What is belief? Does it mean God should be the center of our life? Or we just hope God will bring us prosperity and grace?
There is nothing wrong with asking God for wealth and peace. However, too many Christians today advocate Prosperity Theology.
Pastor Wang from Henan Province says that part of Prosperity Theology is good. However, when we go to the extreme, we will deviate from the normal track.
" Why is Prosperity Theology so popular? It is in accordance with some people's egoism. In their opinion, Jesus came to the world and died on the cross just for them. They also think that Jesus became poor in order to make them rich, healthy and happy. It seems that Jesus did everything to let people enter the kingdom of heaven."
Pastor Wang questioned this kind of egoism. A person who is over-egotistical will feel the universe is spinning around him, which is a terrible thing. "When a person starts to become self-centered, he forgets the object of his worship."
Pastor Wang said that the universe is centered on God. God loves us and saves us due to His own purposes and instincts. When we misunderstand it is all for us, we will ask God to make us rich, strong and glorified."
Nowadays, many Christians tend to use spiritual blessings to realize their secular ideas. Of course, wealth is God's blessing to His people, but the purpose is not for us.
"God makes you rich, but God also wants you to benefit the poor. God wants us to glorify Him on Earth with the wealth He granted us.
When everything we do is to glorify God, we are not self-centered then. "
When we start to change our minds and focus on God instead of being self-centered, the amount of our wealth won't be absolute. God will make us feel His existence by making us suffer. No matter if we are rich or poor, we can try our best to glorify God. The poverty and disease of Lazarus glorified God. Although he had no clothes on him, he was revived from death.
"If wealth can glorify God, the rich should be the apple of God's eyes." Pastor Wang concluded: "So when we look at the Bible and our belief, we must have a macro point of view. Don't be limited by personal ideas. We should never think of God as our individual or personal belonging."
Translated by Emma Ma
