The subject of prosperity has been controversial among believers of all denominations. This is so unfortunate, because something God meant to be a blessing to believers and to the kingdom of God has become a divisive issue.

Those who embrace God's will to prosper have been called the "name-it-and-claim-it bunch," the "health-and-wealth believers" or the "hundredfold-heresy Christians." The result has been much misunderstanding and semantic wars about this issue.

There has been confusion about several familiar verses of Scripture, as well as the prosperity message as a whole. For centuries, the religious traditions of men, as well as the devil's own lies, have kept Christians living below God's best for them. It takes time to renew your mind to the Word of God on this subject.

So, is the prosperity message a false teaching, or is it God's will? Our doctrine should not be based upon traditions, excess, pious thinking or notions of false humility. Let's examine some relevant Scriptures to see what the Bible does, in fact, teach.

Remember, it is important to rightly divide the Word of God. Anyone can take an isolated verse to make it say anything. So we want to look at several verses of Scripture and by the mouth of two or three witnesses let our doctrine be established.

The best way to approach this study is much like the Bereans, as described in Acts 17:11:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

In other words, the Bereans didn't just take at face value what the apostle Paul or any other disciple said was the truth. They studied the Scriptures themselves to be sure what Paul said was true.

This is a good example to follow. Study your own Bible for yourself to be sure that what you hear is indeed the truth. We want you to become convinced of God's will on the subject of prosperity because you have searched the Scriptures in your own Bible! To do this objectively, you may have to take off your "traditional" ways of thinking. Remember, Jesus told His disciples that the "traditions of men" made the Word of God of no effect. (Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:13.)

As you study God's Word, keep an open mind and heart and trust Him to lead you into all truth.

Beth Jones Ministries
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