031407 Biblical Stewardship Principles III
Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God—God’s family, the church—in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.
Maturing stewards do the right things for the right reasons and strive for excellence in all they do!
III. GOD’S STEWARDS ARE SAINTS AND SINNERS.
This means that God’s stewards rejoice in and live out what the Lord has declared them to be through the cross. At the same time His stewards recognize they are sinners who fight sin and its consequences each day.
All eight of the Biblical Stewardship Principles involve a tension. This third principle underscores the classic Lutheran understanding that we are simil ustes et peccator at the very same time saint and sinner. The point here is that there is nothing in us or about us at any time that is not tainted by sin even though we desire to have it be otherwise. What some people do not realize is that even the heartfelt desire to do God’s will is in us because God’s Spirit lives in us by an act of pure grace. The Spirit always seeks to do what is pleasing to God. And that is what motivates the Christian steward. So there is this on-going conflict. Paul’s words in Romans 7:21-25 describe the conflict we live with each day. And it gives us hope to know that our salvation is secure in Christ. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord who frees us from this body of death and takes us into the body of life.
The text of Ephesians 4:22-24 deals with the old self and the new self. It is important to note that we are to be active in putting off the old self as we are made new. That means that the believer cooperates with God in allowing this to happen. We are not able to put off the old self or put on the new self until God has worked the miracle of conversion in us. Then we are enabled to make choices for good. The Scriptures speak of Justification of the sinner as a done deal—that’s the work of Christ on the Cross, guaranteed by His Resurrection on the third day. Sanctification on the other hand is a life-long process. Illustrate with “Footprints” from Leroy.
The scriptural precept of our sanctification is well demonstrated by Paul’s words in Romans 7:21-25: It’s an on-going struggle against sin, coupled with the desire to do good. Just when we want to do our very best, evil jumps out in front of us from the shadows! But, thanks be to God we are fully forgiven in Christ from the guilt of our sin. We should not confuse this relief of guilt with the consequences sin brings. For example, a convicted murderer can, by God’s grace, become a truly converted Christian. As such his heinous sin is forgiven before God; yet he must face the consequences of his terrible crime which may include life in prison or even execution.
1 John 3:1-2 beautifully point out what God’s declaration of grace means. It means that God has bestowed on us the very title of Sonsnhip. To be God’s children is the most important thing that can happen to us. And even through the challenges of the sinner/saint syndrome we will one day shine in glory just as our Lord is now.
1 Peter 2:9-10 speaks to what we truly are “in Christ.” We are by virtue of who Jesus Christ is, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God, a people who have received mercy. Yes, we are because of God’s undeserved favor enabled to do great things in Christ our Lord.
HOW IS THIS DONE?
As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit's help, we will:
· Recognize that the potential for great good, or great evil, lies in the way stewardship is presented and received;
· Evaluate carefully all communication, oral or written, according to the proper distinction between Law and Gospel, and in keeping with the biblical truth that each steward is at the same time saint and sinner; and,
· Offer varying opportunities for Christian stewards to grow, recognizing that they are at different points of spiritual maturity.
As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit's help, we will not:
· Assume that, because we are dealing with Christians, we can set aside the proper application of Law and Gospel in serving God's stewards;
· See all Christians as being at the same maturity level; or,
· Use any approach to stewards that appeals to the sinful nature, selfish interest, or something other than faith active in love.
All eight of the Biblical Stewardship Principles involve a tension. This third principle underscores the classic Lutheran understanding that we are at the very same time saints and sinners. Take time to discuss and reflect on how we are declared righteous saints through Christ and how, at the very same time, we struggle with sin of every kind. Paul’s words in Romans 7:21-25 describe the conflict we live with each day.
The text of Ephesians 4:22-24 deals with the old self and the new self. Note that we are to be active in putting off the old self as we are made new (passive, because it is God’s doing). We are not able to put off the old self or put on the new self until God has worked the miracle of conversion in us. Then we are able to make choices for good and evil and can no longer use a lame excuse like “the devil made me do it.” Take time to discuss what we Lutherans mean by justification and sanctification, and point out that justification is a done deal, but sanctification is a life-long process. Daily we are encouraged to become what God has already declared us to be—saints!
Romans 7:21-25: These classic words which Paul penned by inspiration of the Holy Spirit describe the struggle all Christians face daily. Just when we want to do our very best, we find that evil is crouching in the shadows! Thanks be to God that we are fully forgiven in Christ from the guilt of our sin, but we must still deal with the consequences of our sin. Take some time with your group to discuss the difference between the guilt of sin and the consequences of sin. For example, a convicted murderer can, by God’s grace, become a truly converted Christian. As such his heinous sin is forgiven before God; yet he must face the consequences of his terrible crime which may include life in prison or execution.
The words of 1 John 3:1-2 are among the most beautiful pieces of Gospel in the Bible. To be God’s children is the greatest thing that can happen to us. The challenge, of course, is to become what God has already declared us to be—that is, His children. One day we will shine in glory but here we struggle daily. Yet we are not to become faint-hearted, but are to remain faithful unto death and we will receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10b).
In 1 Peter 2:9-10 we find four glowing titles for the children of God. Each title deserves
discussion and reflection. For example, what does it mean to be a “chosen people?” Each title is meant to give us encouragement and hope. Verse 10 describes the marvelous transition from being “spiritual nobodies” to becoming “spiritual some bodies!” Our Christian stewardship includes giving a winsome witness to the hope that is within us because of Christ (see also 1 Peter 3:15).
HOW IS THIS DONE?
The first of the three positive implications deals with the giving and taking of offense in the way stewardship is presented and received. As with other cases of giving and taking of offense, it may be that offense is taken when none is intended. The challenge is to present Christian stewardship based on God’s Word; then, if people have concerns, they have to deal with God, not with any human teacher. The challenge is also to present stewardship as a critical part of our sanctification since stewardship in the wider sense is basically the same thing as sanctification.
The second positive implication encourages us to evaluate all we say and write regarding Christian stewardship. It is easy to make stewardship into a “moral issue” rather than treating it as a “Gospel response.”
The third positive implication encourages us to remember that all of God’s stewards are not at the same level of maturity. It is also a reminder that all of us have areas in our lives that have not been sanctified. Some stewards are still taking baby steps while others take giant strides, but the truth remains that all of us have fallen short of God’s righteous expectations. We are to work patiently with each other, doing that which builds up rather than that which tears down. St. Paul speaks about this kind of conduct in Romans 14 and Galatians 6.
The first negative implication reminds us to be careful to rightly divide Law and Gospel and apply them properly to the lives of God’s people. The second negative implication repeats the caution that is expressed in the third positive implication. The final negative implication encourages us to examine carefully what we do and how we do it when dealing with stewardship activities and education for God’s stewards.