Why Jesus Apologetics

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you… AND IN THEIR GREED THEY WILL EXPLOIT YOU WITH FALSE WORDS.”

— 2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)

Preamble

In our last post, we addressed one of the most dangerous teachings circulating from a Nigerian “Tithnocentric” pastor—Pastor David Ibiyeomie—and his controversial message spreading rapidly on social media. We believed that would be the end of it, but to our dismay, we encountered ANOTHER clip where he said, Jesus never entered any poor man’s house…

You can read our first exposé in the article linked [here].

We want to be clear from the outset that our critique is not a personal attack on Pastor Ibiyeomie, nor is it meant to disrespect or defame him. Rather, our mission is to call out erroneous teachings that mislead Christians and expose the profound dangers in following celebrity pastors who peddle such harmful doctrines.

These are not mere theological debates; these are dangerous teachings that have real, devastating consequences on individuals, families, and communities. We must expose and correct such false doctrines, and we must warn our readers to be vigilant against such messages.

The Apostle Paul was unequivocal when he said:

“If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”
— Galatians 1:8-9

What we are doing here is within the scope of the Why Jesus Apologetics. Sadly, pastors like Ibiyeomie have become a shame to the Body of Christ, so much so that unbelievers—including Muslims and adherents of African Traditional Religion—point to such ministers and mock Christianity as a joke, a fraud, or a criminal enterprise.

We cannot remain silent. If we do, nothing will be left for our future generations.

We see this happening not just in Nigeria but globally—just look at the rapid decline of Christian heritage and values in places like England and Europe generally, where the faith is being eroded from the inside by false teachers masquerading as spiritual leaders.

It is high time we all join hands and respectfully yet boldly call out these heresies and dangerous, demonic teachings that hide behind the cloak of the “Holy Spirit told me word for word” defense.

Let us stand for the truth of the gospel and protect the flock from deception.

The Distortion at the Pulpit

In an age where biblical illiteracy is disguised by charisma, theatrics, and emotional hype, many so-called pastors have turned the sacred pulpit into a stage for self-glorification, entertainment, and manipulation. What was once a place for the faithful preaching of God’s Word has now become, in many circles, a comedy show, club-like house, a magic theatre for stage-managing miracles and wonders, a motivational platform for greeds, and a marketplace for the prosperity gospel. The altar—meant to be a place of reverence, truth, and transformation—has been hijacked for personal branding, crowd-pleasing sermons, and the commercialization of the gospel.

One of the most recent and alarming examples of this dangerous distortion came from Pastor David Ibiyeomie, who boldly claimed:

“Jesus hates poverty; He never visited a poor man’s house.”

This is not only false—it is spiritually destructive. It misrepresents Jesus, alienates the poor, and weaponizes the gospel for personal gain.

Let’s refute these demonic teachings

What Exactly Did Pastor Ibiyeomie Say?

During a sermon clip that went viral, Pastor Ibiyeomie made this stunning statement:

“Jesus never entered any poor man’s house. Check your Bible. He never did. He was always in the house of the rich because poverty stinks!”

– Pastor Ibiyeomie

This statement is not only false, it is a twisting of the character of Christ. It implies that Jesus intentionally avoided the poor because of their material condition, and it promotes a theology where wealth equals holiness.

The irony? He was saying this while standing on a platform, not to comfort the rich or call them to repentance, but to shame the poor who may be sitting in his congregation, struggling with real-life needs.

What the Bible Really Teaches About Jesus and the Poor

a. Jesus’ Mission Focused on the Poor

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…” — Luke 4:18

This declaration in Luke is not a passing remark—it is Jesus’ own mission statement. Quoting Isaiah 61, Jesus publicly announces that the poor are not an afterthought but are at the center of His redemptive mission. In fact, this is the very first thing He affirms after His baptism and temptation: that His gospel is directed first to those who are materially, spiritually, and socially poor.

Unlike some modern teachings that discourage association with the poor, Jesus ran toward them, not away from them. He did not merely help the poor from a distance; He lived among them, walked with them, and dignified them.

b. Gospel Examples That Affirm Jesus’ Love for the Poor

1. Peter’s House (Mark 1:29–31)
   Peter was a fisherman—not a wealthy man by first-century standards. Jesus chose him, not a nobleman or temple priest, to be one of His closest disciples. That He healed Peter’s mother-in-law in his humble home shows His intimate care for working-class families.
2. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Luke 10:38–42)
   This family in Bethany is known for their hospitality and close relationship with Jesus, but there is no indication that they were wealthy. Jesus spent time in ordinary homes, enjoying fellowship with ordinary people—not distancing Himself because of class.
3. The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16–24)
   Here, a wealthy young man comes seeking eternal life. Jesus’ response was clear: “Sell what you possess, give to the poor… then come, follow me.” Jesus did not celebrate his riches but challenged him to surrender them. The point is not that wealth is evil, but that it can be a spiritual barrier when it becomes an idol.
4. Matthew 25:35–40
   In this powerful passage about final judgment, Jesus makes an astonishing claim: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
   He identifies Himself with the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Any theology that suggests disassociation from the poor directly contradicts Jesus’ own identification with them.
5. Luke 6:20–24
   Jesus blesses the poor and warns the rich: “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”
   These are not isolated verses; they are part of the Sermon on the Plain, one of Jesus’ most definitive teachings. The implication is clear: earthly riches are fleeting, but God’s heart is with the humble and lowly.

c. Jesus Crossed Borders to Reach the Poor, Rejected, and Sick

Jesus’ compassion was not limited by geography, ethnicity, or social status. He intentionally stepped outside the borders of Israel to minister to the poor, the rejected, the outcast, and the sick—those whom society had written off. In Mark 7:24–30, He traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon (Gentile territory) and healed the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman, a foreigner and a woman—both marginalized in Jewish culture. In Luke 17:11–19, He healed ten lepers, including a Samaritan, showing that His mercy extended beyond the religious or national boundaries of Israel.

Even within Israel, He sought out the demon-possessed in Gerasenes (Mark 5), the beggar blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46–52), the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10), and prostitutes and sinners whom the elite rejected (Luke 7:36–50). These were not rich, influential people. They were poor in spirit, materially destitute, or socially despised—and yet Jesus honored them with His presence.

His mission was always clear: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This includes the materially poor, emotionally wounded, and spiritually broken. To say Jesus avoided the poor or hated poverty is a direct contradiction of the Gospel accounts.

d. Jesus Was Raised in a Poor, Rejected Town: Nazareth

Jesus was not only born into a humble family—He was raised in Nazareth, a small, despised village in Galilee. This is why Nathanael famously asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). That question wasn’t random—it reflected the widespread contempt for the area.

In first-century Jewish society, Nazareth was considered a slum—a place of poverty, insignificance, and social stigma. It was not a center of education, wealth, or political power.

If Jesus’ parents had been wealthy, they would have lived in Jerusalem, the religious and economic heart of Judaism. But they lived in Nazareth—not by accident, but by design. God chose that lowly town to raise His Son. Even the Old Testament foretold that the Messiah would be “despised and rejected by men… like one from whom people hide their faces” (Isaiah 53:3).

Mary and Joseph, by economic standards, were poor people. This is seen clearly in Luke 2:24, where they offer “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” at Jesus’ dedication—a provision allowed only for the poor (Leviticus 12:8). Jesus grew up in a working-class home, without privilege or wealth, and lived a life fully identified with the poor and marginalized.

His life was a living testimony that God’s power does not need the endorsement of wealth or status. The gospel’s power lies not in palaces but in the humility of a manger, a carpenter’s home, and a cross.

Jesus:

• Owned no property
• Had no house of His own (Matthew 8:20)
• Depended on hospitality and donations to care for others (Luke 8:1–3)
• Was buried in a borrowed tomb (Matthew 27:57–60)

Yet He never viewed poverty as a curse. He redeemed it with dignity, proving that salvation is not measured in money but in faith and obedience.

Jesus’ Warning About Wealth and Salvation

In Mark 10:25, Jesus said:

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

This does not mean that all rich people are excluded from heaven. Instead, Jesus is warning that wealth often blinds people to their need for God. Those who trust in riches often assume they have power, security, and blessing—a mindset that contradicts the very heart of the gospel.

The rich young man came to Jesus asking what more he could do to inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:16–22). He thought his wealth and obedience had earned him favor. But Jesus exposed the truth: his heart was bound to his possessions. When told to sell his belongings and give to the poor, he went away sorrowful. Why? Because he wanted heaven—but without letting go of his idol.

This stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ command:

“You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

Twisting 2 Corinthians 8:9 — A Gross Misuse of Scripture

One of the most alarming parts of Pastor David Ibiyeomie’s so-called Holy Spirit “lecture” was his blatant misuse of 2 Corinthians 8:9, which says:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Pastor Ibiyeomie claims this verse means Jesus became poor so that we, His followers, should never be poor, and even argues that associating with the poor is unbiblical. He goes so far as to say that remaining poor is an insult to Christ’s death and resurrection. This is not only heretical, it is dangerously misleading.

a. The True Meaning of 2 Corinthians 8:9

Paul was not promoting material prosperity. He was urging the Corinthian church to be generous in their giving to support struggling believers. The “riches” Paul referred to were not material possessions, but spiritual wealth—the unmerited grace, righteousness, and eternal life made available through Christ’s self-emptying love.

b. Jesus’ Poverty Was Literal—Ours Is Not a Curse

Jesus lived a physically poor life. He was born in a manger, raised in Nazareth (a despised town), and had nowhere to lay His head (Luke 9:58). He owned no home, no business, no wealth. He ministered to lepers, beggars, widows, and the outcast—not as an obligation, but as His mission.

By contrast, Pastor Ibiyeomie teaches that associating with the poor dishonors Christ. This turns the gospel upside down. If Jesus was poor, lived among the poor, and blessed the poor (Luke 6:20), how then is associating with the poor now a sin?

The Danger of Turning Scripture Into a Wealth Manual

What Pastor Ibiyeomie has done is not interpretation—it is manipulation. This is not exegesis—it is eisegesis: forcing personal ideology into the text. He has commercialized grace, turned generosity into a transaction, and made wealth the evidence of righteousness.

This is the very thing Paul warned against in 1 Timothy 6:5, describing false teachers as:

“men of corrupt mind, who suppose that godliness is a means to financial gain.”

By preaching that the death of Jesus guarantees material riches, Pastor Ibiyeomie desecrates the cross and cheapens the gospel into a business scheme.

Jesus Walked with the Poor—So Should We

The claim that believers should not “associate with the poor” is a dangerous distortion of Scripture and a blatant contradiction of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.

Jesus:

• Lived among the poor
• Taught about their value
• Identified with them personally
• Warned the rich about misplaced trust

The gospel is not about escaping poverty by any means possible, nor is it about financial prosperity as the mark of faith. The true gospel calls all people—rich and poor—to repentance, humility, love, and self-sacrifice.

As Paul declared:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5)

To claim that God told someone not to associate with the poor is not just theological error—it is spiritual deception. Let us follow Christ truly—not the voice of wealth-worship masquerading as revelation.

The Apostles and Early Church Rejected Materialism and Lived Like the Poor

Contrary to modern prosperity preachers who elevate wealth as a sign of divine approval, the apostles of Jesus Christ lived humbly—often in poverty—yet with great spiritual power. The New Testament reveals that the early followers of Christ did not seek riches or avoid the poor. Instead, they shared their possessions equally, lived communally, and cared for the needs of others:

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” — Acts 2:44–45

None of the disciples are ever described as wealthy in the Scriptures. In fact, Paul writes about his own suffering and poverty for the sake of the gospel:

“To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless… We work hard with our own hands… we have become the scum of the earth.” — 1 Corinthians 4:11–13

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances… I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.” — Philippians 4:11–12

Even their enemies noticed. A pagan observer, Lucian of Samosata, writing in the 2nd century, mocked Christians for how they lived simply, shared their resources, and cared for strangers and the poor. In “The Passing of Peregrinus”, he noted:

“Their lawgiver [Jesus]… persuaded them that they should be like brothers to one another. They despise all material things and hold them in common.”

The early Church Fathers also renounced materialism. Leaders like Polycarp, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and others emphasized self-denial, generosity, and detachment from worldly wealth. For example:

• Clement of Alexandria taught that wealth should be used to serve others, not for selfish indulgence, and warned that attachment to riches was spiritually dangerous.
• Tertullian declared: “Nothing that is God’s is obtainable by money.”

These men walked in the footsteps of Jesus, embracing a life of sacrificial love, not luxury.

So when a modern preacher says, “You cannot associate with the poor,” they are not only contradicting Jesus—they are rejecting the example of every apostle and church father who helped build the Christian faith.

The True Gospel Is About Grace, Not Greed

Let us be clear:

• Jesus does not hate the poor.
• Jesus did not avoid their homes.
• Jesus did not preach wealth as a sign of favor.

Instead, He preached the kingdom of God, the forgiveness of sins, the call to follow Him, and love for the least of these.

“Whatever you did to the least of these… you did it unto me.” — Matthew 25:40

So to the body of Christ:
– Reject the gospel of greed.
– Hold pastors accountable to Scripture.
– Follow the Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of brand-name ministries.

A Clarifying Note: Wealth Is Not Evil, But It Is Not the Goal

Let us be clear: Neither Jesus nor the gospel condemns having money or acquiring wealth. Poverty in itself is not righteousness, and wealth in itself is not wickedness. The issue is not what you have, but what has you. Jesus does not hate the rich, nor does He glorify being poor. His concern is the heart—whether rich or poor, He calls all to repentance and faith.

The gospel’s priority is salvation, not material prosperity. Jesus warned that the love of money can choke the Word (Matt. 13:22), and Paul reminded Timothy that “those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap” (1 Tim. 6:9). But this does not mean Christians should desire to be broke or live in lack. We are encouraged to work diligently, steward resources wisely, and trust God daily to meet our needs (Matt. 6:11, 34).

We are called to live one day at a time, not in anxious pursuit of wealth, nor in condemnation of those who have it. The gospel lifts both the poor and the rich—not to idolize money or scorn it, but to redirect our focus to eternal life, godliness, and contentment in Christ.

Conclusion

Pastor David Ibiyeomie’s statement that “Jesus hates poverty” and never visited the poor is not just a misrepresentation of Scripture—it is a dangerous distortion of the heart of the gospel. It reflects a theology shaped by affluence, not the cross; by materialism, not the Messiah.

Jesus’ life and teachings consistently centered on the poor, the broken, and the outcast. From His birth in a lowly stable to His death alongside criminals, Christ identified with the rejected. He didn’t run from the poor—He ran to them. He didn’t condemn them—He comforted them. His kingdom, He said, belongs to the poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3), not to the proud in wealth.

By implying that Jesus avoids the poor, Ibiyeomie indirectly suggests that poverty is sin and wealth is holiness—a view that contradicts every example in the New Testament. His words are not just a theological error; they insult the very character of Christ and place stumbling blocks before those who are already suffering.

We write not to attack a man, but to defend the name and mission of Jesus Christ. If we remain silent while such public distortions continue, we become complicit in misleading thousands. As Paul warned in Galatians 1:8, “If anyone preaches another gospel, let him be accursed.” And as Jude exhorted, we must “contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Jesus does not hate the poor—He loves them. He dined with them, healed them, taught them, and died for them. Any pastor who says otherwise is not speaking by the Holy Spirit, but by the spirit of error. And that error must be exposed, for the sake of the Church, for the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of our generation.