Billy Graham Addresses the TV ‘Prosperity Gospel’
The prosperity gospel espouses that Jesus wants all His followers to be wealthy. But that’s just the beginning.
In order to get wealth, one must “sow” wealth into a ministry to get exponential wealth—and health—back.
“Does God want everyone to be rich? I heard someone on TV claim that this is what the Bible teaches, but I wonder if it’s true. We struggle every month just to pay our bills, and yet my husband and I have always tried to put God first,” one reader asked Billy Graham.
The evangelist didn’t even hesitate in his answer.
He says:
No, the Bible doesn’t promise that everyone who follows Jesus will become wealthy (nor does it promise that we’ll always be free of sickness). Nor is money to be the most important thing in our lives, even if God does entrust it to us. The Bible says, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (Ps. 62:10, MEV).
After all, Jesus wasn’t rich, nor were His first disciples—not at all. In fact, the only disciple who really cared about money was Judas, whose greed and unbelief caused him to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Repeatedly the Bible warns us against being consumed by money, or placing it first in our lives instead of Christ. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. … You cannot serve both God and money” (Matt. 6:24, MEV).
But when we know Christ we are rich—not necessarily with this world’s goods, but with spiritual riches! Think of it a moment. Can anything this world offers be greater than God’s forgiveness? Can anything be greater than Christ’s presence with us every day? Can anything be greater than the privilege of prayer, or being part of Christ’s family or being used to bless others?
Thank God every day for His blessings, and make it your goal to put Christ first in your lives. Most of all, thank Him that when we know Christ, we have “an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away … kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4, MEV).
