Dr Paul Allen

Jeroboam sets up two golden calves, from the Bible Historiale. Den Haag, MMW, 10 B 23 165r (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Someone mentioned that the prosperity gospel is simply ancient pagan fertility religion (namely Ba’al worship) in a modern garb…which got me thinking. In thinking about the Biblical classification of the Prosperity Gospel , I would have to suggest that it is a system of very old false religion, but not necessarily Ba’al worship. Now, it’s fairly easy to see that the “gospel” of the prosperity gospel isn’t the biblical gospel, regardless of how some try to soft pedal it. The “good news” isn’t the death/resurrection/ascension of Christ resulting in restoration with God , it’s the death/resurrection of Christ resulting in the restoration of your credit rating. It’s also fairly easy to get the whole “Balaam” and materialism connection (2 Peter 2:15-16; Jude 1:11), and it’s easy to recognize that those who push the prosperity gospel are false teachers since those w...

Caricature of Charles Spurgeon. Caption reads "Noone has succeeded like him in sketching the comic side of repentance and regeneration". (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Author: David W. Jones. Over a century ago, speaking to the then-largest congregation in all Christendom, Charles Spurgeon said, I believe that it is anti-Christian and unholy for any Christian to live with the object of accumulating wealth. You will say, “Are we not to strive all we can to get all the money we can?” You may do so. I cannot doubt but what, in so doing, you may do service to the cause of God. But what I said was that to live with the object of accumulating wealth is anti-Christian.[1] Over the years, however, the message being preached in some of the largest churches in the world has changed—indeed, a new gospel is being taught to many congregations today. This gospel has been ascribed many names, such as the “name it and claim it” gospel, the “blab it and grab it” gospel, the “health and weal...

English: Ecclesiastes, (קֹהֶלֶת, Kohelet, "son of David, and king in Jerusalem" alias Solomon, Wood engraving (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Does Proverbs teach "the Health, Wealth , and Prosperity Gospel ?" It certainly contains multiple promises of health, wealth, and prosperity to those who live wisely. However, there's an eternity of difference between the Prosperity Gospel and Gospel Prosperity. Let me give you five statements that will help clarify that difference. 1. God has provided external Wisdom, in principle and Person form, to correct our sin-caused ignorance, error, and folly. God made us with knowledge, rightness, and practical life-skills. However, as a punishment for Adam 's sin, God cursed Adam and his descendants with ignorance, error, and folly. As no amount of research, experimentation, or reasoning will make us spiritually wise again, God has revealed His otherwise inaccessible and unattainable Wisdom to us. In the Old Testament , God...