Eternal Prosperity

Today, Palm Sunday*, from the top of the upper seating level at the second floor of the auditorium of Champions Centre in Tacoma, Washington, I learned that there is more solid evidence that God, His love, and all of our souls are inexhaustable, everlasting, and timeless. Pastor Kevin Gerald points out that it feels unnatural to think about life and time, let alone anything, without limits, since all of the things we can physically observe, test, and monitor are all bound by restrictions in time, space, and matter. This, however, isn't the case with things that we cannot physically observe, test, and monitor, because those things were made outside of those boundaries, which is why it's exceedingly difficult to explain or even understand them. Although comprehending intangible beings and forces is by definition impossible, we still know they exist, and those who don't know they exist can turn to the scriptures for any necessary information (and it's all necessary) regarding them.

God's timelessness is why we need not doubt Him in the face of unimaginable catastrophes that seemingly wouldn't be made possible by a just god. Pastor Gerald stresses "God ascends out of [time], and what I want to try to help you understand is that we see it as it is right now; God sees it evolving into something good. Right now, it might be hard for you to see it as good, but it's good because God is timeless in his perspective." This means that even one's worst day is part of God's plan for something better, no matter what. "He sees backward and He sees forward," as Gerald puts it. Since God sees time from an "always all at once" perspective, He uses all points in time, good or bad, to unravel his plan. To my understanding, this means that God even uses those with generally bad intentions, whom He knows will never at any point in time (all of such points being equally visible to God) believe in God nor give Him any say in or control over their actions, as instruments of good as well.

It is important to acknowledge, with some sort of confidence and clear or not-so-clear understanding, one's belief that God is forever, completely free of time and boundaries, and currently observing what is happening everywhere, what has already happened everywhere, and what is to come at every later point in time everywhere. Gerald advocates that Paul's enthusiasm about God's timelessness through his emphatic tone and wording in the eighth chapter of his letter to an early Christian church in Rome, begining at verse 28, is the proof in the pudding.

Paul says to the Romans,

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:28-32)

God's infinite parameters are what allow Him to grant prosperity to His people. According to Gerald's book Excuse Me, I'm Prospering,this includes, but is not limited to, financial prosperity and peace of mind. To Pastor Gerald, there are "five timeless words" that confirm the infinity of God, and are as follows:

Foreknew - The pastor informs us, "you had a preexistence, in some fashion or form, with God before you showed up here." "You are not a human being having a spiritual experience; you are a spiritual being having a human experience called 'a lifetime,'" says Gerald. He elaborates that even though we are humans and that going to church or worshipping God feels like a spiritual experience, it is not in fact the case. We are actually immortal, spiritual beings that share an existance outside of time taking part in the temporary ritual of humanity.

Predestined - Gerald also tells us that our purpose and the purposes of everything before, now, and still to come were established before we were, or, I suppose, outside of where we are. Again, even in the face of disaster, he says "misfortune is factored in his purose; it's all part of his purpose," so, again, it is unnecessary for one's faith to be jilted by shortcomings, even of the most severe kind. These shortcomings are simply points in time that lead up to various kinds of prosperity. For example, Gerald explains, as is also the case in any other creator-creation relationship, a building is built with some sort of purpose, rather than being given one after its sporatic, unpredicted discovery. Our predestined purpose in our physical lives is exactly like that–aside from the notion that misfortune and disaster are intended to lead to a better future as a gift by the creator–buildings never work like that. Everyone's purpose is a destiny that can be found by asking God personally.

Called - God didn't call us to our duty of worshipping Him and spreading His word to as many people as possible as a result of our existence, but rather we were called before our bodies existed. God isn't like an insurance company that pulls your file because you made mistakes, but actually gave us insurance with prior knowledge of mistakes that are still to be made by forgiving us ahead of time through the intentional and foreknown slaughter of His son, with whom He shares an existence, as a sacrifice. Answering the call of God and His Holy spirit can result in crying and shaking without an understanding of why it's happening.

Justified - The actual definition of "justified," according to Pastor Gerald, is "Just as if I've never sinned." This justification, in Gerald's words, "qualifies you to stand without shame before God." God's prior justification of our transgressions is what allows us to let go of our past and justify ourselves as proper followers of Him because we are already justified in the eyes of God. No matter what evils may have been dealt by your hand, you are still justified by God to take on His ministry, which is why Paul, the author of this particular letter, who, before finding Jesus, routinely collected Jews in droves to stone Christians to death for the religion they practice, was even anointed as the thirteenth apostle. In fact, Paul even points out in verse thirty-one that "if God is for us, who can be against us?" Any Christian's actions, no matter what the ends or means, are already justified by God. Therefore, any Christian, no matter what their character, previously or currently, is still welcome to follow God amongst anyone because God is on their side.

Glorified - Those who will forever show their loyalty to God are already winning their fight as if it has already happened as far as He is concerned (which it already has, as far as He is concerned). "From a timeless perspective, God doesn't see us failing," even when we fail at certain finite objectives, Gerald informs the congregation." He also makes a not of the past tense "glorified," instead of a present tense "glorifies" or a reference to future glorification. This particular wording is invaluable for interpreting Paul's archetypical insight to Jesus's ancient teachings and definition of God's eternity.

After the sermon, Kevin Gerald's wife, Sheila Gerald took the alter to say "Thanks to you who are giving today, and thanks especially to you who are giving for the first time." She even boasts, "We love to give here! The ushers, we're keepin' 'em busy." Which is fortunate, because giving to the churches like Champion Centre is important, since, as she explains, while being saved by God is in fact free, providing it as a service can get really expensive when you're mass marketing salvation. Preceding the showing of the following Ad to be aired during The History Channel's "The Bible," Sheila announces "This commercial has been brought to you by the tithers at Champions Centre!"

*I actually attended Champion Centre approximately twenty-five hours ago, but my ability to finish it on time was hindered by a combination of lunchtime scotch, marijuana, and Benadryl. I merely wanted to stick to the theme "Today, in church." Fortunately, it is doubtful that anyone has noticed yet.