By Chuck Bentley

A biblical understanding of God’s Word on finances indicate that stewardship is not a process to manage money; it is not a program to get out of debt or to raise money for the church building program. These are all taking the biblical message to a low level of understanding.

Stewardship is an understanding of our identity. We are stewards. When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, his purpose was to work and manage the garden and to carry out this duty faithfully to the glory of God. This was before the fall. You see, Adam was the First steward. All believers are stewards. That is our name, rank, and serial number. We have only two options: to be a steward or to deny God’s Word and claim to be owners.

Here’s what is so exciting. When we understand our identity as stewards, everything we do is for the glory of God. Our work, our management of resources, and our very lives reflect our submission to His ways and His purposes.

Since we are all stewards, the Bible informs us how to be good at it and how to be faithful to God while we go about our lives. If we do those things with the investment of our time, talents, and resources, we are likely to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

But it doesn’t end there. In Matthew 25 where we find the Parable of the Talents, we learn that the good stewards receive an eternal reward, to be in charge of cities in the New Jerusalem.

You see, we are stewards now and will be forever. We can be nothing other. We will never be the owners.

Originally posted 3/9/2015.