The "Rich" And The "Poor"
In The New Testament

There have been two classic views about Christians and wealth:

(a) That wealth is a sign of God's favor and blessing and that Christians should pray for it and pursue it. Christians should be prosperous and "the head and not the tail". This is espoused by many televangelists.

(b) That simplicity of lifestyle is preferable for Christians and Christians should be world-renouncing, joyous and free. This is espoused by St Francis, Mother Teresa et. al.

Lets see what Jesus and Paul and the New Testament writers teach about this topic and if we can come to some definite conclusions.

The POOR - the physically poor are the primary recipients of  faith and the gospel:
 
(James 2:5-6 NASB)  Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? {6} But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?
 
(Matthew 11:5 NASB)  the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
 
(Luke 4:18 NASB)  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN,
 
(Luke 7:22 NASB)  And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
 
(Luke 6:20 NASB)  And turning His gaze on His disciples, He began to say, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
 
Revelation 2:9 NASB)  'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
 
The POOR are invited to God's Feast and should be invited to ours as well:
 
(Luke 14:13 NASB)  "But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
 
(Luke 14:21 NASB)  "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
 
The POOR receive heavenly blessings to compensate for their earthly misery this is indeed a form of blessing!
 
(Luke 16:22,25 NASB)  "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.....25  "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.

Self-giving to the point of Poverty is essential to Christlike apostolic ministry:
 
(2 Corinthians 6:10 NASB)  as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
 
(2 Corinthians 8:9 NASB)  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
 
(Mark 12:42-43 NASB)  And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. {43} And calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
 
Giving to the poor also characterizes apostolic Christlike ministry:
 
(2 Corinthians 9:9 NASB)  as it is written, "HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ABIDES FOREVER."
 
(Galatians 2:10 NASB)  They only asked us to remember the poor-- the very thing I also was eager to do.
 
(Mark 10:21 NASB)  And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
 
Whereas to the RICH the NT says almost the exact opposite:
 
The Rich have great difficulty entering the Kingdom:
 
(Matthew 19:23-24 NASB)  And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. {24} "And again I say to you, 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."
 
 The Rich are "sent away empty" by God:
 
(Luke 1:53 NASB)  "HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; AND SENT AWAY THE RICH EMPTY-HANDED.
 
(Luke 6:24 NASB)  "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.
 
(Luke 12:21 NASB)  "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
 
The Rich are NOT to be invited to our feasts:
 
(Luke 14:12 NASB)  And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you.
 
The selfish Rich receive punishment as compensation for their luxurious living:
 
(Luke 16:21-22 NASB)  and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. {22} "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
 
The love of riches is the pathway to destruction 

 (1 Timothy 6:9 NASB)  But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
 
(James 5:1 NASB)  Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

Rich Christians must never see themselves as superior or take more honored positions in the church

(James 2:1-10 NASB)  My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. {2} For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, {3} and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," {4} have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? {5} Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? {6} But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? {7} Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? {8} If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well. {9} But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. {10} For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

Rich Christians must engage in humility and repentance.

 (James 1:10-11 NASB)  and let the rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. {11} For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the grass; and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
 
(1 Timothy 6:17-18 NASB)  Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. {18} Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
 
(Revelation 3:17-18 NASB)  'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, {18} I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

This article may be freely reproduced for non-profit ministry purposes but may not be sold in any way. For permission to use articles in your ministry, e-mail the editor, John Edmiston at johned@aibi.ph.