Health and Wealth Gospel

Health and Wealth Gospel is the name given to a teaching in Christianity which emphasizes healing and prosperity. It is not an organized movement or a unique doctrine, but a name applied to groups and people with similar teachings.

The essence of Health and Wealth teaching is that God desires for all to be saved 1 Timothy 2:3-4. This salvation represents a complete reversal of what was lost to Satan in the fall of Man or Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s state, prior to “The Fall” (Genesis 3), included having complete authority and power on the Earth. (Genesis 1:27-30) This state included being whole or what is known as the Hebrew word “Shalom” ie Peace, nothing missing nothing lost.

THE TEACHING

Wealth

Taking cues from the Law written by Moses and the teachings of Jesus, this teaching promotes giving offerings and tithes as part of the rights and responsibilities of those who believe. The verses regarding tithing are found throughout the Old Testament but the one that is given most emphases is found in Malachi 3:6-12. Jesus taught a subject that is referred to as the hundred fold. It is reliant on offerings and is found in Mark 19:29 and Luke 18:29 and 30.

Health

See Word of Faith healing.

Reasons for not enjoying the Salvation

According to the Bible there are several reasons for a “believer” not to receive this restoration of benefits. Three of such reasons are not asking (“You have not because you ask not.” James 4:2.) Sin or breaking the Law (Deuteronomy 28:15), being under attack from the enemy (1 Peter 5:8)

CRITICS OF THE TEACHING

Critics of the movement claim that the teachings represent at best a part of the message of God. They point out that many prominent Christians, and Jesus himself, did not receive prosperity as a result of their dedication to the faith, and that to attribute poverty to sin or lack of faith in the individual denies social and institutional causes of poverty that Christians should be seeking to remedy rather than attributing to God's will. Some critics liken the Health and Wealth gospel to karma, and claim that it is intrinsically unfair, leading to apathy for the poor's needs because one assumes that because if God rewards the righteous with earthly riches, the poor deserve their position.

Teaching does not include

Preachers espousing these teachings generally draw on various parts of the Hebrew Bible where God promises to Israel that they will enjoy peace, contentment, and prosperity if they will stay faithful to him. God's promises of blessings throughout the Bible are generally interpreted to mean material prosperity in this life.

Health and Wealth teaching tends not to stress the multiple scriptures warning against material prosperity(eg. Luke 6:20, Matthew 19:24, Ezekiel 16:49, James 2:5) and telling of the importance of helping the poor (eg. Isaiah 58:5-7, Luke 12:33 Mark 10:21, Proverbs 22:9, Acts 20:35, Psalm 82:1-5, Proverbs 24:31, Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 29:7, Proverbs 21:13, Luke 20:37-42, Acts 10:5).

ALSO KNOWN AS

It is has also been called

• "Prosperity Gospel"
• "Word of Faith"
• "Name-it-and-claim-it"
• "Blab-it-and-grab-it"
• "Positive Confession"

Additional Links

• Grace Website
• Articles on Word of Faith Shining light on JDS "Jesus Died Spiritually", Little gods, Healing, Prosperity