Today we will conclude our brief observation of the Prosperity Heresy movement. Many people think that we shouldn’t be too hard on these false teachers, because one might think, “At least they are preaching the Gospel.” But as we have seen, even laying aside their striking abuse of the Word in their emphasis on wealth, their errors about the nature of man and the nature of God – Are clearly enough to discredit their ministries. But to further demonstrate their heretical bent, today we will observe how they completely distort the message of the Gospel and the Cross of Christ.
At issue this morning, is what Prosperity teachers believe took place on the cross. Sound theologian Ken Sarles noted that the Prosperity message claims – “Both physical healing and financial prosperity have been provided for in the atonement.” Basically, they believe that Christ took our financial poverty upon Him, and provided for our physical healing at the cross as well. So then, according to their belief, not only are Christians’ sins atoned for, but also their poverty and physical ailments. Thus they are promised a life of health and wealth. Here are a couple of quotes to show you what I mean:
Kenneth Copeland – “The basic principle of the Christian life is to know that God put our sin, sickness, disease, sorrow, grief, and poverty on Jesus at Calvary.”
Kenneth Copeland – “You are entitled to all the rights and privileges in the kingdom of God, and one of their rights is health and healing”
Benny Hinn – “The Bible declares that the work was done 2,000 years ago. God is not going to heal you now — he healed you 2,000 years ago. All you have to do today is receive your healing by faith”
Now, certainly, Jesus Christ did a lot of healing during His earthly ministry. One evening, after casting out many demons and performing many healings we read, in Matt. 8:17, that it was done so – “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” But, as is always the case, these miracles were done as a validation of the greater work of healing that He would perform in people’s hearts and souls. The work of healing He brought about on the cross was healing for our sickness of sin. Isa. 53:5-6 says – “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” 2Cor. 5:21 declares – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Nowhere will you find a passage that says He became our cancer – who knew no cancer, our influenza – who knew no influenza, or our poverty – who knew no poverty, etc. On the cross, Jesus Christ dealt with the ailment of our souls.
By intermingling other such things in the message of the cross, Prosperity teachers completely distort the Gospel. What was meant to portray the spiritual healing of sin, is rather portrayed as the provision of physical wealth and health. They transfer the promises of eternity in heaven (of being without illness, or suffering, or poverty) to something we should expect and pursue in this life. And anyone who doesn’t have these things is thought either: 1) To be in sin, or 2) To be lacking faith in what Christ has done, or 3) To be suffering demonic attack. It boggles the mind how plain reality simply doesn’t reveal the bankruptcy of such beliefs. Because, each of these teachers has suffered some physical illness or malady. And ultimately each will indeed die. All the wealth in the world cannot prevent it. And all the claims of Christ taking our physical diseases on the cross will amount to nothing on that day.
The truth is that Christ died so that those who believe upon Him “shall never die” (Jn. 11:26). And since we all still physically die – We must take His meaning to be spiritual in nature. Anybody who makes a different claim is not just misunderstanding some minor scriptural issue – They are opposing the very words of Christ. They are misrepresenting the Lord, changing the emphasis of His teaching, and undermining the Gospel itself. These false teachers must be seen for who they really are: Wolves in sheep’s clothing, liars, heretics, evil men, deceiving and being themselves deceived, clouds without water, of whom the blackest darkness is reserved for all eternity. To erroneously portray the nature of man is one thing, to go on to misrepresent God, His Christ, and the Gospel is utterly damning! Shun such as these, and have nothing to do with them, their ministries, or their books. The Prosperity message is incredibly popular, but in the end, it proves only to pave, with fool’s gold, the broad road leading to destruction. Don’t be taken in by it!
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