For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. - Matthew 26:11
The news this week seemed overwhelmed by the idea that rapper, Kanye West appeared with prosperity gospel preacher, Joel Osteen. The media was abuzz with the usual questions that arise when a previously “worldly celebrity” seems to have found God. It is not that I would begrudge Kanye’s desire to find God active in his life. He is certainly just one among the many of us who could benefit by surrendering himself to Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, because he chose Osteen as his outlet I’m more than a little skeptical of his regeneration.
For me, the issue is one of Biblical authority. Nowhere in the Holy Bible does God ever promise us prosperity. Nowhere! In fact, as the title verse states: we will always have the poor with us. What that means is that there are simply going to be some individuals who are born into poverty; live in poverty, and finally, die in poverty. That statement is Biblical. The Scriptures refer to the poor throughout the books of the Bible. It does so specifically to illustrate that there will be rich and if there are rich then it only stands to reason that there will be poor. “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.” - Proverbs 22:2.
And what does the Bible say is our responsibility and duty to the poor? We are to clothe and feed them - “And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’”- Luke 3:11. Our Christian duty is to provide for the poor; about that, there is no argument. We are to see that they are fed, sheltered, protected, and given aid when needed. Jesus went so far as to equate our treatment of the poor with our treatment of Him. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” - Matthew 25:37-40. That is the way we are to treat the poor who will always be among us.
As for the false gospel of Joel Osteen; to preach prosperity to people when Jesus preached the cross is not only false teaching - it is sinful. Prosperity preachers like Osteen and his ilk are paving their own personal roads to hell. Think about it. What did Jesus say we had to do if we wanted to follow Him? “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” - Matthew16:24. Does that sound like a life filled with all our worldly desires? Does that sound like a life where all our worldly needs are met? I often wonder if Joel Osteen were to ever meet Jesus, what would Joel’s response to Him be when Jesus told him - “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” - Mark 10:21. Would Osteen be willing to give all his worldly riches to the poor to follow Jesus? Would Kanye West?
We live in a troubling time for genuine Biblical Christianity. There are so many false teachers preaching worldly prosperity to a desperate world. Preaching a false message that leads to the false hopes of the world’s sinners is simply seasoning the devil’s stew.
There is one Gospel: the Gospel of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. The focus of our faith between now and glory has been revealed to us - “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” - Philippians 2:9-13. I’m still trying to understand how Joel Osteen and perhaps now, Kanye West see material prosperity in this, the one true Gospel.
Also, see - https//maranathia.blogspot.com/2017/11/what-privilege-proverbs-163.html
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