New Testament (see Hebrews 11:17-18), we know that this entire scene is a remarkable type of the heavenly Father and His willingness to offer His own beloved Son in sacrifice for the sin of the world.  This tells us that the love of this human father for his human son is an earthly picture of the great eternal love of the Father in heaven for His only begotten Son.

And that means that this love of God the Father for God the Son is the ultimate source of all love, for that love was being exercised before the world began. When Jesus prayed to His Father the night before His sacrificial death, He confirmed this great truth; "for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world," He prayed (John 17:24).  Indeed, "God is love" (1 John 4:, and the eternal love within the triune Godhead is the fountainhead of all true human love here on earth. HMM

For more . . . .

OLAADEGBU:


This verse is showing the premier example of giving, as it shows how the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself. He was the Creator of the entire cosmos (Colossians 1:16), with all its infinite riches, yet He left it all to die a cruel death, utterly impoverished, with even His meager garments stripped away as He was spiked to the cross. This great gift of grace is the standard against which our own practice of the grace of giving must always be compared.

Giving is not just financial but of our time, talent and resources. Paul prayed that we prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers.

The verse is not talking about giving, its what christ did for us.

I believe in giving beyond money.

I say amen to Paul's prayer. Why on earth did paul pray that prayer sef, if it is a sin to prosper.

nuella2:

The verse is not talking about giving, its what christ did for us.

I believe in giving beyond money.

I say amen to Paul's prayer. Why on earth did paul pray that prayer sef, if it is a sin to prosper.

If you start reading from 2 Cor.8:8 you will realise that Paul was actually appealing to the Corinthian Church to have compassion on the poor brethren but in verse 5 he said that they first gave their ownselves to the Lord and are willing to do all other things the gospel teaches. Paul commended them for being enriched in everything, abounding in faith, word gifts, knowledge of the word, diligence and love but he challenged them to add the grace of giving to their blessings. Jesus laid aside His God form and riches and took human form so as to redeem us. He became poor and died as our substitute. All who believes become saved and joint heirs with Christ of all God owns. We become members of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).

OLAADEGBU:

All who believes become saved and joint heirs with Christ of all God owns. We become members of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).

Can you pls explain this part. What does it mean to be a joint heir with christ?

And what is the benefit of becoming a member of the commonwealth of Isreal?

nuella2:

Can you pls explain this part. What does it mean to be a joint heir with christ?

And what is the benefit of becoming a member of the commonwealth of Isreal?

Joint heir with Christ: Ephesians 3:6, Romans 8:17

Commonwealth of Israel: Eph.2:11-12;

Paul here states a 6fold former state of the Gentiles:

1. Uncircumcised, 2. Without Christ, 3. Aliens to Israel's blessings, 4. Strangers to the Covenants, 5. Having no hope in God, 6. Without God in the world.

I

also asked why Jesus still had to die? And what was Abraham doing at the other side of Hell? What was he waiting for

Please where did yopun read that Abraham went to hell ? Who told you he did not go straight to heaven? please adduce scriptural backings for this yopur statement

Prosperity Versus Contentment

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." (I Timothy 6:6)

In this day of Madison Avenue sales pressures and an ever-increasing array of technological gadgets and creature comforts, the Christian virtue of contentment is a rare commodity.  There is even a widespread error among born-again Christians that material prosperity is a token of spirituality and divine approval on an affluent life style.

Instead of a blessing, however, such affluence (if it comes) should be regarded as a testing, for Jesus said:  "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48).

Paul was perhaps the most faithful and fruitful Christian who ever lived, yet he died penniless in a Roman dungeon. His own testimony concerning material possessions and standards of living was this: "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” (Philippians 4:11,12).

In the context of our key verse above, the apostle Paul has actually been warning young pastor Timothy against the influence of those who suppose, among other things, "that gain is godliness," and who think that their material prosperity is proof of their spiritual prosperity.  "From such" says Paul, "withdraw thyself" (I Timothy 6:5). Material gain in no way either produces or denotes godliness; rather, godliness itself is the gain, if accompanied by contentment in Christ (otherwise, of course, it is not true godliness)!  Even the most impoverished believer can acquire riches in heaven, where it really counts.  In the meantime: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). HMM

For more . . . .

1-What is gospel? it means goodnews. Not bad news. The goodnews includes dominion over sickness,sin.death and poverty. God makes men great and prosperous. it is false gospel of false humility that teaches poverty.

2- Righteousness was credited to Abraham account. but righteousness not credited to our account. We became righteousness itself in Christ.

3- being born again is a product of the new testament. No man was able to enter into the new testament until Christ rose. New testament was not revealed in Matthew, mark.Luke and john. The new testament started with acts of the apostles and epistles.
No man was able to be born again until Jesus rose. Abraham and other prophets got born again when Christ rose.

Joagbaje:

1-What is gospel? it means goodnews. Not bad news. The goodnews includes dominion over sickness,sin.death and poverty. God makes men great and prosperous. it is false gospel of false humility that teaches poverty.

Your excellency. . .

Only someone who really does not understand God's dealings/history with man as potrayed in scripture will say the gospel being goodnews is in terms of dominion over sickness and poverty like you've stated here o. . . I know you've practically quoted chris[b]t[/b] verbatim but it still doesn't make it biblically correct o

Apostasy And Prosperity

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." (II Corinthians 9:

One of the most tragic movements in Christendom today teaches that God promises to make each Christian prosper in material wealth.  Suffice it to say, the Bible teaches no such thing as seen in our text and elsewhere, but this false teaching is not new and is associated with apostasy.

Consider chapters 17 and 18 of the Book of Judges, which describe a period of rampant apostasy and confusion.  The chapters provide character sketches of an itinerant Levite, the tribe of Dan, and a man named Micah.  First we see that Micah steals 1100 shekels of silver from his mother, who then places a curse on the unknown thief. Micah, fearing the curse, confesses the crime.  His mother tries to lessen the curse by dedicating all the money to the Lord and converts 200 shekels into an idol.  Micah places the idol with his others, and consecrates his son as priest, even though they are of the tribe of Ephraim.  Later, he hires the Levite to be his priest and exclaims, "Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest" (Judges 17:13).

In the next chapter, spies of the Danites go to the priest for God’s blessing on their efforts to find land that they can conquer.  When the marauders return, they recruit the Levite to a more prosperous position.  He joins them, having stolen Micah’s idols, and establishes the tribal priesthood.

Each one in this story was confident that God would bless them materially because they had the trappings of religion.  The common denominator was greed. Their desire for personal prosperity led them to a prostitution of the true worship of God.  But whenever religion is "used" to justify the "love of money," it suffers degradation.  "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). JDM

For more . . . .

OLAADEGBU:

Apostasy And Prosperity

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. (II Corinthians 9:

One of the most tragic movements in Christendom today teaches that God promises to make each Christian prosper in material wealth.  Suffice it to say, the Bible teaches no such thing as seen in our text and elsewhere, but this false teaching is not new and is associated with apostasy.

Consider chapters 17 and 18 of the Book of Judges, which describe a period of rampant apostasy and confusion.  The chapters provide character sketches of an itinerant Levite, the tribe of Dan, and a man named Micah.  First we see that Micah steals 1100 shekels of silver from his mother, who then places a curse on the unknown thief. Micah, fearing the curse, confesses the crime.  His mother tries to lessen the curse by dedicating all the money to the Lord and converts 200 shekels into an idol.  Micah places the idol with his others, and consecrates his son as priest, even though they are of the tribe of Ephraim.  Later, he hires the Levite to be his priest and exclaims, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest (Judges 17:13).

In the next chapter, spies of the Danites go to the priest for God’s blessing on their efforts to find land that they can conquer.  When the marauders return, they recruit the Levite to a more prosperous position.  He joins them, having stolen Micah’s idols, and establishes the tribal priesthood.

Each one in this story was confident that God would bless them materially because they had the trappings of religion.  The common denominator was greed. Their desire for personal prosperity led them to a prostitution of the true worship of God.  But whenever religion is "used" to justify the love of money, it suffers degradation.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). JDM

For more . . . .

God bless you for this - Perfect description of how they still operate today. Professing Christ but denying His cross. Interestingly, when you get to know them, most live on hope and debt desperately wanting a lie to become truth and seeking free/easy money

nuella2:

Jesus became poor for a reason, it is only people that preach false gospel that preach against the properity of the christian.
2 Cor 8:9
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
KJV
Jesus was rich but became poor for my sake, so i could be rich. Any gospel outside this is false.

My sister, Many religiously follow a false gospel  with false humility. Whoever drives a car, eat good food, and comes out to condemn the prosperity of Gods children is a religious hypocrite. 

2 Corinthians 8:9
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Psalms 35:27
27 . . , ,Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 

Genesis 39:23
23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing[ that was] under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and[ that] which he did, the LORD made[ it] to prosper. 

Deuteronomy 29:9
9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

 1 Chronicles 22:13
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.