Private Jets for Jesus?

There has been much outrage expressed in social media and on the blogosphere.  James Ozundu and Feyi Fawehinmi write particularly thoughtful critiques of the upsurge of private jets ownership in Nigeria, pointing out that such lavish investments come at the expense of building a working transportation infrastructure. Pastors (who, according to Forbes and the Guardian, […]

There has been much outrage expressed in social media and on the blogosphere.  James Ozundu and Feyi Fawehinmi write particularly thoughtful critiques of the upsurge of private jets ownership in Nigeria, pointing out that such lavish investments come at the expense of building a working transportation infrastructure. Pastors (who, according to Forbes and the Guardian, include Bishop David Oyedepo of Winner’s Chapel and Pastor Enoch Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God) are not the only ones with private jets in Nigeria, and Nigerian pastors are not the only pastors to own jets. American preachers Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, Fred Price, and others share this dubious honour. However, such acquisition by Christian leaders seems particularly questionable. Jesus and early church leader Paul both taught that it is not our responsibility to judge anyone else’s relationship with God (Matthew 7, Romans 14); however, they also spoke a lot about the responsibilities of those in religious leadership. I think it is worthwhile for Christians to examine the actions of their leaders today using these standards.

Jesus famously used the Jewish rhetorical technique of hyperbole (exaggeration), but his teachings about the importance of humility are unmistakable. On the question of wealth, Jesus did not altogether condemn it. In fact, he befriended wealthy sinners like the corrupt tax collector Zacchaeus. However, after Zacchaeus’s encounter with Jesus, he said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8).

Others were less ready for such revolutionary change. Once a rich man came to Jesus and asked him what he would have to do to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments of Moses. When the rich man affirmed that he did, “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

After the man went away sadly, unwilling to give up his wealth, “Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell 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” (Matthew 19: 21-24)

While Jesus tempered his hyperbole by saying “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” he consistently taught that his followers should focus on spiritual rather than earthly riches.  Elsewhere he said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. […] No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:19-21, 24)

Jesus reserved his harshest criticism for those who behave hypocritically while professing to serve God professionally. Matthew 21:12-13 records that “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, “’My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’”

Matthew 23 records Jesus’s assessment of the dominant religious leaders of his day: “Everything they do is done for men to see: […] they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’”

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. […]  The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. […] Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. […]You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. […] You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

Jesus told his followers: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-18). About those who mislead followers he said, “And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. […] Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other” (Mark 10:42, 50).

Paul, an early Christian leader, applied Jesus’s teachings about the Pharisees to other false teachers of the day: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.” (Romans 16: 17-18)

To his younger colleague Timothy, Paul wrote: “If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (I Timothy 6:3-11).

Jesus and Paul both taught that the wealth we should pursue is the satisfaction that comes from practically following the “greatest commandments,” “Love the Lord your God” with all your heart and mind and soul, and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus lived in poverty among the common people, and the early church lived in communities where the rich sold possessions to take care of the poor. These are the examples Christians are taught to live by. When the message and actions of religious leaders depart from these teachings, I think it is wisest to stick with the words of Jesus.