God wants you to be rich. As a child of God, you will abundantly receive wealth and prosperity. Just plant a seed, and riches will spring forth in your life. Give generously to the church and you will be in God's favor. Believe you are rich and you will attract wealth. While the messages are positive, some religious leaders say the true meaning is often not passed on to believers who tend to take it too literally. They say the message of giving in order to receive is a misguided one that indirectly influences people to become more selfish in their generosity.
"There is a prosperity con that many Christians are buying into today," says Father Shazz Turnquest, rector at St. Luke's Anglican Church in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. "This new message is giving people the wrong idea about life and prosperity. God says He will bless those who believe in Him and follow His ways, but there is no guarantee that your blessings will come financially.
When you give to God you shouldn't be expecting to be compensated if it's truly giving from your heart." The priest says many people fail to understand what true prosperity is, and that they assume it is material wealth and aspire to be like the rich. What they really should be looking forward to is being prosperous in good health, having a good family life and a peace of mind knowing their needs can and will be provided for.
"In John 10:10, Jesus says to the disciples, '...I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full,' which is a popular verse that shows believers that it is life and not necessarily wealth they will have more abundantly. Having good health, friends, a home and family is more valuable than acquiring all the riches in the world and living an unhappy and loveless life."
Father Turnquest says prosperity is not about having a lot of money and being able to spend it frivolously, or about the fancy cars or split-level homes or long vacations. He says It is about being happy and satisfied at whatever place you are in your life, being able to sleep at night and enjoy life for its small pleasures, knowing that you are taken care of even if you don't know how.
"In order for people to discover true prosperity and be delivered from greed, they need to get back to basics is how I feel. When I visited Spanish Wells, a place most people would consider rich, I saw that it was well kept, clean and more importantly the people there lived in small homes even though they could afford much bigger and more flashy residences. In speaking with them and observing them, I was able to see they were a humble and hard-working people. I also found out that they are a religious bunch who were faithful and therefore felt comfortable living below their means. If more people are able to trust in God and just live humbly as intended, they would find prosperity and wealth closer than they think."
When you think about prosperity, your mind should be directed internally rather than externally says Pastor Leonard Johnson, president of the Alantic Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. What is more important, is how you feel and the sense of assurance you have in the Lord, that is the true test of one's wealth.
"Prosperity implies more than having an abundance of material possessions. When God says He will bless you, it can happen in different ways including materialistically. In the Bible in 3 John 2 it says 'Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth', which shows that God's prosperity comes foremostly from the inside. It refers to being so happy in the Lord that you are able to experience a sense of peace and assurance. Even though an individual who is in Christ is bombarded by trials and tribulations they can still experience inner calm because there is this wonderful relationship with God that keeps them focused."
Pastor Johnson says it is not healthy to let your sense of prosperity be based on material things because if you lose it all, you will feel as though God turned against you and you have nothing. He says your entire sense of peace is lost.
"One of the greatest references of having true prosperity can be found in the story of Job who was materialistically rich but lost everything. Even so, he was able to keep his peace of mind and depend on God to see him through. His faithfulness to God allowed him to regain his riches, family, property and children four-fold. This is the same kind of favor God can deliver to persons who show the same kind of unwavering faith and belief in Him."
People should not think that doing good for others or giving back to God will guarantee them financial gain. "Blessings come in so many forms and if you choose to be generous and do good for others it shouldn't be for selfish reasons. If it is, you are defeating the purpose of sharing your wealth," says Pastor Johnson. "God meant for us to become more fulfilled in life by giving back and helping others.
The feeling of sharing should be able to give you the sense of peace and love that no amount of riches or wealth could ever muster in you. There shouldn't be a motive to give. When you give it is a form of worship and you are showing that you appreciate the goodness of God. Some ministers may be preaching it is good to give so you can also receive, I do not advocate this. I think it is more important to be faithful to God no matter what."
Bishop Ros Davis, senior pastor at Golden Gates World Outreach Ministries, says it is essential for the Christian to give back to God and their neighbors because as believers they have a special relationship with God that mandates it. "Giving back, whether it's tithes or offerings, is a way or sharing and fulfilling your covenant with God. When you became a believer you took on the responsibility of caring for your brother as well as acknowledging God's goodness in your life. In the covenant you have with God, He promises to bless you, but you are required to keep up your end of the bargain as well.
As He gives, He expects you to also give and be true to Him as well. As you are blessed, so should you bless others. This relationship God has with His people is a two-way street and you can expect to be blessed if you give but it may not always be materialistically," he says.
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