I've posted a number of times that I do not see the Scriptural basis for the "Prosperity Movement"; but on the other hand, I'm a little perplexed by additions some Bible teachers make to avoid the prosperity trap. I was struck by this as I read John MacArthur today.
In Joshua 1.8, MacArthur adds the word "spiritual".
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have [spiritual] success.
What do you think? Is that a valid addition?
I thought it was odd since this was in context of a good teaching on absorbing God's Word and living it out. It was not part of his addressing the prosperity topic.
3 comments:
That is the temptation when you approach the Word with a preconceived bias. Like when you teach that the gifts of the Spirit are gone and cannot explain why the Lord would list them and even teach us how they operate if we couldn't use them.
I greatly enjoy much of John's teachings, but he comes from the group which sees no mystery. I've never heard him say "Here's a verse that I am not sure about". His type of reformed approach tends to be intellectual at the expense of some of the Holy Spirit's ministry. His "as the deer" seeking does not mean prayer and fasting and weeping brokenness with a meditation on the Word, he means more and more study of the Word.
I love some of teaching, but I agree with McManus that we tend to be overly certain about everything, although I am more certain about more thing than he seems to be sometimes.
I suppose it may be valid if the words "prosperous" and "success" have different meanings today than they did then. It's like the word "perfect" in the NT when it's used to mean complete or mature. The meaning has changed. Today "prosper" has a financial meaning. Truly, prosper means to do well in all aspects of life, not just finances. The same way with success. Today it means to beat everyone else and get ahead. In the context you quote, it probably means to please God.
However, your point is valid in general. It's best to read it as it says first, and then interpret it in light of the rest of Scripture.
BTW, I don't like the way Blogger always changes my name to lower case letters.
no-blog ... it's blogger's way of making us all equal ... plus it's cool to some not to use caps.
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