Thomas Aquinas - from the Summa Theologica
Saint Thomas starts quoting Blessed Augustine of Hippo. "We are to abide in Christ! How then shall That not be now our possession Where we are then to abide and Whence we are to draw Life? Let Holy Scripture speak for us lest we should in mere conjecture to be saying things contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. Hear the words of one who knew: If God be for us who is against us? The Lord, he says, is the portion of my inheritance. He saith not: Lord, what wilt Thou give me for mine inheritance? All that Thou canst give me is worthless! Be Thou mine inheritance! Thee do I love! Thee do I wholly love! With all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind to I love Thee! What, then, shall be my lot? What wilt Thou give me save Thyself? This is to love God freely. This is to hope for God from God. This is to hasten to be filled with God, to be sated with Him. For He is sufficient for thee; apart from him nought can suffice thee! (Sermon, cccxxxiv.3).
Again Thomas quotes Augustine: I cried to the Lord with my voice. Many cry to the Lord that they may win riches, that they may avoid losses; they cry that their family may be established, they ask for temporal happiness, for worldly dignities; and , lastly they cry for bodily health . . . For these are suchlike things many cry to the Lord; hardly one cries for the Lord Himself! How easy it is for a man to desire all manner of things from the Lord and yet not desire the Lord Himself! As though the gift could be sweeter than the Giver! (on Ps. lxxvi).
Again Thomas quotes Augustine: Picture God as saying to you - He Who re-created you and adopted you: "My son, why is it that day by day you rise and pray, and genuflect, and even strike the ground with your forehead, nay, something even shed tears, while you say to me: 'My Father, my god! give me wealth!' If I were to give it to you, you would think yourself of some importance, you would fancy you had gained something very great. Yet because you asked for it you have it. But take care to make good use of it. Before you had it you were humble; now that you have begun to be rich you despise the poor! What kind of a good is that which only makes you worse? For worse you are, since you were bad already. And that it would make you worse you knew not, hence you asked it of Me. I gave it to you and I proved you; you have found - - and you are found out! You were hidden when you had nothing. Correct thyself! Vomit up this cupidity! Take a draught of charity! . . . As of Me better things than these, greater things than these. Ask of Me spiritual things. As of Me Myself! (Sermon, cccxi. 14-15)
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The cult of Christian Greed in America called the Prosperity Gospel Movement is purely and not partly a heresy. It robs people of not only the wealth they send to the heretics flickering in the T.V. screen, but it robs them of their own lives in Christ, having substituted seeking "things from God" instead of the wisdom to simply seek God.
What is a heresy but that teaching that departs from the teaching of Jesus Christ and his apostles.
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
For the Prosperity Heretics, it is as if Jesus, (Truth who walked among us) was never born and never said a word upon this earth.
Notice that other evangelicals are FINALLY after half a century of "prosperity heresy" attacking it head on. GOOD FOR THEM.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
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