Question 1

What does God think about our prosperity?

Accepted Answer

Job 41:11“Who has given me anything that I [God] need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.”Psalm 24:1-2The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.Psalm 50:12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.”Haggai 2:8“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”God never wants us to forget that all prosperity is simply stewardship of what is rightfully his as our Creator. Our possession of anything material is temporary and restricted to this world. We cannot take material prosperity with us when we die. All of it ultimately remains God’s property; we are the caretakers of what he has given us.Genesis 26:12-13When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow.Deuteronomy 8:17-18“He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”Deuteronomy 26:9-10“‘He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! And now, O Lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.’ Then place the produce before the Lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him.”1 Samuel 2:7The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.Job 1:21He [Job] said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”Proverbs 22:2The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.Ecclesiastes 5:19It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.God does not seem to criticize his people who prosper, as long as they honor him with their prosperity. God has a role in the circumstances that bring about prosperity, but prosperity is not necessarily a reward. Those who do not materially prosper are not necessarily being punished or forgotten. It is not what we have, but what we do with what we have that counts.Matthew 6:19-24“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”1 Timothy 6:17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.Revelation 18:14, 20“The fancy things you [Babylon] loved so much are gone,” they cry. “All your luxuries and splendor are gone forever, never to be yours again.” . . . “Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.”God lovingly and generously provides for our needs. God’s desire is for us to trust in him as the living provider—not to trust in the provision itself or in the work we do in the pursuit of wealth. When we choose to trust in anything or anyone other than God, we will be judged by God. If we die in possession of great wealth in this world, we will be cut off from God and end up with nothing.Ephesians 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.Philippians 4:19This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.1 Peter 1:4We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.God’s glorious riches are available to all those who believe in Jesus. But we must think of these riches as coming from him, not from our own actions and not being fully in our possession. We need to recognize that everything we have comes from God and that it includes the blessings of eternal life. This is ultimate and eternal prosperity.Matthew 16:26“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”Luke 12:21“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”1 Timothy 6:6-7True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.1 Peter 1:18You know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.As tempting as the prosperity of the world is, God points to a greater, richer, and ultimately satisfying prosperity with him. It allows us to be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.Psalm 19:8-11The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.Psalm 119:14I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.Proverbs 16:8Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.Proverbs 16:16How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!Proverbs 23:23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.God’s instructions and rules for living are priceless. The value of a life lived by them cannot be measured, but God treasures it.1 Kings 3:9-13“Give me [Solomon] an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!”Proverbs 22:1Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.Too often we define prosperity quantitatively by how many possessions we have or how much financial wealth we have. Instead, we should think of prosperity as God does, counting highly the true value of our souls, our relationship with him, his Word, godliness, truth, wisdom, and a good reputation. These riches are lasting and priceless. When Solomon chose to ask God for wisdom to rule well rather than fabulous wealth and power, God answered first by giving Solomon what he had requested and then added what he had not asked for but demonstrated by his choice that he could safely receive.Proverbs 12:11A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.Proverbs 13:11Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.The Bible does recognize that there is a God-created cause and effect relationship between hard work and material prosperity. It offers a scathing rebuke to those unwilling to work but who expect to gain benefits despite their laziness.2 Corinthians 9:11Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.Philippians 4:18At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.Regarding “financial” prosperity, God is pleased when we work diligently and we share generously. God is concerned with our attitude about, and stewardship of, financial wealth. When we have those assigned the right priority, he may be more apt to entrust us with great resources. Don’t assume, however, that everyone with financial prosperity has the right attitude about wealth. It is far more important that we have the right attitude about wealth than that we have great wealth.

Question 2

What are some of the potential dangers of prosperity?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 6:10-12“The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.”It is very easy to take God’s amazing provisions for granted and to start believing we have earned our wealth on our own.Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 18“Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. . . . Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”Deuteronomy 31:20“I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant.”Deuteronomy 32:15“But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation.”It’s easy to become proud of what we perceive to be our accomplishments. When this happens, we are failing to recognize that everything we have comes from God, and that he deserves our credit and our humble obedience.Psalm 62:10Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.Proverbs 30:8-9First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.Hosea 13:5-6“I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me.”It’s easy to forget about God and ignore his obvious role in making our prosperity possible.Psalm 10:4-6The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies. They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!”Psalm 52:7“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”Proverbs 11:28Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.Jeremiah 48:7Because you have trusted in your wealth and skill, you will be taken captive. Your god Chemosh, with his priests and officials, will be hauled off to distant lands!Jeremiah 49:4You are proud of your fertile valleys, but they will soon be ruined. You trusted in your wealth, you rebellious daughter, and thought no one could ever harm you.It’s so easy to become prideful, trusting in our own abilities or resources rather than in God. We easily forget how easily earthly riches and positions can disappear.Mark 10:22-25At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”Revelation 3:17“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”It’s easy to become spiritually blind or complacent. We become unable to disconnect our hearts from the things of this world.1 Timothy 6:9-10People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.It’s easy to be tempted and even trapped into a greedy cycle of grasping and wanting more. The pleasures readily available to those with wealth can be addictive.Luke 12:15Then he [Jesus] said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”It is easy to place value on inappropriate things and to use the wrong measuring stick for deciding what is most important.Mark 4:19“But all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.”It is easy to use our money to pursue only futile things while neglecting what is eternal.Proverbs 23:4-5Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.Ecclesiastes 5:13-14There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children.1 Timothy 6:7After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.It’s easy to begin to believe that prosperity, which is only temporary, is a permanent lifestyle choice. Pursuing eternal realities is the only dependable foundation for our lives.Ecclesiastes 5:10Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!Hebrews 13:5Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”It’s natural for us to become caught up in greed and to become quickly dissatisfied with what we have. Wealth is always calling us to desire more; it never allows us to choose contentment.

Question 3

Why do the wicked seem to prosper here on earth?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 37:35-36I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!Psalm 49:10-12Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.The singlemindedness and creativity of our human race in pursuit of earthly wealth is often remarkable. It makes us wonder what we might accomplish with these same attributes under God’s direction. And yet our achievements, however great, are limited by our lifespans and must be left behind at death.Psalm 49:16-20So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.Ecclesiastes 5:15We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.Although the wicked may prosper here in this life, they are mere mortals who will die and leave their earthly prosperity behind. The currency of this world has absolutely no value in eternity.Psalm 10:4-6The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them.Psalm 73:3-13, 16-19I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. . . . And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? . . . So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.The prosperity of the wicked gives the appearance of a complete and fulfilling life. But a life without God contains a powerful vacuum that nothing other than God can fill. And a life of luxury lived at the expense of others, without demonstrating love, care, or justice toward others, will always face judgment. Such lives may look good to an outside observer, but God sees the empty hearts and destructive actions of those who live such a life.Ezekiel 7:19“They will throw their money in the streets, tossing it out like worthless trash. Their silver and gold won’t save them on that day of the Lord’s anger. It will neither satisfy nor feed them, for their greed can only trip them up.”Luke 16:24-25“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.’”James 5:1-6Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. . . . This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.The wicked—financially poor or wealthy—should not be envied as their eternal destiny is one of judgment and punishment. Time spent on this earth is but a small dot on a line that never ends. What really counts is the heavenly treasure we lay up while we are here on earth.

Question 4

How can we best use our prosperity in this life?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 16:17“All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.”Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.Prosperity of any kind allows us the opportunity to deliberately turn away from the security it offers and to take such actions as demonstrate our dependence on God and gratitude for his provision. Through generosity, we set ourselves free from the prison of wealth and allow God to make use of what he’s entrusted to us for the good of his Kingdom.Malachi 3:10“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”1 Corinthians 16:2On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.We should honor God by supporting his work with generous giving.Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.”Luke 16:9“Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.”2 Corinthians 9:9As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”1 Timothy 6:9, 18-19People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. . . . Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.1 John 3:17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?We should be sensitive to the opportunities we have to generously meet the needs of others.Luke 6:38“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”As followers of Jesus, we are called to invest our prosperity in the lives of others. When we willingly participate in God’s work through generous giving, we put ourselves in the place to receive even more of God’s provisions to share.

Question 5

Does a principle like tithing apply only to the prosperous or to everyone?

Accepted Answer

Malachi 3:8-10“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”Whether we have much or little, it is crucial that we understand that God is the source of everything we have. One way to establish a discipline of gratitude and recognition of God’s provision is to practice giving back to him part of what he has given us.Matthew 23:23“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”Jesus underscored the importance of tithing while pointing out that it can be a self-righteousness trap for rich and poor. When our giving becomes a means to gain public applause, it has lost its purpose for expressing trust to God.Luke 21:1-4While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”Tithing is a basic step in practicing gratitude to God and showing trust in him. This is as appropriate when we have little as when we have much. A tenth of a little may not seem like much compared to the amount others can give, but it is just as much an act of obedience as it is for someone to give a lot from a lot.