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“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Stewardship The New Testament church was graciously entrusted with a stewardship. (cf. Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 1:25; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10) The English word “stewardship” is translated from the Greek noun oikonomia. It literally means “house law.” According to context, however, it is used figuratively in the New Testament in reference to the cooperative management or oversight of the “household of God.” As revealed in the New Testament, the ecclesia is the household of God. (1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 4:17) It is graciously managed and overseen by Him. Concordant with divine grace, the members of the body of Christ are privileged to co-manage and oversee the New Testament church with God. Their co-management and oversight are fulfilled by grace through faith alone. The Apostle Paul discloses that God entrusted both him and the early church elders with a specific stewardship. (1 Corinthians 4:1; 9:17; Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 1:25; Titus 1:7) However, the New Testament indicates that the stewardship was not for the apostles and elders alone. The Apostle Peter reveals that every member of the New Testament church has been entrusted with a stewardship. (1 Peter 4:10) Relative to their stewardship, the children of God are considered stewards or “household managers.” By New Testament definition, a steward is a servant who has no wealth of his own. He is responsible for managing his master’s wealth. The steward cannot manage or oversee according to his own will, but only according to his master’s will and direction. |
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Stewardship of Grace
The stewardship of the New Testament church is a stewardship of divine grace. The Apostle Peter stated, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10) While Peter spoke in the context of spiritual gifts, he clarified that every believer is a steward of the manifold (poikilos - poy-kee'-los; various, diverse) grace of God. By grace alone, God ensures the fulfillment of the church’s stewardship. It is privileged to cooperate by faith alone. The means of cooperation is the practice of shared life fellowship. The resultant fruit is the glorious experience of eternal life (zoe), abundant and overflowing. (Romans 12:2-21) |
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Cooperative Giving
By design, giving is a cooperative effort between Christ and His body. The type and amount of giving originate from the gracious head of the church, Jesus Christ. Its sharing and distribution on earth occur through the faithful cooperation of His body. Every member of the New Testament church family possesses an incomprehensible privilege. Before the foundation of the world, they were specially chosen to cooperate with God through instrumentation of faith alone to fulfill a stewardship of grace on earth. Purposeful Giving The purpose of the New Testament church stewardship of grace was not intended to fund religious effort. Instead, it was designed to contribute to the fulfillment of the eternal plan of God. The cooperative giving of the New Testament church is purposeful. Rather than directed toward the fulfillment of religious practice guided by organizational precept and principle, it is purposefully intended to contribute to the cultivation of shared life community on earth. Cheerful Giving Under the stewardship of grace, New Testament church giving is not motivated by compulsion of the rule of law but by the inward prompting of the Spirit according to His rule of life (zoe). Concordant with the Master’s will, it is a privilege fulfilled by faith alone. As a consequence, New Testament church giving is joyful. |
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