Poverty or Prosperity: That is the Question?

I went to a Church that laughed at the Prosperity message, but most everyone was affluent. Then, I went to a Church who preached Prosperity, but all of those people to me appeared to be poor. What's up with that? 

If you're going to a Church that laughs at the Prosperity message, make sure that they are also teaching the importance of practicing personal giving to their poor brothers and sisters in Christ.  If your Church is ignoring the poor maybe a lot of your brothers and sisters in Christ may be going without. 

I suggest that you find a Church with integrity. Notice in these passages below there will be both affluent and poor Christians and if you attend a sound Church they will be preaching the importance of personal giving to the poor.

(NIV)Matthew 6:3 "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing".

(NIV) James 3:14 "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead". 

(NIV) I John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

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Cherry Picking Preachers

There are a lot of strange doctrines out there bouncing throughout the Church because the teachers are cherry picking Scriptures out of context. Some 

Prosperity teachers say that it is God's will for all believers to be rich, and they use Paul's own words to support their position. After all, didn't Paul say in 2 Cor. 9:8 (NIV) 

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 

Therefore, they teach that it is God's will is for us to be well off. Yes, it does appear from that one verse that we're suppose to have plenty of stuff to take care of ourselves and others.

On the other hand, Paul also taught in Romans 8:35 (NIV) 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" 

In that passage, Paul taught that we as Christians might sometimes go hungry, naked, and even might be murdered. 

Therefore, those who preach a poverty Gospel say that it's God will for us to be poor. However, which of the two positions is right?

It is a teachers responsibility to teach the whole truth, and not just one aspect of it. If he or she doesn't, they are wandering off from the truth into error. Let me take a moment and attempt to balance out these two truths. 

Jesus said in Matthew (NIV) 25:42 

"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me." 

Here we see both aspects of prosperity and poverty truth.

Jesus taught that there would be some believers among us without food, clothes, SICK, without housing, and even in prison. In other words, there will be needy believers. At the same time, there will be believers among us who have plenty of food, clothes, health, housing, and are out of prison. 

In other words, there will be well-to-do believers, too. It is the responsibility of those who are experiencing prosperity to help others who are experiencing lack. If they don't, they will be exposed as not being true believers in the judgment.

It is the leader's responsibility to quote verses consistent with the Bible context, and the learners responsibility to verify they do. The leaders should teach us to be self feeders, and not to be lead astray by those with hidden agendas. 

After all, Paul said in Philipians (NIV) 4:12 

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength." 

Paul himself said that he personally had experienced both Biblical prosperity and poverty truths. As for me, I'll stand with Paul.