Do You Truly Not Have an Underlying “Prosperity Gospel” Mindset? <Job 42:7; 22:4-5; Lk 6:20-26>

1. “Soft prosperity gospel” is more common than we think.

· Test: When you encounter undesirable circumstances, what is your response?

· When things are well, we may still have the strength to resist the lure of prosperity gospel, but in undesirable circumstances, we may start to be tempted by prosperity gospel.

· Job’s three friends.

o Read <Job 42:7; 22:4-5>.

· Read <Lk 6:20-26>.

2. How can we tell that we are already susceptible to prosperity gospel?

1）Delight in blessings more than God Himself.

· But we already received the supreme blessing – Christ our Lord and Saviour.

· If anyone seeks God only as a means to any other blessing, that is in fact idolatry.

2）Find it hard to accept that God-loving Christians may suffer too.

· Even the most perfectly obedient Jesus went through the greatest suffering.

· The Bible consistently teaches that we believers will face troubles on earth (reference: <Jn 16:33; 15:20; 1 Pe 2:21; Ro 8:17; Ac 14:22>).

· Two key misunderstandings about suffering: (1) If faithful believers encounter suffering, then God is not good. (2) There is only one reason why humans suffer, and that is because of sin and punishment by God.

3）More concerned about living a good life now than eternal blessings and joy.

· Prosperity gospel: “You can live your best life NOW on earth.”

· Ponder: Do you pray as if you are preparing to live comfortably on earth forever? Do you not mind living in this world forever?

· “Over-realised eschatology”: Hoping to build heaven on earth; wanting to experience now what God meant to fulfil in the future.

· It does not mean that there is no real blessing at all on earth, but we are in an “already-but-not-yet” stage.

4）Have a “transactional” attitude toward God.

· Humans have a “cause and effect” kind of mindset: Think that if we are good to God, He should also be good to us.

· God also often rewards those who serve Him faithfully. But we cannot take that grace for granted or demand from God.

3. Reject prosperity gospel, and seek the will of God.

1）The alternative to prosperity gospel is not suffering-seeking.

· God is also pleased for His people to enjoy blessings. There is nothing wrong with having wealth and earthly blessings.

2）Yet, what we should pursue is not success by our own definition, but that God’s will be done.

· Prosperity gospel calls people to seek their desires first, but the Bible tells us to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.