Back to Socrates, and the importance of definitions. Let’s start with a question. I once heard Jim Baker, a pastor and author of When Heaven Invades Your Finances give this thought: “If God had a plan for your money what would it be?:

1. Less than enough
2. Just enough
3. More than enough” (Source)

Think about your answer to this question. Don’t just think about it financially though. if God had a plan for your health emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, would he want you to have just enough, less than, or more than enough? The way you answer that question will determine how you think about prosperity in every aspect of your life. Does God want you to struggle with less than enough? Does He want you to barely get by? Or does He want you to have more than enough in every area of your life? What do you believe?

As we consider that question, let’s return to the definition of prosperity. The Bible talks about finances and money more than it talks about love, sin, faith and even salvation. Here’s a list of the top 10 most mentioned topics in Scripture according to my own research:

1. God’s Sovereignty and Glory // 12,052+ mentions
2. Prophecy – 28% of Scripture contains prophecy // 8,352+ mentions
3. Money and Possessions (Prosperity) //  2,300+ mentions
4. Justice and Righteousness – “Justice”  appears 420+ times, “Righteous” appears 500+ times // 920+ mentions
5. Law and Commandments – 20% of the Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Old Testament), 613 commandments, also referenced 220+ times //  823+ mentions
6. Sin and Redemption // 750+ mentions
7. Worship and Sacrifice – 400+ sacrificial references, “Praise” mentioned 338 times // 738+ mentions
8. Covenants and Divine Promises // 359+ mentions
9. Faith and Obedience – “Believe” occurs 200+ times, “Obey” appears 170+ times // 370+ mentions
10. The Kingdom of God // 126+ mentions

Money and possessions are the third most mentioned topic in Scripture after God, and prophecy. More than faith, more than love and more than salvation. The Old Testament law has more laws about money than it does anything else. Why would the Torah had more rules about money than anything else? God seems to care about money and possessions a lot. A lot more than we may think that He does. 

Let’s look at how the Old Testament defines prosperity. 

References	Hebrew Word	Meaning
(852)Genesis 50:20, Exodus 18:9, Deuteronomy 28:11, 1 Samuel 25:30, 2 Samuel 7:28, 1 Kings 8:66, 2 Kings 20:19, Nehemiah 9:25, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 31:19	טוֹבָה (tovah)	Good in five general areas:1) practical, economic, or material good, 2) abstract goodness such as desirability, pleasantness, and beauty, 3) quality or expense, 4) moral goodness, and 5) philosophical good.
(242)Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 8:18, Joshua 6:2, Judges 6:12, Ruth 2:1, 1 Samuel 14:48, 1 Kings 11:28, 1 Chronicles 12:8, 2 Chronicles 26:11, Proverbs 31:10	חַ֫יִל (hayil)	Physical wealth, strength and influence to have and grow your dominion
(71)Genesis 12:2-3, 17:6-8, 24:35, 26:12, Exodus 23:25, Leviticus 26:3-13, Deuteronomy 7:13-15, 28:1-14, 30:9, Joel 2:24, Haggai 2:19, Malachi 3:10, Ezekiel 34:26	בְּרָכָה (berakah)	To endue with power for success, prosperity, fertility, fruitfulness, and longevity
(68)Genesis 24:21, Genesis 24:40, Genesis 39:2, Genesis 39:3, Genesis 39:23, Joshua 1:8, Judges 14:6, Judges 14:19, Judges 15:14, 1 Samuel 10:6	צָלַח (tsalach)	To thrive, to be well, to accomplish satisfactorily all the good that was intended. To succeed because of God’s favor

There are four main words for prosperity used in the Old Testament. You can see them listed in order of mention in this table. These aren’t all the words used in the Old Testament, just the top four. Prosperity is mentioned a lot. Overwhelmingly, the Old Testament mentions not just spiritual wealth and prosperity, but physical prosperity, including, but not limited to, financial prosperity. 

How does the New Testament define prosperity?

References	Greek Word	Meaning
(58)Romans 15:29, 1 Corinthians 10:16, 2 Corinthians 9:5, Galatians 3:14, Ephesians 1:3, Hebrews 6:7, Hebrews 12:17, 1 Peter 3:9, Luke 24:53, Acts 3:25	εὐλογία (eulogia)	Good fortune, and all that is necessary for your well being
(50)Matthew 5:3-11, Luke 11:28, John 20:29, Acts 20:35, Romans 4:7, James 1:12, Revelation 1:3, Revelation 14:13, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 19:9	μακάριος (makarios)	To have no needs, to be transcendently happy. Those who are above normal cares and worries
(27)Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 12:15, Romans 2:4, Romans 11:33, 2 Corinthians 8:2, Ephesians 1:7, Philippians 4:19, Colossians 2:2, 1 Timothy 6:17	πλοῦτος (ploutos)	To make someone rich both materially and spiritually. To be granted abundance (more than you need in every area of life)

In both the Old and New Testaments, the words God uses for prosperity are not solely spiritual. They are practical. If you read through each of these verses, you will see them in their original context which includes more mentions of earthly wealth and prosperity than wealth in a philosophical or spiritual sense. This contradicts what many of us have heard, and even been taught. Prosperity in God’s Kingdom clearly includes material wealth. It is pretty clear that God intends for us to have more than what we need in every area of our life. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically. And also financially. This is God’s definition of prosperity. This probably challenges your theology quite a bit. God intends to always challenge your theology. So, go study for yourself and see how God defines prosperity. And then see how that stacks up with your answer to the question at the beginning of this chapter. 

The problem of prosperity

It is pretty clear how God defines prosperity in the Bible. But the problem is not God’s definition. The problem is our thinking about God’s definition. You may have read the last chapter and disagreed with how God defines prosperity. I hope that you did. I also hope that you took some time to go study the original language and context for yourself. Because you will probably see as I did, that it is unmistakable what God’s plan is. It’s for us to have more than enough in every area of our life. The problem is that we have heard differently. Or we have seen such bad examples that we abandon the entire proposition of prosperity. This is understandable. Some people – especially “pastors” – do a great job of coming across atrociously on the subject of prosperity. However, remember that just because something is poorly represented, or taught badly, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. This is why we must have our own clarity on prosperity and what God really says about it. There are so many opinions and perspectives on everything. These judgements are constantly bombarding us and complicate our thinking on something that, for God, isn’t all that complicated. So, I’m asking you again, to suspend your disbelief, and to abandon what you think you know, or have decided about prosperity and the Gospel. 

In Mark 7, there is an interesting exchange that Jesus has with the Pharisees:

6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ 8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” 9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.

13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.” 

In this passage, Jesus is excoriating the Pharisees for being upset at the disciples for not washing their hands before they ate. The Pharisees were traditionalists. They didn’t just believe in following God’s law. They believed that the traditions of the elders – that were not law – were also required. This is the ultimate problem. This wasn’t just a problem in Jesus’ day. This is a problem for us today. 

The problem is often not what God says, but the traditions/ideas that people have about what God says. In fact, in the Catholic and Orthodox church, they have turned following the “traditions” of the church into something required for salvation. That is one of the great differences between Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics. Protestants – thanks to Martin Luther and the reformers – believe in what has become known as the Five solae. That is:

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) – The Bible is the ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, above church traditions or human interpretations (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) – Justification comes through faith in Christ, not by human works or merit (Ephesians 2:8-9).
3. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) – Salvation is a gift from God, given by His grace, not something earned by good deeds (Romans 11:6).
4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone) – Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man; salvation is found in Him alone (Acts 4:12).
5. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone) – All of life, salvation, and worship are for the glory of God alone, not for human recognition (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Before we go further. I’m a Protestant, so I lean more this way than any other way. Also, a lot of Orthodox, Catholic and other theology is worthwhile and good. Remember, “I’m wrong in my theology, I just don’t know where.” This isn’t a debate on the merits of Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant theology, I am giving the history. The greater question for our purposes is, what do these five solae mean for us? First, we don’t need a priest or pastor’s interpretation of scripture. Second, we are justified by faith alone in Christ, not by working for it. Third, salvation is a free gift from God, not earned by following rules, traditions or something else. Fourth, Jesus is the only hope for salvation. Fifth, everything is for God’s glory, not our own. 

These ideas were popularized by Protestant reformers, but they reflect what Jesus is talkig about in Mark 7. Notice what Jesus says to the Pharisees about washing their hands in verse 8? “For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” If you read the entire passage, Jesus goes on and he gives an example about honoring your father and mother and how they make excuses to not honor their parents because of their own ideas and interpretations. Verse 13 is especially challenging: “And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.” 

Why is this verse so challenging? Jesus clearly says to us that our thinking prevents God’s word from working in our lives. 

What’s more important, what God says, or what you and I believe about what God says? Jesus says that we limit God working in our lives because of how we decide to think about what God says. Think about it this way for our purposes; God can have His definitions of prosperity. They can be material. But if you don’t agree with God’s definitions, your prosperity will be limited by your own thinking. The problem of prosperity is the negative thinking about wealth that you and I have inherited as a tradition. And this tradition is a limitation on our life that prevents us from living the life God created us for. The problem is never how God thinks, it’s how you and I think. And how you and I think is what interferes with God’s plan for our lives. That’s what Jesus is attempting to make clear to the Pharisees, and to us.