Godly Living with Contentment for Every Christian: We Are Now Becoming What We Are Going to Be.

By Malcolm J. Borden

Discover how the Holy Spirit's vital and unique role in God's design for the New Testament Church impacts the stewardship of our life. Whether our material resources, talents and abilities, or time, the Christian needs to depend totally upon the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit for direction and enablement.

Is tithing as practiced in the Old Testament the norm for Christian giving today? Discover Gods New Testament principles, precepts, and directions as they related to the Christians stewardship responsibilities, and how they are distinct from Gods plan for Israel.

Learn how a consistently literal approach to Scripture helps us clearly define biblical stewardship and identify our distinct stewardship obligations during this Church age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512741209

Malcolm J. Borden

Mal Borden graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.). With deep commitment to the ministry of the local church, he has served as a pastor (10 years), in numerous interim pastorates (17 years) and a teaching elder (20 years). He also served Philadelphia College of Bible as Dean of Students, associate professor and administrator (5 years); Southern Regional Director of American Missionary Fellowship (18 years); associate professor in Moody Bible Institute’s Extension Studies program (3 years).

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Copyright © 2016 Malcolm J. Borden.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Scripture taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-4121-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4122-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4120-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016907452

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/17/2016

CONTENTS

Chapter

1   How Stewardship Responsibilities Change over Time

This work is a complete presentation designed to enable all Christians to know and experience how members of the Body of Christ should manage what really belongs to God because this is real biblical stewardship.

2   Stewardship of the Process:

God’s design for the process of becoming

The Christian life is a process, in that our lives are constantly subject to change. God works through our circumstances so that, as we submissively respond to Him and His will, we are and become what He wants us to be for His glory.

3   Stewardship of the Scriptures (Part 1):

God’s design for handling the Scriptures

This work is based on biblical content, utilizing a literal, grammatical, and historical approach to interpretation. It seeks to provide accurate biblical definitions of key concepts as well as identify biblical precepts and principles concerning the Christian’s stewardship of life.

4   Stewardship of the Scriptures (Part 2):

God’s foundational Stewardship principles

There are seven foundational stewardship principles that define God’s ownership of everything as the basis of our stewardship and describe the nature of our responsibility to Him as faithful and contented stewards of the material resources, talents and abilities, and time that He has entrusted to us.

5   Stewardship of Material Resources:

How to disburse what belongs to God

(Part 1: 1 Timothy 6:1–19)

Contentment is an attitude of mind and heart that has learned to be satisfied with God’s provision as sufficient, based on trusting God and His promises. Godly Christians who are responsible for material resources beyond the basic essentials must choose how they will exercise trustworthy stewardship of their discretionary wealth.

6   Stewardship of Material Resources:

How to disburse what belongs to God (Part 2: 2 Corinthians 8:1—9:15; 1 Corinthians 16:1–4)

If we are going to know and do the will of God we must first give ourselves to God. God has granted every believer the privilege and responsibility of giving whether wealthy or poor. It is our trust in God that enables us to give when the Spirit directs in keeping with what God has already provided.

7   Stewardship of Talents and Abilities:

How to live as those who belong to God (Part 1: Aquila and Priscilla)

God uses our vocation to provide our essential material needs as well as to provide discretionary wealth. The manner in which we fulfill our vocational responsibilities should reflect the character of Christ and display the fruit of the Spirit in every dimension of our activity and attitude—including our willingness to genuinely distinguish between needs and wants in order to minister to others.

8   Stewardship of Talents and Abilities:

How to live as those who belong to God (Part 2: The Christian’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit)

Our stewardship of talents and abilities should center around our relationship with, our submission to, and our worship of God the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence within us for the purpose of accomplishing the will of God in us, and through us for His glory.

9   Stewardship of Time:

How to invest the time given to us by God

Our responsibility is to manage twenty-four hours of God’s time each day with wisdom that enables us to redeem the time in keeping with His will for us.

10   Stewardship of Life:

A perfect game plan for our journey

Everything we need for life and godliness comes through knowledge of Christ attained by faith in His Word. The believer’s life can be wholly transformed by a full knowledge of God’s Word as the means of experiencing a deep, personal relationship with Him.

Appendix A   Tithing

Appendix B   Quote from Warren and David Wiersbe with Scriptural Support

Appendix C   Suggested Reading

EXPRESSION OF THANKS

Because of an overwhelming debt of gratitude, I am compelled to express abundant thanksgiving to God and a special group of His people who, in the course of exercising their obedient life commitment to His will, so meaningfully impacted my thinking and life purpose regarding the strategic value of developing the vital skills essential to understanding, interpreting, applying, and teaching His Word. My commitment to develop the required skills was ignited when I was introduced to dispensational premillennialism and pneumatology (the study of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit) as a Master of Theology student in Dallas Theological Seminary and has continued for six decades in various venues of teaching and preaching.

Though it would be impossible to individually thank all the people represented in the extended time period and multiple geographic locations, they have played important roles in the writing of this book, though the majority were unaware of their involvement at the time. But it is only appropriate to mention some for whom I am deeply indebted. While at Dallas Seminary, I was privileged to sit under the teaching Dr. John Walvoord, Dr. Dwight Pentecost and numerous other competent professors. But the one who has continued to have the greatest influence in my Biblical and doctrinal development is Dr. Charles Ryrie, perhaps because he has written so much so well, including more than 50 books and editing the Ryrie Study Bible that includes more than 10,000 notes written by him. Some have described him as the having the gift of simplicity, possessing the rare gift of being able to express complex biblical truth clearly, concisely, and correctly. Finally, because of his work aimed at stabilizing the field of dispensational theology, he has become recognized as an irenic dispensationalist.

My related doctrinal and theological convictions, commitments and desires have been reinforced and strengthened over the years by working and ministering alongside colleagues, mentors, administrators, scholars, teachers, pastors, etc. in the environs of Bible Colleges (particularly Philadelphia College of Bible), local churches and mission organizations, such as Dr. Clarence Mason, Dr. John Cawood, Dr. Paul Enns, Dr. Richard Williams, Dr. Mal Couch, and Dr. Eugene Williams, just to mention a few.

Finally, the conception of this book, including its purpose, design, the determination of important biblical truth and related doctrines to be included, and the realistic need for such teaching resulted from my preparation for, delivery of, and response to a number of preaching series and Bible teaching courses undertaken nearly twenty years ago. During the next few years additional research, study, writing, and the organization of material followed the decision as time and schedule permitted. But heavy ministry responsibilities and demanding projects, in addition to dealing with the typical family health and aging matters necessitated that the actual writing of the book be put aside at least on a temporary basis. Then some months after caring for my wife during her two year struggle with terminal illness that ended our fifty-eight year marriage, the completing of the book appeared to be returning to the realm of possibility. But God graciously allowed me to encounter a serious medical incident that caused the end of my independent living and transportation, and resulted in my need to relocate in another state with living quarters near my family. In the end, the incident and subsequent changes in life style have brought about two expressions of God’s amazing grace and mercy. First, my mind, speech, and intellectual abilities were not damaged and are functioning as crisply, clearly, and effectively as ever. Second, with the required new geographic location God has provided an ideal team member whose complementary credentials, skills, gifts, and abilities so compatibly fill essential needs for properly writing this book that without his work, the completion of the project would not have been possible. In fact, little did I realize how much I needed his expert involvement, but as I identify the multiple roles he has played so effectively for nearly a year, you will understand why he deserves special thanks for being available to God and desirous of undertaking these tasks. Let me tell you about him.

He is Dr. Tom Cragoe, whose credentials include a Th.M (‘83) and a Th.D (‘87) from Dallas Theological Seminary; twelve years in the pastorate (‘84–’95); Associate Professor in the Theology Department of Moody Bible Institute (‘95–2001); Associate Professor of Bible at Cedarville University (2001–’07); Professor of Bible & Theology at Summit University (‘07–2015).

Our total Biblical, doctrinal and writing compatibility has created a natural climate for him to effectively consult, advise, suggest and make improvements in the style and flow of material as he applied his excellent literary and editing skills. Add computer ability (compensating for my computer illiteracy) to an indispensable list with the capability of formatting, footnoting, and preparing an excellent final manuscript. Among other positive benefits, include a new, deep and faithful friend and a persistent encourager, and we have a finished book that Dr. Cragoe and I trust and pray that God will be pleased to use in the experience of Christians willing to pursue godly living with contentment and a trustworthy stewardship of life.

CHAPTER 1

How Stewardship Responsibilities Change over Time

It is helpful to begin our discussion of stewardship by reflecting on the stark difference in the stewardship responsibilities designed by God for Israel and for the church in the New Testament. The nation of Israel (the physical descendants of Abraham) lived under the Mosaic Covenant (the Old Testament Law). That Old Testament Law guaranteed complete and absolute prosperity and protection over every nation of the world as long as Israel would diligently obey the Lord their God and be careful to do all His commandments (Deut. 28:1–14). In contrast, God promises the church to meet our basic needs and provide strength and sufficient grace through the permanently indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to endure suffering, persecution, opposition, and even martyrdom. Furthermore, the church is guaranteed a glorious deliverance from God’s future Tribulation judgment …when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven…and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16–17). As one prominent dispensational theologian writes, Pretribulationism sees the Rapture as the next event on God’s program."¹

A steward is a person who receives delegated responsibility to manage something which belongs to his master. By virtue of His position as Creator, all creation is under God’s authority (He is Lord over it, Ps. 24:1; Col. 1:16). As His subjects, God has appointed us as stewards of all He has created—whether material resources, talents and abilities, or time (Gen. 1:26–30). We are to carefully manage that which belongs to God (1 Cor. 4:2).

Rather than giving us all His instructions at one point in time, God chose to reveal the Bible in successive stages. In the progress of revelation, distinct stages (or stewardship arrangements) in the outworking of God’s sovereign plan have become evident. Each distinct household arrangement is marked by God communicating specific responsibilities to humanity (stewardship obligations) by means of special revelation. For example, prior to the Fall, we find that Adam was created both innocent and with a positive holiness which enabled him to have face-to-face communication with God (Genesis 1:28—3:6). His main responsibilities were to be fruitful and multiply, to maintain the garden, and to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 1:28; 2:15–17). When Adam and Eve consciously disobeyed the revealed will of God, a change in stewardship arrangement occurred (Genesis 4:1—8:14). While humanity was still to multiply, that process would be accompanied by pain (Gen. 3:15). While humanity was still to exercise dominion over the earth, that task would be more difficult because the ground was cursed (Gen. 3:17–18). Because of Adam’s sin, human nature was now corrupt (Eph. 2:3) and the race was subject to physical death (Rom. 5:12). Separation from God could only be removed by faith in the coming of a promised Deliverer (Gen. 3:15), demonstrated by bringing an acceptable blood sacrifice as God had taught them to do (Gen. 4:4).

Another clear illustration of distinct ways in which God ordered His household in identifiable stages is humanity’s stewardship of food. In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ate fruit, grain, and vegetables (Gen. 2:15–16). Immediately following the flood, Noah was permitted to not only eat those kinds of food, but now was also permitted to eat meat, as long as it was not eaten with blood (Gen. 9:3). Under the Mosaic Law, God gave Israel specific instructions concerning unclean meat that was not to be eaten. For example, animals without cloven hoofs or which did not chew the cud were unclean (Lev. 11:3–8), as were sea creatures without scales or fins (Lev. 11:9–12) and birds of prey (Lev. 11:13–19). One indication that the church is distinct from Israel is the removal of these dietary regulations (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:14–15). Hence, during this dispensation, the church is no longer accountable as stewards of their food in the same manner that Israel was under the Mosaic Law.

In the progress of revelation, another distinct stewardship arrangement (or dispensation) is the Mosaic Law that extended until Pentecost (Acts 2:1). In this particular household arrangement, God as Master dealt specifically with the nation of Israel through the Mosaic Law. A Jewish person was saved by belief in the coming Deliverer (the Messiah, 1 Pet. 1:10–11). That saving faith was then demonstrated by obeying the Law—613 commandments covering all phases of life. It revealed in specific detail God’s will in that economy (stewardship responsibilities).

The next stage in God’s plan was the stewardship arrangement established at Pentecost and continuing to the Rapture, commonly identified as the church age. The New Testament is quite clear that the church did not exist in the Old Testament. It was a mystery (Eph. 3:1–12). It was a new creation (Eph. 2:15), formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13) and uniquely indwelled by the Spirit (John 14:16–17). During this dispensation, a person is saved by faith in Jesus Christ—the promised Deliverer (1 Cor. 15:1–11). When it comes to sanctification, the church is no longer under the Mosaic Law (Rom. 10:4). Rather, the church is under the law of Christ, experiences privileges that are unique to this age, and discharges stewardship responsibilities that are in keeping with God’s plan for this particular era.

Is another book on stewardship necessary? This is a reasonable question since during the last six decades a number of books