Stewardship, Work & Money¶
We've crafted an unofficial, source-cited, non-commercial index of Dr. R.C. Sproul's publicly available teachings, weighted by how many independent sources corroborate each point. The content is authored by Dr. R.C. Sproul and published by Ligonier Ministries (a few items are third-party YouTube re-uploads); see the Methodology & Rights page for more info. Quotations are brief, linked to their source, and reproduced for study under Ligonier's Copyright Policy (ligonier.org/copyright-policy). This site is humbly offered for personal use only, out of love and respect, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ligonier Ministries or St. Andrew's Chapel.
186 positions — 10 corroborated across multiple sources.
Well-attested positions¶
Independently stated in two or more of his messages.
In ancient societies, widows were often the most vulnerable and helpless people because they lacked financial support.
There weren’t insurance programs, annuities, or other sorts of things, and without a husband, the widow was usually the most vulnerable and helpless person in the community. Widows had little or no means of support in ancient societies.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Caring for Widows (Ligonier article) · Do You Care About the Widows? (Ligonier article)
Following Jesus requires a complete commitment, leading one to abandon previous life and possessions.
Instead, he took off his apron and set it down on a chair, went over and turned the sign on the door from open to closed, and left his shop forever to follow the man in the blue serge suit.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Christ’s Call to Make Disciples (Ligonier article) · Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (Ligonier)
Christianity teaches that every believer has a vocation, which is understood as a divine calling that guides their life.
Vocation means “to call,” and Christianity believes that not only ministers are called into the ministry, but lawyers are called into the law, and doctors into medicine, and contractors into construction, and so on. That God has a call on our lives, and what we do with our lives is in response to a divine calling.
Corroborated across 2 sources: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Stewardship is fundamentally about managing and allocating resources, a concept that began with Adam and Eve's responsibility in the Garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve were not given ownership of the world; they were given the responsibility of managing it. They were to ensure that the garden was tilled and cultivated and not abused or exploited, and that the goods God provided were neither spoiled nor wasted.
Corroborated across 2 sources: What Does the Bible Say About Christian Tithing? (Ligonier article) · Sacrifice and Stewardship (Ligonier article)
Gaining knowledge or precision in any science requires a process of individuation, which involves noting similarities and then differentiating by calling attention to differences.
The point I want to make is this: in any science, to gain any knowledge or any precision of language, there is a process involved called the process of individuation. The first thing that you do is put ideas or concepts in groups of similarity, just like we do in biology. After we’ve noted the similarities, then we begin to differentiate by calling attention to those aspects that differ one with another.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 18:29 · The Feeding of the Four Thousand (Ligonier)
The widow's gift was significant because it represented a sacrifice, unlike the donations of the wealthy who gave what they could spare.
The woman had nothing to spare, but what she had, she gave. This is a story of sacrificial giving because it was for the purpose of offering a sacrifice to God. For most people who came into the treasury, there was no sacrifice involved at all.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Destruction of Jerusalem (Ligonier) · The Scribes and the Widow (Ligonier)
The concept of stewardship teaches that everything we own ultimately belongs to God, and we are entrusted with managing it responsibly.
By extension, the concept of stewardship affirms that everything we own belongs to God. Everything He entrusts to us, He gives to us as stewards, always with a responsibility of due diligence and of honoring the Master with how we handle the things He entrusts to us.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Faithful Steward (Ligonier) · The Parable of the Minas (Ligonier)
The debt owed to God is not a monetary debt that can be paid, but a moral obligation.
But that is not the kind of debt that we are in here. The debt we have before God is not that we owe Him money we cannot pay. It is a moral debt. It is a moral obligation He has imposed upon us that we have not paid.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Just Shall Live by Faith (Ligonier) · The Atonement (Ligonier)
The early church practiced voluntary giving, which contrasts with the actions of Ananias and Sapphira.
The text this morning tells us about a situation in the first-century church when, as we saw in Acts 2, the early Christians held things in common, but not by requirement. Their hearts were knit together of one accord and the gifts they brought for the common use of the people were all done in a voluntary spirit. They were not required to do it.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Life in the Early Church (Ligonier) · Lying Donors (Ligonier)
True greatness and leadership are demonstrated by serving others, rather than by exercising authority or reclining at a table.
Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Kingdom Climbers (Ligonier) · Peter's Denial (Ligonier)
Further positions¶
Drawn from a single high-trust (official transcript) source.
God's love is categorized into three types: benevolence, beneficence, and complacency.
When speaking of God’s love, we distinguish among three types of that love—the love of benevolence, the love of beneficence, and the love of complacency.
Source: Abundant Love (Ligonier article)
For teams to function efficiently and effectively, there must be fraternity and teamwork.
For teams to function efficiently and effectively, there must be fraternity and teamwork.
Source: The Bonds of Brotherhood (Ligonier article)
Modern society possesses an abundance of knowledge, but this knowledge is so vast that people lack the ability to absorb it all.
Knowledge in every field of study is growing so rapidly that no one can absorb it all. Scholars must choose increasingly narrow specializations to have hope of gaining expertise, and then it is only expertise in a relative sense.
Source: A Call for Endurance (Ligonier article)
The concept of 'social justice' was fundamentally a misunderstanding that assumed material wealth could only be acquired through the exploitation of the poor, leading to the belief that government redistribution was necessary for a just society.
The false assumption of this so-called social justice was that material wealth can be gained only by means of the exploitation of the poor. Ergo, for a society to be just, the wealth must be redistributed by government authority.
Source: Do We Believe the Whole Gospel? (Ligonier article)
True integrity means being uncompromising with respect to moral and ethical principles, prioritizing principle over personal gain.
The person is not uncompromising in every negotiation or discussion of important issues, but is uncompromising with respect to moral and ethical principles. This is a person who puts principle ahead of personal gain.
Source: Duty and Honor (Ligonier article)
Human dignity and worth are not inherent but are assigned by God.
As His creatures, made in His image, we know that the dignity we possess is not intrinsic but extrinsic. That is, it is a dignity assigned to us by God. We have value and worth, because God declares us valuable.
Source: Exceptional Mediocrity (Ligonier article)
Achieving excellence requires diligent and disciplined labor.
No one achieves excellence in any worthy enterprise without diligent and disciplined labor.
Source: Exceptional Mediocrity (Ligonier article)
Achieving excellence requires diligent labor, and sloth is the primary obstacle to achievement.
The biggest reason we fail to achieve excellence is that we are unwilling to work to such an extent that excellence can be achieved. No one achieves excellence in any worthy enterprise without diligent and disciplined labor. The enemy of achievement in this sense is sloth.
Source: Exceptional Mediocrity (Ligonier article)
The term 'vocation' must be understood in its original theological sense as a divine call or holy summons, rather than merely a synonym for a career.
We will be using the term vocation in its original sense: a divine call, a holy summons to fulfill a task or a responsibility that God has laid upon us.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
Assessing one's abilities, skills, and aptitudes is a crucial and basic part of the decision-making process when choosing a vocation.
Reasonably assessing our abilities, skills, and aptitudes is a crucial and basic part of the decision-making process in choosing a vocation.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
God considers a person's gifts, ability, and aptitude when calling them, and public speaking skills can be delegated.
God certainly took into consideration Moses’ gifts, ability, and aptitude before He called him. We must remember that God is the perfect Manager.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
Abilities can be categorized into two types: motivated abilities and non-motivated abilities.
Research indicates that most people have more than one ability and that their abilities can be divided into two basic types: motivated abilities and non-motivated abilities.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
For an individual's contribution to be useful and satisfying, there must be a good fit between their job requirements and their motivated abilities.
The degree to which our job requirements and our motivated abilities fit often determines the usefulness of our contribution and the extent of our personal satisfaction.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
When an individual's personal motivations do not align with their job description, it causes inefficiency, frustration, and negative effects on the group.
When personal motivations do not fit job descriptions, many people suffer. The first who suffers is the individual because he is laboring in a job that does not fit his motivated abilities.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
God manages by building individuals into a body according to their abilities and desires, giving both gifts and motivations.
God manages by building us into a body according to our abilities and our desires. He gives gifts to each one of His people. Every Christian is gifted of the Lord to fulfill a divine vocation. Along with the gift, God gives us a desire or a motivation to make use of that gift.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
The most practical advice is to pursue a vocation that aligns with one's motivated abilities and can serve God.
The most practical advice I can give is for you to do what your motivated ability pattern indicates you can do with a high degree of motivation. If what you would like to do can be of service to God, then by all means you should be doing it.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
All vocations that meet the needs of the world can be considered a divine calling, not just full-time Christian service.
Any vocation that meets the need of God’s world can be considered a divine calling. I underscore this because of the tendency in Christian circles to think that only those who go into “full-time Christian service” are being sensitive to divine vocation—as if preaching and teaching were the only legitimate tasks to which God calls us.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
Historically, many vocations, such as farming, craftsmanship, and trading, were considered part of God's plan for redemption.
David’s vocation as shepherd, Abraham’s vocation as a caravan trader, Paul’s vocation as tentmaker--all were seen as part of God’s plan to bring about the redemption of the world. When God made Adam and Eve, neither was called to be a full-time professional worker in the ecclesiastical structure; they were basically called to be farmers.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
The mere fact that the world has a need for something does not automatically mean that every person is called to fill that need.
However, the very fact that the world needs evangelists does not necessarily imply that everyone in the world is called to be an evangelist.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
When making job decisions, one must consider the long-term consequences and prioritize vocational calling over mere financial gain or convenience.
To take a job simply for money or for geographical location is a tragic mistake.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
Choosing a job based solely on money or location is a mistake because it neglects the importance of vocational calling.
To take a job simply for money or for geographical location is a tragic mistake.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
The person who chooses a vocation purely on the basis of money or location or status is virtually guaranteeing later frustration.
The person who chooses a vocation purely on the basis of money or location or status is virtually guaranteeing his later frustration.
Source: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article)
Paul's teaching does not contrast good and bad, but rather presents rival goods, allowing the individual to decide what is best for them.
However, even a cursory glance at the text indicates that Paul is not contrasting the good and the bad, but rival goods. He points out that it is good to opt for celibacy under certain circumstances. Moreover, it is also good and quite permissible to opt for marriage under other circumstances.
Source: God’s Will in Marriage (Ligonier article)
The materialist view asserts that consciousness and thought are entirely dependent on the physical brain, meaning that without the brain, consciousness ceases.
The materialist answers with an emphatic “yes”—assuming that once the matter of the brain dissolves, consciousness, or mental function, dissolves with it. That is, without the physical brain, non-physical thought is impossible.
Source: "I Believe in the Life Everlasting" (Ligonier article)
Christianity requires passionate commitment and cannot be reduced to abstract creeds or rational systems.
Kierkegaard understood profoundly that Christianity is not a spectator sport. It demands passionate commitment. Christianity can never be reduced to cold, abstract creeds, or rational systems of doctrine.
Source: Pessimistic Existentialism (Ligonier article)
God's system of taxation requires everyone to pay the same percentage, ensuring the rich cannot exploit the poor.
God said I'm going to impose a tax on my people and it's going to be ten percent from everybody: The rich man and the poor man are not going to pay the same amount. The rich man's going to pay much more than the poor man, but they're both going to pay the same percentage.
Source: Principles for Voting (Ligonier article)
Paul demonstrated that he could be content regardless of his health, wealth, or success.
No matter the state of his health, wealth, or success, Paul found it possible to be content with his life.
Source: Providence and Contentment (Ligonier article)
Theology is not merely an abstract discipline but is essential for understanding life and finding contentment.
He saw theology not as a theoretical or abstract discipline but rather as the key to understanding life itself.
Source: Providence and Contentment (Ligonier article)
Paul's statement that all things work together for good refers to a final, ultimate goal (the remote) rather than the immediate circumstances (the proximate).
Note that he doesn’t say all things are good but that they work together for good—for a final and ultimate goal. The Apostle insists that the proximate must always be seen in light of the remote.
Source: The Purposes of God (Ligonier article)
How people view life and the world determines how they interpret specific things, such as a gold coin.
How the sailors viewed life, how they viewed the world, determined how they viewed things in the world, including the gold coin.
Source: Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal (Ligonier article)
Christian life must be viewed as an investment focused on long-term, eternal gains rather than short-term, immediate pleasures.
Contrast that with Jesus' words: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." Think in terms of eternity. Think of the long-range implications.
Source: Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal (Ligonier article)
The tithe requires every person to return one-tenth of their increase to the Lord annually, which ensures fairness regardless of wealth.
The basic principle was that every person was to return one-tenth of his increase to the Lord on an annual basis.
Source: What Does the Bible Say About Christian Tithing? (Ligonier article)
Christian ministry is fundamentally limited by the amount of money given, meaning that even expert stewardship cannot increase the work beyond the available funds.
Christian ministry depends upon Christian giving. That giving always and everywhere limits the work of ministry. Of course, my argument assumes that the tithe continues in this new covenant era.
Source: What Does the Bible Say About Christian Tithing? (Ligonier article)
The distinction between sufficiency and efficiency merely differentiates between universalism and particularism.
the distinction between the sufficiency and efficiency of the atonement does not define the difference between historic Reformed theology and non-Reformed views such as Semi-Pelagianism and Arminianism. Rather, it merely differentiates between universalism and particularism.
Source: A Sure Salvation (Ligonier article)
Contemporary Christian art is often superficial, lacking depth, and is boring because it prioritizes profit over quality.
Christians have accepted a level of art that is marked by superficiality; art has become plastic, it lacks depth and substance. This is what Schaeffer means by an endless “recycling of hash and of pablum.” What I find in so-called Christian art today is that which is not only superficial and cheap--but what is also boring.
Source: The Christian and Art (Ligonier article)
Quality is rarely profitable because it is appreciated by so few people, leading to a preference for cheaper, mass-market items.
Quality is never cheap; in fact quality has a tendency to be appreciated by so few people that it is not profitable. So quality gives way to profit.
Source: The Christian and Art (Ligonier article)
A missionary is defined biblically by being 'sent,' not by receiving a salary.
In biblical terms a missionary is “one who is sent .” Here is the crux of the matter. We are all sent.
Source: The Importance of Cultural Awareness (Ligonier article)
The public education system, especially higher education, has become politicized, following the politicization of economics.
Once economics is politicized, the public education system follows. We are accustomed to distinguishing in our culture between public schools and private schools. Perhaps a more accurate designation for “public schools” is “government schools,” or more precisely, “politicized schools.”
Source: The Politization of Truth: The New Sophism (Ligonier article)
The only alternative to an absolute ethic is a relative ethic, which requires a personal Creator.
The only alternative to an absolute ethic is a relative ethic. We cannot have an absolute ethic without a personal Creator.
Source: We Are Not Germs: The Case for Human Dignity (Ligonier article)
Moral or altruistic action must be based on a rational reason, not simply on emotion or the inherent status of being human.
If you call me to sacrificial, altruistic action in behalf of human beings, you better have a reason. And it should be greater than simply, we should be for people because we’re people. Because unless we can establish that it means something to be people, it’s pure emotion.
Source: We Are Not Germs: The Case for Human Dignity (Ligonier article)
Stewardship is the biblical concept that defines the management of all resources, which is the core subject of economics.
Broadly understood, economics has to do not only with money or taxes or business but with the management of resources. That includes all of our resources, such as the resource of our unborn children and educational materials and policies. In other words, how we use our resources is the subject of economics, and in a biblical sense it is the chief concern of stewardship.
Source: What Is Biblical Stewardship? (Ligonier article)
The English word stewardship is a translation of the Greek word oikonomia, which literally means 'house law.'
The English word that translates—rather than transliterates—the word oikonomia is the English word stewardship . So, stewardship and economics are closely related concepts, and in fact, to a New Testament Christian, there was no distinction between them.
Source: What Is Biblical Stewardship? (Ligonier article)
The principle of stewardship is rooted in the creation of mankind, specifically the command to be productive.
The steward’s role derives from the principle of stewardship, which is rooted in the creation of mankind. Look at the foundations for stewardship found in the early chapters of Genesis. In Genesis 1:26–28, we read: On the very first page of the Bible, we see the creation of human beings—made in the image of God, who revealed Himself initially as the Creator of all things—and the subsequent call of His image bearers to imitate Him in a certain way: by being productive.
Source: What Is Biblical Stewardship? (Ligonier article)
Human stewardship involves working to maintain, preserve, and beautify the environment, which is a responsibility that extends beyond religious life.
He made them stewards of the earth, who were to act in His name and for His glory. Immediately after giving this mandate, God created a lush and gorgeous garden and placed Adam and Eve in it (Gen. 2:15). He commanded them “to work it and keep it.”
Source: What Is Biblical Stewardship? (Ligonier article)
The initial command to name animals was the beginning of science, which is also a form of stewardship that requires learning about and caring for one's environment.
The next commandment that was given to Adam and Eve in the garden was to name the animals (Gen. 2:19). In its most elementary sense, this was the birth of science: learning to distinguish among species, kinds, and forms, and discerning reality as we examine it. This is also part of our stewardship—learning about the place where we live and caring about it.
Source: What Is Biblical Stewardship? (Ligonier article)
The essence of love is demonstrated by seeking the welfare of others and giving of oneself for them.
The essence of love, 1 Corinthians 13 tells us, is to seek the welfare of others. A person who reflects God’s love is driven to give of himself for others, not to wield his power for his own benefit.
Source: What Is Love? (Ligonier article)
When choosing a job, one must ensure that the opportunity aligns with their personal gifts and talents; otherwise, they should seek a different job.
Then you are to consider whether a particular job is in keeping with your gifts; if it is not, you should not accept it. In that case, the will of God is that you look for a different job.
Source: What Is the Will of God for My Life? (Ligonier article)
The Old Testament teaches that withholding the required tithe and contributions constitutes robbing God.
God announces that to withhold the full measure of the tithe that He requires from His people is to be guilty of robbing God Himself.
Source: Will Man Rob God? (Ligonier article)
Tithing requires giving the first fruits of one's prosperity, meaning the offering must come before other expenses or taxes are paid.
This offering is from the top. It is not an offering that is given after other expenses are met or after other taxes have been paid.
Source: Will Man Rob God? (Ligonier article)
The tithe is not an ideal but should be considered the minimum starting point for Christian giving.
That is to say, the starting point of Christian giving is the tithe. The tithe is not an ideal that only a few people reach but rather should be the base minimum from which we progress.
Source: Will Man Rob God? (Ligonier article)
Claiming inability to afford the tithe is a weak argument before God, especially when considering the standard of living of the poorest.
It’s a weak argument before God to say, “Lord, I didn’t tithe because I couldn’t afford it”—especially when we consider that the poorest among us has a higher standard of living than ninety-nine percent of the people who have ever walked on the face of the earth.
Source: Will Man Rob God? (Ligonier article)
The Augustinian view asserts that God's choice is based purely on His good pleasure and will, independent of anything a person may or may not do in the future.
The Augustinian view, on the contrary, would say that what God foresees in your life has nothing whatsoever to do with His choice of you, that His choice is sheerly by the good pleasure of His will without any view to anything you may or may not do in the future.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 29:40
The speaker emphasizes the extreme value of books, citing an ancient story where a man prioritized saving his books over his garments.
And he was garbed in these precious garments of royalty, and he took no thought for them, but he grabbed his books and dove in the water, he held his books over his head while he kicked his way across the channel, and his clothes were destroyed. But he saved his books
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 10:50
Nietzsche criticized the decadence of 19th-century Europe, arguing that most people live by a 'herd morality.'
But Nietzsche complained of the decadence of nineteenth century Europe, and in that complaint said that basically the vast majority of people live, what he called, “by the dictates of a herd morality.”
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 20:36
In the New Testament, love is primarily understood as a verb, referring to actions of beneficence rather than merely a feeling or emotion.
If you study the New Testament concept of love you will see that it's much more often spoke in terms of its being a verb rather than a noun.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 19:39
Christian maturity involves embracing the world and its creative aspects, rather than rejecting it.
I could embrace the world again—that grace does not destroy nature, it fulfills it, that Christ came into the world not to destroy the world, but to redeem the world, that the sacred, you see, does not destroy the terrestrial sphere, it transforms it
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:03
A legal debt can be paid by a third party, but a moral debt requires a direct transgression and cannot be paid by a substitute payment.
the principle in our society is this as long as the money is paid the person who has owed the money is obligated to accept that payment that is rendered and so the store owner really had no choice but to accept my payment of the debt that was incurred by this child but suppose we had a second scenario where instead of the child coming in and ordering the cone as I've suggested the child comes in runs behind the counter steals two scoops of ice cream and starts running out the store and the owner grabs them and calls the police and the police comes in and arrests the child for stealing the ice cream cone two dollars worth of ice cream and now I step forward and say just a minute take it easy here you don't have to arrest this little boy I will pay his debt now does the policeman or the store owner have a moral obligation to accept my payment no because now in addition to the pecuniary debt or the financial indebtedness there is also a transgression of the law so that now a moral debt has been incurred and the person who has been violated is not required to accept somebody else's substitute payment
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:41
Men feel a profound responsibility for the welfare of their families, particularly concerning financial stability and the education of their children.
I just feel the weight of that responsibility because that’s what the culture has imposed on me; but it’s not just this culture. That’s generations of humanity, from the Garden of Eden onward.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 15:28
The scientific enterprise is fundamentally an activity of taxonomy, which involves the classification of things.
But there is a certain sense in which the whole enterprise of science is simply the activity of taxonomy, not taxidermy, but taxonomy. Those of you who have studied biology know immediately what the word "taxonomy" means.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:01
Achieving competence requires going through a difficult, disciplined process of training, rather than taking the easy route.
But nobody sits down at piano and goes right away. They have to go through the painful process of training yourself to do it right.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:41
The Christian life must be motivated by doing the right thing, rather than by consequences, expediency, or personal gain.
That has to be the controlling motivation of the Christian life, not consequences, not expediency, not profit and loss, joy or sorrow, but what is the right thing to do.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:42
True happiness is not dependent on achieving material possessions, pleasures, or life milestones.
But the degree of happiness that I enjoy in my life, it's just a tiny bit more than it was then, and has very little to do with possessions, and very little to do with pleasure.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 6:04
Nietzsche correctly observed that modern civilization tends to operate according to a 'herd morality.'
In his analysis of nineteenth-century Europe, he said that nineteenth-century Europe in the main, as a civilization, as a culture, lives according to a herd morality.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 17:08
A Christian life and worldview must address elements including epistemology, metaphysics, anthropology, and ethics.
Ultimately, what is the truth, what is it, the question of "is-ness." What is real ultimately, that's a metaphysical question. Who is the truth is a theological question. How does the truth relate to me and define me is an anthropological question. And how the truth commands me is an ethical question.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:10
Changes in clothing styles and dress codes are common and vary significantly from one culture to another.
And so dress styles change; they're very open. We know that in our own culture. Dresses change, styles change from generation to generation, from one part of the country to another part of the country, from one part of the world to the other part of the world.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 14:17
When applying biblical principles, one must examine the Bible itself for customary practices and recognize that monetary units and dress codes are subject to cultural change.
So I'm saying the basic first guideline is look to the Bible itself and see the kinds of things that the Bible recognizes as being customary so that you are aware when those questions come up in our culture today. The second guideline is to allow for Christian distinctions in the first century.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 17:21
A fundamental human problem is the belief that God owes us everything we receive and more.
We think that God owes us everything that we receive and much more.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 6:12
Robin Hood and his men engaged in acts of redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor.
Robin and his men would stop those who were rich as they journeyed through Sherwood Forest and relieve them of their purses and then distribute that to the poor.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 39:21
The term 'subsistence' is linguistically equivalent to the Greek concept of 'hypostasis,' meaning both relate to the root idea of 'to stand.'
and subsistence is just the Latin equivalent to the Greek concept of hypostasis, because both of them mean basically the same thing linguistically and entomologically.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 19:20
Despite modern cultural emphasis on openness, God does not require humans to remove their clothes to be honest or open.
And God says, "Wait a minute. You don't have to take your clothes off."
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:43
The example of a person's actions can only serve as a positive model if those actions are commendable by God.
When we see that these men did something that was praiseworthy by God, then of course, their example is a model for us, but when we see that something they did is condemned by God, then their example cannot be a positive model for us.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 20:25
Major social issues, such as abortion and slavery, are profoundly ethical matters that transcend mere political or financial concerns.
One thing again that the issue of abortion has in common with the other issues that have threatened national unity is that the issue of abortion is a profoundly ethical issue. Even as the question of slavery in the nineteenth century was a profoundly ethical question.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 6:23
People dedicate significant time and money to professional education but fail to invest similar effort in learning about their wives.
We will study history and philosophy and psychiatry and engineering and biology and all of that so that we can make more money, but we won't invest any time or any labor into knowing our wives.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 9:44
When giving gifts, people often give what they want to receive or what they think the recipient should want, rather than what the recipient truly needs.
We tend to give the cheapest gifts. We give the gifts that we want to receive rather than what the person wants to receive. We give the gifts that we think they ought to want rather than the gifts that they really want, and when that happens, we are not communicating.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 24:54
Modern people are trained to prioritize feeling over actual proficiency, as demonstrated by international math test results.
The students from America finished first. The students from Japan finished first in actual proficiency and sixth in their personal sense of how well that they did. So we've been very effective in training people to feel good about their poor performance, and so truth now becomes a matter of feeling rather than thinking.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 9:50
The speaker questioned the educational curriculum's ultimate purpose, asking what overarching goal determined the selection of specific individual purposes.
I said, but my question is this, "What's the overarching purpose that governs or determines what individual particular purposes you implement in the curriculum. You have to select out of a possibly infinite number of individual purposes to implement in your curriculum and so you can only do a few of them. Why do you choose the ones you choose? What is your ultimate purpose?"
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 25:42
The question of purpose (teleology) is fundamentally important and cannot be ignored by science or society.
what more important knowledge can we discover than the question, "Why we are here. What is the purpose of these things?"
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:36
Christianity is not rationalism, but it is rational and values both the mind and the senses.
Christianity is not rationalism. But it is, by all means, rational. And so the Bible assumes both the importance of the mind and the importance of the senses.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:37
Governments can keep people poor by collecting vast sums of money through mechanisms like lotteries, which disproportionately affect those with little disposable income.
The overwhelming majority of people who buy lottery tickets are those who can least afford it, but the government knows that poor people will buy these tickets day in and day out.
Source: The Beatitudes (Ligonier)
True missionary motivation is not the desire for wealth, as those who willingly forgo financial gain for the kingdom are blessed.
I have never met a missionary who was motivated to go into mission work to become rich. If I do ever find such a missionary, I know I’ll be meeting a foolish one, because there is about as much hope in being a rich missionary as there is in winning the lottery.
Source: The Beatitudes (Ligonier)
Social justice, when it involves taking from one group to give to another, is actually social injustice, and the goal should be equity, not equality.
When we do that, we call it social justice, when in fact it is social injustice. I have a new plan for social justice that we are going to apply to the National Football League. At the end of the half of every game, if one team has 14 points and the other team has zero, we are going to call the score 7-7.
Source: The Beatitudes (Ligonier)
It is incorrect to assume that all poor people are lazy, nor is it correct to assume that no poor people are lazy; both groups exist and must be distinguished.
Woe unto us when we assume that anybody who’s poor is in that economic condition because they’re lazy. That is just not true. There are plenty of people who are poor and are not lazy at all. Woe unto us, also, if we think that no one who is poor is lazy. There are poor people who are not lazy, and there are poor people who are lazy, and we must be able to distinguish them if we’re to be concerned with biblical ethics and biblical righteousness.
Source: The Beatitudes (Ligonier)
Christian diligence means being busy with the things of God, not merely engaging in commercial enterprise.
In this case, it is not talking about commercial enterprise, but the word “business” comes from the term busy-ness —that is, we should be busy people, busy with the things of God. That is our business.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Believers are warned against a life driven by worldly ambition, which leads to ruthlessness in relationships.
Such an ambition drives us to be ruthless in our relationships with other people, where we will not hesitate to step on people’s bodies in our desire to reach the top of the ladder.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Jesus sets forth a stark contrast between various life conditions, such as hunger and satisfaction, and poverty and wealth.
He is contrasting two different life conditions: hunger and satisfaction, grief and joy, poverty and wealth, being despised and reviled by people as well as being honored by them.
Source: Blessings & Curses (Ligonier)
Acquiring wealth does not necessarily require harming others, as demonstrated by historical examples.
He got wealthy not by tromping on people’s backs but by making automobile transportation affordable to almost every family in the United States through mass production.
Source: Blessings & Curses (Ligonier)
The belief that wealth automatically proves a person is corrupt, selfish, or greedy is a myth.
If a person is wealthy, that is all the proof you need that they are corrupt, selfish, and greedy. The only place I know for sure where someone can get wealthy at the expense of someone else is in a poker game, but that’s not the case in the marketplace.
Source: Blessings & Curses (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that while wealth is not inherently damning, it makes entering the Kingdom of God difficult because it causes people to trust in their own riches rather than Christ's.
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom because he tends to trust in his own riches rather than in the riches of Christ.
Source: Blessings & Curses (Ligonier)
Supererogatory works are actions that go above and beyond what is required, allowing people to accumulate excess merit.
Those are supererogatory works, works above what is required. Those people accrue for themselves more merit than they need to get into heaven.
Source: Boasting Excluded (Ligonier)
Sproul critiques the idea that one must earn Christ's righteousness, comparing it to a debtor who cannot pay his debt.
The idea is that I have to earn His righteousness, which I cannot do. I am a debtor who cannot pay his debt.
Source: Boasting Excluded (Ligonier)
Christians have a basic moral responsibility to practice thriftiness and tithe, recognizing that all possessions belong to God.
What can be simpler than to know that everything we have belongs to God and comes from His hand, every good and perfect gift we get from Him? Yes, the government takes too much of it, and yes, we’re overtaxed, but we’re not doing our basic fiscal moral responsibility.
Source: The Call of Levi (Ligonier)
Before undertaking any major project, one must first assess the cost and determine if they have the necessary resources to complete the job.
before you build it, you ask: “How much is it going to cost me? Do I have the money to complete the job, or am I going to start to build a great building and put it beside I-4, then stop construction in the middle and call it the ‘I-4 Eyesore’?”
Source: The Cost of Discipleship (Ligonier)
Following Christ requires a commitment to a life without material comfort or predictable rest.
Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.
Source: Discipleship (Ligonier)
All people are debtors who cannot pay their debts, implying a need for external payment or intervention.
You will not get out until you pay the last cent, which means you will never get out, because we are all debtors who cannot pay our debts.
Source: The Dividing Christ (Ligonier)
One is not responsible for how others use money or goods after they have been legitimately given.
If I pay a merchant for his cloth, and he takes what I pay him and uses it in some ungodly way, I am not responsible for what he does with the money after I give it to him, just as I am not responsible for what a corrupt government does with my taxes after I pay them.
Source: Do Not Cause Another To Stumble (Ligonier)
Giving alms should be done freely and enthusiastically, rather than being a mandate to divest oneself of all worldly goods.
This was not a universal mandate for everybody to divest themselves of all worldly goods. That was not Jesus’ point. He was saying: “Give alms with gusto, freely, without anxiety.
Source: The End of Anxiety (Ligonier)
Jesus' command to 'Sell what you have and give alms' was not a universal requirement for everyone to divest themselves of all worldly possessions.
“Sell what you have and give alms.” This was not a universal mandate for everybody to divest themselves of all worldly goods. That was not Jesus’ point.
Source: The End of Anxiety (Ligonier)
The speaker distinguishes between a pecuniary debt (monetary) and a moral debt.
We make the distinction, as the church fathers did, between a moral debt and a pecuniary debt. A pecuniary debt is a monetary or financial debt.
Source: Faith Triumphs in Trouble (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Stewardship involves managing the affairs of a house, which means the steward does not own the property or the things managed.
The steward did not own the house. He did not own any of the things that he was called to manage. All those things belonged to the master, but it was the task of the steward to take care of them in a wise, gracious, and godly manner.
Source: The Faithful Steward (Ligonier)
The poor beggar was placed next to a symbol of wealth so that people entering the inner courtyard of the Jews would be moved to compassion and give him alms.
Next to that symbol of wealth they laid the poor beggar so that people who walked past him, who were entering through the Gate Beautiful and coming to the inner courtyard of the Jews, would be moved to compassion by his pitiable condition and give him alms.
Source: Healing at the Gate Beautiful (Ligonier)
The Greek word 'doulos' means a purchased person who becomes the possession of their master, unlike a hired servant.
The proper translation should read, “Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ,” because the word Paul used when he wrote this epistle is the Greek word doulos , and a doulos was not a hired servant who could come and go as he pleased. A doulos was a person who was purchased.
Source: Introduction (Ligonier)
Grace is inherently voluntary, meaning it cannot be earned or owed by the recipient.
If grace is owed, it is not grace. The very essence of grace is in its voluntary character.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God's gifts are not payments or repayments for anything given to Him.
When God gives you a gift, He is not paying you back for what you gave to Him.
Source: Israel's Rejection Not Final (Part 3) (Ligonier)
Giving money to God is an act of acknowledgment that God owns everything, not a bribe to receive blessings or forgiveness.
The offering is not a bribe. We are not asking God to make us rich, do this or that, or forgive us of our sins if we give Him our money. No, the motivation is, “We’re acknowledging that You own it all.”
Source: From Jerusalem to Illyricum (Ligonier)
Jesus was certainly familiar with the work of a mason, even if he was not a carpenter.
Some people say that Jesus was not a carpenter but a stone mason, because most of His allusions come from stone masonry rather than from carpentry. In any case, He was certainly familiar with the work of the mason.
Source: Jesus’ Authority & the Parable of the Tenants (Ligonier)
All gifts and talents an individual possesses are received from God, and this principle applies to one's calling or vocation.
Every talent, every gift that we have has been given to us from God, and we understand that we each have our own vocation.
Source: Jesus & John the Baptist (Ligonier)
Spiritual poverty is a condition that can exist even if a person possesses great material wealth.
You can possess great wealth and still be spiritually impoverished, desperately in need to hear the preaching of the gospel.
Source: Jesus in the Synagogue (Ligonier)
Modern political participation, such as voting for government programs, can constitute a form of legal theft.
We steal from our neighbors by letting the government do it so it is legal. If you have ever voted for your neighbor to be taxed but not yourself, you have stolen from your neighbor.
Source: John Preaches (Ligonier)
Paul describes a conflict rooted in the will, where he fails to do things he wants to do, but instead does things he does not want to do.
He goes on to talk about a conflict that is rooted in the will, basically saying, “For on the one hand, the things I want to do, I don’t do, and the very things I don’t want to do, those I do.”
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The will is a faculty or ability that allows human beings to make choices, rather than a physical organ.
The will is not an organ that is three inches to the left side of the liver, or the pancreas, or the heart. The will describes a faculty or ability by which human beings are able to make choices.
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Christians are required to be generous, but they are not required to give up all their private property.
Christians are not required to give up all their private property, but they are required to be generous.
Source: Life in the Early Church (Ligonier)
The Old Testament principle of giving, exemplified by the tithe, established a proportionate responsibility for all people.
If a man was wealthy, he had to give 10 percent of his wealth to the work of God. If a man was poor, he had to give 10 percent of his poverty to the work of God.
Source: Life in the Early Church (Ligonier)
The woman's intense search for the lost coin demonstrates that the reason for the search is the value the owner places on the item.
The reason the shepherd went looking for the sheep and the reason the woman went through so much trouble to search for the coin was because the shepherd cared for his sheep and the woman valued the coin. She diligently searched after it.
Source: The Lost Son (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The value of a human being far surpasses the value of material possessions like sheep and silver.
Sheep and silver cannot compare with the value of a human being.
Source: The Lost Son (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The speaker warns against the tendency to spend money immediately without waiting, comparing it to the profligate young man in the parable.
We certainly do not want to identify ourselves with this profligate young man who flagrantly wastes his father’s inheritance. We do not want to identify with the boy who does not want to defer or delay gratification.
Source: The Lost Son (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Prodigality involves radical, lavish waste, not only of money but also of time and life.
A prodigal is somebody who is involved in radical, lavish waste. He was wasting his money—his father’s money. He was wasting his time. Far worse, he was wasting his life.
Source: The Lost Son (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Christian service requires giving help and resources to others without expecting any personal profit or return.
Jesus went beyond helping people via a loan. He gave the golden rule: “If somebody needs it, give it to him, even if it means you’re not getting anything back.”
Source: Love Your Enemies (Ligonier)
The speaker believes that modern progressive tax systems are unjust and should be replaced by a flat percentage system.
What I mean by unjust taxation is taxation through a progressive, unequal tax system. When God placed His tax upon the people of Israel, He imposed a tithe. Not everyone paid the same amount. The rich people paid a whole lot more than the poor people, but everyone paid the same percentage.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
The speaker argues that modern tax policies are politicized and create manifest injustice, which he calls the politicization of economics.
In our country we have politicized economics. We do not have a flat percentage system, but some people are required to pay a higher percentage than others. Do you know what we call that? We call it social justice , when in fact, it is manifest injustice .
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
The simplest definition of justice, according to Aristotle, is giving people what they are due.
He said that the principle of justice, in its simplest explanation, is this: It is giving to people what is their due.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
If a contest is defined by a specific criterion, the winner is due the prize based on meeting that criterion, regardless of whether that criterion involves moral merit.
If you advertise a contest where the prize will be awarded on the basis of beauty, who is due the victory? The one who is most beautiful. That person is due the reward. Even though there is no merit or virtue in being beautiful, nevertheless, the terms of the contest were defined by an aesthetic criterion. Whoever meets that criterion in its greatest dimension is due the prize.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
The biblical principle for justice and righteousness is that one must always give what is due, regardless of whether the recipient deserves it.
The principle that is used here, that defines justice and righteousness, is the principle of “that which is due.” That which is owed, that which is obligatory.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
The Apostle Paul's primary point regarding owing nothing but love is that the only perpetual debt or obligation a person has is to love their brothers.
Any commentator I have ever consulted on this portion of the text says that the basic point the Apostle is making is that we operate under only one perpetual debt or obligation, and that is to love our brothers.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
Fulfilling one's obligations, whether financial or contractual, is a matter of basic integrity and righteousness.
Christians, of all people, when they incur debt, must, as a matter of principle and conscience, move heaven and earth to honor their obligations. If you owe somebody something, dear friends, pay what you owe. Pay your bills. Pay them on time.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
The early Christians voluntarily contributed their goods for the common use of the community.
for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
Barnabas exemplified generosity by selling his property and giving more than what was required.
Barnabas went out and sold his property, took every last penny of the proceeds from that property—far more than God required—and out of a spirit of generosity and encouragement, laid that gift at the feet of the Apostles.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
Christian giving should be voluntary and done out of a spirit of generosity, not by requirement.
Their hearts were knit together of one accord and the gifts they brought for the common use of the people were all done in a voluntary spirit. They were not required to do it.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
The principle of tithing requires giving a consistent percentage of one's income, regardless of the amount.
Not everybody was required to give the same amount of money, but everyone was required to give the same percentage. If you were more prosperous than your brother or sister, you were giving more money to the work of the kingdom but not a greater percentage of your income.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
God knows the true financial status and sacrifice of every individual.
While we do not know that, God does. God knows how much He has prospered each of us. He knows the sacrifice of the widow with her mite.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
He suggests that the most difficult aspect of tithing is not the act of giving itself, but the process of becoming a Christian and then making necessary adjustments.
The hard part of tithing is being a Christian, not doing it, and then starting to do it, because now you have to make adjustments.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
While a moral debt has been incurred, the father (God) is not obligated to accept the payment, even when it is paid vicariously by Christ.
We owe a moral debt to God. Even when His Son pays the debt as our substitute, when He pays the debt vicariously, the Father does not have to accept it.
Source: The Atonement (Ligonier)
The Corban vow was a tradition that allowed an individual to escape the responsibility of caring for their parents by committing their wealth to God.
So, in the name of piety, a person could escape his obligation of caring for his parents in times of infirmity or in their old age, when they may have been too fragile to support themselves: “I’m sorry Mom; I’m sorry Dad—I’d like to help you out, but my finances are Corban. They are all committed to the Lord, and I can’t take the Lord’s money and give it to you.”
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Material wealth, while sometimes seen as a blessing, can lead to self-sufficiency, which is an obstacle to hearing the gospel.
The Old Testament Jew looked upon material wealth as a blessing from God, but it could have a second side to it, bringing forth the curse of self-sufficiency.
Source: The Eye of the Needle (Ligonier)
A fourth type of poverty involves individuals who willingly embrace poverty to focus on spiritual matters rather than wealth.
The fourth group of poverty in the Old Testament consisted of the ones who were poor for righteousness’ sake; that is, they willingly embraced poverty that they might devote themselves to spiritual things and not become distracted by the pursuit of wealth.
Source: The Eye of the Needle (Ligonier)
A person's true heart and priorities are revealed by examining their financial records.
Show me a man’s checkbook, and I’ll tell you where his heart is.
Source: The Eye of the Needle (Ligonier)
Many Pharisees believed there was a legitimate moral objection to paying taxes to Caesar, arguing that a godly man would not pay taxes to an ungodly, conquering government.
In fact, many of the Pharisees believed there was a legitimate moral objection to paying taxes to Caesar and that if Jesus were really a godly man, He would not pay taxes to an ungodly, conquering government.
Source: God and Caesar (Ligonier)
The term 'carpenter' (tektōn) refers to a general builder or craftsman, which could encompass both wood and stone work.
The Greek word here, tektōn , means “carpenter” or “stonemason.” It has reference to somebody who is involved in the craft of building. It’s very possible that, instead of a being carpenter who worked with wood, Jesus was more like a stonemason. That could give some reason for the strength He obviously developed as a young man.
Source: Jesus at Nazareth (Ligonier)
Just as the rich young ruler was spiritually bankrupt despite his material wealth, all people are debtors who cannot pay their debts.
But the reality was, he was bankrupt, utterly and completely bankrupt. As he stood there talking to Jesus, the shadow of his credit report was hanging over him, for the Bible says that all of us are debtors who cannot pay their debts.
Source: The Rich Young Ruler (Ligonier)
Jesus' ultimate contribution was giving His life, which was the richest contribution He could make.
This was not long before Jesus would deposit into the treasury of His Father the richest contribution He could make. He held nothing back. He gave His life. Nobody took it from Him. He gave it.
Source: The Scribes and the Widow (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that resources meant for children should be given to them first, rather than being given to dogs.
Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Source: The Syro-Phoenician Woman (Ligonier)
True greatness is not achieved through personal achievement or status, but through service.
He said the way to greatness is the way of service. Do you want to be great? Be the greatest servant you can possibly be.
Source: Who Is the Greatest? (Ligonier)
Humans are characterized by making commitments in all aspects of life that they frequently fail to keep.
In a word, we are people who make commitments all the time, in every aspect of our lives, that we do not always keep.
Source: The Parable of the Great Supper (Ligonier)
Scripture teaches a form of capitalism that clearly protects the principles of private property and private ownership.
Let me suggest that the Bible teaches a form of capitalism. While there are many different forms of capitalism, the form set forth in sacred Scripture clearly protects the principles of private property and private ownership.
Source: The Parable of the Minas (Ligonier)
Humans are defined not only as rational beings but also as creatures called to labor, which defines who they are.
Marx understood that we are defined not only as Homo sapiens , but also as Homo faber . How we work, in so many cases, defines who we are.
Source: The Parable of the Minas (Ligonier)
Biblical capitalism, or 'stewardship capitalism,' does not rely on government redistribution of income.
When I talk about capitalism, I make an important qualifier: biblical capitalism is what we call “stewardship capitalism.” Stewardship capitalism does not depend upon the government to take one person’s income and distribute it to another person.
Source: The Parable of the Minas (Ligonier)
The core principle of stewardship is that God owns everything, and human capital is merely loaned to us.
This is the principle of stewardship: God owns everything. His capital is on loan to us, but the idea is that while our Lord is gone, He has given talents to each of His servants.
Source: The Parable of the Minas (Ligonier)
Jesus warned people to be careful of covetousness, stating that a person's life is not defined by the abundance of possessions.
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that accumulating earthly treasure for oneself is not the true measure of a rich person.
So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The speaker argues that contemporary culture often fails to prioritize laws against coveting, which is necessary for a stable society.
Context: The speaker is making a modern cultural observation, not a direct theological claim from the scripture.
I cannot imagine anybody in our contemporary culture using up one of his ten laws to prohibit profaning the name of God. How many would include a law against coveting?
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
A person's life is not defined by the abundance of material possessions.
Context: Quoting Jesus
Jesus said: “Take heed, beware of this. Be careful. Watch out of this. For one’s life,” He said, “does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The rich man in the parable was greedy because he always wanted more, regardless of his current abundance.
No matter how great the crop was, no matter how much he had in storage, he wanted more.
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
A Christian must be generous because all life and being are received from Almighty God, and the selfish person only thinks of keeping what they have.
A Christian is a generous person. How can a Christian not be a generous person? Every Christian lives and moves and has his or her being only by the generosity of almighty God.
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The rich man was foolish for planning his life around the idea of endless pleasure, which is a concept that has been debated by various philosophical groups.
Listen to what he said: “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’”
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The speaker asserts that focusing on worldly pleasures and accumulating earthly treasures is foolish because one's soul is required by God.
God said to the rich man: “Fool! You do not have many years to come. You don’t have several decades left. I’m going to require of you tonight —not tomorrow, not next year, but tonight —the very night that you’re having a party celebrating your security. This night I require your soul.”
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
A person who accumulates earthly treasures but is not spiritually rich is described as a pauper.
Dear friends, the person who lays up treasures for himself—no matter how great that treasure is—but is not rich toward God is a pauper.
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The speaker emphasizes the immense value of the soul, questioning what a person would trade for it.
What if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? What will a man give in exchange for his soul? How much is your soul worth? What’s the price tag?
Source: The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
A steward does not own the assets they manage; those assets belong to the master.
The steward did not own the assets he managed. They belonged to the master.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
The steward realized he was unqualified for any job other than managing the master's property.
I cannot dig and I’m ashamed to beg. I don’t have any other skills. All I know is how to manage the property of a master. I’m not qualified to do anything else.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
The steward's actions were motivated by self-preservation and the desire to build connections for himself.
The steward was not doing all of this out of the goodness of his heart. He was doing it to feather his own nest.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
God requires that Christians practice just stewardship, not unjust stewardship, when managing worldly goods.
God requires from us not unjust stewardship but just stewardship.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
Worldly goods are not owned by individuals but belong to God, and humans are merely stewards of them.
Everything that you and I have comes from God. We do not own it; He does. We are stewards in the kingdom of God.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
A person's true spiritual condition and heart commitment are best revealed by their financial giving, specifically their checkbook.
If you are trying to test your own spiritual condition and ask whether you really in a state of grace, do not look at your church attendance. Look at your checkbook because your checkbook will tell you where your heart is.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
A person's faithfulness in managing worldly wealth determines whether God will entrust them with true riches.
Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
The Bible teaches that the love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil.
The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil. It says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10).
Source: Pressing into the Kingdom (Ligonier)
The Pharisees were characterized by their love of money and their tendency to deride Jesus' teachings.
We read in verse 14 that the Pharisees, lovers of money, also heard the parable of the unjust steward.
Source: Pressing into the Kingdom (Ligonier)
The text does not suggest that wealth itself is inherently evil, citing examples of wealthy individuals like Joseph of Arimathea, Abraham, and Job.
There was no inherent evil in the man being wealthy, but this man was nouveau riche .
Source: The Rich Man & Lazarus (Ligonier)
Human achievements like wealth, youth, and authority are temporary and unreliable.
The young ruler also knew that his riches were subject to the fluctuations of the worldly markets and vulnerable to the thief who would steal from him. Whatever wealth he had was not enough; it never is.
Source: The Rich Young Ruler (Ligonier)
Christians are not obligated to fulfill the desires of their fallen nature, but rather are debtors to live according to the Spirit.
We do not owe the old man anything. We are not under any obligation to fulfill the lusts of our fallen nature. But we are debtors to live to the spirit.
Source: Sanctification (Ligonier)
Wages are something earned, while gifts are free and cannot be earned.
Wages are something you earn; a gift is something you cannot possibly earn. Wages are something you merit; the gift, on the other hand, is free.
Source: From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God (Ligonier)
God's gift is contrasted with sin's wages because it is free and cannot be earned.
Wages are something you earn; a gift is something you cannot possibly earn. Wages are something you merit; the gift, on the other hand, is free. It is gratuitous.
Source: From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God (Ligonier)
The speaker rejects Karl Marx's view that religion is merely an economic tool used by owners to keep workers in line.
I do not believe what Marx says about religion is true.
Source: From Suffering to Glory (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The speaker's career advancement was facilitated by the belief and support of others, rather than solely by his own belief in his ability.
We sold everything we had and went out on that venture, not because I believed I could do it, but because somebody believed for me.
Source: The Team of Barnabas and Saul (Ligonier)
When a servant completes all the duties commanded during the day, they still have further duties to perform, such as preparing the master's dinner.
The servant does all that he is responsible to do, and when he comes in at the end of the day, he still has further duties to perform in addition to those done during the day.
Source: Unprofitable Servants (Ligonier)
The idiom of being unworthy to loose sandals signifies a profound level of humility and subordination to the person being referenced.
John is saying: “I’m not even worthy to unstrap His sandals. Don’t look at me. I’m lower than a disciple. I’m lower than a slave. I’m not even worthy to untie His shoes, take off His sandals, or clean His feet. Don’t look to me.”
Source: Who Are You? (Ligonier)
Divine calling can be categorized into three types: vocation (a specific task), the outward/external call, and the inward/effectual call.
We can distinguish among three different ways in which we speak of divine calling. There is the idea of “a calling” we have that is a vocation, where God calls us to a particular task, or a particular ministry, or a particular career. We call that a vocation , which is simply the word for “to call.”
Source: What does it mean to be “called” in the New Testament? (Ligonier Q&A)
Biblically, a steward is defined as a servant responsible for managing the affairs of a household.
Thus, a steward in the biblical sense is a servant who is responsible for managing the affairs of the household.
Source: Who can administer the sacraments? (Ligonier Q&A)