Why the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness rejects the prosperity gospel

One of the things that makes the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness different from many other Christian ministries is its strong message against the prosperity gospel.

But what exactly is the prosperity gospel, and why does the ministry disagree with it?

The answer begins with what the ministry believes the Christian message should be about. Jesus did not come simply to make people rich. He came to save people from sin and bring them back to God.

What is the prosperity gospel?Share the passage: What is the prosperity gospel?

The prosperity gospel is a teaching that connects faith in God with financial success, good health and material blessings.

In some cases, people are told that if they have enough faith, give enough money or make the right declarations, God will make them wealthy and successful.

You may have heard messages such as: "Give this amount and God will give you more." Or: "If you are a child of God, you should not be poor." Or: "Your financial breakthrough is just one seed away."

This is where the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness strongly disagrees.

The ministry believes that people should come to God because they need salvation, forgiveness and a relationship with Him, not simply because they want money, success or a comfortable life.

Does the Bible say that God blesses people?Share the passage: Does the Bible say that God blesses people?

Yes.

The Bible contains many examples of God providing for and blessing His people. Abraham was wealthy. Job had great possessions. God provided for the Israelites. The Bible also encourages people to work, provide for their families and be generous.

So the message is not that money is evil.

The problem comes when money becomes the main reason someone follows God. Jesus said:

Money can be useful, but it should never become our master.

What did Paul say about people who connected Christianity with money?Share the passage: What did Paul say about people who connected Christianity with money?

Paul gave a very strong warning. He spoke about people who thought that religion was a way of becoming financially successful:

Paul then gave a very different definition of what real gain looks like:

In other words, the greatest blessing of following God is not necessarily having a bigger house, a better car or more money. It is knowing God and being content with what He has given you.

Paul even warned:

That is why the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness takes the prosperity message seriously.

What happens when people come to God only for money?Share the passage: What happens when people come to God only for money?

Imagine someone hears: "Give to God and He will make you rich."

They give money expecting something in return. But months later, nothing changes. They are still struggling with rent. They are still looking for work. Their business is still struggling.

What happens next?

They may begin to think: "Maybe I don't have enough faith." Or: "Maybe God is angry with me." Or they may simply become disappointed with Christianity.

The Bible does not teach that every Christian will become wealthy. In fact, many faithful people in Scripture went through poverty, suffering, rejection and hardship.

What about Christians who are suffering?Share the passage: What about Christians who are suffering?

This is another reason the ministry rejects the idea that faith automatically produces wealth and perfect health.

Paul was a faithful servant of Christ, yet he experienced prison, persecution, hunger and hardship. He even asked God three times to remove a painful struggle from his life. God's answer was:

Paul's faith did not disappear because his problem did not immediately disappear. That is an important lesson. A Christian can be faithful and still go through difficult seasons.

A person struggling financially is not automatically lacking faith. A sick person is not automatically being punished by God. And someone who has money is not automatically more blessed spiritually than someone who does not.

Why does the ministry speak against "seed" giving?Share the passage: Why does the ministry speak against "seed" giving?

One common practice in prosperity preaching is the idea that a person can give money as a "seed" and expect God to return much more financially.

The Ministry of Repentance and Holiness rejects the idea of treating giving like a financial investment with God.

The Bible certainly teaches Christians to give. But giving is meant to be done with a willing heart, love for God and concern for others — not simply because someone wants to get richer.

Jesus warned against making money the centre of religious life. Paul also warned about people who used religion for financial gain.

The question therefore becomes: am I giving because I love God, or because I am trying to get something from God?

So what does the ministry preach instead?Share the passage: So what does the ministry preach instead?

The Ministry of Repentance and Holiness places the focus somewhere else. Its message centres on:

• Repentance from sin
• Living a holy life
• The fear of God
• Obedience to God's Word
• Preparing for the return of Jesus Christ

The focus is not simply on what God can give a person. It is on who the person is becoming before God.

That means a Christian should be able to follow God when life is going well — and when life is difficult. Paul explained that he had learned how to live in both situations:

Paul was not writing this from a luxury hotel. He wrote these words after experiencing serious hardship. His joy was not dependent on how much money he had.

Does following God mean you should reject wealth?Share the passage: Does following God mean you should reject wealth?

No. The Bible does not tell every Christian to become poor.

A Christian can own a business, earn a good income, build a successful career and provide well for their family.

The issue is what comes first. Money should serve a person. It should never become the reason they serve God.

A wealthy Christian can love God. A poor Christian can love God. And neither person's financial situation automatically tells us how close they are to God.

What is the ministry really warning against?Share the passage: What is the ministry really warning against?

At its heart, the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness is warning against turning Christianity into a way of getting things from God.

The Christian message is bigger than "God will make you rich." It is this: turn away from sin, come back to God, live a holy life, follow Christ and prepare for His return.

Jesus asked:

That question puts everything into perspective. You can have money and still be lost. You can have very little and still know God.

The greatest treasure of Christianity is therefore not what is in your bank account. It is knowing Christ.

And that is why the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness continues to preach against a Christianity that makes wealth and material success the centre of the gospel.

SourcesShare the passage: Sources

Scripture quotations are from the New International Version. The description of the ministry's emphasis reflects what it publicly and consistently preaches; for its own statement of that teaching, consult its official channels. This page does not answer any particular preacher or ministry, and nothing here should be read as a response to a named individual.