Prominent Nigerian pastor, David Ibiyeomie, has responded to the public backlash over his recent sermon in which he stated that Jesus Christ “hates poverty and poor people.”
The statement, which quickly went viral, drew sharp criticism on social media, with many accusing the founder of Salvation Ministries of distorting biblical teachings and promoting elitism.
In the controversial clip, Ibiyeomie claimed that during His time on Earth, Jesus “never visited the home of a poor person.”
This assertion sparked widespread debate, with critics questioning both its scriptural accuracy and the insensitivity of such a message in light of poverty faced by many believers.
In a follow-up video responding to the backlash, Pastor Ibiyeomie stood by his comments. He said he sought divine confirmation after the uproar and was reassured by the Holy Spirit that his statement aligned with God’s truth.
According to him, the Holy Spirit began to “dictate scriptures” that validated his position.
He drew parallels between sin and poverty, saying that just as believers are taught to reject sin, they should also reject poverty.
He argued that Jesus, who took on sin for the sake of humanity, hated both sin and poverty and therefore wouldn’t have formed close associations with either.
Quoting scriptures, Ibiyeomie emphasized that Christians are advised not to “sit in the counsel of the ungodly” and used this to further justify avoiding associations with poverty, which he views as contrary to God’s nature.
“Some people were calling me, saying the internet is on fire,” he said in the video. “Out of curiosity, I asked the Holy Spirit if I was wrong. And He told me, ‘You’re not wrong, you’re right.’ Then He broke it down to me using the Word.”
He continued: “He said, ‘I became sin for humanity. Do you like sin?’ I said no. ‘Do Christians hate sin?’ I said yes. Then He said, ‘You can lead a sinner to Christ, but you shouldn’t be a close friend to a sinner. Isn’t that true?’”
The pastor concluded by reinforcing his message, stating that just as believers are cautious about close ties with sinners, they should also be mindful about embracing poverty.
