“But Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’” (Acts 3:6)
According to the biblical scholar, F. F. Bruce, the great medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas was summoned by the Pope (probably Pope Urban IV). As he entered the Pope’s chambers, Thomas found him counting a large sum of money. “Look, Thomas. No longer can the church say, ‘Silver and gold I do not have.’ “True, Holy Father,” said Thomas. “And neither can she say, ‘Rise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ.’”
Many “Prosperity Gospel” preachers today will tell you that perfect physical health and material wealth only come to those of great faith. Poor Christians, they say, are both weak in faith and displeasing to God. But was God displeased with Peter and John because they had no money? Was their faith weak because they had no silver or gold?
James, the Lord’s half-brother, disagrees with the Prosperity Gospel. James condemned the favoritism which the church often displays toward its rich members (James 2:1-7). He explained that while the church often dishonors the poor among its worshippers, God honors them. He wrote, “Did not God choose the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5). God chose the poor to be poor, so that they wouldn’t trust in their wealth, but in God.
If there is any correlation between wealth and faith, then it goes in the opposite direction to what “prosperity preachers” say. In other words, the greater our wealth, the weaker is our faith in God. For we will tend to trust in our wealth, rather than God. Look at what Jesus said to the rich Laodicean church. “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and become wealthy, and have need of nothing.’ And you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:16-17).
If God blesses His children with wealth, then He has also given them the gift of giving. They are to share with those who are in need. Isn’t this the import of Jesus’ parable of prosperous farmer (Luke 12:15-21)? His land produced more crops than he had room to store. So he worries, “What shall I do? I don’t enough room to store my crops?” To a spiritual man that ‘problem’ is a no-brainer. “Share those excess crops with all the hungry people around you.” But this man was not spiritually minded. His selfish and wasteful solution was to tear down his old barns so he could build bigger ones and increase his hoarding capacity. Such a worldly-minded person will never see heaven.
REFLECTION
- Has God blessed you with material wealth?
- What is your attitude toward other soldiers who struggle financially?
- Do you condemn them as “financially irresponsible” or as “displeasing to God”?
