Andrew Wommack turns the gospel to greed

 Andrew Wommack turns the gospel into greed.

This blog is taken from a short video on Andrew Wommack's YouTube channel entitled "You have to believe to receive." The Link is below. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2jfqjVY9sU8

“He wants to supply our needs. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says ‘you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor so that you, through his poverty, might be made rich.’”

This is a common verse used by so-called ‘prosperity preachers’ such as Andrew Wommack. Wommack's short video focuses on money and how to obtain earthly financial gain. Is that what this verse teaches? Did Jesus become poor in the economic sense so that we could be healthy and get all that our flesh desires after? 

2 Corinthians 8:9, ESV: “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.”

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul reminds his readers about Jesus's sacrifice during his incarnation. He explains to the Corinthians that Christ is not an example of how to become wealthy but rather, of selfless sacrifice for the benefit of others.

Jesus was rich in every way before his incarnation as the Son of God, a member of the Godhead, and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yet, he chose to become a man and endure the cross, the ultimate sacrifice. In Philippians 2:6-8, Paul explains that Jesus did not cling to his equality with God; instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men. He humbled himself even further by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. This was not a sacrifice for financial gain but for our spiritual salvation.

Contrary to the prosperity gospel's teachings, the true meaning of this verse is not about financial prosperity. It's about our spiritual poverty before our regeneration and how we have become spiritually rich in Christ through Christ's selfless act of becoming human and paying for our salvation. Therefore, our true wealth lies in our spiritual regeneration, not financial gain. “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7. Note the word ‘riches’ in this context. 

In his commentary on 1 Corinthians, Richard Pratt put it very well when he said, “The Corinthians were to be motivated by the example of Christ’s love and generosity to give unselfishly to the poor in Jerusalem. Their response to this opportunity tested the sincerity of their love and appreciation for Christ.” 

As human beings, we are helpless to save ourselves and restore our relationship with God. In His infinite mercy, Christ, a part of the Holy Trinity, sacrificed Himself and took on a humble existence to secure the salvation of those whom God has chosen for redemption. We have been made rich through His grace; having been justified, we are being sanctified and will be glorified. Reducing this powerful and humbling truth to a theology of mere earthly gain is a deadly distortion.

Soli Deo Gloria