The Prosperity Gospel’s Slam-Dunk Verse? by for The Gospel Coalition
Prosperity-gospel preachers are notorious for taking Scripture out of context and misapplying it. The passages they twist are primarily used as proof-texts to back up their claim that God’s will for every Christian is that they be rich, rich, rich! They promise that with enough faith (and a big enough offering), you can hit the divine jackpot. It all seems too good to be true; and on this side of heaven, many would argue it is.
But are they completely wrong? Could it be that there is one “slam dunk” passage that gives credence to their health-and-wealth scheme? If so, it’s undoubtedly 2 Corinthians 8:9, where Paul declares:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
There it is! Jesus became “poor” so you could become “rich”! Time to cash in, right? Not so fast. As with all sound interpretation, we must begin by looking at the context.
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Beautiful Picture of Generous Grace
To overlook the beautiful picture that Paul is painting in this chapter is to miss his entire point. Writing to the church about generosity, Paul emphasizes God’s grace as a model for our giving, not as a lottery ticket for riches. Nothing about this passage focuses on what we can get, but rather, on what we can give. And what should motivate us to give generously and care for others? God’s grace.
Look at some of the key phrases in the verses leading up to our passage in question:
8:1 — “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God”
8:2 — “. . . overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part”
8:4 — “. . . for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints”
8:6 — “. . . this act of grace”
8:7 — “But as you excel in everything . . . see that you excel in this act of grace also”
8:8 — “. . . your love is also genuine”
8:9 — “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”
When we let the text do the talking this isn’t a “get rich” strategy, but a call for sacrificial generosity like the “churches of Macedonia” (8:1), who gave generously even when living in poverty (8:2). Did Paul declare them healthy and wealthy because they filled the offering buckets? Not in the least. Instead, he praised them for modeling the true heart of Christian giving: non-transactional love for others and a desire to see the church cared for.
