Is There Anything Like Transactional Gospel?

Few days ago i read a lengthy post by a certain preacher who was making a case to prove that there's nothing like 'transactional gospel' in the bible. 

In the opening lines of his write up he stated that "the phrase(transactional gospel) is someone’s thought to justify his opposition to the preaching of prosperity, it’s not in the word of God." 

Honestly it baffles me to see someone making a lengthy argument and even quoting scriptures to prove that something is not in the bible while it is right there on the pages of his bible. 

Little wonder why the apostle in his admonition to Timothy said: "give attendance/heed to reading"(1st Timothy 4:13). 

There are many portions of scripture which many churchgoers for years and ministers who have been preaching from the bible for decades, have never read or heard being preached. 

This is so worrisome and the reason why some years ago, i opened a Facebook page called 'Scriptures Hardly Read Today'. 

Now let's look into scriptures to see if there's something like transactional gospel or not. 

2nd Corinthians 2:17 speaks of those who peddle or make a trade of the word of God. 👇🏼 

"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.". 

The word translated as "corrupt" in the common english version is "kapēleuō" in the original greek and means to be a retailer, to peddle, to make money by selling anything, to get sordid gain by dealing in anything, to do a thing for base gain, to trade in the word of God, to try to get base gain by teaching divine truth, to corrupt, to adulterate. 

*Peddlers were in the habit of adulterating their commodities for the sake of gain. 

To peddle the word of God(preach the word of God for material gain) one would have to adulterate, twist or pervert it that's why those who seek to make a trade of it/commercialise it can never preach it as it is: "as of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of God, even the truth as it is in Christ". 

Sadly the apostle notes that those who speak the word of God "as of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of God in Christ" are few compared to the many who peddle the word of God.

This is clearly what the term transactional gospel is all about; it is a term describing the adulterated gospel which, peddlers of the word of God, preach to make merchandise of their hearers. It can also be called the commercialised gospel or the peddlers gospel. 

Scripture in 2nd Peter 2:-3 speaks of false teachers who through covetousness will make merchandise of the people with "feigned words"(well-turned, moulded, forged or fictitious words). "Plastos logos" in greek lexicon meaning moulded words (by implication) artificial or (figuratively) fictitious (false). 

Note: Their tool/resource in making merchandise of God's people is their teaching/doctrine of artificial, fictitious or forged words. 

Secondly, it is through covetousness that they will manufacture/fabricate this tool of well turned, artificial/fictitious words. Covetousness in the heart of a teacher of God's word will inevitably inspire him to twist the scriptures for his own gain. When this covetousness in the heart of the preacher meets with covetousness/lust in the hearts of the hearers, there is a perfect alignment/connection and fellowship/fellowership becomes so spontaneous with unflinching commitment & dedication to the religious cause which serves both the covetousness in the preacher & the lusts of the people. 

Scripture thus says that many shall follow their pernicious ways; in other words, they will be successful in their covetous ways/practise, commanding large followership and making merchandise of their followers. 

So not only are there many who peddle the word of God, many also shall follow their pernicious ways. This is indisputably where the crowd/mass of people in christendom can be found in scripture....the "many who peddle the word of God" and the "many who follow their pernicious ways"....a massive fellowship between false teachers & gullible hearers who follow them. 

The adulteration/perversion of the word of God is basically on the ground of covetousness & lust/quest for personal gain, fame, power/influence to either command massive followership (ie. draw disciples after one's self) as Paul warned the elders against in Acts 20:28-30 or for filthy lucre's sake(money) which Peter warned the elders against in 1st Peter 5:1-3.

The Right Attitude In Giving & Receiving As Opposed To The Transactional Spirit. 

Giving & receiving exemplified in sowing & reaping is not transactional but a natural principle God put in place in creation. 

The believer's attitude in giving however, should be such that his faith & expectation transcends receiving(ie. getting rewards)here on earth. It is such that even when the believer gives and does not receive here on earth, he should have that assurance that he has in heaven a better and abiding substance. That's how far true faith can go in giving, with eternal treasures in heaven as it's incentive and not for any material or ulterior motive/benefit. 

The apostle in Hebrews 10:34 speaks of believers whose goods were spoilt/plundered in sympathising with fellow brethren in bonds, yet they took it joyfully not for the hope of any material blessing or goods they will receive in exchange or as compensation from the Lord here on earth, but because they knew they have a better and abiding substance in heaven. 

This is consistent with what Jeaus taught in Matthew 6, where he started by showing that those who give alms with the ulterior motive of receiving accolades and recognition of men, have their rewards here on earth but not in heaven(See vs 1-4). So even with ulterior motive when they operate the natural principle of giving & receiving, they receive their reward here on earth, yet they have no part, lot or reward with God.

The right attitude in giving which Jesus taught there in Matthew 6 is giving as laying up treasures in heaven(See vs. 20). This is the more blessedness that lies ahead for the believer in giving here on earth than receiving, as scripture declares "it is more blessed to give than to receive(Acts 20:35). 

In Luke 14:13-14 Jesus said :But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, crippled, lame, blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they have not the means to recompense thee; for it shall be recompensed thee in the resurrection of the just."  This is the blessedness of the faith that gives without expecting anything in return here on earth....the purity of motive in giving. 

Even in 2nd Corinthians 9 where the apostle touches the natural law of sowing & reaping, his emphasis is not merely on the increase of the material(seed sown) but the increase in sowing capacity which leads to increase of the fruits of righteousness expressed in sowing.

His desire is for the increase in the virtue of giving and the fruits of righteousness which the expression of such a virtue yields. 👇🏼 

9 vs 8, 10-11

But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work.

Now he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating shall supply and make abundant your sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: enriched in every way unto all free-hearted liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God. 

In conclusion, it is important to touch on the transactional spirit/attitude which often manifests in giving, by those who have a wrong mentality that the gift of God can be bought or tapped into with a money seed. 

Simon the sorcerer's act of offering money to the apostles to receive the power/anointing of the HolySpirit in exchange, is a clear example - Acts 8:18-23. 

There is no purity of motive in such a giving, no righteousness in it rather he who indulges in it is in the bond of unrighteousness for his heart is not right with God as clearly stated in scripture. The heart being polluted and defiled by the very thought that the gift of God can be bought or purchased with money, is not right with God. 

In present day christendom, Simony(what Simon did) is not just an act but a doctrine/teaching that has pervaded & leavened a lot of assemblies/churches, where people are taught to sow into the anointing or to sow a seed to tap into the grace upon a preacher's life. 

Many through this perverse teaching have been hoodwinked to believe that the grace of God or the anointing of the HolySpirit can be purchased with a money or material seed.