Do You Want to Be Blessed?

What is the relationship between our faithfulness and God's blessings? That is a "landmine question;" one wrong step and you blow up sound theology.

We do not serve God transactionally; we don't strike a deal with God: I'll serve you if you bless me. In the book of Hebrews those who went about "destitute, afflicted, mistreated" (11:37) were the faithful ones. Only they hadn't yet received their reward (39–40). The prosperity gospel is a lie.

But it is true that we sometimes choose sin over God's blessing. And as "church people" we sometimes choose sin while trying to keep up the appearance of godliness. Such hypocrisy leaves us with a shell of religion with all the power gutted out (2 Tim. 3:5). Eventually you have to ask: why bother?

Haggai's third sermon makes this point: when we live unfaithfully we have no reason to expect God's blessings. But the timing of Haggai's sermon is important. This is a retrospective critique. The people had already heeded God's word. They had rearranged their priorities. They had repented. So they aren't in trouble again. But God is right to remind them of the trouble they were in and will be in if they forget his word.

For us also, this sermon doesn't assume that every hearer is walking away from God. But there is no such thing as being over-warned of the danger of sin.