The Prosperity Gospel: A Dangerous Deception That Threatens True Salvation

A recent political appointment calls us to reaffirm the truth of our Orthodox faith. The White House Office of Faith is now led by a prominent preacher of the “prosperity gospel,” Paula White. This paves the way for prosperity theology to be promoted as a national vision of faith and success, with White as a powerful advocate for this misleading and dangerous doctrine, which threatens to lead millions away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

While the prosperity gospel promises health, wealth, and personal success, it is not Christianity. It distorts the Gospel, replacing the message of the Cross with a shallow, materialistic faith. As Orthodox Christians, we must be vigilant to prevent this false teaching from spreading unchecked.

Popularized by figures like Paula White, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, and Creflo Dollar, this movement has now gained a national platform. This ideology is being promoted from the White House as a spiritual model for the nation. This should concern every Orthodox Christian who holds to the faith passed down by the apostles and saints.

This is not a minor theological difference—it is a direct attack on Christ’s teachings. It is a false Gospel That endangers salvation The prosperity gospel twists the Gospel into a self-centered, materialistic ideology, replacing humility with greed, suffering with entitlement, and salvation with personal success.

Paula White teaches:

"God's will is for you to prosper. The Word of God promises success and abundance for those who live in faith and obedience."

"If you are not experiencing prosperity in your life, it’s because you’re not using the principles of God’s Word. You can have what you say, and you can live in wealth."

In her view, prosperity is a sign of God’s approval and favor. If a believer is not experiencing material success, it is often framed as evidence of insufficient faith or failure to follow God’s Word. This teaching gravely distorts the message of Jesus Christ.

The Orthodox faith teaches that salvation is union with God (theosis), not financial gain. Christ never promised wealth; He promised eternal life to those who take up their cross (Luke 9:23), to those who become like Him, poor in spirit, humble, meek, pure in heart, free of attachments to worldly things like wealth. (See the Beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-12)

Suffering is not an indication we are not following God, but a way God perfects us, preparing us for eternal life in His Kingdom. Christ and the apostles suffered for the faith, yet the prosperity gospel claims that suffering indicates a lack of faith. The saints, many of whom lived in poverty, would be condemned by this movement’s standards! Paul himself endured shipwrecks, beatings, and hunger (2 Corinthians 11:23-27), yet he remained faithful.

The true Christian life involves repentance, humility, and trust in God’s will—not demanding material rewards (1 Peter 1:16). The prosperity gospel avoids addressing sin and replaces the need for spiritual purification with a feel-good message focused on material success.

By embracing the prosperity gospel, our nation’s leadership risks promoting a false Christianity that emphasizes material wealth as a sign of God’s grace. This deception can lead millions to believe that wealth equals God’s favor, discouraging repentance and holiness in favor of superficial success.

We must beware. The prosperity gospel can mislead those unfamiliar with the true Christian faith. As Orthodox Christians, we must inform others about the error of this false teaching. We must pray for our nation and its leaders. Ask God to guide them back to the true Gospel. Pray for those deceived by these false teachings. 

As Timothy warned:
“For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but will gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). We must not let our faith be hijacked by a movement that serves greed rather than God. Educate yourself before it’s too late.

Let us stand firm in the true Gospel of Christ and reject this deception before it leads many away from the path of salvation.