February 2001

[Part 81]

“BELIEVING THE UNBELIEVABLE” [U]

In this final episode of our series on the “Mysteries of God”, we note Paul’s admonition:

“Let us (all Kingdom sons) be looked upon as ministering servants of God
and as STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD- understanding
that all stewards are required to be found FAITHFUL!” (1 Cor 4:1-2)

                 What else are “stewards”? Gk 3623 defines them: “Delegators or overseers of a house, also agents, treasurers, governors, chamberlains and by extension, preachers of the Gospel!!” Heb 8269 adds to these: “A head person (of any rank or class); captain (that has rule), chief, general, keeper, lord, master, prince, or principal ruler.” We also read that a steward is called a “bishop” (Gk 1985: “A superintendent in general charge of the church; overseer”) who must be: “Blameless, not self-willed, arrogant or presumptuous, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not argumentative, bullying or violent; not grasping and greedy for filthy lucre (financial gain); but rather must be: hospitable and loving to strangers and unbelievers; and a lover of goodness as well as of good men (Christed believers); he must be sober-minded, just, holy, and temperate; holding fast the Faithful Word he has been taught- so he can exhort, refute, and lovingly instruct those who contradict the Truth of God! For there are many disorderly and unruly ones- especially among those who are circumcised- who speak vanities and deceit to subvert entire households by teaching things they should not which are primarily designed to gain (psychological) advantage and produce dishonest financial gain; and their mouths must be stopped!”(Tit 1:7-11)
               The first-mentioned steward in the OT served over the house of Abraham and his name was Eliezer (Heb 461 “God of help”). His position was so high that, when all hope seemed gone of an “heir” being produced from Abram’s body, it was the custom that his chief steward, “Eliezer of Damascus (lit. “A place made up of different races; a habitation of drawn and mingled blood”) would inherit Abram’s entire household and wealth! But the Lord said to Abram. “This steward shall not be your heir; but there shall come forth an heir from your own loins! And God drew him away and said, ‘Look up toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to number them, for so shall your seed be!!’ And Abram believed the Word of the Lord, so God accredited it to him as Righteousness!!” (Gen 15:2-6)
              Next we read of the (unnamed) “Steward of Joseph’s house”. The fact that Joseph was elevated from a station ranking LOWER than any steward- as the purchased property of a leader of a caravan, who then sold him to Potiphar as a house servant, where a false accusation by Potiphar’s wife lowered Joseph still further to the status of prisoner in Pharaoh’s prison- to where he held the position of second-in-command (directly under Pharaoh) over all Egypt, and a wealthy householder in his own right, able to employ house servants of his own, as well as a trusted steward over them! And this man played a direct role in the negotiations between Joseph and his errant brothers as he temporarily elected to keep his identity a mystery to them.
            Then there were the multiple “Stewards over all the substance and possession of the King (David), of his sons, the palace officers, the mighty men and the valiant warriors of Jerusalem.” (1 Chr 28:1) This and all other Scriptures depict stewards as men in whom much responsibility and confidence is placed by great men of power, prestige, and privilege! For this reason, Kingdom sons should take very seriously the opening admonition. Let us hear it again:

“Let us (all Kingdom sons) be looked upon as ministering servants of God
and as STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD- understanding
that all stewards are required to be found FAITHFUL!” (1 Cor 4:1-2)

                As God surely possesses more “Power, Prestige and Privilege” than any man could ever assay or acquire; and as the role of “steward” in Scripture is to be entrusted as overseer of it all, therefore, the “Mysteries of God” must encompass ALL the wealth of His“House”and He calls us His stewards over it all! And, as His stewards, we would be his direct heirs...IF...there was no Seed of His Loins to become the Heir of His Body!! But there is such a Son, and it is JESUS CHRIST, Who paid the full price for His (and our) adoption into Sonship! But until we have all received that glorious adoption, let us. meanwhile, be grateful and faithful stewards of the “Mysteries of God” !!

Amen and Amen!