Torch, Summer 1985

initiate a prayerful study of the Scriptures which address this very important part of our lives on earth. The Steward Loves the Creator. Christian stew– ardship begins with willing obedience to the great commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37) . "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4: 19). Stewardship grows out of love for God. The steward's love for God is nourished by his remembrance of Calvary , where the great lover of our souls provided the ultimate demonstration of stewardship in His submission to the One He served (Philippians 2:5-9) . The Stewar d Loves the Creation. God has allowed the creation to be subjected to the futility of sinful mankind , but He loves the Creation. In Colos– sians 1: 16-20, we read that in Christ "all things were created , both in the heavens and the earth . .. He is before all things , and in Him all things consist" (hold together) . And it was the purpose of the Father that this same Christ should "reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven ." The incarnation, humanity , suffering, and death of Christ demonstrate God's love for souls and the created order within which each soul is embedded - the flesh of man , the creatures, and the life-sustaining environment. Even under the curse of sin, the wisdom and greatness of God is evident in the marvelous design and function of the human body and the bodies of various plants, animals, and microbes . Each species has been woven by the Creator into a complex tapestry of life with many intricate interrelationships necessary for their survival. The steward who loves the Creator (John 1: 1-3), Sustainer (Colossians 1: 17), and Redeemer (Colossians 1: 18-20) is moved by the indwelling Spirit to love what God loves, and to live in harmony with his neighbor and the created order which is being sustained by God . The steward views his responsibility to love and care for the creation as an important part of God's redemptive plan. The Steward Understands His Role. All creatures and all natural resources belong to the Creator God (Exodus 19:5, Psalm 24: 1). The divine Owner delegated to man the responsibility to be a steward of the natural order of creation. That is, man was called to subdue and rule over the earth (Genesis 1:28) while being careful "to dress it" (serve it) and "keep it" (preserve it) (Genesis 2:15). Adam, the first steward, was called to study the creatures so that he might understand his relationship to them biologically and spiritually (Genesis 2:19-20). Here we see the beginning of scientific endeavor. The proper exercise of dominion requires that the steward have an appreciation for and understanding of the interconnections that are necessary to sustain human life and the life of every creature. Today, in spite of the subversive effects of sin, God's grace has permitted man to develop a partial understanding of these interconnections through ecology and economics . Ecology (Greek (oiko = house) + (logos = the study of)) is the branch of life science that deals with the interrelationships among all of the creatures, and between the creatures and their environment. Even the Christian steward with only a basic knowledge of ecology can see that God's natural laws are still in effect to sustain a marvelously intricate life support system on earth . Man could not live on earth today without the life-supporting food and oxygen from plants and animals. On the other hand , man alone has been given the ability and privilege of exercising dominion over these life-sustaining creatures and their environment. He can extract mineral and energy resources and utilize plants and animals to provide goods and services through an economic system. The words economics and stewardship are both derived from the same Greek word oikonomia ((oiko = house)+ (nomos =(management of)). That is, man is a manager of the "household of earth." The Christian steward understands that all men are economists in the sense that all are managers of their part of the household of earth . He realizes that he cannot live in greed and careless overconsumption of food , energy, and other resources without adversely affecting his neighbor and the other creatures. Because of the ecological and economic interconnectedness that exists around the world, the demands of one person's lifestyle can have an impact upon the lives of many others. For example, the more developed nations of the world represent only about 25% of the world's 4 .8 billion persons, but are responsible for 80% of the annual energy and material consumption. This great demand raises the cost of energy and food on world markets beyond what many nations can afford. Several developing nations that are struggling to avoid bankruptcy are recklessly extracting natural resources and ignoring the needs of their citizens in order to stay afloat in the world economy. In light of these issues, the Christian steward views his stewardship in giving tithes and offerings in a broader sense. He realizes that in order to give in true worship of God, he must live and earn without making unreasonable demands upon the natural resources, the creatures, or his neighbor (Isaiah 58; 59: 1-2). He is not a slave to materialism or to the guilt that may arise when he compares his lifestyle to those who are less fortunate. Instead , the Christian steward acknowledges that he has been created with the ability to serve only one master (Matthew 6:24) . Therefore, he chooses to serve God, not material wealth . Anxiety is controlled by a trust in God's marvelous supply system as described in Matthew 6:19-34. As a result, the steward learns that he can live more richly by consuming less . He is seen by others as one who loves God, the creatures, and the earth, but it is evident that he is investing his life and wealth in another world. Best continued on page 14 13