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I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
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If video stops, you may watch this video by a click on this link: You-tube video.
Jesus Christ preach to peoples often in parables. Preachers say that as Jesus was a great teacher, he explains everything with examples. But when the disciples asked to Jesus about it, he gave a different answer. "Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." That is, when Jesus tells a parable, common people will hear a story, and they can have their own interpretation; but there will be a mystery behind the parable that his disciples should understand. Let us study the parable of the Steward and study the story as well as the mystery.
The parable is in Luke 16:1-13. The story is about a rich man and his steward. Symbolically, we may correlate the rich man to God in the story. The steward does not seem to be a corrupt man, but he acted on his own wisdom, which is foolishness with God. The concluding statement of Jesus that "Ye cannot serve God and mammon", does not connect the steward, since mammon was not a master in the story; however, we can make mammon as a master. Then, what is the mystery of the parable? If we are faithful to God in worldly things, we will also be faithful to God in heavenly things. So, God will give us heavenly things so that we may inherit for ourselves treasures in the kingdom of God in heaven.
Let us study this with the limitations that it is a parable but not a command or doctrine. "1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods." This steward was managing the business of a rich man. "2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward." The rich man heard that the steward was managing the business very poorly, and losing money. So he fires the manager giving him notice. This is the basic information of the story. The manager did not have any option to save his job. I do not want to compare this to the final judgment, since the parable does not lead to that. "3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed." This was the predicament of the steward. It seems that the steward was not a swindler of money since he did not get rich by the job, but he was just an inefficient manager. The future life seems that he beg or do hard manual work. So, he planned how he could have a better future. "4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore." The steward did not steal money for himself, but now he gave goods away to the debtors so that they may show favor to him in the future. Please note this; when the steward did not rob goods for himself, the rich man fired him because of a rumor; but now the steward gave away his goods to others in real life with proof, and he commended him. It is strange and funny. However, let us see about the surprise response of the rich man.
"8 And the lord commended (praised) the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." A parable, as just a story, has limitations and sometimes, even it has variations. The rich man fired his steward just on a rumor of poor management of his goods; but when the steward really wasted his goods with proof, he applauded him. It is very difficult to understand the behavior of the rich man. And God says that the steward is wiser than the children of the Light. why? This parable is not to teach management techniques, but it is to reveal a mystery. Further, the rich man represents God, who owns the entire universe. So, the wealth should not be the factor here. Let us study something important about God at this point. God did not destroy Satan when he deceived Eve. God cursed Satan, despite God made Satan the god and prince of this world. References: [God: "2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, ... . Prince: John 12:31 ...: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Ephesians 2:2 ... according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:"] Further, God allows Satan to sit in worship places and to receive the worships of people. [2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.] So, the wealth and the positions in the world is not a factor, but the treasures in heaven is. God wants his people to have the same perspective. Now, what is the mystery in this parable.
Mammon means 'the things of the world' or material wealth, and it is not a living being or a spirit to control us. Rich people work to accumulate wealth and poor people work to make their living. Since it is not the will of God just to work for accumulating wealth, the wealth of the rich is known as "mammon of unrighteousness." Jesus Christ tells the rich people, to use their wealth, their unrighteous mammon, for godly cause and go to heaven rather than going to hell by keeping all of them. "9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of (with) the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Here "everlasting habitations" is at least paradise, in heaven. Let us see what is also the advise that God gives to rich people. "1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ... 17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." So, it is wise to spent our wealth in the way that God tells us to do, and thus lay up treasures in heaven, and inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
"10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Here the terminology changes. Rather than saying mammon and God, it says as the least and the much, and whether are we faithful or unjust. Mammon is the least, and it is below us, and it is under our control, unless and until we decide otherwise to serve for it. God is the much, he will be always above us, and he will be the master. Jesus Christ says that we must be faithful by nature, that is, we must be honest. We must train ourselves with the least, that is with the things of the world, then leave them and get into the much, which is the Spirit of God. This is how we proceed from being faithful in doing things of the world, to be faithful in things of God also. "Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" So, if we proved to be faithful in the things of the world, then only God will give the things of God in heaven. Let us see how it is done by a few examples.
Verses 10-12 reveals the mystery of God. We have seen two masters, one is the things of the world, and the other is God. We may use the worldly things either as a master, or as a servant. First let us see what the things of the world are. Between the body of flesh and the Spirit, body of flesh is of the world. Between the schoolmaster and Jesus Christ, schoolmaster is of the world. Between Jesus of Nazareth and the Lord Jesus Christ, the man Jesus is of the world. In these, we must train ourselves with the things of the world, to inherit heaven. The secret is that we must be faithful.
If we are for the things of the world, we are of the flesh; that is, we are not of the Spirit of God. "John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." So, if we are born again, that is, if we have received the Spirit from God, then we will know the things of the kingdom of God also, that is of heaven. At this point we have the flesh body as well as the Spirit body. Now we must be faithful to the flesh to live a healthy moral life; as an example, not to engage in violence, drugs, unnatural sins, fornication, fulfilling the lust of the flesh, and such things. If we are faithful in the flesh, God says that we will be faithful to the Spirit also. Then God will give us more measure of Spirit, we will grow in our Spirit, and we will be able to mortify the lustful deeds of the body. So, first let us be faithful to God in the flesh, and then we will be faithful in the things of God in the Spirit also, and then we will inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
"Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." So, first obey the law, that is, be sincere to the church in religion. If we are faithful in this least, God will give us faith so that we may grow in the Spirit. "24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." So, the church rituals, discipline, worship songs, and such things will teach us the basic things of God as a schoolmaster, to bring us to the faith in Jesus Christ in the Spirit. "25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Then, it is needed that we leave the schoolmaster, the religion, and grow in faith to inherit the kingdom of God. It may appear strange; but since God says it, it is valid. God says that the religious church may bring you to Jesus Christ, but it will not enter Christ. They will be satisfied to stay in ceremonies, rituals, and tithing. So, God tells the people to leave the church and to enter in Jesus Christ in the Spirit.
Since the next example is practically difficult for religious Christians to understand, let me say a few things before hand. God became man Jesus and died for the sins of the entire world, and he rose again as Christ in the Spirit, and now he is God Almighty, in omnipotent Spirit. The following verses say two things. 1) Since Jesus has died for us, we must live in his place as he lived. 2) As God, Jesus Christ is in heaven, and as omnipresent God, he is on earth, hell, and in heaven at the same time. So, we must look for him in the omnipotent Spirit, but neither in a man, nor in his legend, If we do, the bible says that we will be with another Jesus, false Christs, and antichrist. We must not know him as a man anymore, since even his disciples, who lived with him, declined to know him as a man, since he was no longer a man, but he is God in the Spirit. "2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more." So, if we follow the principle of the mystery of the parable, if we are faithful to live his life in our flesh, then we will be also faithful to live in Jesus Christ, who is omnipotent Spirit, the Almighty God. Instead, if we follow religious Christianity, we will mix up the man Jesus with the Christ in Spirit, we will not even know the difference between the man Jesus and the Almighty God Jesus Christ. So, if we do not leave the man Jesus as his disciples have done, we cannot get into the Spirit Jesus Christ. "17 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." So, if we are in his Spirit, then only we are new creature. But it is unfortunate that religious Christians call themselves as new creatures, since they have learned a few verses to quote. So, the lesson is; let us live the life of Jesus faithfully in our flesh first, and then we can and we will live faithfully with him in his Spirit. This is the abiding of the Lord Jesus Christ in us, and we in him. But religious Christians also say that Jesus is in their heart, which is fake.
"Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Here we see God and Mammon and it says that we cannot serve them both. Christians ignorantly think that both are of equal status. No! Mammon is just lifeless things of the world, it is not even a Spirit. If we work just to increase our wealth, then it is said that we work for the things of the world, and symbolically mammon becomes our master. But if we earn things for our needs, our family needs, or for godly purpose, then they serve our purpose; and in that case mammon will be our servant. Then we can be the servants of God and God will accept us. However, God will always be the Master of all, weather we like it or not, since he is the creator of the universe. But God accepting us as his servant is a privilege and it will give us rewards and inheritance in the kingdom of God in heaven. But, if we work to serve Mammon as our master, then God will reject us and will refuse to accept us as his servant. Then we will become just rejects, even if we are celebrity preachers, or even famous priests. So, the lesson is that if we work just to accumulate wealth, it is not a blessing of God, but God will dump us in the lake of fire. Instead if we make the things to serve us, and if we use them for godly cause, God will accept us as his servant, and we will receive rewards and will inherit the kingdom of God in heaven. How will we do this in our practical life? The mystery is, let us begin to be faithful to God in worldly things. Then God will give us the true Spiritual riches, with which we will earn treasures and inheritance in the kingdom of God in heaven.
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Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his
Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven.
John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
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