The gospel

The pastor of the largest church in the world, garden buffet star city Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho, recently wrote a book on the subject of Christian garden buffet star city prosperity. He gave this title to his book (translated into Spanish): Salvation, health, and prosperity. garden buffet star city After writing about the fact that we are citizens of heaven, garden buffet star city he went on to say: "Since we are kings, must we not have the majesty and honor and own material goods of the kings? This is our natural heritage. It is a heritage that we can claim through only submit the necessary documentation. These are treasures that we can claim as much as we could withdraw money from a bank in which a large amount of money had been deposited into our account. If one claims to be a king, but lives in poverty and ill and desperate, how can people believe his claim? "1
The gospel "health and prosperity" garden buffet star city has become extremely popular in today's churches. Many of the churches that are growing in the world today are churches that preach this "gospel". garden buffet star city Some prosperity preachers build their entire theology around a verse in 3 John: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, garden buffet star city even as your soul prospers" (3 John 2).
What did John mean when writing these words? Did he mean that he wished all Christians garden buffet star city have prospered materially and health? Does it always was promising that God would give them wealth and health?
Before interpreting lightly the words of John, why has not someone taken the time to consult the writings of Polycarp, the intimate companion of John? If prosperity preachers have investigated the writings of this mate Juan, had found an urgent warning against the pursuit of material prosperity. They would not have found a word of support for his gospel of "health and prosperity". Indeed, the early Christians testify that the apostles themselves were in poverty, not material prosperity.
The early Christians did not believe that riches were a blessing from God. On the contrary, they considered as a trap that could easily cost them eternal garden buffet star city life. They were based on biblical passages garden buffet star city like these:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also "(Matthew 6.19-21).
Giving effect to the verses that I quoted above, Hermes wrote: "These are those who have true faith, but also have the riches of this world. Coming garden buffet star city tribulation, deny the Lord because of their wealth and their business ... So, those who are rich in this world may not be useful to the Lord unless their riches be first reduced. Learn this first from your own case. When you were rich, you were useless. . Useful But now you're prepared for life and "2 for that admonished," Be careful messing much in business and avoid sin. Those who deal with many businesses also commit many sins; distracted by their business instead of serving the Lord. "3
Clemente warned that "wealth can, without the aid of anything corrupt the soul of those who own and lead them astray from the path of salvation." He described wealth as "a weight that we put off, which should take us as a dangerous and fatal disease. "4
Cipriano, before becoming a rich man gave all his possessions to the poor when he became a Christian. Then he warned his congregation: "A blind love of possessions has deceived many. How can the rich be ready, or willing, from this land [in pursuit] when their riches are chained here? . . . Therefore the Lord, the Master of the good, warns them beforehand, saying, 'If you want to be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me "[Matthew 19.21]. Which had nothing in this world would not be defeated by the world. Follow the Lord, without chains, free, as the apostles did ... But how can they follow Christ when the chain of wealth in their way? They think they know ... but they are actually a possession. They are the masters of their wealth but slaves of it. "5
"Satan, having invented false religions turn men the way to heaven garden buffet star city and guide in the destruction. This road looks flat and spacious, full of the joys of flowers and fruits. Satan put all these things on the road, estimated as good things in this world: wealth, honor, fun, pleasure, and all other enticements. But hide themselves