In The Perfect Will of God

There is a notion in prosperity doctrine churches that you know you are in God’s perfect will if all is going well for you in life, and you feel good about it. I find this intriguing, because our Lord and God Jesus Christ was in the perfect will of the Father, Himself and the Holy Spirit when he was scourged, beaten, torn to pieces, nailed to a cross, and hung as his body crushed and affixated Him. We are certain none of the crowds would have labeled Jesus as doing well, even His disciples at the time, and we can be sure He did not feel good being flogged and crucified. And yet by doing this Christ died for all our sins, and through His sacrifice and faith in Him we have eternal life! The moment of Christ’s greatest discomfort on earth was the moment of our greatest comfort as now salvation is available to all  who have faith in and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! (John 3:16, John 6:40, Philippians 3:9, 1 John 4:15, Acts 4:10-12, Acts 15:11). 

Contrary to the teaching of prosperity gospel teachers, The apostle Peter tells us to imitate our Lord Jesus in suffering, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21), and “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world” (1 Peter 4:13). The apostle Paul agrees and concurs with Peter, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:17), and “For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ; For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:5). Scripture does not agree with the erroneous prosperity doctrine and gospel! Our Lord’s greatest discomfort was to our eternal comfort! Thus gaging if we are in God’s Will or under his approval by good feelings and happiness is wrong, because Christ and His apostles tell us suffering is normal for a Christian! 

All the apostles suffered and died for their faith, except John who was boiled alive three times, which makes your skin so tender even wind touching your face is agony. Where not these men in God’s Will? They under the Holy Spirit’s direction wrote The New Testament! (2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16). They promised us that we would be persecuted, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name,” (1 Peter 4:16), and that the more we try to live as godly Christians we shall be hated even more, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13).   Notice the false teachers (imposters) and evil doers get earthly prosperity, but we reap persecution. The prosperity teachers are those imposters, that is why they fiscally thrive; they distort the truth for financial gain. 

I am not saying our Christian faith is a sadism cult, but rather the reality is we who cling to Christ will be hated and persecuted, that is what Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you,” Matthew 5:10-13), notice Christ promises heavenly rewards, we shall receive  eternal life, “will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.” (John 3:16), and mansions, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,” (John 14:2) and a shining new city with streets paved in gold (Revelation 21:1-53). 

In meantime we have the bliss of Christ living in us and we in Him (1 John 4:15) and to know Him intimately (John 17:3). Our Lord God has promised us a life full of persecution, and an afterlife of paradise. The world has paradise now, but a lake of fiery torment is reserved for them for all eternity (Revelation 20:15). And we are not without comforts from Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5), He does not leave us here in utter loneliness and pain; but sustains us in all trials and sufferings. Do not listen to the prosperity teachers who would have you believe persecutions and suffering is a sign of disfavor with God, but hold fast to the truth that trials and mistreatment is actually something the apostles say we should rejoice in, that we share in Christ’s sufferings. Amen.