Prosperity in What?

Throughout the day yesterday on social media, I kept reading wishes for prosperity in the New Year. It got me to thinking. Prosperity in what? As Christians we are told by God to deny ourselves. We are told to die in order that we could live. We are told to not worry about where our food was going to come from since we were more important than the birds. So, every time I see a Christian wishing prosperity upon someone, it makes me wonder.

I must admit, there are many conflicting statements in the Holy Scriptures which include the concept of prosperity either as a positive or negative statement. Overwhelming though, the terms comes with a negative context as prosperity leads to humanity growing weak and careless. In most cases, prosperity leads to destruction in the Holy Scriptures, not because prosperity is evil, but because of the damage it does to our hearts. The closest thing to praise I could find is Psalm 25/26 “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.” I guess that sounds like something that we should get excited about.

Then I remember the call to be saints (‘αγιος in Greek) which means we are to be “NOT of the Earth” but of Heaven. “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17.16) If prosperity includes inheriting the Earth, and we are not to be of the world, then why would we seek to inherit that which does not belong to us in the first place? Our Father is in Heaven. We shall inherit His Kingdom. The Earth is fallen and the dwelling place of Satan.

As it relates to wealth and other Earthly blessings, we only need to recall God’s words, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6.19-21)

May 2018 be a year of heavenly blessings rather than earthly blessings! Forget about prosperity! It leads to laziness and carelessness. Remember repentance! It leads to the Kingdom of Heaven!