The second book of Corinth chapter 8 vs 9, the bible let us know that Jesus Christ came, rich as he was, and made himself poor for our sakes in order to make us rich by means of his poverty. The question I ask now is what the bible means by Jesus being rich and poor and us being rich through his poverty.

First of all, it is clear that Jesus Christ was born a poor man (in the context of the world) and the bible did not tell us that he lived a life of a rich man nor a poor man (characteristics). But wore the same cloth throughout his ministration, he was not after worldly food or things rather spiritual things. I recall when his disciples brought food for him as he was with the Samaritan woman and he told them that his food is to do the things of his Father and complete his work. If Christ did not exhibit the characteristics of a rich man or poor man as we know and see in the world today, what then is the poverty of Christ and the richness of Christ?

Christ was rich already in heaven before coming down on earth to become poor. Hence the richness of Christ is that heavenly treasure or characteristics or traits that befits (or is enjoyed by) a heavenly being. The bible tells us the beautiful things in heaven and the characteristics of a heavenly being such that if we meet that characteristics we will be qualified to be a heavenly being. That is why Christ came and showed us what we must do for us to inherit heaven and become a heavenly being and promised us that if we do that he will come again and take us to heaven to become a heavenly being. Ultimately anyone that makes heaven has become rich and will enjoy all the benefits of heaven and will NEVER lack in any aspect.

The poverty of Christ on the other hand means the conditions we must subject our body in other for us to become rich (inherit heaven). That is why he came down in human form and passed through all the good and bad aspects` of life that man could possibly pass and did not sin such that if we can follow in his footstep we will qualify to be rich. No wonder he summed it up by telling us that we must be perfect as our father in heaven is perfect. Jesus Christ passed through different trials, persecutions and temptations yet he did not sin, he was perfect till he ascended showing us that no matter what we pass through we can be perfect provided we follow his footsteps (poverty) so that we will become rich.

Apostle Paul summarized by saying that we shall be saved through the life (poverty) of Jesus Christ so whenever we find ourselves in any situation we should ask what Christ did in when he was faced with that situation or what he would want us to do. Jesus Christ left us an example for us to following his steps. He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie from his lips. When he was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult: when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous judge. He gave us a commandment of LOVE. How many people follow his examples today? How many are living the life of Christ and not their life today?

Finally, if we want to be rich through the poverty of Christ, we have to live the life of Christ and not the life we choose for ourselves, look after (protect) the interest of Christ and not our own interest. For in doing that we are partaking in the poverty of Christ.