The gospel is about Christ making you rich.
Really it is!
In the process of encouraging the Corinthians to keep their promise to give towards famine relief for the Jerusalem church, Paul gives this great little gospel summary:
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 by his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)
Big question: What does ‘rich’ mean here?
Usually it is understood as stuff, possessions, ownership. Jesus owns the universe but he becomes a baby in a manger, a poor carpenter, a despised preacher, dies without even a scrap of clothing in his possession – so that we might become co-heirs with Christ of the whole world, living in a city of gold.
There is a lot of truth in that. Especially so long as we see those riches as being future. But there are a few problems with that being the full story:
- Surely Christ continued to own the universe even as he walked the earth? Yes, he took the nature of a humble slave – that is really important in what it says about our God. He clearly chose not to exert his rights – he didn’t turn rocks into bread every time he was hungry. He chose to go through hunger and thirst and homelessness. But he never really ceased to own all things, to be the one in whom all things hold together and for whom all things exist. Sometimes he did remind us that he owned all the fish in the sea (Matt. 17:27). Sometimes he did walk around like he owned the place (Matt. 21:2-3).
- How does it actually work? How are we made rich by Jesus’ poverty? It doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. I can see how he can be punished instead of me, bear the wrath of God instead of me, fulfil the Law instead of me, fight the devil instead of me, but how would his being materially poor benefit me?
- When the grace of the gospel is explained in other places it is all about addressing the big problems of wrath, sin, the devil, hell. If this gospel summary in 2 Corinthians 8 is just about material poverty and material wealth it would be exceptional to say the least. The gospel is, at its most basic level about salvation but there is nothing particularly salvific about material poverty in itself and nothing particularly indicative of salvation to have material riches in themselves.
How else did Jesus become poor? Other suggestions:
- By giving up the worship of angels and the glory of heaven. But how does Jesus’ forsaking of worship and glory gain it for us? And are we really going to have the ‘riches’ of being worshipped by angels?
- By becoming human. As Athanasius put it Jesus became what we are so that we might become what he is. At least this has a true salvation logic. But a) Jesus did not give up being God when he took on our humanity; and b) I can’t find anywhere in Scripture that ‘poor’ is used to describe human flesh in itself or ‘rich’ to describe divinity in itself.
What else could Paul mean by ‘riches’?
- The kindness, mercy, patience, wisdom, grace and overflowing glory of God (Rom. 2:4; 11:33; Eph. 1:7; 2:4; 3:16; 4:19; Col. 1:27)
- What is received by sinners which, in the context, is clearly not material – i.e. salvation in Christ and the assurance of that salvation (Rom. 9:23; 10:12; 2 Cor. 6:10; Col. 2:2)
- Christ himself and an intimate relationship / co-dwelling with him (Eph. 3:8; Col. 1:27)
In fact it’s hard to find Paul using ‘rich’ in anything other than a metaphorical way. The only occurrences I can find of ‘rich’ or ‘riches’ in Paul’s writings which refer to material riches are the negative ones in 1 Timothy 6. More often than not the ‘riches’ are about a) the Father as the fountain of loving kindness, b) the saving receiving of this grace, or c) Christ and his indwelling presence – and of course all three are wonderfully, inseparably inter-related.
So, going back to 2 Corinthians 8:9. What if the riches are mainly about Jesus’ intimate relationship with the Father? His experience of his presence. His experience of bathing in his love and grace.
- “He was rich” in the sense of always being enfolded in the love of the Father from eternity past, always seeing the Father smiling on him.
- “He became poor” at the Cross. There he experienced the worst poverty of all – the poverty of hell itself – cast out from the loving presence of the Father, no sight of his smile just outer darkness, agony under the waterfall of his anger instead of joy in the river of his loving kindness.
- “That you by his poverty might become rich.” Now we see the gospel logic. He lost the riches of the Father’s love that we might gain the riches of the Father’s love. He endured the relational poverty of hell that we would have the relational riches of heaven. He was forsaken that we might be accepted as children of God, enfolded in the love of the Father.
That is the Gospel. True riches.
So, once again, the prosperity gospel has got all the best verses…
fidelnyikuri
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A life in time to Preach
Utumishi Blog 
Thanks Andy for this. You’ve raised a number of pertinent questions there and I think a proper understanding of the concept of Wealth (Riches) vs. Poverty is key here. If we think (as prosperity preachers would) that riches have to do with material stuff then this is in contradiction with Jesus teaching like the sermon on the mount where He tends to give the poor a high hand in the kingdom!!
Darrow Miller: “The nature of wealth is relationships… wholeness of relationships, first with God, then with man, and finally with the rest of creation. Man’s relationship with God is his highest form of wealth… [Miller then quotes 2 Cor. 8:9]… To love God and enjoy Him forever is not only the chief end of man; it is man’s supreme treasure. Material wealth, “stuff,” despite what our culture intimates, is actually one of the lowest forms of wealth.” (Discipling Nations, p. 92)
I wonder why we glorify poverty and condemn prosperity. Are we living in the real world? How is God glorified when a family has not had a meal for a whole day? While the scripture say “I HAVE BEEN YOUNG AND NOW I AM OLD, YET I HAVE NOT SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN NOR THEIR CHILDREN BEGGING BREAD”. Let us be honest here. As long as we live on earth, it is a material world. This is not heaven. Here people need to eat three meals a day, change clothes and shoes, get education, a home to live in and means of transport to move around. Whereas those who have gotten all that are the very ones who glorify poverty…it is not hypocrisy? All these things are in the world and for this life on earth. Don’t deceive others. You can only use them here because you only need them here that is why God placed them here. I am a preacher of a different kind because whereas I am not a prosperity preacher but I am realistic and love sound doctrine not biased. Let us consider the following:
1. In the beginning God created the Earth and gave it to one couple Adam and Eve. They were the sole owners of the planet Earth. Think about it! Given to them by God! That was before the fall of man! That is too much wealth.
2. Then God called Abraham and Sarah and blessed them “…The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things” Genesis 24:1 Abraham had so much material wealth that he had to part ways with his nephew Lot because the pasture could not feed all their animals together. Abraham had over four hundred men working in his ranch, with their families. That is employment. When Sodom and Gomorrah were attacked and Lot captured. Abraham got the news, he took his four hundred servants and pursued the enemy defeated them and recovered all and restored to the kings what they had lost. On his way back he met Melchizedek the priest of God and gave to him tithes of all. The first tither in the Bible.
3. David was blessed materially no wonder he could provide materials to build God such a magnificent house but Solomon is the one who built it .
Then Solomon offered 120,000 sheep and 22,000 oxen in dedicating the Temple. Does this sound like poverty to you?
4. In Jesus ministry there were no offices and office bearers, but there was a treasurer…. Judas! Why? Could it be that Jesus was teaching us something about money in ministry? Yes he was. Money is the mode of exchange in this world….ignore it to your own destruction. Let us rightly divide the word of truth. Money if not put in its proper place can ruin your life…. for lack of it or much of it. So be realistic. Judas misappropriated ministry money. He also said what a woman spent on Jesus was a waste. He sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, then committed suicide. Think about it! One of the twelve disciples of Jesus committed suicide!
On the other hand when Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, the disciples ran away. It took two men who had both affluence and influence to reach Pilate and demand for the body of Jesus and give him a descent burial. That was Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus. Where were those poor believers at Jesus greatest hour of need when he could not do anything for himself but needed someone’s help!
5. My personal experiences: I have seen many bright young people drop out of school because their parents cannot pay school fees and their dreams fall to the ground. I have seen the sick die when they were taken out of Private hospitals where they offer best medical services, because the family cannot afford, to some cheap government facility where they offer poor medical services. The children of a poor Pastor neither want to be pastors nor marry pastors. Poor churches are riddled with wrangles and frequent splits.
I have received many invitations to preach the gospel in many places: to Chandigarh Northern India, but I never went because I could not raise my ticket. Then I got another invitation to Chennai Southern India, I never went because i could not raise my ticket. Then I got another invitation to Madagascar, I never went because i could not raise my ticket. It is easy to say, may be it was not the will of God. However, the reality is all the other places i have gone preaching and teaching the word of God, I had an invitation but also was able to pay my air ticket. I do not always use circumstances to judge what is the will of God for me. Many sinners travel the world because they can afford it , not because it is the will of God.
6.The early church in the book of Acts was very poor in Acts 3: 6. Then they moved on to Acts 4:34, there was no lack among them. Then Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira his wife died and are buried over their material wealth. Then Acts 6: 3 they appoint seven managers. A church that is stuck in Acts 3:6 is not able to fulfill the great commission. Let no one be deceived the enemies of the gospel bought Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and crucified him, then they paid the guards money to deny Jesus resurrection! Think about it! Do you think it won’t cost money to preach the truth….He is risen.
7. Poverty is not humility! It is neither a virtue nor one of the gifts / fruit of the Holy Spirit. My candid statement……with love n respect for the views of others but the truth is my ultimate goal.
Thanks very much Oral for such a thoughtful contribution. It’s worthy of a post in itself! It wouldn’t be right to give a quick answer but let’s continue to engage on these very important issues over the coming days. In the meantime, thank you, and maybe other brothers and sisters can come in on the discussion too.
I think Oral Roberts is missing the point here. The writer is not glorifying poverty; but he is saying, we should be focusing on weightier matters: justice and mercy and faith. As Jesus says it in Mathew 6:33 that, “…all these things shall be added to you.” In other words the material things are secondary not priority in the Gospel of Christ.
Hi Oral Roberts. It is great to see you comment on this blog. That was very unexpected and a surprise I must say. I used to listen to you on TBN sometimes back when I was in campus here in Kenya. I will respond to your comment above later on. Thanks for commenting though and it is great that we continue with this conversation.
Friends, here’s the beginning on a response – https://watumishiwaneno.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/poverty-and-riches-part-1/ – let’s keep talking…