God’s Extension of Grace

Posted by anointedplace on October 12, 2009 · 1 Comment 

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1 Peter 4:8-11 (New King James Version)

⁸ And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”^{[a] 9} Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Traditional we have been told that to be a steward involved managing ones money or goods.  Here Peter tells us to be as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  The greek work used here for stewards is oikonomos which means:

3623. oikonomos oy-kon-om’-os from 3624 and the base of 3551; a house-distributor (i.e. manager), or overseer, i.e. an employee in that capacity; by extension, a fiscal agent (treasurer); figuratively, a preacher (of the Gospel):–chamberlain, governor, steward.

1) the manager of household or of household affairs

a) esp. a steward, manager, superintendent (whether free-born or as was usually the case, a freed-man or a slave) to whom the head of the house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age

b) the manager of a farm or landed estate, an overseer

c) the superintendent of the city’s finances, the treasurer of a city (or of treasurers or quaestors of kings)

2) metaph. the apostles and other Christian teachers and bishops and overseers

A steward unlike previously taught, does not own the things that they oversee or manage.  Here Peter urges us to be good distributors of the many graces of God.  All that we have belongs to God, all that the “church” owns belongs to Him.  All of the privileges, blessings and gifts belong to Him and need to be distributed to others.  We are the instruments of God and the ones who carry the blessings of God out into the world.  We like to think that we are just required to pray for those in need and leave it at that but that’s not the case.

James 2:13-17

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
We find it easy to say it and not show it and have used this “good steward” thing as a means to condemn people who have found themselves in bad situations.  We are blessed to be a blessing to be good administrators of the Master’s household goods to be distributing out accordingly.

Filed under Christian, Love, Teachings, Understanding · Tagged with Authorized King James Version, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Gospel, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Saint Peter