“The importance of the family in ancient Israel was partly due . . . to the fact that in those days it was a society of worship.”—T. K. Cheyne and J. Sutherland Black, Encyclopaedia Biblica (New York: MacMillan Company, 1903), p. 1498. The family was designed to serve God. The Father’s original plan was to create a large family on earth that would be part of the heavenly family (Eph. 3:10–15). His character, expressed in the hearts and minds of His unfallen children, would be revealed in each successive generation (Gen. 1:26–28). Blessings and gifts would be used for the glory of God and to bless the world. Such blessings and gifts were to be representative of their true Source (Ps. 24:1, 2).
In Eden, God set up the first family business in the history of the planet. The company was under the care of His children, but they were required to manage it in accordance with the Father’s will (Gen. 2:15–17).
Because of sin, God sent His beloved Son to save each family member (John 3:16), and, today, God sends us out, redeemed and rehabilitated by His grace, to labor in His name. God still seeks children to work for Him, children who faithfully return the proceeds of His business that was entrusted to them (Matt. 21:33–41). God calls these children from among those who keep His commandments, because they love Him (1 John 5:3). With the gifts He has bestowed on them, these workers will be a blessing in the church and in the world until His work, in us and through us, is completed (Phil. 1:6) and we return to the Father’s house as a family (John 14:1–3).
Part II: Commentary
Understanding Stewardship in God’s Family
There are titles that denote the Father’s sovereignty.
All God’s children are His stewards.
The family’s resources are lent by the Father.
The family’s treasure is laid up in heaven.
Part A: There Are Titles That Denote the Father’s Sovereignty.
1. Creator: The Christian stewardship concept is based on the belief that God is the Creator of all things. It is necessary to admit that He exists, is the Creator, and rewards those individuals who seek Him (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:1–3, 6). Only a creationist perspective adequately promotes the concept and activity of Christian stewardship. If the Creator’s presence in life is more than theory, the believer’s body, gifts, riches, and time will be placed at the Creator’s service. All things come from Him, and all human life must return to Him, “for of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36, NKJV).
2. Father: The father figure is key in the Bible’s notion of family. The expression paternal home (bet ab) points to the patriarchal system, wherein the father had full authority over the possessions and family, being their keeper and protector. The father also had the power to judge and decide the fate of the family members. The father was the priest, and as a rule, the family and religion were intimately connected (J. E. Maldonado, Fundamentos bíblico-teológicos da casamento e da família [Viçosa, Brasil: Editora Ultimato, 1996], pp. 11, 12).
Despite the imperfections of patriarchal human families, some important aspects of this relationship illuminate the relationship between God and His spiritual family (Deut. 14:1, Prov. 3:12).
As a Father, God is holy. He is King, having sovereignty over heaven and earth. He is Keeper, Judge, and Savior (Matt. 6:9–14; read also Isa. 33:22). As a Father, God is all-wise, all-powerful, and all-loving. Therefore, we can trust His judgments and decisions. His guidance has always been, and will always be, the best guidance. So, we should be faithful in observing the Father’s commandments.
3. Lord: The Hebrew words Adonai (Lord) and Jehovah are translated in the Greek-Jewish version of the Old Testament (LXX) with the Greek word Kurios, which means Lord, the Owner of all things. The New Testament authors held the same concept about the Lord. To them, the word “Lord” (Kurios), uttered with faith, indicated the acknowledgment of the divinity of the Father and of the Son (Mark 12:29, 1 Tim. 6:15, Jude 4).
Paul states that no one declares that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Only people who have the Holy Spirit can understand the Lordship of Christ. It is a matter of conversion and salvation.
However, admitting that Jesus is Lord is more than a formal statement; it is the expression of acknowledging His ultimate authority as Creator, Father, and Lord. This changes the values, preferences, and priorities of life.
Part B: All God’s Children Are His Stewards.
To be a steward is to manage the Lord’s possessions. The Lord Jesus continues His work of salvation, operating (1) collectively through the church and (2) individually in each member by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
1. Collectively, the church is God’s family. The church also is His body. As such, the church’s existence is meaningful only when it observes the commandments of the Father and Lord, for the Lordship of the Son and the Father is One. The church is the custodian of Christ’s gifts. God calls the church to give of itself and to minister with its gifts as Christ ministered, so that the Lord of the church may be known and worshiped as Savior and Lord throughout the world. The church must exercise stewardship faithfully because God has made her the custodian of material and spiritual blessings. However, the church’s stewardship does not replace the responsibility of individual members.
2. Individually, each church member, guided by the Holy Spirit, lives with Christ and in Christ. The Spirit is the Author of faithful stewardship in each believer. The decision to return tithes and offerings generously and regularly is a spiritual work that each believer must experience individually. This faithfulness is a form of religious service that neither prayer nor other church activities can replace.
“Prayer offered ever so often and ever so earnestly will never be accepted by God in the place of our tithe. Prayer will not pay our debts to God.”—Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People, p. 248.
In the Old Testament, the dignity of the father’s position was transferred to the son, to whom the father conferred the honor to perform the religious functions (J. E. Maldonado, Fundamentos Bíblico-Teológicos da Casamento e da Família [Brazil: Editora Ultimato, 1996], p. 12). In our relationship with the Lord Jesus, we are honored by Him for our faithful stewardship in all areas of our lives.
God has always had His faithful people on earth, and now He has you and the church—His own family—to proclaim His will to the world.
The great and sublime work that God placed in our hands demands full surrender of what we have and of who we are. Thus, we are called to commit both our material and personal possessions fully to Christ and to His work.
Part C: The Family’s Resources Are Lent by the Father.
1. Spiritual: In and of ourselves, we do not have the desire or power to be faithful, but grace moves us in harmony with the Lord’s will. Jesus gave Himself for us and did not leave us alone when He ascended to heaven. We still enjoy His presence and His power. He remains with us through the Holy Spirit. By having the Holy Spirit, we have Jesus.
Jesus also pours out His gifts to His church through the Spirit. It is a true miracle of God’s love that fallen human beings dedicate their lives and gifts unselfishly for the sake of the gospel. God gave us His spiritual gifts, and we must respond to His generosity by using and increasing these gifts in the Lord’s work.
2. Material: Material possessions are also gifts from God. In Eden, our first parents received a vast and valuable property, filled with animals, plants, and treasures (Gen. 2:8–17). But they could not eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. There was no innate poison in the fruit that caused it to be forbidden; rather, God placed it off-limits to test their fidelity to Him and His law (Gen. 2:15–17).
The desire for the portion that God forbade generated the disobedience and sin that led humanity to suffer the penalty of death. Today, we also receive material possessions, some of us more and others less, but the test of Eden is repeated in our lives.
God expects His children to be faithful in material possessions, so that we won’t repeat in our own experience the desire for the portion He withholds for Himself (Mal. 3:8). Faithfulness and character are being tested for eternal life. Only through the outworking of the Holy Spirit are we able to acknowledge God as our Creator, our Father, and our Lord. This understanding changes our worldview.
Part D: The Family’s Treasure Is Laid Up in Heaven.
Laying up treasure in heaven means investing in God’s work. Heavenly beings are involved in this work alongside us. Our heavenly investment requires us to place God’s kingdom first, above all things (Matt. 6:33). Heaven cares about what happens on earth, especially with regard to God’s redemptive work. Jesus is personally involved, watching every faithful and generous act (Mal. 3:8–10, Matt. 25:31–46). Jesus saw the offering of the poor widow (Mark 12:41–44), and He still sees us today.
Part III: Life Application
A. God is the Creator, Father, and Lord, and we are His children and stewards. These titles indicate His authority, as well as His loving care and His gift of salvation. We owe Him all that we are, have, and hope for in eternal terms.
Discuss with the class the motives we have for obeying God in acts such as returning tithes and offerings, working in the church, and helping our fellow human beings.
How are your students motivated by fear of heavenly judgments?
How are they motivated by gratitude to Jesus for being their Creator and Savior?
How do they feel motivated by the blessings they receive from God in exchange for their faithfulness to Him?
How are they motivated by joy for God’s love and partaking in His work?
B. Sin has made us naturally self-centered and selfish. Because of the Fall, we lost the original sanctity with which God endowed us. So, we must allow the Lord to restore us. His restorative work in our fallen nature includes endowing us with both “the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Phil. 2:13, NLT).
“Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ’s mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 29.
Select volunteers to read Malachi 3:8; James 2:14–26; and 2 Corinthians 5:18, 20. Then ask your class the following discussion questions:
How do I cooperate with Jesus for my spiritual growth?
Why does God require a faithful return of my tithes and offerings to support His work on earth?
What does it mean that faith without works is dead? How is my faith revealed by my works?
What is the ministry of reconciliation that Christ gives to His people?
Notes
Disclaimer: Contents of these lessons are not intended to be financial advice but is general commentary based on biblical principles. The reader is encouraged to seek competent professional advice which will suit their particular personal situation.
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“The importance of the family in ancient Israel was partly due . . . to the fact that in those days it was a society of worship.”—T. K. Cheyne and J. Sutherland Black, Encyclopaedia Biblica (New York: MacMillan Company, 1903), p. 1498. The family was designed to serve God. The Father’s original plan was to create a large family on earth that would be part of the heavenly family (Eph. 3:10–15). His character, expressed in the hearts and minds of His unfallen children, would be revealed in each successive generation (Gen. 1:26–28). Blessings and gifts would be used for the glory of God and to bless the world. Such blessings and gifts were to be representative of their true Source (Ps. 24:1, 2).
In Eden, God set up the first family business in the history of the planet. The company was under the care of His children, but they were required to manage it in accordance with the Father’s will (Gen. 2:15–17).
Because of sin, God sent His beloved Son to save each family member (John 3:16), and, today, God sends us out, redeemed and rehabilitated by His grace, to labor in His name. God still seeks children to work for Him, children who faithfully return the proceeds of His business that was entrusted to them (Matt. 21:33–41). God calls these children from among those who keep His commandments, because they love Him (1 John 5:3). With the gifts He has bestowed on them, these workers will be a blessing in the church and in the world until His work, in us and through us, is completed (Phil. 1:6) and we return to the Father’s house as a family (John 14:1–3).
Part II: Commentary
Understanding Stewardship in God’s Family
Part A: There Are Titles That Denote the Father’s Sovereignty.
1. Creator: The Christian stewardship concept is based on the belief that God is the Creator of all things. It is necessary to admit that He exists, is the Creator, and rewards those individuals who seek Him (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:1–3, 6). Only a creationist perspective adequately promotes the concept and activity of Christian stewardship. If the Creator’s presence in life is more than theory, the believer’s body, gifts, riches, and time will be placed at the Creator’s service. All things come from Him, and all human life must return to Him, “for of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36, NKJV).
2. Father: The father figure is key in the Bible’s notion of family. The expression paternal home (bet ab) points to the patriarchal system, wherein the father had full authority over the possessions and family, being their keeper and protector. The father also had the power to judge and decide the fate of the family members. The father was the priest, and as a rule, the family and religion were intimately connected (J. E. Maldonado, Fundamentos bíblico-teológicos da casamento e da família [Viçosa, Brasil: Editora Ultimato, 1996], pp. 11, 12).
Despite the imperfections of patriarchal human families, some important aspects of this relationship illuminate the relationship between God and His spiritual family (Deut. 14:1, Prov. 3:12).
As a Father, God is holy. He is King, having sovereignty over heaven and earth. He is Keeper, Judge, and Savior (Matt. 6:9–14; read also Isa. 33:22). As a Father, God is all-wise, all-powerful, and all-loving. Therefore, we can trust His judgments and decisions. His guidance has always been, and will always be, the best guidance. So, we should be faithful in observing the Father’s commandments.
3. Lord: The Hebrew words Adonai (Lord) and Jehovah are translated in the Greek-Jewish version of the Old Testament (LXX) with the Greek word Kurios, which means Lord, the Owner of all things. The New Testament authors held the same concept about the Lord. To them, the word “Lord” (Kurios), uttered with faith, indicated the acknowledgment of the divinity of the Father and of the Son (Mark 12:29, 1 Tim. 6:15, Jude 4).
Paul states that no one declares that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Only people who have the Holy Spirit can understand the Lordship of Christ. It is a matter of conversion and salvation.
However, admitting that Jesus is Lord is more than a formal statement; it is the expression of acknowledging His ultimate authority as Creator, Father, and Lord. This changes the values, preferences, and priorities of life.
Part B: All God’s Children Are His Stewards.
To be a steward is to manage the Lord’s possessions. The Lord Jesus continues His work of salvation, operating (1) collectively through the church and (2) individually in each member by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
1. Collectively, the church is God’s family. The church also is His body. As such, the church’s existence is meaningful only when it observes the commandments of the Father and Lord, for the Lordship of the Son and the Father is One. The church is the custodian of Christ’s gifts. God calls the church to give of itself and to minister with its gifts as Christ ministered, so that the Lord of the church may be known and worshiped as Savior and Lord throughout the world. The church must exercise stewardship faithfully because God has made her the custodian of material and spiritual blessings. However, the church’s stewardship does not replace the responsibility of individual members.
2. Individually, each church member, guided by the Holy Spirit, lives with Christ and in Christ. The Spirit is the Author of faithful stewardship in each believer. The decision to return tithes and offerings generously and regularly is a spiritual work that each believer must experience individually. This faithfulness is a form of religious service that neither prayer nor other church activities can replace.
“Prayer offered ever so often and ever so earnestly will never be accepted by God in the place of our tithe. Prayer will not pay our debts to God.”—Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People, p. 248.
In the Old Testament, the dignity of the father’s position was transferred to the son, to whom the father conferred the honor to perform the religious functions (J. E. Maldonado, Fundamentos Bíblico-Teológicos da Casamento e da Família [Brazil: Editora Ultimato, 1996], p. 12). In our relationship with the Lord Jesus, we are honored by Him for our faithful stewardship in all areas of our lives.
God has always had His faithful people on earth, and now He has you and the church—His own family—to proclaim His will to the world.
The great and sublime work that God placed in our hands demands full surrender of what we have and of who we are. Thus, we are called to commit both our material and personal possessions fully to Christ and to His work.
Part C: The Family’s Resources Are Lent by the Father.
1. Spiritual: In and of ourselves, we do not have the desire or power to be faithful, but grace moves us in harmony with the Lord’s will. Jesus gave Himself for us and did not leave us alone when He ascended to heaven. We still enjoy His presence and His power. He remains with us through the Holy Spirit. By having the Holy Spirit, we have Jesus.
Jesus also pours out His gifts to His church through the Spirit. It is a true miracle of God’s love that fallen human beings dedicate their lives and gifts unselfishly for the sake of the gospel. God gave us His spiritual gifts, and we must respond to His generosity by using and increasing these gifts in the Lord’s work.
2. Material: Material possessions are also gifts from God. In Eden, our first parents received a vast and valuable property, filled with animals, plants, and treasures (Gen. 2:8–17). But they could not eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. There was no innate poison in the fruit that caused it to be forbidden; rather, God placed it off-limits to test their fidelity to Him and His law (Gen. 2:15–17).
The desire for the portion that God forbade generated the disobedience and sin that led humanity to suffer the penalty of death. Today, we also receive material possessions, some of us more and others less, but the test of Eden is repeated in our lives.
God expects His children to be faithful in material possessions, so that we won’t repeat in our own experience the desire for the portion He withholds for Himself (Mal. 3:8). Faithfulness and character are being tested for eternal life. Only through the outworking of the Holy Spirit are we able to acknowledge God as our Creator, our Father, and our Lord. This understanding changes our worldview.
Part D: The Family’s Treasure Is Laid Up in Heaven.
Laying up treasure in heaven means investing in God’s work. Heavenly beings are involved in this work alongside us. Our heavenly investment requires us to place God’s kingdom first, above all things (Matt. 6:33). Heaven cares about what happens on earth, especially with regard to God’s redemptive work. Jesus is personally involved, watching every faithful and generous act (Mal. 3:8–10, Matt. 25:31–46). Jesus saw the offering of the poor widow (Mark 12:41–44), and He still sees us today.
Part III: Life Application
A. God is the Creator, Father, and Lord, and we are His children and stewards. These titles indicate His authority, as well as His loving care and His gift of salvation. We owe Him all that we are, have, and hope for in eternal terms.
Discuss with the class the motives we have for obeying God in acts such as returning tithes and offerings, working in the church, and helping our fellow human beings.
B. Sin has made us naturally self-centered and selfish. Because of the Fall, we lost the original sanctity with which God endowed us. So, we must allow the Lord to restore us. His restorative work in our fallen nature includes endowing us with both “the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Phil. 2:13, NLT).
“Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ’s mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 29.
Select volunteers to read Malachi 3:8; James 2:14–26; and 2 Corinthians 5:18, 20. Then ask your class the following discussion questions:
How do I cooperate with Jesus for my spiritual growth?
Why does God require a faithful return of my tithes and offerings to support His work on earth?
What does it mean that faith without works is dead? How is my faith revealed by my works?
What is the ministry of reconciliation that Christ gives to His people?
Notes
Disclaimer: Contents of these lessons are not intended to be financial advice but is general commentary based on biblical principles. The reader is encouraged to seek competent professional advice which will suit their particular personal situation.