THE GOODNESS OF WEALTH But Not Like the Prosperity Gospel Claims/Craig L. Blomberg

Craig L. Blomberg Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary

ABSTRACT

God created the material world good. Even in its fallen state material possessions remain a good thing God wants his people to enjoy. Countless passages in both Testaments demonstrate this but all of them must be qualified by balancing themes. The so-called prosperity gospel goes too far in its estimation of how well-to-do God wants his people to be. It relies too heavily on Old Testament promises made uniquely with Israel and not carried over to the New Testament church. Precisely because God wants all people to have a measure of the goodness of his material world, those with surplus have the responsibility to share with the neediest of the world. 

撮要

上帝創造了美好的物質世界。即使世界已經墜落,上帝仍視物質擁有為美 好的,希望祂的百姓能享受物質。新舊約聖經中有無數經文談及這主題,但這 些經文都必須經過全面的考慮。所謂賜人福氣的福音似乎過分估計豐盛的上帝 對祂百姓的期望,過於強調上帝在舊約單獨賜予以色列人的應許,然而這些應 許卻沒有延伸至新約教會。上帝希望所有人都能分享物質世界的美好,因此那 些有餘的就有責任跟世上有需要的人分享所有。

原載於《建道學刊》41期(2014年1月),頁 1-38。