[Roundtable] A Discussion of Godly Prosperity

[Jefferis Peterson]

For all you who have a copy of my book, Pardoned or Paroled?,  I have
written an appendix that should have been included in the book, but during
the editing process, the subject matter was cut from the chapter and I did
not catch the error until long after it was printed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jefferis Kent Peterson
"Pardoned or Paroled?"
http://www.ScholarsCorner.com/pardoned.html
 

Appendix B
A Discussion of Godly Prosperity

There is probably no more controversial idea in popular American
Christianity than the belief that God wants his people to prosper.
Unfortunately, this theology has been distorted by appeals to human need and
greed, implying an almost guaranteed ³30 fold return if you only give to
God² (or his ministries). This formula for giving treats God as if he were
some kind of cosmic slot machine, who always pays out. This appeal for a
quick return on one¹s investment is a deceptive appeal to legalism and
greed, not to faith. There is a proper motive for giving. One ought to give
because God is generous and when we give ³without thought of return² we are
acting like God, who is always seeking to bless others. Giving just so we
can get something back is not true giving, it is self-centered. A generous
person takes joy in helping others, and that is its own reward.

However, the distortion of the truth about prosperity does not make the
truth invalid. God does indeed want his people to prosper and there is a
natural flow of giving and receiving as Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 9.
If you give generously, God can trust you with money, so he will put more
into your hands, knowing you will do good things with it and not use it
selfishly, and other rewards will come back to you as well which have
nothing to do with money: love, gratitude, thanksgiving to God, and prayers
said on your behalf.

So what is godly prosperity? The biblical meaning of the word ³prosperity²
is to be successful in labors and endeavors that you undertake. Prosperity
is being successful in everything God has called you to do.

If you need a computer to reach thousands with e-mail, then prosperity is a
computer and time to use it. If you need a car to get to work, prosperity is
a car. If God has called you to do something, you cannot prosper unless you
have the necessary tools to accomplish the task. For instance, a Cadillac in
the jungles of Cambodia would not prosper a missionary, but a mountain bike
might be exactly what he needs to reach lost tribes. Prosperity is the
fulfillment of your purpose, and cannot be equated with the accumulation of
material goods. Although material goods are often needed, money is a means
to the end, not the goal of life. Prosperity is having whatever you need to
accomplish what God has called you to do, but riches, which distract you
from God¹s will, or poverty, which prevents you from fulfilling your
purpose, are both enemies of true prosperity. If you are living just to get
rich, you are not walking in prosperity even if you have much. But if you
lack what you need because you are poor, and you cannot do what God has
called you to do, you are not yet walking in God¹s prosperity.

Therefore, in spite of the excesses and distortions of some ministries ­
either in hating prosperity or in equating it with money ­ God still wants
us to be prosperous or successful in all that we choose to do as we follow
Jesus: ³Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health,
just as your soul prospers,² (3 John 2).


Prosperity (euodow): in Greek the word means to be successful in doing
whatever tasks are at hand and having whatever resources necessary to
complete the task.

©2006 Jefferis Kent Peterson and Isaiah House Publishing.
This section was left out of the first printing. It will be included in the
next printing. Refer to discussion on prosperity on page 91.