CHAPTER V OUR LORD’S TEACHINGS ABOUT MONEY BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON
Our Lord’s teachings as tp money gifts, if obeyed, would forever banish all limitations on church work and all con cern about supplies. These teachings are radical and revolu tionary. So far are they from practical acceptance that, although perfectly explicit, they seem more like a dead lan guage that has passed out of use than like a living tongue that millions know and speak. Yet, when these principles and precepts of our Lord on giving are collated and com pared, they are found to contain the materials of a complete ethical system on the subject of money, its true nature, value, relation and use. Should these sublime and unique teachings be translated into living, the effect not only upon benevolent work, but upon our whole spiritual character, would be incal culable. Brevity compels us to be content with a simple outline of this body of teaching, scattered through the four Gospel narratives, but gathered up and methodically presented by Paul in that exhaustive discussion of Christian giving in 2 Cor. 8 and 9. I. THE PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP The basis of Christ’s teaching about money is the funda mental conception of stewardship. (Luke 12:42; 16:1-8.) Not only money, but every gift of God, is received in trust for His use. Man is not an owner, but a trustee, managing another’s goods and estates, God being the one original and inalienable Owner of all. The two things required of stewards are that they be “faithful and wise,” that they study to employ God’s gifts with fidelity and sagacity—fidelity so that God’s
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