Confusion reigns among you Pharisees while you “make the word of God of none effect through your tradition” (Mark 7:13).
Non-sequitur. The issue of refutation of the false "prosperity gospel" has nothing to do with tradition. It has everything to do with the extant Word of God. The fact that the prosperity gospel has any tenuous filament to the scripture is due to misinterpretation of passages that "do not mean what you think they mean."
“I wish above all things that you proper and be in health even as your soul prospers.” 3 John 2.
Out of curiosity --- who was the author of that passage? We all know that scripture is God-breathed, but it was also a letter -- written to an audience -- by someone. John would be my guess. And he wished for good health and prosperity for those to whom the letter was written. That's not God almighty telling us that by asking or health and wealth that we get it. So, here we have a rather gross misinterpretation of 3 John 2.
“By his stripes we were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24.
Let's visit this one in context from v. 18:
" Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
(1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV)" Emphasis mine.
Looks like Peter is talking about our submission to authorities. And the bolded verses, which include your cherry-picked one, are talking about our SPIRITUAL health... "...that we might die to sin and live to righteousness...." Again, this does not prove the prosperity gospel -- it refutes it.
“And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matt 8:14-17.
Already refuted, but why not. Christ healed Peter's wife's mother. He healed others brought to him IN ORDER TO FULFILL PROPHECY. Speaking of reading the Bible, did you catch the part where it says, "...That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
Where does Matthew indicate here that we can avail ourselves of perfect health and wealth by simply asking for it? I can't find it... can you?
And, finally:
“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matt 9:20-22.
Christ healed her through her faith. He used her to show his power. Where does it say, again, that WE have this kind of direct immediate healing just by asking for it?
Here are some interesting things that are also found in the Bible, which I do read (and if you do, I'm sure you've seen them too -- why don't you believe them?):
Peace with God Through Faith
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5 ESV)
Hmmm. Odd that we should suffer AT ALL, yet here Paul is describing what we obtain through God's grace as we REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERING. Strange....
Christ himself suffered for us. Does He not himself say:
"Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
(Matthew 16:24-26 ESV)
Denial of self. Seems to me that is truly putting your faith in Christ and trusting in Him for all things.
So... as for reading more and explaining less, sorry. When false gospels are brought out into the light, they must be refuted and crushed; I would hate to see any of my brothers and sisters in Christ misled in such an awful way.
Take care.
Hoss
Beautifully, and lovingly expounded!
Thanks Hoss guy.
“but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5 ESV)
Hmmm. Odd that we should suffer AT ALL, yet here Paul is describing what we obtain through God’s grace as we REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERING. Strange....”
The rejoicing here is in the expectation of the victory over the suffering, not the actual suffering per say. The term “hope” in this passage “Strongs; Greek - Elipis (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.” is a believing, a confidence and positive expectation of good, that God through his love for us has us covered.
John 16:33 -
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
God: I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich. 2 Cor 8:9. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom 8:32. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt 6:31-33. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19. Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us Eph 3:20.
HossB86: Answering and denying scripture with non-sequiturs like the author of the biblical passage, suffering, and denial of self. In so many words...Nah
Jesus to the Pharisees, who, like HossB86 and today's Pharisees, withstood Jesus when he healed and delivered people but also fed the 5000 and 4000 with two loaves and a few fish: You “make the word of God of none effect through your tradition” Mark 7:13. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Matt 23:13.