The Prosperity Gospel, also known as the Health and Wealth Gospel or the Word of Faith Movement, is a modern-day theological error that teaches that financial success, physical health, and overall prosperity are guaranteed to all Christians if they have enough faith and speak positive confessions. This movement distorts biblical teachings by promising material blessings as the reward for faith, ignoring the biblical emphasis on suffering, self-denial, and spiritual growth. The Prosperity Gospel is widely regarded as heretical by orthodox Christian traditions because it perverts the central message of the gospel and reduces faith to a formula for gaining material wealth and health.
History of the Prosperity Gospel
Origins in 19th Century New Thought Movements: The roots of the Prosperity Gospel can be traced back to the New Thought and Mind Science movements of the 19th century. Figures like Phineas Quimby and Ralph Waldo Emerson promoted the idea that positive thinking and mental attitudes could influence material outcomes, including health and wealth. These movements emphasized human potential and the power of the mind to shape reality.
Early Pentecostalism and Faith Healing: In the early 20th century, the Pentecostal movement, with its emphasis on divine healing and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, became fertile ground for the development of prosperity theology. Early Pentecostal leaders like Aimee Semple McPherson and Oral Roberts emphasized healing and miracles, which laid the groundwork for later teachings that connected faith with material success.
The Word of Faith Movement (Mid-20th Century): The Prosperity Gospel began to take more recognizable form through the Word of Faith movement, which emerged in the mid-20th century under leaders like Kenneth Hagin, who is considered the father of the movement. Hagin, influenced by E.W. Kenyon (a figure associated with New Thought teachings), popularized the idea that faith is a force that believers can use to claim healing and prosperity. Positive confessions—the verbal declarations of faith in God’s promises—became central to the movement. This theology taught that believers could speak their reality into existence through the power of faith-filled words.
Rise of the Prosperity Gospel in the Late 20th Century: In the late 20th century, the Prosperity Gospel exploded in popularity, particularly through the television ministries of televangelists like Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, and Joel Osteen. These preachers promoted the idea that God desires all believers to live in abundant financial prosperity and perfect health, and that this could be achieved through faith, positive thinking, and generous giving (often referred to as “seed faith” giving).
In particular, the concept of “seed faith” gained traction, teaching that financial contributions to a ministry or church would be multiplied by God, bringing material blessings to the giver. This doctrine often involved appeals for donations with the promise that God would reward those who gave sacrificially with financial prosperity in return.
Global Spread and Modern Influence: The Prosperity Gospel has since become a global phenomenon, particularly in the United States, Africa, and Latin America. In many contexts, this theology appeals to people who are struggling with poverty or illness, offering a message of hope and empowerment. However, it has also been critiqued for exploiting vulnerable individuals by promising wealth and health in exchange for financial contributions.
Theology of the Prosperity Gospel
The Prosperity Gospel is characterized by several key theological beliefs that diverge from historic Christian orthodoxy:
Faith as a Force: In Prosperity theology, faith is often seen as a spiritual force that believers can activate to bring about desired outcomes in their lives. This view teaches that if one has enough faith and speaks the right words, they can claim health, wealth, and success. Faith is viewed as a kind of transaction with God, where the believer’s faith-filled declarations or actions (like giving money) will lead to guaranteed blessings.
Positive Confessions: Central to the Prosperity Gospel is the practice of making positive confessions—speaking aloud claims of health, wealth, and success based on certain interpretations of Scripture. Verses like Proverbs 18:21 (“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”) and Mark 11:24 (“Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”) are often taken out of context to support the idea that verbal declarations of faith can control reality.
Material Wealth as a Sign of God’s Favor: Prosperity preachers teach that material wealth is a sign of God’s blessing and favor. Financial success is seen as evidence that one is living in faith and experiencing the abundant life promised by Jesus (John 10:10). Poverty or financial difficulty is often viewed as a lack of faith or failure to claim God’s promises.
Health and Healing as a Guarantee: In the Prosperity Gospel, physical healing is considered part of the atonement of Christ, meaning that Christians are guaranteed to experience perfect health if they have enough faith. Sickness is often seen as a result of either sin, a lack of faith, or failure to make the right confessions. Verses like Isaiah 53:5 (“by his wounds we are healed”) are frequently misinterpreted to mean that believers can claim physical healing in this life as part of the benefits of Christ’s death.
Seed-Faith Giving and Financial Prosperity: The idea of “seed faith” is a key feature of Prosperity theology. Believers are encouraged to “sow seeds” by giving money to a ministry or church, with the promise that God will multiply their financial contributions and bless them in return. This is often presented as a form of spiritual investment, where the giver can expect a financial harvest in proportion to the amount they give.
Why the Prosperity Gospel is Considered Heretical
The Prosperity Gospel is widely considered heretical by the historic Christian church for several reasons:
Distortion of the Gospel: The Prosperity Gospel shifts the focus of the Christian message from spiritual salvation and reconciliation with God to material prosperity and physical well-being. The true gospel, as presented in Scripture, is the message of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16). The Prosperity Gospel, by focusing on health and wealth, minimizes the centrality of Christ’s work on the cross and the call to discipleship.
Denial of Biblical Teaching on Suffering: Prosperity theology ignores or downplays the biblical teaching on suffering and the Christian life. Scripture teaches that suffering is a normal part of the Christian experience (John 16:33; 1 Peter 4:12-13) and that God often uses trials to shape His people and bring about His purposes (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4). The Prosperity Gospel, by teaching that suffering is always a sign of sin or lack of faith, distorts the Bible’s teaching on how God works through difficulties to sanctify believers.
Misinterpretation of Scripture: The Prosperity Gospel often relies on misinterpretations and misapplications of Scripture. Verses about faith, wealth, and healing are taken out of context to support the belief that God guarantees financial and physical blessings. For example, verses like 3 John 1:2 (“I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers”) are often cited to claim that material prosperity is God’s will for every believer, while ignoring the broader biblical context.
Undermining God’s Sovereignty: The Prosperity Gospel undermines the sovereignty of God by treating faith and positive confession as tools to manipulate God into giving blessings. This reduces God’s role to that of a divine vending machine, where blessings are dispensed in exchange for faith or financial contributions. However, the Bible teaches that God is sovereign and works according to His will and purposes, not human demands (Job 42:2; Isaiah 46:9-10; Romans 8:28).
Exploitation of the Vulnerable: The Prosperity Gospel has been heavily criticized for its exploitation of the poor and vulnerable, often encouraging financially struggling individuals to give money to ministries with the false hope of a miraculous financial return. This practice takes advantage of people’s desperation and leads them to believe that God’s blessings can be bought through seed-faith offerings, which contradicts the biblical teaching of God’s grace as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Historic Christian Orthodox View
The historic Christian orthodox view stands in stark contrast to the Prosperity Gospel in several key areas:
Salvation is Spiritual, Not Material: The true gospel is about spiritual salvation—the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-26; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). While God may choose to bless believers with material prosperity, this is not the primary focus of the Christian life. Jesus taught that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) and that believers are called to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth (Matthew 6:19-20).
Suffering as a Normal Part of the Christian Life: The Bible teaches that suffering is a normal and expected part of the Christian life (1 Peter 4:12-13; James 1:2-4). Jesus Himself warned His disciples that they would face trials and persecution in this world (John 16:33). Rather than guaranteeing material wealth and physical health, the Bible calls believers to endure suffering for the sake of Christ, knowing that it produces perseverance and deepens our dependence on God.
Faith as Trust in God’s Will: Biblical faith is not a tool for manipulating God or creating one’s desired reality. Faith is a trust in God’s promises, based on His character and sovereignty. It means trusting God’s will, whether it leads to prosperity or hardship (Hebrews 11:1, 6). The Bible teaches that believers must submit to God’s will, saying, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10), rather than demanding specific outcomes from Him.
God’s Grace Cannot Be Bought: Christian orthodoxy teaches that God’s grace is a free gift and cannot be bought or earned through financial contributions (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Prosperity Gospel’s emphasis on “seed faith” giving, where financial offerings are seen as a way to secure God’s blessings, contradicts the biblical teaching that all spiritual and material blessings are given by God’s sovereign grace.
Focus on Eternal, Not Earthly, Riches: The Bible teaches that the true riches of the Christian life are spiritual, not material. Believers are called to seek eternal life and holiness, not earthly wealth (Colossians 3:1-4). The apostle Paul teaches contentment in all circumstances, whether in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:11-13), and warns against the dangers of the love of money (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
Conclusion
The Prosperity Gospel is a modern heresy that distorts the biblical message of salvation, focusing on material prosperity and physical health as guarantees for believers. This theology misinterprets Scripture, downplays the reality of suffering, and undermines God’s sovereignty. The historic Christian orthodox view affirms that salvation is about spiritual reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, not earthly success, and that suffering is a normal part of the Christian journey. True faith involves trusting in God’s will, whether in prosperity or hardship, and looking to eternal riches in Christ rather than earthly wealth.