INSTITUTE OF LOVE

The “Great Wealth Transfer”???
Text Box: Really? Is that so? Sometime ago, someone told me that there is a Great Wealth Transfer, or as some people are calling it, the End Time Wealth Transfer, coming for the body of Christ. Simply put, it means that the Church/Christians will become rich in these last days and supposedly they will use the money to “spread the Gospel.” This person went on to excitedly tell me that this “great transfer of wealth” is about to happen, as God is taking the wealth of the wicked and giving it to the righteous. In order to make the wealth transfer happen, this person shared with me that a well known apostle-minister said that God is raising up a special group of apostles called workplace or marketplace apostles. He said that these businessmen apostles will have the ability to make investments that will yield extraordinary returns. They will not be traditional financial planners who are satisfied with annual returns of 5 to 20 percent or so, but these men has faith to believe for the biblical standard of 100 percent returns or more becoming the norm. According to this minister, the prophecies about the “Great Transfer of Wealth” has scriptural basis, and if you want to be on the receiving end of the transfer, you’d better get properly aligned with God and sow a monetary seed for your expected return. Wow, I thought to myself. Is this coming “great transfer of wealth” for all Christians really mentioned in the Bible? Am I missing something? Aren’t we living in the end times right now? Why then is the Church not experiencing a brimming cash flow from the “great transfer of wealth”? Yes, I know that God is a sovereign God and is able to do anything. For nothing is impossible with God, (Luke 1:37 NLT) and He is able to take money from the rich and give it - in His discretion - to anyone He chooses. But the “great transfer of wealth” doctrine, I have never known of such a phenomenon to be biblical…Or is it? Let’s take a look at the verses that these prophets and apostles are using to support this teaching of the “great transfer of wealth.” The first one they use is in the book of Isaiah: Your gates will stay open around the clock to receive the wealth of many lands. Isaiah 60:11 NLT The chapter this verse is taken from is about the restoration of the nation of Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. It is not about the Church. The other verses in the chapter, makes this very clear. Verse 14, for example, specifically names Israel’s capitol city, Jerusalem, when it refers to “the City of the Lord” and “Zion” which are two other names for Jerusalem. The children of your tormentors will come and bow before you. Those who despised you will kiss your feet. They will call you the City of the LORD, and Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 60:14 NLT In the light of the rest of the chapter, it’s clear that verse 11 is saying the wealth of the Gentile nations, meaning the non-Israelite nations, will be brought to Israel during the millennium, after Christ’s return to earth. It has absolutely nothing to do with wealth being transferred to the Church today through so-called workplace apostles. The second verse that is used to support the “great transfer of wealth” theory is: But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 NKJV This proverb needs to be understood in its entire context and therefore the first part of this verse, which says: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,” cannot be excluded. Then it becomes very clear, that this proverb is actually about inheritances and the lasting legacy left by the righteous, versus the fleeting prosperity of the wicked. This proverb was never meant to be turned into a teaching about the end times, market or workplace apostles, and releasing wealth to the Church. Never once did the original apostles in the Bible say wealth was a key to the Church’s success. Peter and John, for instance, didn’t have much money and God used them mightily. They relied on something even more powerful than money - the authority of Christ. Once, when a crippled beggar asked them for money, Peter replied: "I don't have any money for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" Acts 3:6 NLT Yet, today’s apostles and prophets claim that vast sums of money is necessary to defeat the forces of darkness and advance God’s kingdom. Conclusion Jesus said, that He is coming back for a Church that is without spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. Ephesians 5:27 NLT Meaning; Jesus is coming back for a Church that He made holy and clean by giving up His life for her. It is a Church that is washed by baptism and God’s Word. The Church that Jesus is coming for is washed from false doctrines, false prophecies, and false teachers. It is a Church that is free from the deceptive “great transfer of wealth” teachings. Jesus is coming back for a faithful Church like the one in Philadelphia. This is what Jesus said, as He commended them: I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. Look! I will force those who belong to Satan — those liars who say they are Jews but are not — to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love. "Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. Look, I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. Revelation 3:8-11 NLT This is in contrast to the Church in Laodicea, whom Jesus confronted for their halfhearted, self-centered, and self-sufficient money greedy behavior. "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me — gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. Revelation 3:15-20 NLT Finally The Church that Jesus Christ is coming for is the church that wins souls by their actions of love and true servant hood, just like the first church in the book of acts. And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved. Acts 2:44-47 NLT All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need. Acts 4:32-35 NLT   Copyright©2010 Sophia & Edwin Christiaan Text Box: By Edwin Christiaan