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Filthy Rich False Prophets November 23, 2016
"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." - Philippians 3:18-19 If you look at the big time false prophets, they’re making a million dollars a year. Forget six figures—they’re making seven! Look up the net worth of these charlatans. People like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer aren’t just making a reasonable living—they are FILTHY RICH! Even just “Joe Megachurch” in your home town is often making millions. They drive fancy cars. They have a mansion—or three. They have money laid up, and they’re laughing all the way to the bank. If you’re a preacher of God’s Word, and you’re laying up treasures upon this earth, you are a hypocrite. “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.” Titus 1:7-11 The above passage makes it clear that a pastor should not be selfish or in it for the money. A man of God doesn’t pastor a church because he thinks it will be lucrative—he does it for the Lord and to help others. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." - Matthew 6:19-20 If I ever come into a million dollars, I’ll get rid of it as fast as I can. Not only will I spend the money right away, but I’ll try to spend it on whatever would help further the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible makes it clear that pastors should not be rich, but even if I was not in the ministry, I would avoid accumulating excessive wealth since God has repeatedly warned us of the pitfalls of earthly riches. “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:” Proverbs 30:8 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9 Here is a sermon to go with this article. Click here for more posts
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