Whole Life Stewardship
Genesis 1:28 says, “And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” That verse presents what’s often called the creation or cultural mandate … which, in turn, is the foundation of “whole life stewardship.” We’ll talk about those ideas today on Faith and Finance.
THE CULTURAL MANDATE
So what exactly is the cultural mandate? It’s the very first set of orders given to man in the Garden of Eden, before the Fall. “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.”
Ironically, the “cultural mandate” found in the Bible is about 180 degrees opposite of what the culture of the world is teaching and preaching today. Some view man as a blight upon the world. They would like man’s presence reduced, population limited, and the “carbon footprint” shrunk.
To some, this presents a conundrum. What are we to believe? God’s Word? Or “experts” who’ve been warning us about imminent starvation for over 200 years now? Englishman Thomas Malthus first predicted it in 1798.
GOD’S OWNERSHIP
I think we should consult the Owner on this— and it’s not us. The Bible makes clear that as the Creator, God owns everything.
1 Corinthians 10:26 teaches, “For the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.” Hagai 2:8— “‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
Psalm 50:10 says, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.”
And yes, God even owns us. 1 Corinthians 6:19 reads, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”
Now, even though God owns the world and everything in it, He has given it all to man to act as His stewards, to “fill the earth and subdue it.” We also find in Psalm 115:16, “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.”
And in a somewhat narrower context we have Joshua 1:30, “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.” There God was giving all of Canaan to the Israelites.
So, God created everything, including us. He owns everything, including us, and He’s told us to subdue and have dominion over the earth, to be His stewards. Now, what exactly does that mean?
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
This is where the concept of “whole life stewardship” comes in. God didn’t tell us to be stewards on weekends only. Our stewardship “hours of operation” are not listed in the cultural mandate. We’re to be stewards 24/7.
We are to use ALL of the resources He entrusts to us wisely and in a way that glorifies God. As Larry Burkett liked to say, “Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.
Finally, God did not tell us to be stewards only with our time and money, but also with our skills, talents, and interests.
God created us in His image and he wired each of us in a unique way.
Whatever your skills or talents, pray about ways you can begin using those more fully for Kingdom work.
God has been incredibly generous with us, and He wants us to share in the joy that comes with being generous. He wants us to be “whole life stewards.”
On today’s program, Rob also answers listener questions:
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network as well as American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community, and give as we expand our outreach.
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.
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