The Prosperity Gospel contradicts the message of Christ and exploits people’s faith

I've been observing the rise of the so-called "Prosperity Gospel" in some modern evangelical circles, and honestly, I'm surprised that so many Christians defend it as if it were compatible with the message of Christ.

The central idea behind this theology is that God wants you to be rich, successful, and healthy—and if you have enough faith (and give the “right offerings”), you’ll receive material blessings. But not only is this idea lacking any serious biblical foundation, it actually contradicts the Gospel.

Christ never promised wealth. He promised the Cross. He Himself lived in poverty, was rejected, persecuted, and ultimately crucified. The Apostles weren’t rich or comfortable. Saint Paul worked with his own hands, and many of them died as martyrs. If material prosperity were the sign of true faith, then by that logic, Christ would be considered a failure.

It’s also deeply wrong to connect economic success to the level of faith. Does a poor person suffer because they lack faith? Does someone stay sick because they didn’t “sow” enough money? That’s not just false—it’s cruel. It turns suffering into a spiritual fault and lets the preachers off the hook while they get rich.

Worse yet, it flips the Church on its head: millionaire pastors and struggling believers. Is that really the model Christ left us? What happened to humility, charity, and service? Faith becomes a tool to get things, rather than a path to God.