C S Lewis & John Piper Views on God & Prosperity...so which is Correct?

The past 2 weeks God has some way or the other, lead me to read these passages about Him, Wealth and Punishment.

John Piper says:

When you pause to consider that God is infinitely strong and can do all that he pleases, and that he is infinitely righteous so that he only does what is right, and that he is infinitely good so that everything he does is perfectly good, and that he is infinitely wise so that he always knows perfectly what is right and good, and that he is infinitely loving so that in all his strength and righteousness and goodness and wisdom he raises the eternal joy of his loved ones as high as it can be raised—when you pause to consider this, then the lavish invitations of this God to ask him for good things, with the promise that he will give them, is unimaginably wonderful.

Taken from Desiring God Email Sermons by John Piper

C. S. Lewis says:

Christ said it was difficult for "the rich" to enter "riches" in the ordinary sense. But I think it really covers riches in every sense - good fortune, health, popularity and just as money tends - to make you fell independent of God, because if you have them you are happy already and contented in this life. You don't want to turn away to anything more, and so you try to rest in shadowy happiness as it if could last for ever.

But God wants to give you a real and eternal happiness. Consequently He may have to take all these "riches" away from you: if He doesn't, you will go on relying on them. It sounds cruel doesn't it? But I am beginning to find out that what people call the cruel doctrines are really the kindest ones in the long run. I used to think it was a "cruel" doctrine to say that troubles and sorrows were "punishments." But I find in practice that when you are in trouble, the moment you regard it as a "punishment," it becomes easier to bear. If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you will find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad.

Imagine a set of people all living in the same building. Half of them think it is a hotel, the other half think it is a prison. Those who think it a hotel might regard it quite intolerable, and those who thought it was a prison might decide that it was really surprisingly comfortable. So that what seems the ugly doctrine is one that comforts and strengthens you in the end. The people who try to hold an optimistic view of this world would become pessimists: the people who hold a pretty stern view of it become optimistic.

Taken from "Answers to Questions on Christianity" in Timeless at Heart

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CS Lewis has a good point. That people who puts material and money at the forefront of their motivation for life, will tend to forget about God. And to rely less on money is to prevent evil since the love of money is the root of all evil, then God has to "punish" believers by taking away their wealth in order for them to come back to Him. But how to consolidate the views of John Piper's with CS Lewis's?

I believe that God's heart is to bless everyone who believes in Him. This is His character and it is His will as shown through Christ during His time on earth and since Christ said whoever sees Him sees the Father. My only 'problem' is to reconcile the source of the punishment.

So how do we reconcile the differences?

I find this verse to be particularly useful:

Deu 8:18

(ASV) But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as at this day.

(BBE) But keep in mind the Lord your God: for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth, so that he may give effect to the agreement which he made by his oath with your fathers, as at this day.

(CUV-S) 你要记念耶和华你的神，因为得货财的力量是他给你的，为要坚定他向你列祖起誓所立的约，像今日一样。

(GNB) Remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to become rich. He does this because he is still faithful today to the covenant that he made with your ancestors.

(KJV+) But thou shalt remember2142 (853) the LORD3068 thy God:430 for3588 it is he1931 that giveth5414 thee power3581 to get6213 wealth,2428 that4616 he may establish6965 (853) his covenant1285 which834 he swore7650 unto thy fathers,1 as it is this2088 day.3117

(YLT) `And thou hast remembered Jehovah thy God, for He it is who is giving to thee power to make wealth, in order to establish His covenant which He hath sworn to thy fathers as at this day.

This verse appeals to the views of both John Piper and CS Lewis. Let me explain.

John Piper says that God is a very good father in heaven so much so He will give us good things if we ask of Him. Wealth & health is part of those good things we asked of God. And as I have shared about Shalom Peace that Jesus promised us on earth, it includes wealth and health too.

So if God is good, so why does He punish us?

Then I was lead to these verses:

Deu 8:5 Remember that the LORD your God corrects and punishes you just as parents discipline their children.

Deu 8:19 Never forget the LORD your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then I warn you today that you will certainly be destroyed.

The key word here is the word "punish" in hebrew Yasar means, to chastise & discipline or to accept correction, be warned, be disciplined, to strengthen.

It is interesting to note that on one hand, God will discipline as parents discipline their children and yet in verse 19, God warned that we will certainly be destroyed. Now the question still remains, who is the destroyer?

(1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up,

(Hebrews 2:14) Seeing, then, the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself also in like manner did take part of the same, that through death he might destroy him having the power of death--that is, the devil--

Both God and the devil can destroy, but who receives the punishment through destruction that is of importance to us, the children of God. Remember the Passover night where both the Egyptians and the Jews have to endure but only those who are of the Lord, ones who sacrificed the lamb and put the blood of the lamb on the door post, has averted destruction. So in the same manner we who are children of God has partaken of flesh and blood (of Christ) that through His death, Christ might destroy the devil who has the power of death.

Since we are children of God, then God will discipline us as His children but not unto destruction. Would you, as loving parents, cane your children to death? Only those who forget God and do not know who he or she is in Christ or who outrightly refuses Christ, will face the devil's destruction.

Wealth by itself is not the problem. If it is then God would not have given us the power to gain wealth in the first place. The problem lies with our forgetfulness of God as our Jehovah Jireh, God who Sees and Provides. Like the Prodigal Father, when the wayward son returns and repents, the Father would ravish us with wealth and honor again.

So the conclusion is that our Father in heaven is not the one who took away wealth and health who is generousity personified. It is actually because of our sins and forgetfulness that causes our lack in the first place by the devil himself.

Enjoy health and wealth through Christ's Shalom peace in rememberence of God's generousity through His grace. Repentence will bring back God's goodness in all areas of our lives (in wealth and health) just as the father in Jesus parable of the Lost Son has done.