VITAL TRAIT IN GOD'S SERVICE
1 Corinthians 4:2
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man [or woman] be found faithful."
Are you considering another job? Are you considering serving in the military? Are you considering service in any capacity? Then I encourage you to have a well established track record of faithfulness. In fact, whatever your passion is - faithfulness to that person, place, thing or idea will display your dedication to whatever or whomever.
Being entrusted to manage anybody's business, especially God's Kingdom Business of studying, keeping and teaching His Word is the greatest responsibility of all. This duty comes with knowing the rules and parameters of God's organization.
The word "steward" in the original Greek is oikonomos. This word means court officials or palace officials in the Old Testament. The application for these officials is to fulfill their requirement or duty by honoring the law of the land in private and public life. As Christians, stewardship in any position needs to be portrayed as following the commands, instructions and lifestyle example given by Christ.
Notice that the verse states - "it is required in stewards". One could render required - needed or demanded so that the verse reads, it is needed/demanded in stewards. However, in this verse, the original Greek word for "required", zeteo, means a thorough, investigative search. The fact that God has to search for this quality in someone is a sad indication of the lack of this vital trait in our lives and in His service.
So far we have God conducting a thorough search for administrators in His House. How is this executed? With the very weighty last two words of the verse - "found faithful". When God finds a believer who is "found faithful" His search concludes.
The original word for "found" in the Greek is eurisko, meaning to find or discover. Remember 2 Chronicles 16:9? This Scripture also speaks to God searching for those who would be consistently dedicated to Him and rewarding them. The verse reads - "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
The original Greek word for "faithful", pistos, has no spiritual connotation. It means a person who is trustworthy, reliable, dependable and faithful. Once again, I emphasize this fruit of the spirit, this much needed characteristic is lacking. If the Holy Spirit told Paul of the lack then, imagine our condition now. Mr. Rick Renner concurred by saying,
"This means that the people who possess the necessary qualities that God wants in order to use them are not abundant in the Christian community. Faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true and unfailing people are so rare that God must thoroughly and exhaustively search to find them. But once He finds through observation that a particular believer is committed to do His will and to do it with excellence, God has made a valuable discovery. He has found a faithful person He can depend on to lead and carry out a new and important assignment." (p.82, Sparkling Gems From the Greek 2, Renner)
This charge to be faithful in God's Household becomes more heavy with purposeful actions on our part now-a-days. Mr. Renner helps elaborate on my point by stating -
"If you were an employer, before you promoted someone into a position of great authority, wouldn't you watch that person first to see if he or she would be found faithful? Since this is true of humans when they look for someone to oversee short-lived, temporal responsibilities, how much more is this true of God, who entrust people with matters that impact people's lives for all eternity? There is nothing more serious than eternal business. That's why before God promotes someone over greater spiritual matters, He watches to see if they are found faithful." (pages 81-82, Sparkling Gems From the Greek 2, Renner)
The requirement of a steward in God's House, someone entrusted with anything of God's, is an exhaustive inquiry of God to find a track record of someone trustworthy, dependable and reliable. These are characteristics that would support the idea of Jesus saying to you in the end - "‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" (Matthew 25:21) This is a Vital Trait In God's Service.
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man [or woman] be found faithful."
Are you considering another job? Are you considering serving in the military? Are you considering service in any capacity? Then I encourage you to have a well established track record of faithfulness. In fact, whatever your passion is - faithfulness to that person, place, thing or idea will display your dedication to whatever or whomever.
Being entrusted to manage anybody's business, especially God's Kingdom Business of studying, keeping and teaching His Word is the greatest responsibility of all. This duty comes with knowing the rules and parameters of God's organization.
The word "steward" in the original Greek is oikonomos. This word means court officials or palace officials in the Old Testament. The application for these officials is to fulfill their requirement or duty by honoring the law of the land in private and public life. As Christians, stewardship in any position needs to be portrayed as following the commands, instructions and lifestyle example given by Christ.
Notice that the verse states - "it is required in stewards". One could render required - needed or demanded so that the verse reads, it is needed/demanded in stewards. However, in this verse, the original Greek word for "required", zeteo, means a thorough, investigative search. The fact that God has to search for this quality in someone is a sad indication of the lack of this vital trait in our lives and in His service.
So far we have God conducting a thorough search for administrators in His House. How is this executed? With the very weighty last two words of the verse - "found faithful". When God finds a believer who is "found faithful" His search concludes.
The original word for "found" in the Greek is eurisko, meaning to find or discover. Remember 2 Chronicles 16:9? This Scripture also speaks to God searching for those who would be consistently dedicated to Him and rewarding them. The verse reads - "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
The original Greek word for "faithful", pistos, has no spiritual connotation. It means a person who is trustworthy, reliable, dependable and faithful. Once again, I emphasize this fruit of the spirit, this much needed characteristic is lacking. If the Holy Spirit told Paul of the lack then, imagine our condition now. Mr. Rick Renner concurred by saying,
"This means that the people who possess the necessary qualities that God wants in order to use them are not abundant in the Christian community. Faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true and unfailing people are so rare that God must thoroughly and exhaustively search to find them. But once He finds through observation that a particular believer is committed to do His will and to do it with excellence, God has made a valuable discovery. He has found a faithful person He can depend on to lead and carry out a new and important assignment." (p.82, Sparkling Gems From the Greek 2, Renner)
This charge to be faithful in God's Household becomes more heavy with purposeful actions on our part now-a-days. Mr. Renner helps elaborate on my point by stating -
"If you were an employer, before you promoted someone into a position of great authority, wouldn't you watch that person first to see if he or she would be found faithful? Since this is true of humans when they look for someone to oversee short-lived, temporal responsibilities, how much more is this true of God, who entrust people with matters that impact people's lives for all eternity? There is nothing more serious than eternal business. That's why before God promotes someone over greater spiritual matters, He watches to see if they are found faithful." (pages 81-82, Sparkling Gems From the Greek 2, Renner)
The requirement of a steward in God's House, someone entrusted with anything of God's, is an exhaustive inquiry of God to find a track record of someone trustworthy, dependable and reliable. These are characteristics that would support the idea of Jesus saying to you in the end - "‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" (Matthew 25:21) This is a Vital Trait In God's Service.
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