{"id":69,"date":"2008-11-17T22:59:33","date_gmt":"2008-11-17T16:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.returningking.com\/?p=69"},"modified":"2008-11-17T22:59:33","modified_gmt":"2008-11-17T16:59:33","slug":"word-of-faith-wealth-theology-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/?p=69","title":{"rendered":"Word of Faith Wealth Theology: Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 10 of 23 in the series <a href=\"http:\/\/returningking.com\/?series=wolves\" class=\"series-218\" title=\"Wolves in Wool\">Wolves in Wool<\/a><\/div><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Continuing in their pursuit of &#8220;get what you want&#8221; theology, the next major assault of the Bible in the WOF teaching concerns their doctrine of wealth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>This doctrine teaches that each believer in Christ should expect to be wealthy and have the absolute best of everything our culture offers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[flash http:\/\/www.returningking.com\/video\/wolf10.flv]<\/p>\n<p>(Notes below are scrollable)<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div style=\"width: 500px; height: 300px; overflow: auto;\">\n<table style=\"width: 480px;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"69_word-of-faith-wealth_1\" style=\"margin: 10pt 0in 12pt;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: large; font-family: Cambria;\">Word of Faith Wealth Theology<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Continuing in their pursuit of &#8220;get what you want&#8221; theology, the next major assault of the Bible in the WOF teaching concerns their doctrine of wealth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>This doctrine teaches that each believer in Christ should expect to be wealthy and have the absolute best of everything our culture offers.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>And, to <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">not<\/em> be wealthy puts one in the same esteem as one who is not healthy in their world view: a spiritual failure.<!--more--><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">\u201cYeah, God has pleasure in the prosperity. <span style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;\">So he must have displeasure in the poverty<\/span>. So if he does, then poverty couldn&#8217;t be from God. Yeah, but Brother Price, but God allows it. God lets it happen. You&#8217;re right, he does. He does, because you do. He can&#8217;t do anything about it.\u201d<br \/>\nFred Price, (Ever Increasing Faith 11\/16\/90).<\/span><\/h6>\n<h3 id=\"69_god-wants-all-believ_1\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: Cambria;\">God wants all believers to be wealthy<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">The essence of this doctrine begins, of course, with the idea that God <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">wants<\/em> his children all to be wealthy.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>For, according to these teachers, wealth is a God-given right.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">&#8220;He wants His children to eat the best, He wants them to wear the best clothing, He wants them to drive the best cars, and He wants them to have the best of everything.&#8221;<br \/>\nKenneth Hagin, Sr. (Quoted by D.L. McConnell, A Different Gospel p.175)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">While this sounds both appealing and desirable, it is completely contrary to the teachings of scripture.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Paul serves as a firm rebuttal witness to this idea, as he says,<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>6 <\/sup>But godliness with contentment is great gain. <sup>7 <\/sup>For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. <sup>8 <\/sup>But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. <sup>9 <\/sup>People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. <sup>10 <\/sup>For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. <sup>11 <\/sup>But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">According to Paul, God&#8217;s children are to be <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">content<\/em> with food and clothing alone!<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>And, contrary to Hagin&#8217;s premise, Paul notes that the desire to get rich leads men into destruction, rather than God&#8217;s good graces.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>He concludes the matter with the true biblical position concerning the pursuit of wealth, &#8220;<\/span><em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"> But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">It is important to note that neither Paul, nor any other biblical writers teach that wealth is inherently evil, or that to have wealth is to be in a sinful state.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>What Paul teaches, however, is quite contrary to the WOF position, namely that God wants everyone to be rich.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Paul teaches that God <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">wants<\/em> everyone to be <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">content<\/em> with what God has provided for them.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>One&#8217;s pursuit is not to be oriented toward riches, but righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Yet, Fred Price insinuates that believers are somehow on God&#8217;s payroll, and should <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">expect<\/em> a financial reward from their service to God!<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">\u201cmost employers at least have enough common decency about them that they don&#8217;t ask somebody to work for <em>them for free<\/em>&#8230;. If a man has enough nicety about him to do that, can&#8217;t you at least believe that the Father God is not asking you to serve Him for free either?\u201d<br \/>\nFred Price, <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>(D.L. McConnell p.170 op. cit. F. Price Faith, Foolishness, presumption p.7)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">To &#8220;<em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">serve him for free???<\/em>&#8220;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Does Price have <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">no understanding<\/em>\u00a0of the scriptures?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Do they really think God <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">owes them something?<\/em><span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Indeed, he does, but it is not a reward.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is death to all who have sinned.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Man does not serve God for free <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">or<\/em> for pay, but <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">in response<\/em> to God&#8217;s goodness.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Because God has <strong style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">not<\/em><\/strong> given us what we have earned &#8211; the wages of sin (death) &#8211; Romans says, <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Romans 12:1 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>1 <\/sup>Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God&#8217;s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God&#8211;this is your spiritual act of worship. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Our service to God is a <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">response<\/em> to his mercy!<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>He saved believers from an eternal destiny of destruction and Hell.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>That is all we have ever <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">earned.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Yet, <\/em>Jesus died on a cross to pay <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">for our sins!<\/em><span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>How can my service to him be considered as &#8220;free???&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>To serve him is \u201d<em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">your spiritual act of worship,&#8221;<\/em> or, as the KJV states it, &#8220;your reasonable service.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Worship, or service to God, is a <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">response,<\/em> not an occupation which yields a wage.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>God&#8217;s gift of eternal life has already been accepted by his worshippers, and it can <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">never<\/em> be repaid by one&#8217;s service.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Service, then, is one&#8217;s response to what God has already done.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is not a means to a paycheck!<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In fact, <strong style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">to preach service to God as a means to financial gain<\/em> <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">is the<\/em> <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">biblical marker<\/em> <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">of a false teacher<\/em>!<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>3 <\/sup>If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, <sup>4 <\/sup>he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions <sup>5 <\/sup>and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">At least Price, Hinn, Hagin and others make our jobs easy.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>By proclaiming service to the kingdom as a means to financial gain, they have firmly established to the true church what they are. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>Paul states clearly that they are those who teach such doctrines are &#8220;men of corrupt mind,&#8221; and those &#8220;who have been robbed of the truth.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Yet, this text doesn&#8217;t stop the prosperity preachers from dictating contrary doctrines, out of their own extra-biblical sources.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">&#8220;Poverty is from the devil and that God wants all Christians prosperous.&#8221;<br \/>\nBenny Hinn, (TBN, 11\/6\/90)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Once again, Benny, could we have chapter and verse, please?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>One can only assume this teaching to come from the book of 1 Benny.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Friends, <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">any teacher<\/em>, including myself, Billy Graham or Martin Luther, should establish their teachings on the basis of biblical exegesis.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The very definition of preaching and teaching within the confines of the Christian church necessitates that a teacher teaches that which comes from <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">the Bible,<\/em> rather than from their minds, culture, historical hand-me-downs or other extra-biblical sources.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>To teach that which is added to the Bible, in fact, is the very essence of the definition of a <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">cult<\/em>.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Mormons, for example, are considered a cult by the bulk of Christianity because <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">they have added<\/em> to the scriptures their own book of rhetoric.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">These teachers do precisely the same, methodically teaching their own agendas, using scripture as &#8220;support material.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In true biblical preaching, scripture <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">is<\/em> <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">the source<\/em> material.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>When scripture becomes secondary to one&#8217;s own message, it has been relegated to the realms of illustration, poems and stories.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In such cases, they have defined themselves as Paul warned; those who teach &#8220;<em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">false doctrines and (do) not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching<\/em>.&#8221;<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break;\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break;\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"69_jesus-was-wealthy_1\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: Cambria;\">Jesus was wealthy<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">A major supposed &#8220;support&#8221; for the WOF wealth doctrines comes from the twisting of scriptures which attempts to identify Jesus, himself, as being a wealthy man.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>As Prices says it,<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">&#8220;The whole point is I&#8217;m trying to get you to see&#8211;to get you out of this malaise of thinking that Jesus and the disciples were poor and then relating that to you- thinking that you, as a child of God, have to follow Jesus. The Bible says that He has left us an example that we should follow His steps. That&#8217;s the reason why I drive a Rolls Royce. I&#8217;m following Jesus&#8217; steps.&#8221;<br \/>\nFredrick K.C. Price (Ever Increasing Faith, TBN December 9, 1990)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Price at least asserts that we are to follow Jesus!<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Sadly, he has no concept of what that truth reveals.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>According to him (and the rest of the WOF gang) the church has historically misunderstood Jesus financial status.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus, they say, was in fact quite wealthy, which is why Price drives &#8220;a Rolls Royce.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>John Avanzini goes the extra mile on this false doctrine, damaging at least three different biblical texts; falsifying them into their <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">exact polar opposite <\/em>that he may teach Jesus was rich.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">Jesus had a nice house, a big house &#8211; big enough to have company stay the night with Him at the house. Let me show you His house. Go over to John the first chapter and I&#8217;ll show you His house&#8230;. Now, child of God, that&#8217;s a house big enough to have company stay the night in. There&#8217;s His house.&#8221;<br \/>\nJohn Avanzini (Believer&#8217;s Voice of Victory, TBN January 20, 1991)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">The first example is his deduction that Jesus was rich because Jesus had a nice, big house.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Avanzini invites us to challenge him via the rare reference to a chapter and verse.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>I do appreciate that change of pace.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Let&#8217;s accept that challenge, shall we?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>John 1:35-39 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>35 <\/sup>The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. <sup>36 <\/sup>When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, &#8220;Look, the Lamb of God!&#8221; <sup>37 <\/sup>When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. <sup>38 <\/sup>Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, &#8220;What do you want?&#8221; They said, &#8220;Rabbi&#8221; (which means Teacher), &#8220;where are you staying?&#8221; <sup>39 <\/sup>&#8220;Come,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;and you will see.&#8221; So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Avanzini&#8217;s conclusions are that 1) Jesus had a house, 2) it was a nice house, 3) it was a big house.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">John 1 teaches none of these conclusions.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The question asked of Jesus in verse 38 is not &#8220;do you own a house,&#8221; but rather, &#8220;where are you staying.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>My children do not own a house, but <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">they stay<\/em> in <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">my<\/em> house freely.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Nothing in the text indicates that Jesus owned this house, but only that Jesus had a place to stay in Bethany.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Additionally, there is absolutely nothing in the text that indicates the <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">niceness <\/em>of the home where he was staying, nor is there anything which notes the size of the home.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Verse 37 notes that <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">two men<\/em> went to stay with Jesus that day, not specifically even indicated that they stayed the night.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Yet, we&#8217;ll assume that they <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">did<\/em> stay the night, which very well may have happened.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>If this is the case, just how large does a home need to be to accompany <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">two additional men<\/em>?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Could not a 500 square foot efficiency apartment in the South Bronx accommodate <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">two additional people<\/em> for an evening?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>What about a small tent, for crying out loud?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Aside from the fact that <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">this was not Jesus&#8217; home,<\/em> it is an asinine presumption to conclude a home to be &#8220;large&#8221; because two additional men stayed an evening in it. A grass hut in the poorest African village could accommodate the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Far more important than Avanzini&#8217;s egregious eisegesis (reading into the text), however, are Jesus&#8217; own words on the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Matthew 8:18-20 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>18 <\/sup>When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. <sup>19 <\/sup>Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, &#8220;Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.&#8221; <sup>20 <\/sup>Jesus replied, &#8220;Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.&#8221; <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">In response to a disciple offering to travel with Jesus, his comment was simple, &#8220;the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In effect, Jesus warns this disciple that he had no home, and that following him is no picnic.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>While Jesus surely had accommodations with his family in Nazareth, he personally had no home of his own; the supposed sign of his wealth given by WOF teachers.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>One must only decide whether to believe Jesus&#8217; own testimony or Avanzini&#8217;s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Another infamous Avanzini perjury concerns Jesus&#8217; supposed wearing of &#8220;designer clothing.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">&#8220;John 19 tells us that Jesus wore designer clothes. Well, what else you gonna call it? Designer clothes &#8211; that&#8217;s blasphemy. No, that&#8217;s what we call them today. I mean, you didn&#8217;t get the stuff He wore off the rack. It wasn&#8217;t a one-size-fits-all deal. No, this was custom stuff. It was the kind of garment that kings and rich merchants wore. Kings and rich merchants wore that garment.&#8221;<br \/>\nJohn Avanzini (Believer&#8217;s Voice of Victory, TBN January 20, 1991)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Sadly, what Avanzini refers to is nothing short of a mockery of Jesus&#8217; shame on the cross.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>John 19:23-24 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>23 <\/sup>When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. <sup>24 <\/sup>&#8220;Let&#8217;s not tear it,&#8221; they said to one another. &#8220;Let&#8217;s decide by lot who will get it.&#8221; This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, &#8220;They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.&#8221; So this is what the soldiers did. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">The context of John 19, of course, is Jesus&#8217; crucifixion.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>As was customary, the soldiers took the clothing of the victims for themselves.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In Jesus&#8217; case, only one garment was noted to be special; his undergarment.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The other clothes were distributed without issue, but the undergarment was noted to indeed be unique.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It &#8220;was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Indeed, scripture teaches that Jesus did have a very nice undergarment.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It was apparently beautifully and impressively made.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Avanzini&#8217;s assertion, however, only communicates his lack of knowledge of historical biblical background.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">All clothing was hand-made in those days<\/em>.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>None of it was likely to have come &#8220;off the rack,&#8221; but rather from a family member whose job was to make clothing for the household.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>To have a garment which was unique by merit of it&#8217;s being &#8220;woven in one piece from top to bottom&#8221; speaks not to the expense of it, but rather the craftsmanship of its maker.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Mary, or any other woman in Jesus&#8217; family would likely have made this garment.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Any of Jesus&#8217; close friends may have made it.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The uniqueness of it speaks only to the skill and possibly the time invested in its construction, however.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It says nothing of the expense of the materials.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Yes, it was <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">custom made,<\/em> as most all garments were in that day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Yet, the portrait of Jesus getting measured for one of Avanzini&#8217;s Armani suits is not being depicted in the text at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">A third claim to Jesus&#8217; supposed wealth is said to be the fruits of Jesus&#8217; supposedly affluent ministry.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small; color: #243f60; font-family: Calibri;\">&#8220;Jesus was handling big money because that treasurer He had was a thief. Now you can&#8217;t tell me that a ministry with a treasurer that&#8217;s a thief can operate on a few pennies. It took big money to operate that ministry because Judas was stealing out of that bag. If you have a treasurer, that means you have a lot of money.&#8221;<br \/>\nJohn Avanzini (Praise the Lord, TBN, September 15, 1988)<\/span><\/h6>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Once again, Avanzini speculates a very sloppy conclusion.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>He states that Jesus must have been handling big money because 1) &#8221; If you have a treasurer, that means you have a lot of money&#8221; and 2) &#8221; because that treasurer He had was a thief.&#8221;<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">To &#8220;have&#8221; a treasurer only denotes that a person has been assigned the responsibility of keeping the finances of a group.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It in no way demands a certain sum of money to exist, but only an accountable party to have been established to oversee a group&#8217;s cash flow- however large or small.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Boy Scout troops and community watches have treasurers.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>They certainly would not be construed to be handling &#8220;big money&#8221; for that reason alone.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Likewise, to have a treasurer who is a thief also does not indicate a large sum.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It only indicates the acquisition of a dishonest treasurer.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>A treasurer who steals $5 from a $50 kitty is as much of a thief as one who embezzles millions.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Being &#8220;a thief&#8221; is not defined by a compulsory dollar amount which one must have stolen.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>A thief, by definition, is one who takes something which does not belong to him; regardless of the amount.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Actually, Avanzini&#8217;s reference to Judas&#8217; greed serves more to prove that Jesus&#8217; itinerate ministry <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">did not<\/em> have &#8220;big money,&#8221; for Judas gave up his ongoing treasury theft for a singular payout of thirty silver coins.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Matthew 26:14-15 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>14 <\/sup>Then one of the Twelve&#8211;the one called Judas Iscariot&#8211;went to the chief priests <sup>15 <\/sup>and asked, &#8220;What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?&#8221; So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">These silver pieces were most likely shekels or drachmas.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The shekel, being the larger, equated to roughly 1\/2 ounce of silver, or a total of 15 ounces of silver for all 30 pieces.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Mathew&#8217;s readers would have readily understood the price of 30 pieces of silver to equate to the compensatory price of a slave <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">some fifteen hundred years earlier<\/em> in accordance to the Law of Moses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Exodus 21:32 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>32 <\/sup>If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Thus, by all practical understanding, Jesus was sold cheap by Judas; the price of a common slave.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>In today&#8217;s market, silver sells for about $10 per ounce, to put it in some perspective.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It Jesus&#8217; day, the 30 pieces of silver were perhaps worth a bit more, but not a huge sum of money, none-the-less.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>The question that must be asked then, is simple.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>If Jesus was handling &#8220;big money,&#8221; and Judas was stealing regularly from that &#8220;big money&#8221; stockpile, <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">why would he sell Jesus off for what amounts to a few hundred bucks???<\/em><span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Judas, a thief, was clearly an opportunist.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>It makes no logical sense that he was stealing from a pot of &#8220;big money&#8221; yet sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>This is especially true coming from the mouth of John Avanzini, who can afford to drop that entire amount in a single meal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Scripture teaches quite contrary to the WOF assertion of Jesus&#8217; wealth.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus was in fact, poor, as numerous scriptures indicate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">He was in fact poor from birth, being designated by God to be raised by virtual paupers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Luke 2:22-24 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>22 <\/sup>When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord <sup>23 <\/sup>(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, &#8220;Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord&#8221;), <sup>24 <\/sup>and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: &#8220;a pair of doves or two young pigeons.&#8221; <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Jesus&#8217; parents offered a pair of doves for Mary&#8217;s purification.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Normally, one offered a lamb.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Yet, Luke informs the reader that Joseph and Mary gave either doves or pigeons, the offering <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">of the poor<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 1in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Leviticus 12:7-8 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>7 <\/sup>He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. &#8220;&#8216;These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. <sup>8 <\/sup>If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'&#8221; <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">The law clearly states that the normal purification was to be a lamb. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>Only if the mother is too poor to afford a lamb is she allowed by the law to offer doves or pigeons. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>Mary, clearly, was just such a woman. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Furthermore, as has been established by Jesus&#8217; own confession, he had <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">no home<\/em> of his own, but lived an itinerate lifestyle. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0<\/span>The fact that Avanzini <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">claims<\/em> he had a home is only contradictory to Jesus&#8217; own words, proving that Avanzini is willing even to call Jesus a liar for his unrighteous goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Another scriptural proof of Jesus&#8217; financial standing is seen in that Jesus was buried in another man&#8217;s (a truly rich man&#8217;s) tomb rather than his own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.5in;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>Matthew 27:57-60 (NIV) <\/strong><br \/>\n<sup>57 <\/sup>As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. <sup>58 <\/sup>Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus&#8217; body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. <sup>59 <\/sup>Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, <sup>60 <\/sup>and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">If Jesus had &#8220;big money,&#8221; why was he not put in his own tomb?<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>If Jesus had money for his own tomb, why would a rich man put Jesus in <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">his<\/em> <em style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">own<\/em> tomb?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 12pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;\">Every scriptural teaching which hints at Jesus&#8217; financial position is consistent.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus was not rich.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>He was the son of a poor father, a carpenter by trade, followed by a three year itinerant preaching ministry during which time he had no home nor a regular income beyond the donations of some of his followers.<span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">\u00a0 <\/span>He died with only one possession of noted envy; a nicely woven undergarment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 10 of 23 in the series <a href=\"http:\/\/returningking.com\/?series=wolves\" class=\"series-218\" title=\"Wolves in Wool\">Wolves in Wool<\/a><\/div><p>Continuing in their pursuit of &#8220;get what you want&#8221; theology, the next major assault of the Bible in the WOF teaching concerns their doctrine of wealth.\u00a0\u00a0 This doctrine teaches that each believer in Christ should expect to be wealthy and have the absolute best of everything our culture offers. [flash http:\/\/www.returningking.com\/video\/wolf10.flv] (Notes below are scrollable) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13,21],"tags":[74,77,108,197,202],"series":[218],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/returningking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fseries&post=69"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}