Can We Cash In On Our Faith?
I was channel-surfing when a familiar face popped onto the T.V. screen. “Is that guy still on television?” my wife exclaimed.
Several years ago a national news program had exposed the secret, fraudulent life of this charlatan preacher and his empty, deceptive promises to his T.V. audience. His claim that God wants to make you rich, perhaps even a millionaire, was always followed by an appeal to prove your faith by sending money to his ministry. The accompanying prayer requests were evidently tossed, unread and unprayed, into a dumpster. I feel sorry for those who are deceived by the manipulative teaching of “prosperity theology,” but I am incensed that the holy Word of God is often used to seduce them.
Passages like Proverbs 3:9-10 are among the favorite proof texts used to prove that the Lord promises wealth to those who act in faith:
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
— then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Let’s examine the contexts of this statement as we interpret Scripture.
Literary context of Proverbs 3:9-10. Though Proverbs10-30 contains short, free-standing proverbial sayings, Proverbs 1-9 is written as instructional discourses with verses that do have a literary relationship to one another. In the “my son” discourse of Proverbs 3 (“my son” may be literally or figuratively a disciple), Solomon is teaching the next generation about the priorities and rewards of living wisely. Yes, material prosperity is one of the rewards, and is also mentioned in 3:2 (“prosperity”) and 3:16 (“riches”). But there is good reason in the literary context to refrain from making financial blessing the emphasis of this passage. First, it is only mentioned three times in thirty-five verses and is just one of a vast list of blessings that come from living wisely. Note the other blessings promised to the one who trusts and obeys God: long life (vv. 2, 16), favor with others, honor, and a good reputation (vv. 4, 35), guidance, favor from God (v. 6), good health (v. 8), peace and confidence (vv. 17, 24, 25, 26), safety and protection (vv. 23, 25, 26) and blessing and grace (vv. 18, 33, 34).
Second, almost all expositors agree the focus of the passage is found in verses 5-6, an invitation to trust and obey God rather than our own instincts about life. Gaining this kind of wisdom is, in fact, implicitly stated to be more valuable than any pursuit of wealth in vv. 13-15. To claim that material prosperity is central in this passage, ignoring all the other promised benefits, misrepresents Solomon’s focus.
Cultural context of Proverbs 3:9-10. The wisdom writings, including those in the form of proverbs, were part of a greater cultural phenomenon during Solomon’s era. Evidence that Solomon was a widely respected wisdom teacher is found in 1 Kings 4:29-34. Proverbs were understood to be observations and principles about the way life works in various practical realms and how these relate to a relationship with Yahweh. They were never written as “cause and effect” formulas that make absolute promises about material rewards. Solomon and those who heard his teaching would have been motivated by the promised benefits of an obedient life, but would not have seen these as absolute promises describing the way God always works. Neither should we.
Theological/Religious context of Proverbs 9:9-10. Finally, the proverbial principle of God’s material blessing for obedience in the wisdom writings has its theological roots in the Torah, specifically the description of God’s blessings for obedience and discipline for disobedience in passages like Deuteronomy 28. An Israelite living under a theocracy understood that material prosperity was but one evidence of God’s blessing for obedience, but he also knew God may choose to work in other ways. The story of Job (which probably predates Abraham) as well as Psalms 37 and 73 are examples of wisdom writings that show this. As Christians, we are not in a theocratic relationship with God as was Israel. Also, the New Testament noticeably emphasizes spiritual blessings with significant warnings about the spiritual dangers of prosperity.
Certainly God may reward our obedience with material blessing or good health, but to present these as absolute promises for the Christian is going well beyond the intent of the proverbs.
John C. Hutchison, Ph.D., has served, since 1990, as a professor of Bible exposition at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He has a Ph.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary.
© Biola University 2005