The Epistles of John, Part 29 (3rd John 1-4): The Real Prosperity Gospel

Oprah Winfrey tells of the sermon that “changed the way she sees her life”.  It was preached by Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church in Houston Texas.  The title of this message was “The Power Of I Am”.  Now, any serious student of Scripture should immediately recognize the last two words of the title as a powerful phrase from the Bible.  And, having an understanding of its significance, they might expect the sermon to have centered on the majesty, authority, holiness, or power of God.  Further, it might be expected that the Scripture text for this sermon would be Exodus 3:14.  But then again, this is Joel Osteen we are discussing.  This man has built his reputation as more of a self-help or motivational guru than a pastor or teacher.  He is notorious among orthodox Christian communities for his ability to distort the text of Scripture, quote it and use it out of context, and in any other way possible completely pervert the message that God has communicated to mankind in written form.

So, true to form, Osteen takes a precious and sacred title ascribed by God to Himself for the sole purpose of affirming His own worth and glory, and turns it into a disgusting and vapid travesty.  He uses the “I Am” in his title to question what we say about ourselves.  He says that too often we say “I am ugly” or “I am worthless” or “I am a failure”.  In Osteen’s mind those words in our minds and in our mouths create a self-fulfilling destiny for those that speak them.  He says that instead we ought to say “I am beautiful” or “I am valuable” or “I am successful”.  And in this horribly heretical false teaching we are told that if we do this we will cause God to send success our way.  For 27 minutes Osteen prances around his pulpit, giving what amounts to a motivational speech rather than Bible exposition.  He occasionally references Scripture, but only in passing and as an aid to telling whatever story he is currently twisting to support his demonic point.  He never once actually reads the Scriptures, although they lay open behind him on his pulpit the entire time.

Now, I suspect that every person reading this will be disgusted by what I have described.  I forced myself to watch the entire sermon on the Internet.  And quite frankly, I could barely stomach it.  To ears and eyes and minds trained and steeped in Scripture, what Osteen does in twisting sound doctrine is sickening.  And he is certainly not alone.  The so called “prosperity gospel” is alive and well not only in America, but across the world.  It is filled with grinning “preachers” with thousand dollar suits, perfect smiles, solid gold jewelry, and fleets of personal jets.  This movement of false prophets and teachers is nothing less than exactly what Paul warns us of in 2^nd Timothy 4:3-4: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

My fear is that, in response to the promulgation of heresy being peddled by Joel Osteen and others like him, orthodox Christians might be tempted to flee too far to the opposite side of the philosophical and theological spectrum.  The basic tenet of the prosperity gospel is that success, wealth, health, and happiness are ours to be had if only we project enough faith at God to cause Him to work in our favor and shower us with material blessings.  So in reaction to that man-centered message, true followers of Christ might be tempted to avoid even the appearance of wishing health, wealth, and happiness upon their brothers and sisters in Christ.  In other words, I think that sometimes Christians refrain from asking for material gifts from God, either for themselves or others, because they are wary of abusing and misusing Scripture in the way that prosperity preachers do.

However, as we move into the third general epistle of the apostle John, we will find something quite interesting contained within its first few verses.  Nestled in among this ancient salutation, written so long ago, is nothing less than a bonafide and genuine wish for good health and prosperity.  But before we get to that, a short introduction to the letter is in order.

I mentioned this back in 2^nd John, but there is a fascinating relationship between these three missives.  1^st John was not addressed to a specific audience.  Although John may have intended it for a particular group of people he never clarifies who they are.  The letter is broad and generally applicable to all Christians.  We might say that its audience was the whole of Christendom as John knew it.  But then with 2^nd John we find him focusing the lens of his teaching a bit.  This time, rather than sending out a general address to the whole populace he directs his words to a specific local church and its members.  This church is never named, but I think a group of believers is what John has in mind. 

Not only that, but he builds upon the topics he began to address with his first letter.  In 1^st John 2:18-22 he warned us of the spirit of antichrist that was already infecting the church with false teaching.  Then in 4:1-6 we are taught the necessity of discernment.  We must be wise and crafty in assessing the truth of the teaching we are exposed to by gauging it against the measuring stick of Scripture.  Both in that passage and then in 5:4-5 this conflict with false teachers and apostatizers is framed in the context of a wider struggle; a battle between the forces of light and darkness.

Likewise, in 2^nd John we find that in addressing a specific local church John continues to press the same point.  He warns of the presence of antichrists in verse 7.  He commands the true Christians to be on guard against them.  And he further admonishes the believers not to associate with or welcome the enemy forces into their confidence.

It will become clear as we move through 3^rd John that the same issue continues to be on John’s agenda.  He is still pressing his attack against those who would seek to undermine, damage, and ultimately destroy the bride of Christ, the church.  But now the lens of the apostle has been narrowed down to an even greater degree.  There is a fascinating sort of funnel effect that is woven by a side by side comparison of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John.  Whereas in 1^st John his address was to the universal church and in 2^nd John it was to a local church, now he writes to individuals.  With his third and final letter, John has dispensed with generalities and broad over-arching principles.  Now he is going right for the jugular, as it were, and calling people out by name, both for praise on the one hand and condemnation on the other.

Aside from those broad-brush strokes, in a technical sense 3^rd John bears some similarities to 2^nd John.  In fact, parts of it are almost identical.  This includes the first verse: The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.  Compare that with 2^nd John verse 1: The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth.  Once again, we see the elder apostle affirming his great love for his spiritual children in the faith.  And John is, as always, quite concerned with the authenticity of his and others’ love.  It is never enough for this man who was once called a son of thunder to merely say that he loves someone or for others to make a similar claim.  Rather, at all times John is convinced that we must “not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1^st John 3:18).

Who is this man that John is now addressing his truthful love to?  Who is it that is the object of John’s final salvo against the spirit of antichrist?  Frankly, we don’t know for sure who Gaius was.  Many theories have been put forth by theologians over the centuries, fueled largely by the multiple appearances in Scripture of someone named Gaius.  Consider:

In 1^st Corinthians 1:14 Paul writes: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius.  Turning to Romans 16:23 we find: Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you.  This man was known as “Gaius of Corinth”.  According to Origen, one of the church fathers, he was thought to have been the first Bishop of Thessalonica.  Another person named Gaius appears in Acts 19:29. He is seen here as one of Paul’s traveling companions who, along with Aristarchus of Thessalonica, may have suffered some injury at the hands of the mob in Ephesus.  Then we have Gaius of Derbe, who shows up in Acts 20:4.  This is most likely not the same Gaius of the previous chapter, because that former Gaius was from Macedonia, per the text, and Derbe was a city in southern Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).  A 4^th century tradition does place Gaius of Derbe as the first Bishop of Pergamum and the recipient of 3^rd John.  But the authenticity of that source is in question and may not be reliable.

So, with all of this “Gaius” evidence in the New Testament, why do I say that we don’t know for sure who John is addressing his letter to?  The reason is that Gaius was one of the most common names in the Roman Empire.  There was probably quite literally a Gaius present in almost every town and city that Paul visited during his life.  To make the claim that the Gaius of 3^rd John is definitively the Gaius of elsewhere in Scripture is to make an assumption that is not born out by the text.  And ultimately, I think it does not particularly matter much.  Whether John was writing to one of the men associated with Paul or someone else altogether does not alter the importance and relevance of what is contained in the letter at all. 

Whoever this man was, we know that he was clearly a dedicated and authentic Christian because of John’s warm affection for him and commendation of his character.  We know that he was probably a leader in whatever community he was involved in, because the kinds of details that John provides in verse 9 about Diotrephes and in verse 12 about Demetrius, are not the kind of public information that would have been spread at large carelessly.  The letter has a the feel of a private conversation behind closed doors.  It is an extremely intimate document where John speaks bluntly and plainly about specific people.  Whoever Gaius was, he was clearly someone with a personal investment in the situation.

Now then, let us consider John’s greeting to this man in verses 2 to 4 and explore one half of the reason for his commendation.  Verse 2 reads: Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.  It continues to amaze me that John would use such intimate terms of endearment for his fellow followers of Christ.  We have seen him do this repeatedly; six times in 1^st John he referred to his audience as beloved (1^st Jn. 2:7; 3:2; 3:21; 4:1; 4:7; 4:11. Although this particular word was absent from 2^nd John it is unmistakably a pattern of John’s to refer to his spiritual children this way.

The apostle follows his affectionate name for Gaius with a two-fold wish for material gain on behalf of his friend.  The first thing that John wants is for Gaius to prosper.  This is the Greek “euodoo” (you-ah-dah-oh).  It is used two other times in the New Testament, both by Paul.  In Romans 1:10 he writes: always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.  The word succeed in that passage is our same Greek word from 3^rd John 2.  In the Romans usage, we can see the idea of achieving an objective or finishing a task.  But that doesn’t really seem to quite fit the context of 3^rd John 2.

Then in 1^st Corinthians 16:2 Paul uses the same word again: On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.  The Corinthian translation is the same as 3^rd John; prosper.  And in this usage Paul is conveying the concept of a financial flourishing.  He is describing a situation in which not only someone’s needs have been met, but prosperity has come over and above what is required.  Of course, in that context Paul is instructing the Christians to take their excess and pour it back into ministry in the form of giving.  But the point here is the base meaning of the word “euodoo”.  And this is the closest parallel to what John is praying on behalf of Gaius.  What we have is the elder apostle literally wishing for Gaius, his younger brother in the faith, to succeed in his financial endeavors to the point that he has a surplus rolling in.

Then John mentions good health.  Turning again to the Greek source we find the word “hugiaino” (hoog-ee-i-no).  This is the only time in all his writings that John uses this word.  Luke and Paul also use it, but in very different ways.  Luke tends to relate “hugiaino” to physical health and wellness (Lk. 5:31; 7:10; 15:27).  But Paul, on the other hand, uses “hugiaino” eight times and exclusively uses it to refer to a soundness of faith, doctrine, teaching, and practice.  We can see this in, for example, 2^nd Timothy 4:3 that was mentioned above.  Another occurrence is in Titus 2:1: But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

With two very different uses seen in Luke and Paul, what are we to make of John’s intent?  Well, first, although the other two writers had different contexts in mind the root use of the word is the same for both of them; that is, a completeness or a wholeness.  Whether speaking of physical health or spiritual doctrines the idea is really the same at the core.  Furthermore, looking at the context of 3^rd John it seems best to understand “hugiaino” in the physical sense.  For one thing, John has already prayed for material blessing in the form of finances.  So it would seem quite logical for him to add an additional concept in the form of good health that pertains to the same sphere of life.  Also, if we look at the phrase just after “hugiaino” we can clearly see a contrast that John is drawing out.

He writes that these two prayers of financial success and good health should fall in line with the pre-existing presence of a healthy soul.  In other words, the metric against which Gaius’s physical and financial well-being should be measured is that of the state of his spirit.  It is on account of, or because of, the growth and prosperity of Gaius’s inner man that John now desires to pray for his outer man.  And what if God choose not to bless the outer man, the body, of Gaius?  Clearly in John’s mind that has no relevance to the soul.  It is already prospering and he merely hopes that God will be gracious enough to come along and follow suit with the rest of Gaius’s person.

To expand on this point, John desires for Gaius’s comfort and security, just as he would a biological family member.  Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we should do this for each other as well.  But at the same time in John’s mind there is a definite contrast between Gaius’s physical well-being and his spiritual well-being.  The implication that John gives is that Gaius can prosper in his soul regardless of his present physical circumstances.  Likewise, although it may be correct for us to pray for each other’s material successes, the focus should unmistakably be, according to John’s example, on our spiritual development, soundness, and quality of life.

Already we can see a sharp divergence from the false doctrine of a Joel Osteen and his incessant pursuit of physical pleasures, and the sound doctrine of the apostle John with the priority that he places on spiritual health over and above and preeminent to the physical.  But we are about to see even more evidence of John’s focus being in the right place.

He continues in verse 3 by giving the motivation for his prayer: For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.  Do you see this?  John is praying for Gaius precisely because he received a good report about him!  It is because Gaius is already walking with Christ that John wants him to be well.  Now, I am not saying that we should never pray for well-being for others unless they have met a list of spiritual criteria.  But I am saying that we should not put the cart before the horse, so to speak, and pray for someone’s good health or financial success unless we have first prayed for them to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus as they walk in the truth.

On that note, what does it mean to “walk in the truth”, anyhow?  We visited this topic previously but it bears repeating now.  John expressed a similar thought toward his audience in 2^nd John.  In verse 4 of that letter he wrote: I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth.  We also saw then that John’s explanation of what it means to walk in truth is found in verses 5 and 6.  He says there that it’s all about love.  Loving one another is the commandment that God has given us from the beginning (1^st Jn. 3:11).  The mandate to obey God’s commands are part of the commands themselves (2^nd Jn. 6).  Therefore, to walk in truth means to love one another in obedience to the Lord.

Apparently, Gaius’s practice of this lifestyle was of such an authentic and praiseworthy nature that men who were visiting John told him about it.  And just like a biological parent is encouraged when they hear a good report about their children, so John was delighted to hear of Gaius’s good conduct.  In fact, his satisfaction was of such a high caliber that he penned verse 4: I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

Think about what John has just said for a moment.  He has no greater joy than to hear of fellow Christians walking in the truth?  Out of all the possible experiences in life to which we humans are privy John has come to the place in his relationship with God that the single thing that gives him the most pleasure is to see the name of Christ exalted through the faithful obedience of other Christians to the command of the Lord to walk in truth by loving one another.

That is a rather lofty bar to raise for oneself.  John is making a powerful and comprehensive statement about the importance of Christian fellowship and mutual encouragement.  As we have seen already in both 1^st John 1:4 (These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete) and 2^nd John 12 (but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full) this man places a premium on his relationship to others in the body of Christ that we can perhaps scarcely imagine.  Again, as with those previous letters, I have to question the quality of our modern “koinonia” (encompassing fellowship, mutual joy, shared love, etc.) in comparison to this first century brand of the same.

All of this leads me back around full circle to the so-called prosperity gospel.  In the teaching and preaching of Joel Osteen and his ilk the Christian life is deconstructed into what essentially amounts to a self-help program.  Although God may be mentioned as the source and power we are beholden to, the emphasis is unmistakably placed squarely upon self.  Osteen prattles on about each individual person “changing their I Ams” into positive mental energy that will move the hand of God in your favor. 

Yet from the actual Scriptures we find a wholly different gospel.  What we find is John, the last living apostle, instructing his spiritual children to walk in accordance with the commands and instructions of God.  We find an extremely high premium placed upon obedience.  We are confronted by an insistent drum beat of fellowship and seeking the good of others rather than self.  We gaze upon a disciple of Christ who has become consumed by the joy he experiences when others achieve success in their own efforts to look like Jesus.

We also bear witness to John’s steadfast desire for the prosperity of his fellow Christians.  But this is nothing like Osteen’s brand of prosperity.  This is an earnest and steadfast longing to see others rather than oneself experience good health and a comfortable financial standing.  The emphasis for John is always upon someone other than himself.  And it is always subservient to his greater desire; to see people’s souls healthy and strong precisely because of a steadfast submission to their Master.

This then is the real prosperity gospel.  It is a gospel of spiritual wealth, always focused upon the other rather than the self.  It does include earnest wishes for material blessing from God to be showered upon one’s brothers and sisters in Christ; but this is exclusively a secondary priority.  This is a gospel that exalts the Lord through abiding in His words and deeds. 

There is a biblical time and place for material rewards to be prayed for.  We may be inclined to flee hard and fast from the demonic doctrines of the modern American prosperity gospel (and rightly so).  But we should be careful that we do not run so hard and so fast that we end up running right out the other side of the Bible and stray into error ourselves out of fear of the false teachers.