Joel Osteen’s book Your Best Life Now has caused many people to seek their “best life now.” Among the claims Mr. Osteen makes are “God wants to increase you financially” (page 5). He goes on to explain that this quest for financial and material increase is actually pleasing to God. No doubt, Osteen is sincere in what he says and believes that wealth and success really are the way to happiness. But is that what the Bible says? Does God want all His children to be wealthy, and does He tell us that is the way to find happiness? More importantly, is your best life now or is your best life in the world to come?
To say that life on this earth is the best you can have is absolutely true—if you’re not a Christian. The non-Christian lives his best life in the here and now because his next life is one of no hope, no joy, no meaning, no satisfaction and no relief from eternal suffering. Those who have rejected Jesus Christ will spend an eternity in “outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This phrase is used five times (Matthew 8:12, 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28) to describe the miserable existence of those who are thrust into it at the moment of their deaths. So, seeking to enjoy life while they can makes perfect sense for them because they really are living their best life now. The next life will be truly dreadful.
For the Christian, however, life here, no matter how good it is, is nothing compared to the life that awaits us in heaven. The glories of heaven—eternal life, righteousness, joy, peace, perfection, God’s presence, Christ’s glorious companionship, rewards, and all else God has planned—is the Christian’s heavenly inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-5), and it will cause even the best life on earth to pale in comparison. Even the richest, most successful person on earth will eventually age, sicken, and die, and his wealth cannot prevent it, nor can his wealth follow him into the next life. So, why would you be encouraged to live your best life now? “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
This verse brings us to the next difficulty with “your best life now” philosophy. Our hearts reside wherever our treasure resides. What we value in life permeates our hearts, our minds, our very existence, and it inevitably comes out in our speech and actions. If you’ve ever met someone whose life is bound up in pursuing wealth and pleasure, it is obvious immediately, because it’s all he talks about. His heart is filled with the things of this life, and out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). He has no time for the things of the Lord—His Word, His people, His work and the eternal life He offers—because he is so busy pursuing his best life now.
But the Bible tells us that the “kingdom of heaven,” not worldly wealth, is like a treasure hidden in a field—so valuable that we should sell everything we have to attain it (Matthew 13:44). There are no scriptural admonitions to pursue and store up wealth. In fact, we are encouraged to do just the opposite. Jesus urged the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and follow Him so that he would have treasure in heaven, but the young man went away sad because his wealth was his heart’s true treasure (Mark 10:17-23). No doubt the young man experienced his best life on earth, only to lose the hope of real life in the future. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
But doesn’t God want us to live in comfort and financial security? We have only to look at the Lord Jesus and the apostles to know that the “best life now” philosophy is devoid of truth. Jesus certainly had no wealth, nor did those who followed Him. He didn’t even have a place to lay His head (Luke 9:58). The apostle Paul’s life would certainly not qualify as blessed by Osteen’s standards, either. Paul says, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). Does that sound like Paul was living his best life? Of course not. He was waiting for his best life in the future, his blessed hope, “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven” for him and all who are in Christ. That is our best life, not this “vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).
How can we expect a world infected by sin to provide your best life now? How can we ignore scriptures like “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7) and “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12) and “count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2), and tell people their best life is here and now? How can we count as meaningless the suffering of the early Christian martyrs who were hanged, burned at the stake, beheaded, and boiled in oil for their faith and their faithfulness to Christ, gladly suffering for the Savior they adored? Did they die these excruciating deaths because no one ever told them they could have experienced their best lives if only they pursued wealth and a healthy self-image, as Joel Osteen claims? The Lord never promised health, wealth, or success in this life. We can’t expect the promises He makes for heaven to be fulfilled now, and the Church dare not promise people the impossible illusion of their best life now. Such a promise encourages people to decide for themselves what will constitute their best lives and then reject Jesus when He doesn’t deliver.
The “your best life now” philosophy is nothing more than the old “power of positive thinking” lie repackaged to scratch the itching ears of the current generation. If we know Jesus Christ as our Savior, our best lives await us in heaven where we will spend eternity in joy and bliss, enjoying a life which is better than the “best” we could have now.
Amen! With the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven, I will gladly accept being not wealthy in this life 🙂
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Hello, jlrd and thank you for your comment. It is greatly appreciated. I have to agree…. life here is short and being poor is no disgrace. Although God has blessed me with more than I could ever have achieved on my own…. but it is nothing compared to the riches He has in store for us in His kingdom….
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you and yours always….
Yours in Christ;
Michael
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Nice Brother
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Thank you Wally. It’s good seeing you here this morning.. Praise God.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you always.
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You as well Michael. Your posts are always a blessing.
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Thank you, Wally……
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Great and theologically sound argument. I first came to Christ in a church that taught this kind of health and wealth theology. Half the church bailed when the financial crisis hit. Jesus wants us to reflect Him and he will bless us with whatever trial, hardship, lesson, or struggle we need to grow in Christ-likeness.
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I wish to thank you, Sierra, for your visiting and for your comments. Both of which are always welcome.
So well stated. Through the Holy Spirit we are made new. And, there is no question God will deliver us in times of good and of bad. Only through faith do we receive from God all of which He wishes to bless us with. Your comment was right on point. Thank you again.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you, and yours, always, Sierra.
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The interesting thing is that living by biblical principles puts us in a position to succeed. I don’t know much about this prosperity gospel, but I know that when we are blessed we need to continue to tithe, support missions and the poor and less fortunate.
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You are so right in your comment an I thank you for it. There is reward in tithing and giving in God’s name……. there is nothing greater than storing our treasures in heaven where it can not be stolen…. God provides us daily with our needs and we give thanks and praise.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you and yours.
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I am a deeply flawed individual who needs both redemption, and fulfillment through worship.
This is how I approach life.
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Hello, bachelor;
I wish to take a moment in order to thank you for your visit and for your comment. Both are greatly appreciated.
I believe we are all flawed and in need of redemption. Or at least, we all were at the time of receiving redemption from God. Christ never came for the “well” but instead came for the sick, broken and down hearted who, in need of a savior, died so we wouldn’t have to die in our sin.
If, bachelor, you are already saved through confession of your sin and faith in God, then there is no need for you to go through life in need of salvation. You already have it. If not, then Christ is but a prayer away. If you are not already saved then Christ is waiting for you… merely call upon Him to forgive your sins…. ask too that the Holy Spirit is sent to you… for through the Holy Spirit your life is changed…. through your years you will begin to see the changes which are brought about in your life…… for the old passes away and you become a new creature in Christ Jesus….
Thank you, bachelor, for visiting and I want you to scan through the archives here at altruistico in search of answers you may have. If I can help you answer your questions, please, call upon me. I will give you my best always…
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you and yours always.
Yours in Christ;
Michael
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One must always be vary of people who try to sell out instead of preach the Gospel. These make others have comfort in the vanities of life or just some distorted vision of it. It is no surprise that Ebola or terrorism struck at various places suddenly the damnable heresy of the so called best life now teaching was just not there to help people in trouble.
God save us from all falsehood and by his Holy Spirit lead us into the things of Christ.
The Lord God bless you!
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I am afraid you are correctly stating what is happening within the world and the church. The world, and the church today, desires to appease and to be politically correct. Christ tells us “in the latter days there will be those who appear righteous, but righteousness is not in them. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
We are to pray for a discerning heart and mind, so that when we hear untruthfulness we might recognize it and question the spirit from which it has come…… knowing God’s word is our best defense against unclean spirits….
Again, thank you for your comments. They, like yourself, are greatly appreciated.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you and yours.
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