One of the major reasons that many Christians hesitate to live out radical generosity and serve others is a pervasive American heresy called the “prosperity gospel,” which proclaims that wealth and health and success are all a sign of God’s favor.
The prosperity gospel causes spiritual crises. If we believe that wealth, health, success and material possessions are all because of God’s favor, when we do not have those things we assume that we no longer have God’s favor, which can cause a huge faith crisis; if we believe we no longer have God’s favor, then we assume that God no longer loves us because we did something to lose God’s love – and we must do something to earn back God’s love.
Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” God’s grace is given unconditionally to us. God loves us, no matter what.
This message is excerpted from “The opposite of radical generosity” by Becca Ehrlich in the July/August 2021 Gather magazine.
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