That Old Time Prosperity Religion

 

Job 42:7 And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has

The difference between Job and his friends boils down to this. His friends felt that prosperity was a sign of a right relationship with God, whereas Job maintained that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Mt 5:45 “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The link between prosperity and God’s favor has been around a long time. (Remember, this is the oldest book in the Bible) and it was around when Jesus walked this earth as well. Jesus’ disciples expressed that doctrine in Joh 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Surely there was a reason for this man’s malady and it must be sin! "Jesus immediately straightened them out with this truth: Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

 

And there we have Rom 8:28 before us again! it again: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

God is continually working in us no matter what comes our way for His ultimate glory.  It’s always about the glory of God. 

Job suffered tremendously, but in the end God was glorified.

And don’t miss the seriousness of the proponents of this erroneous doctrine. God told Eliphaz, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has”

 

Think twice before you start blaming someone’s struggles on their lack of faith. For what will you do when struggles come your way as they surely will. Joh 16:33 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

And in the overcoming of the world though Jesus, God is glorified