Post by Zac Loh on Aug 30, 2005 5:12:51 GMT -5
There was a time when Christians believed that poverty was a tool which God used to humble them. God had to change that.
So he released the message of Prosperity to the church. Many servants of God arose and began to declare the truth of prosperity. Ministers such as Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin Sr. and Kenneth Copeland stood out among them.
The frequency of giving-and-receiving increased dramatically in the kingdom of God. Poor Christians became prosperous Christians. Now, the kingdom of God could expand further as finances were made readily available. More wealthy unbelievers could be reached by Christians who were upgraded into the higher level of society. This, in turn, it produced even more wealth for the church to evangelize the world!
However, the message had also been carried to the bad extreme albeit the divine origin. Throughout the church history, we see how some men had the propensity to bring divine truths to a place which is beyond its intended boundary. What started out in the Spirit had been unwittingly established in the flesh. Thus, a condition exists whereby a poor Christian is thought to be a sub-standard Christian. The connotation attached to it: `there must be something wrong with this guy.’ Thus, we need a balanced point of view.
While browsing through church history, I remarkably discovered a most beautiful explanation on Christian Prosperity from a man by the name of Octavius at about nineteen centuries ago. A document written in the late second century A.D. called the Octavius of Minicius Felix describes a debate between a Christian and a pagan at the Roman port of Ostia. Minicius Felix was walking about Ostia with two friends, Octavius a Christian, and Caecilius a pagan. When Caecilius pauses to pay respect to a pagan idol, Octavius objects. An extended debate develops.
Here is a small excerpt of the adaptation of their debate drawn from that document as well as other early church sources for a taste of that time.
CAECILIUS The Pagan: Take a look at your gatherings. What are they made up of? Mostly women, gullible children, the majority are from the working classes, not well-educated, mostly poor and even slaves. It makes me laugh when I think how poor you are, barely enough to live on. If this God or yours is so great and so loving, why are so many of you so poor? Either he’s not that loving and doesn’t care that you are poor or he is not that great and is unable to do anything about it. Some god! No wonder you’re all regarded as fools.
OCTAVIUS The Christian: If you had bothered to take the time to find out, you would know that there are many from the upper classes among our number, even some of Caesar’s staff. And notable scholars, who were once pagans, have written in defense of our faith for the more educated to consider. But let’s not quibble. Many of our number – most of our number are poor. But what is more important is how we regard ourselves. We consider ourselves to be rich. We have that which is most valuable, the most precious gift, which cannot be lost. And for your information, there are those of us who are wealthy. We do not despise wealth; we welcome it when it comes lawfully. But we do not lust after it. And when we get more wealth, we simply give more away. Wealth can be a great burden. It weighs you down with many cares and concerns. Traveling light has its advantages – some big advantages!
CAECILIUS: Sorry, I haven’t noticed any. I’ll take the wealth instead any day.
OCTAVIUS: You know, Caecilius, talking to you makes me realize why God doesn’t automatically bless us with wealth. Because if he did, people like you would rush to become Christians and miss the whole point. So don’t pity us. We have plenty, not only for ourselves but also for those in need, the ones that you walk right by.
Note: In the original account by Minicius Felix, Caecilius gets converted.
(Source: Christian History Institute)
There is nothing wrong with money. As a matter of fact, should there be anybody who wants to give me some, are more than welcome to do so. Yet, true prosperity is not measured by our receiving, but by our giving. We give to receive so that we can continue giving.
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to this treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:41-44)
The million dollar question is… who is more prosperous? The rich or the one poor widow?
In the early church, as early as the Book of Acts, giving, too, like today, was in danger of becoming a religion. Apparently, it turned out that to be accepted in the Christian crowd, one had to be a lavish giver. Ananias and Sapphira had missed the point costing their tragic end. (Acts 5:1-10)
In Matthew 6:1-4, our Lord Jesus shared to His listeners on the secret of giving… the secret of giving is to give in secret.
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And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to God, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:5)
True prosperity is not just about the giving of money. It includes the giving of our time, energy, talent, focus, attention and thought. Yes, do not be surprise that there are still some things today which cannot be measured in monetary terms. All in all, the highest giving is the giving of our very lives to God. Paul described to us, in 2 Timothy 4:6, about his life being poured out to God as a drink offering.
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Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)
From this portion of scripture, you would understand that true prosperity begins in the bosom. The apostle John prayed that the beloved Gaius may prosper in all things with good health… just as his soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
If we are not freed up inside, then our outward giving is pointless. If we are not generous in forgiving people, then we are a bankrupt human being.
Our generosity to accommodate people in our lives extends far more than our superficial, financial giving. Generosity means that we do not have a congested heart.
The context of the scripture indicates that judging and condemning constitute spiritual poverty. Can we afford to be spiritually poor while financially rich? This is about a choice, rather than a question.
Forgiving is the mother of giving, and judging and condemning are the parents of the opposite.
Let us not add the leaven of judging and condemning in our bread of giving. For God loves a cheerful giver.
Jesus is more interested in a heart flowing out to others, more than merely hard cash flowing out.
So let us freely give, and freely receive.
So he released the message of Prosperity to the church. Many servants of God arose and began to declare the truth of prosperity. Ministers such as Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin Sr. and Kenneth Copeland stood out among them.
The frequency of giving-and-receiving increased dramatically in the kingdom of God. Poor Christians became prosperous Christians. Now, the kingdom of God could expand further as finances were made readily available. More wealthy unbelievers could be reached by Christians who were upgraded into the higher level of society. This, in turn, it produced even more wealth for the church to evangelize the world!
However, the message had also been carried to the bad extreme albeit the divine origin. Throughout the church history, we see how some men had the propensity to bring divine truths to a place which is beyond its intended boundary. What started out in the Spirit had been unwittingly established in the flesh. Thus, a condition exists whereby a poor Christian is thought to be a sub-standard Christian. The connotation attached to it: `there must be something wrong with this guy.’ Thus, we need a balanced point of view.
While browsing through church history, I remarkably discovered a most beautiful explanation on Christian Prosperity from a man by the name of Octavius at about nineteen centuries ago. A document written in the late second century A.D. called the Octavius of Minicius Felix describes a debate between a Christian and a pagan at the Roman port of Ostia. Minicius Felix was walking about Ostia with two friends, Octavius a Christian, and Caecilius a pagan. When Caecilius pauses to pay respect to a pagan idol, Octavius objects. An extended debate develops.
Here is a small excerpt of the adaptation of their debate drawn from that document as well as other early church sources for a taste of that time.
CAECILIUS The Pagan: Take a look at your gatherings. What are they made up of? Mostly women, gullible children, the majority are from the working classes, not well-educated, mostly poor and even slaves. It makes me laugh when I think how poor you are, barely enough to live on. If this God or yours is so great and so loving, why are so many of you so poor? Either he’s not that loving and doesn’t care that you are poor or he is not that great and is unable to do anything about it. Some god! No wonder you’re all regarded as fools.
OCTAVIUS The Christian: If you had bothered to take the time to find out, you would know that there are many from the upper classes among our number, even some of Caesar’s staff. And notable scholars, who were once pagans, have written in defense of our faith for the more educated to consider. But let’s not quibble. Many of our number – most of our number are poor. But what is more important is how we regard ourselves. We consider ourselves to be rich. We have that which is most valuable, the most precious gift, which cannot be lost. And for your information, there are those of us who are wealthy. We do not despise wealth; we welcome it when it comes lawfully. But we do not lust after it. And when we get more wealth, we simply give more away. Wealth can be a great burden. It weighs you down with many cares and concerns. Traveling light has its advantages – some big advantages!
CAECILIUS: Sorry, I haven’t noticed any. I’ll take the wealth instead any day.
OCTAVIUS: You know, Caecilius, talking to you makes me realize why God doesn’t automatically bless us with wealth. Because if he did, people like you would rush to become Christians and miss the whole point. So don’t pity us. We have plenty, not only for ourselves but also for those in need, the ones that you walk right by.
Note: In the original account by Minicius Felix, Caecilius gets converted.
(Source: Christian History Institute)
There is nothing wrong with money. As a matter of fact, should there be anybody who wants to give me some, are more than welcome to do so. Yet, true prosperity is not measured by our receiving, but by our giving. We give to receive so that we can continue giving.
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to this treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:41-44)
The million dollar question is… who is more prosperous? The rich or the one poor widow?
In the early church, as early as the Book of Acts, giving, too, like today, was in danger of becoming a religion. Apparently, it turned out that to be accepted in the Christian crowd, one had to be a lavish giver. Ananias and Sapphira had missed the point costing their tragic end. (Acts 5:1-10)
In Matthew 6:1-4, our Lord Jesus shared to His listeners on the secret of giving… the secret of giving is to give in secret.
Blessed are they who give without remembering and receive without forgetting. - unknown
And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to God, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:5)
True prosperity is not just about the giving of money. It includes the giving of our time, energy, talent, focus, attention and thought. Yes, do not be surprise that there are still some things today which cannot be measured in monetary terms. All in all, the highest giving is the giving of our very lives to God. Paul described to us, in 2 Timothy 4:6, about his life being poured out to God as a drink offering.
If nature has made you a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart. And though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that.
– Frances Hodgson Burnett, A little Princess (Lippincott) –
– Frances Hodgson Burnett, A little Princess (Lippincott) –
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)
From this portion of scripture, you would understand that true prosperity begins in the bosom. The apostle John prayed that the beloved Gaius may prosper in all things with good health… just as his soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
If we are not freed up inside, then our outward giving is pointless. If we are not generous in forgiving people, then we are a bankrupt human being.
Our generosity to accommodate people in our lives extends far more than our superficial, financial giving. Generosity means that we do not have a congested heart.
The context of the scripture indicates that judging and condemning constitute spiritual poverty. Can we afford to be spiritually poor while financially rich? This is about a choice, rather than a question.
Forgiving is the mother of giving, and judging and condemning are the parents of the opposite.
Let us not add the leaven of judging and condemning in our bread of giving. For God loves a cheerful giver.
Jesus is more interested in a heart flowing out to others, more than merely hard cash flowing out.
So let us freely give, and freely receive.