Speaking of the Prosperity Gospel

I won't name any names, but as I was reading "The Attributes of God" this afternoon, something occurred to me...

A.W. Pink writes this in Chapter 15 of "The Attributes of God" in the Chapter on The Love of God:

"Here then is abundant cause for trust and patience under Divine affliction, Christ was beloved of the Father, yet he was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution. He hungered and thirsted. Thus, it was not incompatible with God's love for Christ when He permitted men to spit upon him and smite him. Then let no Christian call into question God's love when he is brought under painful afflictions and trials. God did not enrich Christ on earth with temporal prosperity..."

So if my attitude toward life is the key to success, then Christ should have been the richest, most prosperous, most successful guy ever. Certainly Jesus never had a bad attitude. Certainly He never had a sinful attitude toward anything. Certainly He always did exactly what God would have wanted Him to do, right? Certainly even the wildest prosperity Gospel preacher would not claim that Jesus exhibited anything other than complete holiness and righteousness.

So then - why was he not prosperous?

Because the prosperity Gospel is a lie. It comes from man's inventions, not from the Scriptures.

God's children should never doubt His love for them. They should never measure it by the "stuff" they have or the situation they find themselves in. We should look to the Gospel, for in it we see the true love of God. When we truly understand what God has done for us, in the midst of our not only not deserving it, but also not even seeking/desiring it - we should be humbled beyond measure.

My "need" for a nice car is destroyed.

My "need" for a comfy bed is destroyed.

My "need" for a delicious meal is destroyed.

Christ died for me. Took the punishment that I deserve.

Now I can approach with confidence the throne of grace.

That is enough.

"I need no other argument, I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me."

Rob

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P.S. - the next installment of the "1689 Confession" is coming in the next day or so...