The Good Side To A Bad Economy

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Come Now; Let Us Reason Together

The stock market nearly crashed. Banks folded. Home values plummeted. Jobs were lost. Saving and IRA’s were drained. What possible good side could there be to this bad economy? Well, there are several good things that have come as a result of this bad economy. However, I will name two of them but only discuss one. They are that people are forced to return to things that matter most, and—my personal favorite—the death of the prosperity movement. Hallelujah! Okay it’s not completely dead; however, the grave has been dug out.

For the previous 15 years or more, the Christian church was weakened by a great number of preachers, some misguided, and others purely greedy, who were preaching an erroneous, unbiblical, and sinful message that God wanted all of his children to be rich. Name it and claim it, blab it and grab it, or circle it seven times, shout glory and God will give it to you. Furthermore, the prosperity movement made the claim that personal wealth was an indication of not only personal faith but also the love of God. To call the names of the most popular preachers of this demonic doctrine would be unnecessary; we all know them. They made—I wanted to say stole, but they didn’t actually do anything illegal—millions of dollars by manipulating ignorant Christian and greed-filled sinners into believing a lie. These prosperity preachers became spiritual casino owners. Just like the casinos, the house (preacher) always won. Just as the glamour, beauty, lights, and luxury of Las Vegas was built on loser who hoped to hit it big; likewise, the private jets, luxury cars, estate mansions, vacation condos, of prosperity preachers was purchased by those who gave hoping to hit it big with “…30, 60, or 100 fold returns (Mark 4:8, KJV).

When the givers (or should I say players) failed to get any return on the money they give, the preacher always had the perfect reply. “Your faith wasn’t strong enough; give again, and give more the next time.” I personally know people who have lost cars, homes, and filed bankruptcy. I’m aware of marriages breaking up, churches going broke, and countless people refusing to go back to church because they realize they’ve been scammed. I must say, I can’t resist in saying “I TOLD YOU SO!”, but that wouldn’t be Christ-like, and I would have to repent; so, I won’t say it.

Maybe it’s just me, but I have a hard time believing that true Christians could have been caught up in this mess. What were they thinking; or better yet, what were they reading? It is my opinion that they were not reading the Bible, but were being taught from the Bible by those who knew how to use the Bible to play on their fleshly desires. Both the preacher and the hearer bare equal responsibility, but as James 3:15 states, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness" (James 3:1, ESV).

However, as Paul warned in 2nd Timothy, the hearers are the instigators, seeking out preachers to tell them what they want to hear. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV).

Yes, there are multiple scriptures that speak of God’s desire to prosper His children, and money is one of the means in which God prospers us. However, prosperity in the general since means to have good success or safe journey. However, it puzzles me how anyone could fail to read, mis-interpret, or just outright disregard the Apostle Paul admonishment; "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:6-10, ESV).

Let me assure you that I don’t believe that wealth and worldly possessions are sinful. We cross the line into sin when we pursue wealth and possessions so that we may consume them on ourselves. That attitude is called worldliness, and the apostle James warns about this. However, Paul continues his admonishment; "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good

Let me not end without showing my true sympathy for those who are victims in the game of greed. We are all impacted in various ways. For those who were innocent bystanders, God will see you through the economic downturn. As James admonishes us to, “Count it all joy…” Our needs will be provided for in Christ Jesus. However, we all must reassess our priorities, curb our passions, and return to things that matter most. We must love God for who He is and not for what he can do, and love our neighbor as ourselves. James gives us the last word on what is a true demonstration of the Christian message. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

The Good Side To A Bad Economy