我自己心中的成功神学
虽然我在人生早期阶段就已经接触到成功神学，但直到我上神学院，我才开始认真思想这问题。我是神学生的时候，开始在地方教会服侍。我很惊奇地发现，在我看顾之下如此多的人，通过不同的媒体形式，正在消费成功神学。而且许多人把他们与神的关系看成是一种对价关系的买卖，人把神当作是宇宙间一位用好处博取人欢心的甜心老干爹，祂存在的目的，就是因着人献上的服侍，使人健康、有钱和幸福。
在我学术生涯的早期阶段，我在一份相当不为人知的神学期刊上发表了一篇文章，题为《成功神学的破产》。我在这篇文章里尝试把我一开始对成功神学的反对意见综合起来，也盼望给那些陷入成功神学运动的人有基本的指引。让我感到吃惊的是，在这篇短文发表之后，我马上就收到回应，既有正面，也有负面的回应。实际上，我仍继续收到对那篇文章更多的回应，超过我写的任何文章。
这两次经历促使我问这问题：为什么福音派基督徒会被成功神学吸引？为什么成功神学普遍来说与如此多的人产生共鸣？经过一些反思调查之后，我得出的答案让我吃惊：成功神学住在所有人心里，成功神学甚至也住在我自己心里。
想象一下，你在一个冰冷下雨的星期天早上开车上教会，让你沮丧的是，你的轮胎漏气了。你会马上想到什么？“神啊，这是真的吗？我在上教会，难道没有一些毒品贩子，或者虐待妻子的丈夫，是你可以用轮胎漏气来惩罚他们的吗？”这就是成功神学。
或者你在公司没有得到那晋升，你的孩子病了，或者你在教会里受到不公平的批评。结果是什么？因为你被人忽略、受苦、或者被人贬损，你就对神发怒。这就是成功神学。
想到神欠我们以一种相对没有苦难的人生，这种想法本身，还有当神没有按照我们相信祂应当行事的方式行事，我们感受到的愤怒，这些都揭露了我们内心期望，神要因着我们的好行为使我们获得成功。这就是成功神学。
你可能很容易就辨认出电视上那种属灵方面的骗子，销售他们当代的赎罪券，强解圣经经文支持他们的观点，承诺只要我们对我们的信心有足够信心，我们就能活出美好。但不要忘记了，那使成功神学如此吸引人的，就是它迎合了堕落人心的愿望，它给人太多承诺，而要求得却是如此之少；它体贴肉体。
虽然你可能已经足够成熟，可以抵挡成功神学运动自封的那些传递祝福之人宣讲的系统化成功神学，但请不要忽略那潜伏在你自己心里的成功神学。真正的福音说，不管什么事情发生在我们身上，耶稣都已足够。
耶稣对你来已经足够了吗？
The Prosperity Gospel in My Own Heart
While I had been exposed to the prosperity gospel earlier in life, it was not until I began seminary that I thought seriously about it. I began to serve in local churches during my time as a student, and I was amazed to find so many people under my care consuming property gospel material via different forms of media. Moreover, many people seemed to view their relationship with God as a quid pro quo transaction. He was treated as a celestial sugar daddy who existed to make them healthy, wealthy, and happy on account of service rendered.
Early in my academic career, I published in a rather obscure theological journal an article entitled “The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel.”[1] In it I attempted to synthesize my initial objections to prosperity theology, as well as hopefully to give basic direction to those caught up in the prosperity gospel movement. To my surprise, I received immediate feedback about my short publication—both positive and negative. In fact I continue to receive more feedback about that piece than anything else I have written.
These two experiences prompted me to ask this question: why are evangelical Christians drawn to the prosperity gospel? And why does it resonate with so many people generally? After some reflection and investigation, the answer at which I arrived was surprising: the prosperity gospel resides in the heart of all men; the prosperity gospel is even in my own heart.
Imagine you’re driving to church on a cold, rainy Sunday morning, and to your dismay you get a flat tire. What is your immediate thought? “God, really? I’m going to church. Isn’t there some drug dealer or abusive husband you could have afflicted with a flat tire?” That’s the prosperity gospel.
Or maybe you don’t get that promotion at work, your child gets sick, or you’re unfairly criticized at church. The result? You get mad at God because you were overlooked, troubled, or disparaged. That’s the prosperity gospel.
The very thought that God owes us a relatively trouble-free life, and the anger we feel when God doesn’t act the way we believe he is supposed to act, betray a heart that expects God to prosper us because of our good works. That’s the prosperity gospel.
It may be easy for you to spot the spiritual charlatans on television, selling their modern-day indulgences, proof-texting biblical passages, and promising us our best life now if we just have enough faith in faith. But don’t forget that what makes the prosperity gospel so attractive is that it caters to the desires of the fallen human heart. It promises much while requiring little. It panders to the flesh.
While you may be mature enough to resist the systematized prosperity gospel of the movement’s self-proclaimed purveyors, don’t overlook the latent prosperity gospel that dwells within your own heart. The true gospel says, whatever may come our way, Jesus is enough.
Is he enough for you?
作者：David W. Jones
David W. Jones是东南浸信会神学院（Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary）基督教伦理学副教授。
翻译肢体：梁曙东
用圣经视野和实用资源装备教会领袖
进而通过健康的教会向世界彰显神的荣耀
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▼▼▼圣经足够了吗？