The Prosperity Gospel: The Rotten Vine of The Dead Church
This is Thesis 2 of the "End Times 95 Theses by The Two Witnesses of Revelation." In Thesis 1, we explored the rotten root of "Once Saved, Always Saved" (OSAS), and in this post, we will go into the emergence of the prosperity gospel that has become the vine of the lukewarm end times church.
“Any halfway clever devil would decorate the highway to Hell as beautiful as possible.”
― Criss Jami, Healology
Introduction: The Useless Vine and Its Fruit
If OSAS is the root of the problems in the end times church, then this rotten root has flourished into the false vine of the prosperity gospel. Before we define and examine this false gospel, let us first explore the concept of the vine throughout the Bible, specifically Ezekiel 15:
Jerusalem as a Useless Vine
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? 3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? 4 And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? 5 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?
6 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. 7 I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord. 8 I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Today, there is an useless vine of the church that pretends that it is the true vine of Christ.
This metaphor, of course, is not just used in the Old Testament, but it is spoken of in the New Testament by Jesus Christ, as well, such as in John 15. This section is especially important for the thesis of this post, so please read the verses. I am using NIV for this post for the sake of understanding and clarity:
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
As can you see, the metaphor of the vine is interwoven throughout the Bible, like a vine.
At the end of this post, we will go back to Jesus's commands, but before we do, I want readers to pay attention to the word fruit, which we will define through the concordance:
- 1) fruit 1a) the fruit of the trees, vines, of the fields
1b) the fruit of one's loins, i.e. his progeny, his posterity
2) that which originates or comes from something, an effect, result 2a) work, act, deed 2b) advantage, profit, utility
2c) praises, which are presented to God as a thank offering
2d) to gather fruit (i.e. a reaped harvest) into life eternal (as into a granary), is used in fig. discourse of those who by their labours have fitted souls to obtain eternal life
Fruit can absolutely mean work, act, or deed, though people have argued with me that it cannot mean that.
I believe many Christians have gotten into a logical fallacy with God. They think since salvation cannot be earned, then it cannot be lost. They think since we cannot earn salvation by works, then salvation cannot be lost by works (or fruit).
Just because salvation is not earned does not mean it cannot be lost. Just because salvation cannot be earned by works does not mean it cannot be lost by works.
In other words, many who believe in the OSAS have formed logical fallacies that are contradicted by the Bible. In fact, the idea of losing salvation due to lack of fruit or works begins in the Old Testament, where "The one who sins will die" is discussed. In this chapter, it is explained that a righteous person can lose salvation by returning to sin, and an unrighteous person can gain salvation by becoming righteous.
God is consistent, and His character does not change. In the New Testament, there are endless verses about the possibility of losing salvation by not following Jesus, disregarding His commands, and not producing fruit: He cuts off those not producing fruit. To reiterate, we are not saved by works, but our faith will be examined by the fruit we produce. This is an extremely difficult concept for modern "Christians" to grasp, as it is complex and contradictory to what they are hearing in prosperity gospel churches.
Faith and works are like how water flows. In a sense, it cannot be described perfectly with human words, but it can be observed. When water is stagnant, it is noticeable, and sometimes, worrisome. As Christians, we want to be immersed in "living water."
So, the OSAS doctrine leads into the prosperity gospel, which many readers will say that they do not partake in. As always, we must all reflect on our own fruits of the spirit, and this includes me, too. Let us deeply examine the prosperity gospel and how it has become the dangerous, rotten vine of the church. Let us ensure we do not partake in a false Christianity that will lead us to hell.
Origins of The Prosperity Gospel
What we now know as the Prosperity Gospel likely originated with "The Gospel of Wealth" by Andrew Carnegie. Believe it or not, I do not actually disagree with everything Carnegie writes. He forms seemingly logical conclusions about how money should be handled, and I would even say I somewhat agree with giving to those who help themselves, which is something we practice in our ministry (to an extent).
There is one problem, though, that most people do not consider. Where are people getting this tremendous amount of wealth in the first place? Through Christian practices or through corruption?
My experience of serving Christ thus far is that I will probably never be super wealthy. While I am not saying God cannot give blessings and wealth to those He wants to, I am also saying that the New Testament is clear that wealth can come in between people and their faith.
Jesus Christ, in fact, was not wealthy Himself, and He never said that if you followed Him you would be wealthy either. Following Jesus Christ is deeply about sacrifice, and indeed, one may even have to give up all their wealth to serve Him.
So, then, was Carnegie even a Christian? Jesus Christ says we will know a person by their fruits, so let us quickly examine Carnegie's fruits.
There is no doubt that Carnegie is considered a great philanthropist, but what did he really believe? Well, for one, he rejected Christianity entirely, and he was a perfect example of "false fruits" and the fact that works cannot save us.
Yet, Carnegie's influence is unmmatched. He made philanthropy powerful and admirable, and even today, many follow suit, such as Bill Gates, and donate tremendous amounts to charities. Many perceive these actions as "Christian" and "good", and that is part of the deception of the false vine.
Whether we like it or not, these types of philosophies have infiltirated Christianity, which I often call "Oprah Christianity." People think she is "good" because of all of her charity and things she gives away, but they do not examine her fully.
The celebrity promotion of philanthropy has been successfully used by non-Christians to appear "good", and consquently, the Gospel of Wealth, an oxymoron, infilitrated churches in the 1900s through today.
This idea that God gives riches and success to those who follow Him is directly related to Carnegie's ideas, whether people realize it or not. That's how Satan works.
The similar idea of donations and tithing to the church in order to reap personal rewards became fundamental to modern Christianity. Of course, we are absolutely NOT against donating or tithing to a church, but the problem is when people do it because they feel they will be rewarded, and this idea is linked to the prosperity gospel.
Yes, one should absolutely give and tithe what is in their hearts, but when someone starts to expect something in return, that is the problem. My dad told me, for example, that my uncle spent thousands trying to save his place in heaven before his death. While this may seem absurd to most reading, it is more common than one would think. Many feel tremendous pressure to give to their churches - not because they are trying to show God their love - but instead, they are thinking they will get something in return.
Of course, God may choose to reward us, and that does happen! However, the problem is that when giving is always linked with prosperity, it becomes dangerous. Sometimes we give and get nothing physical in return. Giving should be about displaying our love for God and nothing else. God does reward, but it shouldn't be expected.
So, as this prosperity gospel gained prominence, churches started to change. This transformed into the "health and wealth" gospel, with the infamous Joel Olsteen as one of its founders.
Now, for the sake of brevity, I am not going into Joel Olsteen because I believe most readers are aware of the problems with his false church. However, the bigger problem is that many of his philosophies have become part of the modern day church, and I am asking readers to examine their churches and their hearts for these philosophies.
Let us examine the fruits of the Prosperity Gospel that has led to a false Christianity.
Fruits of the Prosperity Gospel - The Rotten Vine
Most go to church these days to get a motivational pep talk. The messages are almost always positive, the buildings are clean, giant, and utilitarian, and the music is produced well. The organization, timing, lighting, and stage are all put together. Even in smaller churches, there seems to be the same exact format and routine. There is a sort of conformity in Babylonian churches, and while there may be minor differences in routine, procedures, and doctrine, it is difficult to tell one church from another.
The emptiness of the church is shown in its people. The people will tell you how much they love Jesus Christ, but that is the end of the conversation. They go back to their work, back to their worlds, and they do little to reflect on their hearts or produce fruit.
The modern church is producing no real fruit for the Lord Jesus Christ. On top of that, the sermons give a surface level view of Christianity, and while sometimes one may hear about sin or suffering, most of the time, the message is about how much the pastor is blessed and you will be, too!
In simple terms, the prosperity gospel tells Christians they will be prosperous, they will not suffer, and their lives will be "good" and "blessed."
The truth is - these "Christians" do become prosperous. Why? They are following a false Jesus that they have created, and by default, they are worshipping Satan. Harsh words, I know.
Well, there is only one true God, and anything anyone serves other than the true Jesus Christ is a false God. Let us compare/contrast the prosperity gospel with what the Bible really says.
Now, of course, the above chart is a simplifcation of the prosperity gospel.
Still, even if you don't follow Joel Osteen, I bet many of your churches, or churches you used to attend, had elements of the prosperity gospel in their preaching, whether they would claim this or not.
Of course, I am not saying going to church only needs to be about suffering. I absolutely believe church can be full of celebration, joy, and even entertainment.
The problem is that these things have overtaken the church. When sacrifice is removed from Jesus Christ, it is no longer the correct gospel. When church becomes about planning the next party or perfect music production, something is wrong.
In other words, people want ALL the love of Jesus Christ, but not the sacrifice. They want all the joy and celebration, but no work, discipline, or expectation.
This is the false Jesus that encompasses the false vine. They have created Jesus without Sacrifice.
Essentially, they have created a God that is always happy, always smiling, and completely, 100% pleased with His followers at all times. He is ALL love and mercy, but there is no discipline, no punishment, and no sacrifice.
This is not the God of the Bible.
The prosperity gospel has evolved and continues to evolve. It has taken on its final form as the anti-Christ spirit in the church in these end times.
You see, anti can mean "instead of" or to "replace."
So, what has come from the prosperity gospel is a view of success, health, and wealth, instead of sacrifice, disicpline, and repentance.
This false vine has conquered the church. It has created the lukewarm, dead church that produces no fruit.
What are the fruits of the modern church? Sure, some do charity work, but really, what do we hear about modern Christian churches today? Very little. Yes, I understand the news may be biased, but the true work is not being done by churches anymore.
The fruit of the modern church is that it has the reputation for being alive, but it is dead inside. It is lukewarm. It has false teachers and the Jezebel spirit leading.
Going back to the modern church, the singers and band sound good, but their words are empty. The preacher quotes the Bible, but He cherry picks verses to suit an agenda. The people give and tithe, but the tithes are being used for bigger buildings and more entertainment. The people say they love Jesus Christ, but one will rarely finds them preaching or living out His commands. The preachers shout prosperity, while the world dies around them.
This is the false vine that is producing no fruit. In fact, this church has led millions to take the vaccine and put an abomination into their bodies. This false church will be against the true Christians in the coming times. They will be the ones persecuting people like you and me. They will call us dangerous, extremists, "conspiracy theorists," etc. These people coming against you will be your own friends, family, and church members. They will be full of the anti-Christ spirit, and there will be nothing you can do to convince them otherwise because they will say, "But I love Jesus!"
Yes, they love the Jesus that Satan created - not the true Jesus Christ of the Bible.
Remember, the Satanists aren't stupid. They know they can't get rid of Christianity. So, what they have done instead is replace it with something that has all the "bells and whistles" but is lacking truth. Many are walking straight into Hell because of this doctrine.
Conclusion
Which vine are you part of?
It is time for us all to examine how we are leading our lives and what fruit we are producing. Let us go back to what Jesus Christ says in John 15:
- 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
If we love Jesus Christ, we will keep His commands, and therefore, produce fruit. We have to love each other as He loved us. Remember, Jesus died for us, and we may have great sacrifices to make for following Him.
No, our works will not save us, but if we are producing no fruit, we may get cut off from the true vine - Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the true vine. We must obey and follow Him, and that takes hard work.
On the surface, one might think, "Well, who wants to follow this Jesus guy if its all about sacrifice?"
Though the process of refining oneself to follow Jesus Christ may be difficult, when you truly love Him, He gives you a peace and joy that suprass understanding.
This is difficult for me to write because I am trying to put into words something that surpasses understanding.
In my lowest of lows, I finally understood. All I had was Jesus Christ. At the lowest point of my life, I remember thinking, "I get it now - He has humbled me."
I cannot provide this experience for readers, and I don't know if I will ever write it out. Maybe one day.
In the meantime, I am giving a warning to readers. Do not wait for a great shaking to change and realize this.
Listen to me now - Jesus Christ is worth EVERY SINGLE THING you could possibly lose - yes, even those we love.
Whatever we may lose in this temporary life will be restored in Heaven.
Trust me - you do not want my experiences to realize this. Let my life serve as a warning. I barely made it out alive of many situations, and God finally taught me a lesson - my life is meaningless and empty without Him, and nothing is worth losing Him.
I pray all readers are part of the true vine, and if not, they change upon reading this message in Jesus's name.
- Witness 2