Do Prosperity and Suffering Coexist? A Biblical Analysis. Question 15.

Jonathan Shuttlesworth, in his book and YouTube blog 35 Questions for Those Who Hate the Prosperity Gospel, asserts that prosperity and suffering can coexist, challenging critics of prosperity theology. He cites Genesis 26:12-22, Mark 10:29-30, and John 16:33 to argue that financial prosperity often accompanies suffering due to persecution.

While Shuttlesworth raises an important theological point about the coexistence of prosperity and suffering, his application of Scripture requires careful examination. This blog critically evaluates his claims and examines the biblical context and intent of the passages he cites.

1. Prosperity and Suffering: A Biblical Perspective

Shuttlesworth’s Claim

Shuttlesworth argues that prosperity and suffering are not mutually exclusive. He highlights the story of Isaac in Genesis 26, who experienced both material blessings and opposition, and he cites Mark 10:29-30 to assert that Jesus promised financial rewards alongside persecution for those who follow Him.

Biblical Truth

1. Prosperity and Suffering Can Coexist: The Bible acknowledges that believers may experience both prosperity and suffering in their walk with God. However, these experiences are not guaranteed in equal measure or tied solely to material wealth.

2. God’s Blessings Are Holistic: Biblical prosperity encompasses spiritual, relational, and material well-being, with an emphasis on faithfulness and dependence on God rather than the accumulation of wealth.

   
   

2. The Case of Isaac (Genesis 26:12-22)

The Text

Genesis 26 describes Isaac sowing crops during a famine and reaping a hundredfold, becoming wealthy as God blessed him. However, the Philistines envied him and opposed his use of wells that his father had dug.

Shuttlesworth’s Interpretation

Shuttlesworth uses this narrative to argue that prosperity leads to envy and opposition from enemies, equating critics of prosperity theology with Isaac’s persecutors.

Contextual Analysis

1. Covenantal Blessing: Isaac’s prosperity was directly tied to God’s covenant with Abraham, which included material blessings to establish a nation through his descendants (Gen. 12:2-3). This was a unique, redemptive-historical context, not a universal promise of wealth for all believers.

2. Suffering in Context: Isaac’s suffering was not intrinsic to his prosperity but a result of his neighbours’ envy. The narrative highlights God’s faithfulness in sustaining Isaac despite opposition, not a principle that prosperity always results in persecution.

   
   

Balanced Perspective

The story of Isaac illustrates God’s provision and faithfulness, but it does not establish a normative connection between financial prosperity and suffering for believers today.

3. Jesus’ Promise of Blessings and Persecution (Mark 10:29-30)

The Text

Jesus said:

“Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”

Shuttlesworth’s Interpretation

Shuttlesworth emphasizes the promise of material blessings, arguing that Jesus explicitly connects property and possessions with persecution for those who follow Him.

Contextual Analysis

1. A Kingdom Perspective: Jesus’ statement is a response to Peter, who asked about the rewards for those who had left everything to follow Him. The “hundredfold” blessing includes both spiritual family (the community of believers) and material provision through God’s people.

2. Persecution as a Mark of Faithfulness: The inclusion of persecution underscores the cost of discipleship, redirecting focus from material rewards to eternal life as the ultimate inheritance.

   
   

Balanced Perspective

While Jesus acknowledges the provision of needs in this life, His emphasis is on eternal rewards and the cost of following Him. Material blessings are not guaranteed and should not be the focus of discipleship.

4. Jesus’ Warning About Trouble (John 16:33)

The Text

Jesus said:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Shuttlesworth’s Interpretation

Shuttlesworth uses this verse to argue that prosperity does not exclude suffering, claiming that both are part of the Christian experience.

Contextual Analysis

1. A Call to Endurance: Jesus prepares His disciples for persecution and hardship, emphasizing His victory over the world’s troubles.

2. Spiritual Focus: The primary context of this passage is spiritual perseverance, not material prosperity.

   
   

Balanced Perspective

While this verse acknowledges suffering, it does not suggest that prosperity and suffering are intrinsically linked. Jesus’ focus is on providing peace and hope in the face of trials.

5. Addressing Shuttlesworth’s Claims

Enemies of the Church?

Shuttlesworth equates critics of prosperity theology with Isaac’s enemies, suggesting that opposition to financial prosperity is equivalent to opposing God’s blessings. This claim is problematic:

1. Distinguishing Criticism from Opposition: Critics of prosperity theology often highlight its theological imbalances, not its acknowledgment of God’s blessings.

2. A False Dichotomy: Viewing critics as “enemies of the church” oversimplifies the conversation and dismisses legitimate concerns about the distortions of prosperity theology.

   
   

The Cost of Discipleship

Shuttlesworth’s emphasis on material blessings risks overshadowing the biblical call to sacrificial living and eternal rewards. As Dr. Michael Brown points out in Playing with Holy Fire, focusing on wealth can distort the gospel’s message of humility, service, and dependence on God.

6. A Biblical Perspective on Prosperity and Suffering

God’s Provision

The Bible teaches that God provides for His people’s needs and calls them to steward His resources for His glory (Phil. 4:19).

Suffering for Christ

Persecution and hardship are inevitable for those who faithfully follow Christ (2 Tim. 3:12). However, suffering is not tied to material prosperity but to the spiritual opposition faced by believers.

Eternal Rewards

Jesus consistently redirects attention to eternal rewards over earthly gain (Matt. 6:19-21).

Conclusion: Can Prosperity and Suffering Coexist?

Shuttlesworth is correct that prosperity and suffering can coexist, but his interpretation oversimplifies and distorts the biblical narrative. Prosperity in Scripture is not solely financial, and suffering is not inherently tied to material blessings.

Isaac’s story, Jesus’ teachings, and the broader biblical context emphasize God’s faithfulness and the cost of discipleship, pointing to eternal rewards as believers' ultimate inheritance. True prosperity is found in spiritual abundance, faithful stewardship, and enduring hope in Christ.

Author: Evg. Bradley Sliedrecht BCL, M.Div. ✝️📖✨

(PhD Student)