daily devotional

Daily Devotional: All Things in Common - February 4

“…For all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” I Corinthians 3:21-22.

“All things are yours,” is a comment applicable in the union of marriage, but what does it look like in the life of the church? Is Paul arguing for some form of socialism, or the practice of the believers in the Jerusalem church? (”And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”)56

Scripture differs from socialism in that with socialism the individual relinquishes control of his assets, to be allocated by the state. Paul’s teaching deals with an attitude whereby you view all you are and have to be at the disposal of Christ and His people, but you maintain responsibility for stewarding your assets. In determining the access people have to you and yours, you must factor in two things: Is it in the best interest of the individual to give him his request? (You do not give a loaded gun to a child to play with.) Does the relinquishing of your asset fit with your biblical priorities? The good news is that God gives to you alone the task of stewarding your resources. The bad news is, you must answer to God for your decision.

Faithfulness in stewarding your assets will, in part, determine your reward in heaven. The world says that I do you a favor if I serve you. God says that you do me a favor by allowing me to serve you. “All things are yours.” If we must compete let it be in trying to out-give each other, for you gain when you help another.

56 Acts 4:32

This daily devotional is provided by the Leadership Foundation (www.leadershipfoundation.org) & Walter Hendrichsen.

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