David Ibiyeomie, a Nigerian preacher and founder of Salvation Ministries, has been undergoing intense criticism from social media users for saying “Jesus never visited the poor”.
During his sermon in his church on Sunday, April 13, the Port Harcourt-based cleric said that during Jesus’ earthly days, he never visited any poor individual’s house because he hated poverty.
He also cited examples of Jesus visiting wealthy individuals like Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, and Lazarus, who provided him food.
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“Jesus never visited any poor person in his house, check your bible. That means he hates poverty. He visited Lazarus, they were not poor, they were giving him food.
He visited a sinner, Zacchaeus, who was rich. Tell me one poor man Jesus entered his house. He hates poverty, that’s the meaning. He hates people who are poor. He died so you not to be poor. How can you now come to church with some kind of mentality?
You can come poor but you’re not permitted to remain poor. There’s nothing wrong with you coming to Christ as a poor man, but it’s wrong for you to remain poor. It is wrong.”
Listen to what he has to say:
https://x.com/linhsense1/status/1911738184699953401
Meanwhile, social media users have disregarded what the renowned preacher has stated on the altar.
Various netizens have taken to their various accounts to disclose encounters where Jesus either visited the poor or made a case for them.
Below is a cross-section of comments gathered by EELIVE:
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