8-6-12<\/p>\n
Recently I heard a world-famous preacher talk about God\u2019s promises. Actually, it was the wife of a world-famous preacher, who had developed quite a thriving business with her own ministry. These days it seems that evangelists and big-name ministers are not just called to preach the Gospel, but called to be the wife, or son, of a big-name preacher. Prosperity often follows.<\/p>\n
Actually, that was the topic \u2013 prosperity \u2013 of this evangelista, who shall remain nameless. But Victoria Osteen is not the only prophet of the Prosperity Gospel these days. Many of my brothers and sisters in the Pentecostal churches, and in other corners of Christianity, frequently preach about prosperity, \u201cseed offerings,\u201d the blessings that await the faithful \u2013 under the general, spiritual umbrella of \u201creceiving God\u2019s promises.\u201d<\/p>\n
Content warning: I do not intend to join the debate, here, on the theology of what should be a more active discussion in today\u2019s American church. I want to address our response to the promises of God, not whether people are wasting chances for nice homes and cars, or whether people are wickedly twisting the words of the Bible, or whether naivet\u00e9 or agendas have driven new translations and understandings.<\/p>\n
For my own part, the plausibility of God\u2019s intention to shower me with material things was shaken years ago when the magazine of a favorite evangelist printed a chart that explained the \u201chundredfold return\u201d that Jesus promised. It explained by simple arithmetic how dollars given as offering would return in dollars that were, well, one hundred times greater. A sure bet.<\/p>\n
Mark 10:28-31: Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time \u2013 houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions \u2013 and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Hmmm. Christ\u2019s fine print included sacrifices that do not mention money; results in this life and the next; persecutions might be numbered among the \u201cdividends\u201d; and a warning against expecting anything by formula. It IS called the Hundredfold \u201cReturn,\u201d not \u201cReward.\u201d<\/p>\n So much for not joining the debate, but I do urge us all to think about God\u2019s promises for a moment. God had made many promises to us, His children. Many more than we realize. More than most of us ever\u2026 take advantage of? \u2026 receive? With terms like that we stray close to presumption, a sin. Not petitioning God to do something, not expecting, but presuming He will do something; and as it turns out in the circumstances of believers, it translates to Him do doing something we want. Not usually the mode of the Almighty.<\/p>\n Bookstores are full of biblical \u201cPromise Books\u201d\u2026 and should be. Indeed, God has made many promises. In fact, besides the history and commandments, we can say that the entire Bible is \u201cGod\u2019s Promise Book\u201d! Some of God\u2019s promises are conditional, of course. But His greatest promise \u2013 eternal life bought by the substitutionary death of His Son \u2013 is unconditional. Jesus died while we were yet sinners, and we are free to accept or reject this unspeakable gift according to His grace.<\/p>\n How often do the evangelists talk about OUR promises, in between “calling in” those of God? Every one of us, maybe in different ways, have made the same promises to God \u2013 when we received Christ into our hearts; when we have been hurting; when we have sought forgiveness; after we have sinned; at times of confusion; when crises have hit; during challenges in the areas of health, finances, career, loved ones; and so forth in an endless list. When we recite the Lord\u2019s Prayer or the Creeds, we exchange promises with God. The mere act of repentance \u2013 a frequent thing for Christians \u2013 is tantamount to making a promise.<\/p>\n \u2026 and how often do we break our promises to God? How many times do we sin? The thoughts, words, and deeds, even of \u201csaints,\u201d are not perfect. We break our word to the Creator of the Universe, the master of our souls. Often. And we have the audacity to call God out about what we perceive to be His promises to us? God cannot lie, no\u2026 but let us be a little humble about this Promise thing. As Micah wrote, He has showed you, oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?<\/em><\/p>\n Does God want us to prosper? I say that it is not inconsistent with His will. But I have a friend who once said to me, with tears in his eyes, \u201cI KNOW if I were rich, I would lose control of myself in a lot of ways, afford the sins I used to lust over\u2026 probably kill myself in the process.\u201d If this man was correct about himself, it would be a merciful God who would prosper him in radically different ways.<\/p>\n Farther along, we will understand the finer points of theology. But we can receive the spiritual blessings of justice, mercy, and humility, right now. That is a solid promise we can take to the REAL bank.<\/p>\n + + +<\/p>\n Part of a Christian\u2019s humility is accepting that we will never know some things\u2026 or know them \u201cfarther along.\u201d Here that great old hymn of faith is sung in a living-room setting \u2013 complete with flubbed lines! \u2013 by three of the most beautiful singers, and beautiful voices, in music today: Suzy Bogguss, who opens and sings the verses; Matraca Berg; and Gretchen Peters on the mandolin. A prosperity of talent! (With the line, \u201cAnd still we wonder why others prosper\u2026\u201d)<\/p>\n