Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2 NLT
Read 3 John.
There is one verse in the Bible that drives me crazier than just about any other! Oh, it’s not because I have contempt for anything in the Bible, but because it is the one verse that is most often taken out of context to support a theology of greed and indulgence.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 1:2 KJV
Does this verse really mean what it seems? Who is speaking, and to whom? Do you think God wants entire ministries and theology built upon this simple greeting from John to a friend?
How many times have we seen the emotional appeal for money “in exchange for your breakthrough” or as “seed faith that is attached to your miracle?” Is it really true that God wants me to be wealthy above all things? Will my “wealth transfer” finally come if I send a $1000 gift of faith into that person’s ministry? The “prophet” said that God only wants good things for me, and that certainly must mean that He only wants me to be comfortable and happy. Right? The atmosphere seems electrically charged as the audience praises God with passion and cheers heartily as the minister proclaims that God wishes “above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as they soul prospereth.”
What is going on here? This is the prevalent message heard on Christian TV all over America. It seems that a fine line has been crossed, and Scripture has been taken out of context to manipulate viewers into padding the pockets of these so-called men of God. Enough truth is mixed in so that many are easily enticed and deceived.
For those who do not know God, will this faux gospel lead them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Will this attract outsiders to want to know more about God? Or, have others become so disgusted by the greedy business of religion that they have hardened their hearts to the real God?
This is dangerous territory to tread indeed!
It is so important to read and study the entire Bible, not just cherry-picked verses to support what we want to believe. This is the only way to keep yourself from being misguided or manipulated by false teachers. It is especially important to read within context – not just the verse above and below, but also consider cultural context, historical context, literal context, and accurate interpretation of words.
Let’s explore the intended meaning of this verse as well as to read it from another translation to get a fresh perspective.
Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2 NLT
This verse was written merely as a greeting from John to his friend Gaius, a recent convert; yet, it is often quoted as a direct message to us from God that He wants us to seek wealth above all things. John was simply wishing his friend blessings, that everything would go well for him just as his spiritual life was now on track. How did it turn into the cornerstone of prosperity teaching?
Although this letter was addressed to one specific person, it was also intended to encourage and strengthen the church as a whole. After the initial greeting, the basic gist of this book is to encourage the church to provide for their brothers in Christ who are traveling and preaching the gospel. Nothing in this letter teaches us to idolize money.
Do not get me wrong. We can find ample Scripture that does support the fact the God loves to bless us, and He does prosper us! He really does! There are too many examples in the Bible not to believe that. However, He blesses us so that we may bless others and glorify Him, not so we can hoard treasures for ourselves. The critical issue is to keep our hearts pure and not to allow His blessings to become an idol to us.
It’s all His anyway! We are mere stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Lord, let us be faithful managers of what belongs to you!
In other words, we are to love God; seek Him first; enjoy His blessings; prosper abundantly; give generously; but keep a balanced, Biblical perspective without becoming greedy.
Here is a list of verses that will help to balance our understanding. If any one of them is read by itself, it can easily cause one to jump to the wrong conclusion. However, as you study each of these verses together, rather than seeing contradictions, we actually get a clearer interpretation of how God really does see money.
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 ESV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1 NIV
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 NIV
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 NIV
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 ESV
“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15 ESV
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16 ESV
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV
Please understand that these verses do not decry money itself as evil, but our approach toward money is where the problem often lies. It is all about the heart. Greed is the culprit, not money. The first few verses help us understand that God does not want us to live in poverty or lack. He generously gives us everything we need and more. However, we are cautioned numerous times about our attitude toward wealth. Wealth is not what we are to seek first in our lives. Seek God first, and everything else will fall into its proper place. Give thanks and be content.
We can also read the stories of Abraham, Job, David, Solomon, and many more to see examples of how God loves to bless those who honor Him, but to have complete understanding of this topic, we must search all of Scripture rather than foolishly embracing the shallow and uninformed teaching of the few who manipulate for their own personal gain and lead the sheep astray. Be wary!
Let us be diligent in researching Scripture and seek to comprehend each message in its full context. That is the example of the Bereans in the early church. Rather than merely accepting everything Paul said, they “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11 NIV.
