THE MONEY GOSPELS

The money gospels

Posted: Thursday, November 7, 2013 11:15 pm

Robin Barrett | 0 comments

Before Jesus started his ministry, he went out into the desert, praying and fasting for 40 days. When he became hungry, the devil came to him and tried to tempt him. The devil offered several temptations.

The last temptation was the world’s power and riches. The devil, who the Bible says has been allowed to control these things, told Jesus that he could have the whole world if only he would worship Satan. Of course Jesus said no. When this temptation comes upon you, what will you say? Because sometimes, the price you will be asked to pay for these things is your eternal soul.

I am always amazed when I see a preacher on television talking about how God supposedly wants to make us rich. Some of these preachers border on the comical. One show has a preacher who promises a “Fed Ex miracle.” It seems that one is only able to tap into this “miracle” by sending this television preacher thousands of dollars. I am always tempted to call into these shows and ask why doesn’t the preacher just follow his own preaching? If his ministry needs money, why doesn’t he just send money to another “prosperity” preacher to receive his own “Fed Ex miracle?” Or, I would like to call in and say that I want to “sow a seed” for God’s favor, but I would be sending my money to an orphanage in South America, and see what they would have to say to that. I suspect this “sowing” would not be acceptable to the prosperity hawkers.

Joel Osteen is the most famous and most successful of the prosperity preachers. To his credit, he doesn’t tell people to send him money to obtain God’s blessing. But I have watched him preach a few times, and the message is always the same. God wants to give us more —almost always the “more” has to do with worldly success. The last time I watched the show, the views of the audience were telling. Many people were clapping, nodding and smiling at the prosperity message — but a few were not clapping and definitely not smiling. I think these were people who had been following Joel’s advice, but somehow that big job, big raise, big house, and big car never materialized.

Maybe God isn’t a giant ATM in the sky, as some of these men seem to imply.

I have diligently searched the Scriptures, and have never found the “money gospel” that these men preach. Jesus never promised us money; he promised a cross. In fact, wasn’t it Jesus who said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven? Doesn’t the Bible say that the “love of money is the root of all evil?” If a preacher speaks more about money than he does about Jesus and redemption, then he is not preaching the good news of Christ. Why is it that the devil offered power and riches to Jesus, and doesn’t the devil still offer these temptations today?

I don’t think that people who seek power know what they are getting into. God help the person who uses worldly power to thwart God’s purpose and plan for the world. And as for riches, do we not realize that if we have been given riches, it is for the purposes of furthering the Gospel and helping our brothers and sisters in need? If we do not use our power and riches to further God’s plan, we risk losing everything. For it is written, man cannot serve both God and mammon.

The riches that this world has to offer are illusory, and we will lose it all anyway at the end of our lives. So why not store up for ourselves the true riches that God has to offer?

Robin Barrett is a parishioner of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference.