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20.
Health and Wealth Theology
Is it right to feel some contempt for the
''health and
wealth"theology
peddled by some televangelists?
It
is
disappointing to observe them trying to connect belief
in, and faith toward, God and Christ with material
prosperity and financial success. A very dangerous and
wrong precedent is set in an attempt to link one's faith
to a
''money-back guarantee''when
earthly rewards do
not arrive as prayed for.
At the other extreme, many people falsely think that
the Scriptures are not practical to life today.
It
is
erroneous to believe that religion means to relegate one
to a life of poverty. Although we shouldn't make a god
of materialism, we shouldn't ignore the principles for
prosperous living that have been preserved for us.
Balance has been provided in Proverbs 30:7-9:
7.
Two things have I required of thee; deny me
them not before I die:
8. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me
neitherpoverty nor riches; feed me with food
convenient for me.
9. Lest I be full and deny Thee/ and say, Who
is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal and
take the name ofmy God in vain.
Here is a New Testament example (Matthew 6:19,
21, 33):
19. Lay not up for yourself treasures on Earth/
where moth anddust doth corrupt and where
thieves break through and steal.
21. Where your treasure is/ there will your heart
be also.
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