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THIS IS PART TWO OF OUR STUDY, "THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL"
THE NEW CHURCH MOTTO "I BLING BECAUSE I'M HAPPY"
Most people today, fail to take note that a spirit of covetousness has gripped those in the church and out of the church, seemingly at the same time. Today the bling bling mentality is being pushed in the church by the prosperity preachers and on the streets by the rappers and other entertainers. This is the age of conspicuous consumption, all one has to do is turn on the TV and look at the cars, homes, and jewelry on display (MTV cribs,etc). What is bling, you ask? Bling (according to the rappers) is the adornment that comes when you're super rich and you want to show it off. Diamonds hanging off your arms, and in the ears, while keeping it real and giving honor to God, with your big gold diamond encrusted cross around your neck. Bling is having all that sparkles and shines. The bling mentality is cruising in on your $100.000 ride as you glide down the strip. It's pulling up in the driveway to your mansion, and chilling by the pool. One rapper sings of a bling lifestyles so rich and famous "Robin Leach'll get jealous." . This is the same boast and mentality many prosperity preachers, operate in, with the exception, that they throw God in the mix. They say the accumulation of wealth, by the believers, glorifies God. Is this what Jesus and the apostles taught?? There is a well known preacher, by the name of Reverend Ike, who was known for preaching of the prosperity gospel. I can remember a time, when most preachers criticized his method and message. Times have really changed, now there are thousands of minister preaching this same doctrine. |
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In an article written by Marc Lamont Hill , he says that today, there is not a big difference in regards to the money message, between the hip hop bling bling rap generation and many churches. When it comes to the pursuit and grandstanding of wealth (bling) he says the following. "Since the beginning of hip-hop's "ice age", circa 1994, showboating has been a linchpin of the culture. In today's industry, no commercial rapper worth their salt appears in a video without the necessary accoutrements: shiny jewelry, expensive cars, designer clothes, and large homes. Hip-hop's baller elite have even graduated to mainstream commerce, selling everything from sneakers to energy drinks. To be sure, such decadence lends legitimacy to claims of wanton materialism and consumerism among the hip-hop generation. Yet, a brief survey of churches, including The New Black Church's leadership would yield a remarkably similar conclusion. Hip-hop's obsession with "flossing" and "stunting" is matched only by the flair for the ostentatious, on the part of many prosperity preachers. Many of today's superstar preachers are similarly lavish in their public appearances" (And like the hip hop, rap, bling generation, many preachers today, love to flaunt and brag about their wealth). "Few would argue that hip-hop's hedonistic impulses are at least partially rooted in the belief that financial prosperity is the ultimate measure of successful living. Given this market-driven logic, it is no wonder that hip-hop narratives abound with rags to riches stories that celebrate the individual over the collective and the material over the spiritual. Artists such as Notorious B.I.G., who once rapped that "God meant me to drive a Bentley", argue that their enormous wealth is a divine reward, or what Jay-Z has termed "pro-jetic justice" for their impoverished pasts. From where would they get such convoluted values? A look at the New gospel message proclaimed in many churches, whose good news has been reduced to "God wants you to be rich", will provide a viable answer. Through their curious readings of Bible scriptures, depictions of Jesus as wealthy, and belief that people are poor because they "ain't living right", the New Black Church reinforces the tired conservative argument that the problems of the disadvantaged are self-inflicted. . As one well known word-faith preacher explains on his website, "When you find out how to live your life according to the word of God you will become a money magnet." Of course, becoming a money magnet requires the congregant to share their bounty with the church. |
| Professor Robert M. Franklin makes some very insightful observations, concerning the prosperity gospel, and its negative impact on the church. "The gospel of prosperity: "Greed is good." refers to the cultural ideology that suggests that the accumulation of material possessions, wealth, and prosperity are morally neutral goods that are necessary for human happiness. I characterize it as an ideology rather than merely an idea because it functions like a powerful, unconscious force that does not revise its position in the face of counterevidence. For instance, its advocates would not admit that possessing material goods in excess may actually induce unhappiness. As an ideology, its believers insist upon its correctness, deny the legitimacy of other perspectives, and pursue wealth without concern for long-term consequences. Prosperity becomes an intrinsic good and an end in itself. To be a successful (different from faithful) pastor in today's world is to confront the ever-present temptation to sell one's soul, compromising one's vocation and ethical responsibilities, in exchange for or access to wealth. If most black preachers?and other preachers for that matter?are preoccupied with pursuing the "bling-bling" life of conspicuous consumption, then poor people are in big trouble, because it indicates that the hearts of their chief advocates are "drunk with the wine of the world," The gospel of prosperity is a competitor to authentic Christianity and ruthlessly seeks to establish its preeminence in the culture. Most examples of this vulgar form of material worship do not pretend to be religious, certainly not Christian. Rather, they are elements of what might be called America's largest quasi-religious tradition, namely the religion of capitalism. Many in the ministry who preach the prosperity gospel tend to operate as "spiritual entrepreneurs" who know how to produce, package, market, and distribute user-friendly spirituality for the masses. The spiritual product lines they market rarely make stringent ethical demands upon their listeners. Instead, they preach a gospel of health, wealth, and success designed to help others become more affluent. When these leaders serve as pastors of congregations, they function like "entrepreneurial ecclesiastical executives" at the helm of corporate organizations. Such congregations and leaders may be changing who they are and are called to be, distorting the meaning of church as a community of holy awareness, care, interdependence, sharing, moral deliberation, and action. The prosperity gospel may be even more insidious and dangerous because it subverts particular elements of the Jesus story and of classical biblical Christianity in order to instill a new attitude toward capitalism and riches. It often deliberately suppresses, ignores, and/or deletes language about radical sacrifice for the sake of God's kingdom. In other words, it excludes a core message of the Jesus story, namely that which is symbolized by the cross. That symbol is an enemy to the underlying confidence people invest in material prosperity at the expense of trusting God. "Cross talk" insists that believers share their material prosperity rather than hoard it. At times the call to share wealth may be so radical that a person is compelled to give it all away in order to serve and please God."
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Rather than describing prosperity as being part of the salvation package for every believer, Jesus labeled wealth (FOR SOME) as being a hindrance to the salvation process. Christ no doubt stunned his listeners, when he told them. It's hard for a prosperous (rich) person to enter into the kingdom (get saved). "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?" Matt 19:23-25. Today many within the framework of the church, give the impression, that one of the main benefits for those who believe on Jesus, is for financial prosperity. But it was Jesus himself who told his followers to not be overly concerned with accumulating wealth for the sake of obtaining financial prosperity, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Matt 6:19-20 (1). * (This is not to say, we should not save money / having a savings account). Jesus warns us that the deception of the bling (riches) can actually hinder us from getting the true riches of God. MATTHEW 13:22 NIV 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. How are riches deceitful? (The word really means a delusion.) Riches promise more than they can deliver. They promise security, happiness, and satisfaction in life, but fail to deliver. Does this mean God is against wealth? No! He just doesn't want you to be deceived by it. Or, to trust in it. For it will surely disappoint you. 1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. According to Jesus, life does not consist of the abundance of one's possessions. You should believe Him. He knows. LUKE 12:15 NASB 15 And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed ; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." Watch out! Don't let money deceive you. Having wealth ? a bunch of stuff ? will not give you a satisfying, fulfilling life. It promises to. But it can't deliver. Things will not make you happy ? not for long. It's your inward attitude, and doing God's will, that determine whether you will enjoy happiness in life.
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When Christ came on the earth, the his Jewish brethren expected their Messiah to lead a revolt against the Rome, and set up a kingdom on earth. In this kingdom, of which it was said there would be no end, they expected to obtain political power and prosperity. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7. What a shock the following words of Christ (who claimed to be their Messiah) must have been. "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Mark 8:34. HOW COULD THIS BE?? This is not what they expected or wanted to hear. His Jewish brethren were well aware of the fact, that the word stated that they were Gods chosen people. They had passed this knowledge down from one generation to the next. We find in the Old Testament, that God stated that the Jews, were indeed a chosen and special people, 6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. Deut 7:6. Not only where the his Jewish brethren aware of the fact that they were the chosen of God, but they were also very much aware of the covenant promises, had that God made to the forefathers. No where in these passed down promises was there made mention of them having to carry a cross, yet here stands before them, one who claims to be the messiah, telling them, (the chosen of God) the kingdom of God was at hand, and in order to function in it, they would have to take up their cross!! How could this be?? Many of his brethren could not understand this saying "take up your cross" and were deeply offended at its implications. The words of Christ were strong meat, to those who heard his teaching concerning the cross, (the same holds true for many believers today). His Jewish brethren knew all to well what the cross represented, this hated symbol was a device used by Rome, to inflict PAIN, SUFFERING, HUMILIATION, AND DEATH. The Jews no doubt wondered why Jesus had chosen this hated instrument of pain, suffering, shame and death, to symbolically represent what they must be willing to do. Was he who claimed to be the long awaited and anticipated Messiah, who claimed to be the restorer of the kingdom, telling them that the way to a victories rule and reign, in the kingdom, servitude, suffering, and sacrifice ?? How could this be??? What Christ was telling his followers back then, and it now applies to the church today, is that there is a price to pay, if we want to follow Christ. Part of this price is rejection, suffering, and persecution, even to the point of death. Many prosperity preachers point back to these same Old Testament covenant promises, (such as Deut 28) to justify their lavish lifestyle of greed and consumption. Yet while on earth Christ pointed the believers to the New Covenant, which would soon become a reality via the anointing of the Holy Ghost, (which first took place on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2). It was under this New Covenant that Christ pointed his followers away from the pursuit and expectation of wealth, focusing their attention rather on the cross (His and theirs). Jesus promised them spiritual prosperity and success, if they took up their cross and followed him. The Bible teaches that God will provide for our needs. We are told if "we seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness, all these things will be added." This (these things) is not, however, an appeal to materialism or the desire for wealth. It is dependence on God- and on the freedom of God- to provide in whatever situation we find ourselves. Gods provision is not a promise to enrich, but to provide as needed for our lives as we live out his Kingdoms purposes. As we see after the establishing of the church, many of the early saints were poor and many were killed. This was not due to a lack of faith, in God ability to provide, but rather it was due to their willingness, to carry their cross, and to run with patience the course God had chosen for them.
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The people of Christ day were focused on the glory of this world, Jesus sought to get them to focus on the glory of his heavenly kingdom. They expected for Jesus to set up a earthly kingdom, so much so, that some of them got together and tried to form a army to fight against Rome, on behalf of Christ. 15When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone Jn 6:15. The Jews were subject to the laws and dictates of Rome, the Roman magistrates could beat and imprison the Jews as they so chose. (this what happened to Paul and Silas). When the one who claimed to be the messiah came, instead of leading a revolt against the Roman empire and its persecution, he told the Jews, in the true kingdom, their persecutions and trials were a blessing. He told them to rejoice in spite of, and in the face of persecution. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. MATT 5:10-11 Roman law stated that a Roman soldier could compel a Jew carry his pack one mile, The Jews resented this ordinance, and no doubt looked forward to the day when the Messiah would come and free them from it. Perhaps they then could compel the Roman soldier to carry their load. Instead of Christ leading an army against the Roman soldiers, Christ told his follower, to not stop at one mile, but rather to carry the pack two miles. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain matt 5:41. Many, who teach the prosperity, name it claim gospel; say that Jesus came to restore the covenant of wealth and prosperity to the believers. They say that what the thief had stolen on the earth, from the people of God, Christ came to take it back. Thus they say that the glory of this world, the riches, Governmental seat, religious prominence, etc, are all part of the kingdom package and belong to the believers. Jesus taught just the opposite. When pressed about when the kingdom would be restored, Christ stated that his kingdom was not of this world. Jesus said it could not be seen with eyes; rather it was being set up in the hearts of men. 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.*33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. LK 17:20-21, JN 18:33-36 . In fact when it came to the kingdom, and who would mainly make up the inhabitants of the kingdom, Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom, he was setting up. And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." MATT 6:19-20 NASB. Many today within the church are blind to the power of the cross. In their mindset, one of the best ways to honor God is by being prosperous in the natural. Paul tells us the true power of the kingdom is not is riches, and success in the natural world, but in the preaching of the cross. Paul said the massage of the cross was one which has been discounted by many as being irrelevant. Paul then tells us that the preaching of the cross (when mixed with faith) is the power of God unto salvation. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1st Cor 1:17.
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