1. The document discusses the problems with the "health and wealth gospel" promoted by some televangelists. It argues this prosperity theology takes verses out of context and promotes a self-centered agenda rather than a God-centered perspective. 2. A kingdom of God perspective recognizes the tension between what is "already" true in Christ and what is "not yet" fulfilled. While God desires health and provision, suffering and poverty still exist as part of living in a fallen world. 3. Rather than demand healing through positive confession, Christians should approach God with gratitude, humility, and trust, recognizing healing as a gift rather than an obligation. Overall health and wealth should not be the focus of faith.

1. Chong Seng Gee
17 July 2016
Kingdom
Perspective
A

2. HEALTH & WEALTH GOSPEL

3. Positive Thinking, Active Faith & Grace
• Choosing to be positive and having a
grateful attitude is going to determine
how you're going to live your life.
• Faith activates God - Fear activates the
Enemy.
• Do all you can to make your dreams
come true.
Joel Osteen, Senior Pastor, Lakewood Church

4. The “Modern Corinthian Church”
1. Christ exalted, not crucified
2. Signs, wonders and power
3. Because God heals, He must heal everyone
4. No place for hunger, weakness, thirst and poverty
5. We must reign with Him, it’s our birthright!
(Luke 4:18-19)
6. Anything less – lack of Faith

5. History & New Ideas
1. New Thought & Positive Confession Movement –
E.W. Kenyon (1890s)
2. Word of Faith & Seed Faith (Blessed Pacts) –
Oral Roberts (1947), Kenneth Hagin (1970s-1990s)
2. Pentecostal healing and deliverance evangelists
(1940s & 1950s)

6. History & New Ideas
4. Rise of Televangelism – Oral Roberts (1960s),
Rev Ike (1970s), Jim Bakker & Benny Hinn (1980s)
5.Neo-Pentecostal Movements – Joel Osteen,
Bruce Wilkinson’s (Prayer of Jabez) &
Kenneth Copeland (1990s & 2000s)
6.Megachurch Movements of the 2000s
and beyond (US export)

7. Prosperity & Perfect Health
1. Book of Malachi 3:9-10
2. Contract between God and man
3. Faith in God = Grace = Security & Prosperity
4.Confession is an act of
activating faith

8. Prosperity & Perfect Health
5. Empowerment (God’s Will) & Atonement
(Reconciliation) & Justification –
The Divine Package
6. Sickness and poverty are curses to be
broken by Faith
7. Achieved through
donations, visualization
& positive confession

9. Characteristics of “this”
Church
1. Non-denominational and independent
2. Sole pastor or leader with charisma and
either Star or CEO qualities
3. Some create multi-church networks and
emphasise on experiential grace and faith

10. Recent Events – Past & Near Present
Crystal Cathedral , 1981
Megachurch by Robert H. Schuller, TV
Evangelist, 1995
Chp 11 bankruptcy, staggering debt
40 ac, glass tower sold $57.5m in 2011
City Harvest Church, Oct 2015
Guilty : 6 Church leaders including founder pastor
Funnelling SGD50m church building funds thru
bogus bond investments
Ms Ho’s musical ambitions for gospel outreach
Criminal breach of trust

11. 1. HEALTH AND WEALTH ? –
Search the Scriptures

12. 1. Think, Claim, Get
• “Serve God and get rich”
• “God wills your prosperity”
• “So think God’s thoughts, claim it and it’s yours”
• Oral Roberts, Kenneth Copeland,
Kenneth Hagin, Joel Osteen
The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head…
(Matthew 8:19-22)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves
and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23)

13. 2. Problems in Interpretation
Not what we think but the original intent of
the author
3 John 2 : Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (vs 4, 11)
1 Tim 5:23 : Stop drinking water, use a little wine because of your
stomach and your frequent illnesses
John 10:10-11 : The abundant life from a shepherd vs the thief –
steal, kill & destroy (vs 11)
Phil 4:19 : My God shall supply all your need according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus (vs 13-18)

14. 3. False Theology : Giving to Get
Mal 3:10 : "Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there
will be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord All-Powerful. “I will
open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you
need
1. Promotes a self-centredness agenda rather than God-centredness.
2. Out of context – see vs.8-9
Gustav Aulen : “If God is the Holy One, he is also the One on whom
we are absolutely dependent. We are in His power, not He in
ours”

15. 4. Cause and Effect Formulas
Job’s Misleading Comforters (Job
4:7-8)
Luke 13 :1-5 : Galileans and the
Tower in Siloam which fell on the 18
people (note : “repentance”)

16. 2. A KINGDOM OF GOD PERSPECTIVE
– INNER AND OUTER

17. 1. Is God The Servant Or The King
(re: genie in the bottle)?
2. Is HE trapped or bound by a
contract of service called “Faith”

18. 3. The “Already and The Not-Yet” Tension
Health
1 Cor 6:13-14 : “The body though still subject to decay and
death in the present age, nonetheless belongs to the Lord
and is destined for resurrection
Rom 8: 19 : Present suffering and future glory
Heb 12:28-29 : Shakenings
Mat 24:1-2 : Destruction of the Temple and
Signs of the End Times

19. Reality Checks
1. 2 Kings 13:14
2. Acts 12:1-3
3. 2 Cor 12:12 vs 2 Cor 12:20
4. Phil 2:26 vs 2 Tim 4:20
5. 2 Cor 4:16-18 &
2 Cor 5:1-2
Elisha - miracles yet suffered illness & died
James martyred, Peter released
Signs, wonders, miracles yet troubles
Ephaphroditus nearly died but healed.
Trophimus left sick in Miletus
Carried in his body illness & sufferings.
Yet waiting for heavenly tent

20. “Scriptural Gymnastics”
1.Distinction between suffering and illness
2.Suffering is something external to us,
a result of our following Christ
3.Sickness and disease are now
overcome by Christ
4.We are living in NT times
esp. after Christ’s death

21. Most Dangerous of “Scriptural Gymnastics”
• “No need of Repentance”
• Grace to the extreme : finished work on the Cross
• Doctrine of Justification but
no Doctrine of Sanctification
1 John 1:8-9, Matt 6:33

22. The Way Forward
1. Prosperity gospel challenges our faith
to be alive and energised.
2. Do we search the Scriptures for God’s
truth?
3. When God answers, what is our response
(Job)?
4. In examining our faith – do we control or
let God control?

23. The Way Forward
5. What about the “Already and the Not-Yet”
mystery of Kingdom of God?
6. Healing, like wealth is not a divine obligation
but a divine gift.
7. If a gift, we can make no demands. Ours is
gratefulness, humility and trust (Hab 3:17-19).