Luke Chapter 16(2) Children of darkness, the dishonest steward / Children of light:

Faithfulness:

Jesus commends the dishonest steward for his faithfulness not his darkness; whereas, the children of the light Christ Jesus says, they are not so wise. Christians, do we not see this same thing today with what is known as cafeteria Christians: they like some of the things Christ Jesus’ teaches, but others, they simply would rather pretend Christ Jesus does not call these things sinful,,,,

From the very beginning, of the introduction of the rich man, to when our Lord Christ Jesus says, “If they did not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they [listen] that is be persuaded if someone rises from the dead:” this chapter is about how we, as individuals, live our faith towards life, that is, our faith towards our Lord Christ Jesus.

Luke 16:9 is a synopsis of the things the dishonest steward or manager or employee did while he was working for the rich man. It must be said that God, the Heavenly Father is this rich man and the dishonest steward has been the many kings from Jeroboam on down to when there were no more kings in Israel or Judah. Still, this should be also thought of in the practical sense of living our lives today, and the relationships between: neighbors, employer, employee, governments and political parties; as well -- nation to nation and people to people. So the unjust steward was cast into hell, but also, the unjust steward lost his stewardship; therefore, remember from the start that the unjust steward has lost his position, in life, of being the steward. Then on top of this, the unjust steward continues in his dishonesty by cooking the books with his employers debtors. So, Christ Jesus is speaking of a person who is faithful, showing us that we ourselves can be faithful, but that this person is being faithful to corruption. When Jesus says this dishonest steward will enter into eternal dwellings, Jesus does not say heaven, but we also see in the end of this chapter the eternal dwelling of a different kind, where a different sort of rich man is looking to Abraham and Lazarus in God’s eternal dwellings.

Again this is a chapter on faith, the teaching of faith. When Jesus says the children of the light are not as wise as the children of the world, it’s because the dishonest steward was faithful to his corruption, but the children of the light want to have a cafeteria faith; whereas, some things God calls sin, they agree with God, but other things God calls sin, will the put their faith, with the children of the world, and this is seen in their pocket books and in their language: the children of the light give place to sin.

Jesus then says this statement of fact: if you are faithful with the least of things, then you will be faithful with much: again, if we are unjust in the least of things, then we will be unjust with much.

Now when Christ Jesus says, if you are not faithful with unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches: Christ Jesus is not saying that he is going to entrust the true riches to the unjust steward; remember, the unjust steward -- lost his place as being steward. Rather what our Lord Christ Jesus is saying is, if we are not faithful we will not be entrusted with the true riches: those being Christ Jesus’s words and teachings.

Jesus says the if we are not faithful with the things that belong to another man, who will give us our own: clearly this means, if we are not doers of the word, but only hearers of the world, we will not receive the crown of glory that awaits those who are faithful.

Jesus saying, no person can serve two masters, we cannot serve God and mammon. We cannot have shades of light, but we have to understand as Saint John teaches: That God is light and in him there is no darkness, and we are to be seeking the kingdom of God around each new corner; by each new thought or temptation that arises; with every new day, every new moment, we are to first seek the kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s Righteousness.