Faithful in the Least, Faithful in Muchby fgsantiago
16:11Luke 16:11
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Earthly money and property are God's own means lent for a little time as the smallest trust, belonging to another and not to the possessor, while the true riches are the eternal inheritance and heavenly treasure that would become one's own. How a person handles that temporal trust tests and proves fitness for eternal things, for faithfulness in what is least shows faithfulness in much. To be faithful is to acknowledge God's ownership and use His means wisely to glorify Him, advance His cause, relieve suffering and save souls, giving systematically and laying up treasure in heaven. To be unfaithful is to claim what was lent as one's own, withhold it from God, and spend it on self-exaltation, extravagance and display while loving earthly gain above heaven. If stewards prove faithful God will commit the true riches to their trust with a welcome into everlasting habitations, but if unfaithful He will never commit them to their trust and they will prove unfit for His kingdom.
Terms of the Verse
The unrighteous mammon is earthly money, property, possessions, wealth and temporal means lent and entrusted by God to people on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life. It belongs to God and to another and not to the possessor, who holds it only as God's steward set to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account of stewardship. It is the least and temporary earthly trust, in contrast to the higher eternal trust, and letting worldly business fall into confusion diverts God's means away from His cause.
It is called unrighteous mammon because it is a spiritually dangerous trust that can tempt people to act unjustly, to use God's goods for self-gratification, and to forget God. Much worldly wealth in trade, bank stock and buildings is laid up by fraudulent means, by cunning and deceit, and brings no lasting gain, while all money traded is borrowed and belongs to another, to God, not to the one handling it. Tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil, as seen in pride, impenitence, covetousness, selfish avaricious use of money, robbery and unjust dealing in the scribes and Pharisees and the Jewish nation.
The true riches are the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus, heavenly treasure, everlasting habitations, and imperishable treasure awarded as increase to the faithful steward. They include spiritual riches and, as that which would be one's own, blessed opportunities and sacred business to be conducted in heaven and blessed opportunities in business transactions. When earthly resources fail, those entrusted with them have Jesus and angels and a Friend in heaven to receive them home into the everlasting habitations of the righteous.
Probationary Test Principle
Handling temporal means tests and proves fitness for eternal things, for every person is God's steward entrusted with His means to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account of stewardship. Earthly possessions are the unrighteous mammon which God lends to people on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life, and the way each person uses what is entrusted for a time determines whether lasting riches can be trusted to them. Greater gifts bring greater accountability, and selfishness unfits for heaven and for the future life, while reflecting Christ's self-sacrificing life brings into harmony with heaven. Selfish grasping of riches and selfish use of them proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies from higher trusts from God, so that those in peril of being put out of their stewardship yet working only to save themselves from utter financial ruin do not realize their danger, though seeing it would make them change the order of things. If stewards prove unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs God will never commit to their trust the true riches, which are the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus, and the work of God cannot advance as it should until followers of Christ realize this duty.
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, so unfaithfulness with mammon disqualifies from higher spiritual trust. Faithfulness is measured not by how much is entrusted but by whether people recognize their responsibilities and perform their duties, for money and other earthly possessions are lent in trust to test the heart. Faithfulness in small material things, ordinary business, little things, and present duties shows faithfulness in larger matters and in religious life, because business conduct and daily conduct reveal spiritual character and its record before God, and integrity toward other people reflects integrity toward God. Those who perform even small responsibilities cheerfully and well can be trusted with greater responsibilities and, as wise stewards, with the true riches — the gift of everlasting life — while those who disregard God's claims in their work cannot be entrusted with those riches. Lawful pursuits are safe when free from selfish ambition, deceit, and envy, and this requires faithful, just dealing in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers, revealing kindness, sympathy, and goodness without sharp, abrupt rebukes and without making wrong impressions, as instruction for everyone to read, believe, and obey.
Faithfulness with earthly wealth prepares and qualifies for higher service and higher trusts from God, for careful, diligent stewardship of what belongs to God and is only entrusted shows whether worthiness to receive eternal riches exists. Treating possessions as God's gifts and showing compassion, sympathy, and love reflects His character and prepares for the true riches, while using possessions to exalt self above others proves unfitness for God's kingdom. Money and temporal blessings belong to God during probation and are to be used wisely for His work and the saving of souls and to advance His interests rather than wasted on selfish ends, extravagance, display, or for selfish or extravagant ends. Selfish, grasping, unjust, or unfaithful use proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies from receiving the heavenly possession and true riches and from heaven's greater responsibilities and eternal trusts, whereas faithfulness in this probationary life prepares the steward to receive the heavenly possession as his own and to be entrusted with greater responsibilities and true riches, including the heavenly gift Christ purchased.
Unrighteous mammon is what is another man's, and the true riches are what would be one's own, so wisdom in using what belongs to another decides whether what is one's own will be given. All money traded is borrowed and belongs to another, to God, not to the one handling it, including worldly wealth in trade, bank stock and buildings, much of which is laid up by fraudulent means, by cunning and deceit. To be faithful in it is to obtain it in strictest honesty and invest it as God's means to represent God's character, His love and His tender mercy for all His works, and in everyday work this is faithful, just dealing without wrong impressions. Unfaithfulness with what is another man's forfeits what would be one's own, and greedy, grasping moneymaking and squandering means on palaces, expensive gardens and luxuries is unfaithfulness with what did not belong to the spender that disqualifies from receiving the true riches. Such unfaithfulness also includes false representation, prevarication, crooked schemes to get control of what God created to help the Southern field, neglect of that field, failure to make ample and full restitution, unconfessed and unrepented error, and unjust dealing that crowds workers and wrongs Christ in the person of His saints and robs God, and this test strikes to the very root exposing failure to love God supremely and neighbor as self.
Faithful and Unfaithful Use
To be faithful in unrighteous mammon is to acknowledge that it is lent by God and belongs to Him, and to make judicious and wise use of it to glorify Him, advance His cause, support the warfare against moral darkness flooding the world, and benefit fellow men. Faithfulness uses entrusted means to help those needing assistance, relieve suffering, and save souls, imparting freely instead of living for selfish interests. Such use reveals the liberality, love, tender mercy, kindness, sympathy and goodness of God, showing compassion and love as reflections of His character. Wealth is to be handled wisely on humble self-sacrificing lines with equity and judgment in the appointed work, not wasted on selfish ends, extravagance or display, and not claimed as one's own from finite impulse. Faithful handling lays up treasure in heaven, and when earthly possessions fail opens a welcome into everlasting habitations with Jesus and angels as friends to receive the steward home.
To be faithful is to give alms of what is possessed and to practice systematic generous giving, rendering to God what is His. This includes tithes, offerings and designated funds, improved by losing no opportunity to do good and so constantly laying up treasure in heaven. Riches are not to be hoarded or hidden like the man with one talent, but used to bring in a revenue for blessing suffering humanity. So stewards make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, living not for selfish interests, that when earthly resources fail they may be received into everlasting habitations. Such giving supports God's work and brings spiritual health and prosperity, drawing givers closer to Christ and to those whose salvation is sought.
To be faithful is also to manage carefully, diligently and honestly, improving what is lent and keeping worldly business in order so God's means are not diverted from His cause. It avoids waste of time and means, obtains wealth in strictest honesty, and deals faithfully and justly in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers. Distribution is to be fair, so every part of the work is supplied and the Sabbath made known in all parts of the world, instead of spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere stand waiting in distress. Manner matters as well, revealing the kindness, sympathy and goodness of Christ without sharp abrupt rebukes and without making wrong impressions.
To be unfaithful is to claim means as one's own, disown God's claims to alms, withhold from God what He lent, rob God, and hide means like the man with one talent. It uses possessions to exalt self above others and to gratify pride and ambition, treating entrusted goods as grounds for self-exaltation. It spends on selfish ends, extravagance, display, needless things, palaces, expensive gardens and luxuries, wasting what was entrusted for God's work and the saving of souls. It loves and worships earthly treasure, valuing investments promising returns in this life above treasure in heaven, and keeping means from doing good in His cause.
Unfaithfulness also includes letting worldly business fall into confusion and disorder, so that property passes out of God's cause into the hands of those who do not share the truth and into enemy hands. It neglects current work and God's claims, and with that neglects also the claims of humanity. It betrays sacred trusts and practices pride, impenitence, covetousness, selfish avarice, robbery and unjust dealing, serving mammon from selfishness and greed instead of making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom. Riches so gained bring no lasting gain, and tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil.
Witness of Other Scriptures
The saying about faithfulness in what is least and faithfulness in what is much belongs together with the saying about faithfulness with what belongs to another and receiving what would be one's own, so that unfaithfulness in small material things proves unfaithfulness in much and forfeits what would be one's own. The teaching on talents stands with it, for talents are sacred trusts given according to ability to be used faithfully for corresponding increase, with each person accountable according to the measure entrusted, and doing duty in proportion to what is entrusted brings increase. Present conduct therefore matters, present small duties and current work cheerfully done well are the test for larger work and higher responsibilities, and life is not one's own to use without regard for others or for selfish interests. Faithfulness is required in little responsibilities as well as large, betraying sacred trusts disqualifies from higher spiritual trust, and linking with wrongdoers in wrongful financial obligations bringing debt and bondage makes a steward equally guilty unless shortcomings are heartily repented. Faithfulness in handling earthly money decides whether the true riches, identified as everlasting life, will be committed in trust, and money spent on needless things is diverted from its proper use so that those unfaithful with earthly goods cannot be entrusted with eternal riches.
In the parable of the unjust steward the call is to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness by making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom on earth instead of serving mammon from selfishness and greed, so that when earthly resources fail they may receive into everlasting habitations. Christ does not commend the steward for dishonesty, and tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil, as seen in pride, impenitence, covetousness and selfish avaricious use of money among the scribes and Pharisees and the Jewish nation, whose riches gained by robbery and unjust dealing bring no lasting gain. Every person is a steward entrusted to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account, so duty in temporal things tests fitness for eternal things, which are the immortal inheritance.
The verse stands in full accord with the warning of 1 Timothy 6 that gain is not godliness and wealth is not evidence of favor with God. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish hurtful lusts drowning men in destruction and perdition, for the love of money is the root of all evil, causing men to err from the faith and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. Faithfulness requires fleeing these things and following righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness, fighting the good fight of faith and laying hold on eternal life. Those rich in this world are charged not to be highminded nor trust uncertain riches but to trust the living God, to do good, to be rich in good works, ready to distribute and willing to communicate, laying up a good foundation against the time to come to lay hold on eternal life.
Business conduct and ordinary worldly dealings reveal spiritual character, for faithfulness in ordinary business and in little things, including honesty in even small matters, shows whether a person is faithful in greater matters and in religious life. Integrity toward other people reflects integrity toward God, and those who disregard God's claims in their work cannot be entrusted with the true riches of God's kingdom. Daily conduct reveals spiritual character and its record before God, actions are weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and lawful pursuits are safe when free from selfish ambition, deceit and envy.
Duties Promises and Warnings
Stewards must manage worldly property carefully so their means can support God's cause rather than pass out of it into the hands of the enemy, for faithfulness in this earthly trust tests fitness for the immortal inheritance. This is especially the duty of the aged, the feeble, and those without children, who should settle their affairs so their resources can be used for God's work if sudden death comes. Parents who neglect the responsibility to train their children as Christians prove themselves unfaithful stewards, and no excuse for that neglect will be accepted.
Money given for God's work must be handled with unselfish integrity, with tithes and designated funds promptly placed where they belong and every amount carefully recorded for its intended purpose. To keep donations from the field for which they were given is unfaithful stewardship that disqualifies from true riches. To use such funds to meet an emergency on the assumption they can be replaced later is unfaithful work that is forbidden. False representation, prevarication, crooked schemes to control what was created to help the Southern field, neglect of that field, failure to make ample and full restitution, unconfessed error, and unjust dealing that crowds workers and wrongs Christ in His saints rob God and bring His frown upon the Review and Herald Office and bring the cause into disrepute, requiring confession, repentance and full restitution.
The requirement extends to faithful, just dealing in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers, revealing kindness, sympathy and goodness without sharp rebukes or wrong impressions, and this instruction is for everyone to read, believe and obey. Time and strength belong to God and should be used diligently for His cause rather than spent chiefly to accumulate land and buildings or merely to enlarge personal property, with reward hereafter for faithful service. Stewards must be faithful in little as well as large responsibilities, refusing to betray sacred trusts or link with wrongdoers, which would make them equally guilty, and refusing wrongful financial obligations that would bring debt and bondage upon God's work, while one unfaithful in stewardship must heartily repent of shortcomings or never see the kingdom of God.
If stewards prove faithful in the unrighteous mammon by judicious use of what is lent, acknowledging God's ownership, giving alms, advancing His cause, supporting the warfare against moral darkness and benefiting fellow men, God will commit to their trust the true riches, the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus. Faithfulness lays up treasure in heaven, and when earthly possessions fail Jesus and angels will be friends to receive the faithful home to everlasting habitations, with a welcome into the everlasting home of the righteous and worthiness to walk with Him in white. Systematic generous giving supports God's work and brings spiritual health and prosperity, drawing givers closer to Christ and to those whose salvation is sought. If stewards prove unfaithful by withholding from God what He lent, claiming means as their own, disowning His claims and robbing Him like the man with one talent, God will never commit the true riches to them, and they make an entire failure, gaining no treasure in heaven and losing earthly treasure also, proving unfit for the kingdom with each case soon decided.
The test strikes to the very root, exposing failure to love God supremely and neighbor as self. Those in financial embarrassment set to work to save themselves from utter ruin yet do not realize their peril of being put out of stewardship, though seeing it would make them change the order of things. God permits misfortune and adversity to come to some in order to test those placed in more favorable circumstances whether they will use means unselfishly to help those needing assistance and return to God what is His rather than using gifts solely for self. One who has shown neither ability nor interest in securing earthly goods nor interest in heavenly treasure must completely reform or God will not entrust true riches.
Earthly money and property are God's own means lent for a little time as the smallest trust, belonging to another and not to the possessor, while the true riches are the eternal inheritance and heavenly treasure that would become one's own. How a person handles that temporal trust tests and proves fitness for eternal things, for faithfulness in what is least shows faithfulness in much. To be faithful is to acknowledge God's ownership and use His means wisely to glorify Him, advance His cause, relieve suffering and save souls, giving systematically and laying up treasure in heaven. To be unfaithful is to claim what was lent as one's own, withhold it from God, and spend it on self-exaltation, extravagance and display while loving earthly gain above heaven. If stewards prove faithful God will commit the true riches to their trust with a welcome into everlasting habitations, but if unfaithful He will never commit them to their trust and they will prove unfit for His kingdom.
Terms of the Verse
The unrighteous mammon is earthly money, property, possessions, wealth and temporal means lent and entrusted by God to people on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life. It belongs to God and to another and not to the possessor, who holds it only as God's steward set to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account of stewardship. It is the least and temporary earthly trust, in contrast to the higher eternal trust, and letting worldly business fall into confusion diverts God's means away from His cause.
It is called unrighteous mammon because it is a spiritually dangerous trust that can tempt people to act unjustly, to use God's goods for self-gratification, and to forget God. Much worldly wealth in trade, bank stock and buildings is laid up by fraudulent means, by cunning and deceit, and brings no lasting gain, while all money traded is borrowed and belongs to another, to God, not to the one handling it. Tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil, as seen in pride, impenitence, covetousness, selfish avaricious use of money, robbery and unjust dealing in the scribes and Pharisees and the Jewish nation.
The true riches are the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus, heavenly treasure, everlasting habitations, and imperishable treasure awarded as increase to the faithful steward. They include spiritual riches and, as that which would be one's own, blessed opportunities and sacred business to be conducted in heaven and blessed opportunities in business transactions. When earthly resources fail, those entrusted with them have Jesus and angels and a Friend in heaven to receive them home into the everlasting habitations of the righteous.
Probationary Test Principle
Handling temporal means tests and proves fitness for eternal things, for every person is God's steward entrusted with His means to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account of stewardship. Earthly possessions are the unrighteous mammon which God lends to people on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life, and the way each person uses what is entrusted for a time determines whether lasting riches can be trusted to them. Greater gifts bring greater accountability, and selfishness unfits for heaven and for the future life, while reflecting Christ's self-sacrificing life brings into harmony with heaven. Selfish grasping of riches and selfish use of them proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies from higher trusts from God, so that those in peril of being put out of their stewardship yet working only to save themselves from utter financial ruin do not realize their danger, though seeing it would make them change the order of things. If stewards prove unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs God will never commit to their trust the true riches, which are the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus, and the work of God cannot advance as it should until followers of Christ realize this duty.
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, so unfaithfulness with mammon disqualifies from higher spiritual trust. Faithfulness is measured not by how much is entrusted but by whether people recognize their responsibilities and perform their duties, for money and other earthly possessions are lent in trust to test the heart. Faithfulness in small material things, ordinary business, little things, and present duties shows faithfulness in larger matters and in religious life, because business conduct and daily conduct reveal spiritual character and its record before God, and integrity toward other people reflects integrity toward God. Those who perform even small responsibilities cheerfully and well can be trusted with greater responsibilities and, as wise stewards, with the true riches — the gift of everlasting life — while those who disregard God's claims in their work cannot be entrusted with those riches. Lawful pursuits are safe when free from selfish ambition, deceit, and envy, and this requires faithful, just dealing in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers, revealing kindness, sympathy, and goodness without sharp, abrupt rebukes and without making wrong impressions, as instruction for everyone to read, believe, and obey.
Faithfulness with earthly wealth prepares and qualifies for higher service and higher trusts from God, for careful, diligent stewardship of what belongs to God and is only entrusted shows whether worthiness to receive eternal riches exists. Treating possessions as God's gifts and showing compassion, sympathy, and love reflects His character and prepares for the true riches, while using possessions to exalt self above others proves unfitness for God's kingdom. Money and temporal blessings belong to God during probation and are to be used wisely for His work and the saving of souls and to advance His interests rather than wasted on selfish ends, extravagance, display, or for selfish or extravagant ends. Selfish, grasping, unjust, or unfaithful use proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies from receiving the heavenly possession and true riches and from heaven's greater responsibilities and eternal trusts, whereas faithfulness in this probationary life prepares the steward to receive the heavenly possession as his own and to be entrusted with greater responsibilities and true riches, including the heavenly gift Christ purchased.
Unrighteous mammon is what is another man's, and the true riches are what would be one's own, so wisdom in using what belongs to another decides whether what is one's own will be given. All money traded is borrowed and belongs to another, to God, not to the one handling it, including worldly wealth in trade, bank stock and buildings, much of which is laid up by fraudulent means, by cunning and deceit. To be faithful in it is to obtain it in strictest honesty and invest it as God's means to represent God's character, His love and His tender mercy for all His works, and in everyday work this is faithful, just dealing without wrong impressions. Unfaithfulness with what is another man's forfeits what would be one's own, and greedy, grasping moneymaking and squandering means on palaces, expensive gardens and luxuries is unfaithfulness with what did not belong to the spender that disqualifies from receiving the true riches. Such unfaithfulness also includes false representation, prevarication, crooked schemes to get control of what God created to help the Southern field, neglect of that field, failure to make ample and full restitution, unconfessed and unrepented error, and unjust dealing that crowds workers and wrongs Christ in the person of His saints and robs God, and this test strikes to the very root exposing failure to love God supremely and neighbor as self.
Faithful and Unfaithful Use
To be faithful in unrighteous mammon is to acknowledge that it is lent by God and belongs to Him, and to make judicious and wise use of it to glorify Him, advance His cause, support the warfare against moral darkness flooding the world, and benefit fellow men. Faithfulness uses entrusted means to help those needing assistance, relieve suffering, and save souls, imparting freely instead of living for selfish interests. Such use reveals the liberality, love, tender mercy, kindness, sympathy and goodness of God, showing compassion and love as reflections of His character. Wealth is to be handled wisely on humble self-sacrificing lines with equity and judgment in the appointed work, not wasted on selfish ends, extravagance or display, and not claimed as one's own from finite impulse. Faithful handling lays up treasure in heaven, and when earthly possessions fail opens a welcome into everlasting habitations with Jesus and angels as friends to receive the steward home.
To be faithful is to give alms of what is possessed and to practice systematic generous giving, rendering to God what is His. This includes tithes, offerings and designated funds, improved by losing no opportunity to do good and so constantly laying up treasure in heaven. Riches are not to be hoarded or hidden like the man with one talent, but used to bring in a revenue for blessing suffering humanity. So stewards make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, living not for selfish interests, that when earthly resources fail they may be received into everlasting habitations. Such giving supports God's work and brings spiritual health and prosperity, drawing givers closer to Christ and to those whose salvation is sought.
To be faithful is also to manage carefully, diligently and honestly, improving what is lent and keeping worldly business in order so God's means are not diverted from His cause. It avoids waste of time and means, obtains wealth in strictest honesty, and deals faithfully and justly in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers. Distribution is to be fair, so every part of the work is supplied and the Sabbath made known in all parts of the world, instead of spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere stand waiting in distress. Manner matters as well, revealing the kindness, sympathy and goodness of Christ without sharp abrupt rebukes and without making wrong impressions.
To be unfaithful is to claim means as one's own, disown God's claims to alms, withhold from God what He lent, rob God, and hide means like the man with one talent. It uses possessions to exalt self above others and to gratify pride and ambition, treating entrusted goods as grounds for self-exaltation. It spends on selfish ends, extravagance, display, needless things, palaces, expensive gardens and luxuries, wasting what was entrusted for God's work and the saving of souls. It loves and worships earthly treasure, valuing investments promising returns in this life above treasure in heaven, and keeping means from doing good in His cause.
Unfaithfulness also includes letting worldly business fall into confusion and disorder, so that property passes out of God's cause into the hands of those who do not share the truth and into enemy hands. It neglects current work and God's claims, and with that neglects also the claims of humanity. It betrays sacred trusts and practices pride, impenitence, covetousness, selfish avarice, robbery and unjust dealing, serving mammon from selfishness and greed instead of making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom. Riches so gained bring no lasting gain, and tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil.
Witness of Other Scriptures
The saying about faithfulness in what is least and faithfulness in what is much belongs together with the saying about faithfulness with what belongs to another and receiving what would be one's own, so that unfaithfulness in small material things proves unfaithfulness in much and forfeits what would be one's own. The teaching on talents stands with it, for talents are sacred trusts given according to ability to be used faithfully for corresponding increase, with each person accountable according to the measure entrusted, and doing duty in proportion to what is entrusted brings increase. Present conduct therefore matters, present small duties and current work cheerfully done well are the test for larger work and higher responsibilities, and life is not one's own to use without regard for others or for selfish interests. Faithfulness is required in little responsibilities as well as large, betraying sacred trusts disqualifies from higher spiritual trust, and linking with wrongdoers in wrongful financial obligations bringing debt and bondage makes a steward equally guilty unless shortcomings are heartily repented. Faithfulness in handling earthly money decides whether the true riches, identified as everlasting life, will be committed in trust, and money spent on needless things is diverted from its proper use so that those unfaithful with earthly goods cannot be entrusted with eternal riches.
In the parable of the unjust steward the call is to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness by making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom on earth instead of serving mammon from selfishness and greed, so that when earthly resources fail they may receive into everlasting habitations. Christ does not commend the steward for dishonesty, and tampering with dishonest practices leads onward into greater evil, as seen in pride, impenitence, covetousness and selfish avaricious use of money among the scribes and Pharisees and the Jewish nation, whose riches gained by robbery and unjust dealing bring no lasting gain. Every person is a steward entrusted to occupy till Christ comes and to give an account, so duty in temporal things tests fitness for eternal things, which are the immortal inheritance.
The verse stands in full accord with the warning of 1 Timothy 6 that gain is not godliness and wealth is not evidence of favor with God. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish hurtful lusts drowning men in destruction and perdition, for the love of money is the root of all evil, causing men to err from the faith and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. Faithfulness requires fleeing these things and following righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness, fighting the good fight of faith and laying hold on eternal life. Those rich in this world are charged not to be highminded nor trust uncertain riches but to trust the living God, to do good, to be rich in good works, ready to distribute and willing to communicate, laying up a good foundation against the time to come to lay hold on eternal life.
Business conduct and ordinary worldly dealings reveal spiritual character, for faithfulness in ordinary business and in little things, including honesty in even small matters, shows whether a person is faithful in greater matters and in religious life. Integrity toward other people reflects integrity toward God, and those who disregard God's claims in their work cannot be entrusted with the true riches of God's kingdom. Daily conduct reveals spiritual character and its record before God, actions are weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and lawful pursuits are safe when free from selfish ambition, deceit and envy.
Duties Promises and Warnings
Stewards must manage worldly property carefully so their means can support God's cause rather than pass out of it into the hands of the enemy, for faithfulness in this earthly trust tests fitness for the immortal inheritance. This is especially the duty of the aged, the feeble, and those without children, who should settle their affairs so their resources can be used for God's work if sudden death comes. Parents who neglect the responsibility to train their children as Christians prove themselves unfaithful stewards, and no excuse for that neglect will be accepted.
Money given for God's work must be handled with unselfish integrity, with tithes and designated funds promptly placed where they belong and every amount carefully recorded for its intended purpose. To keep donations from the field for which they were given is unfaithful stewardship that disqualifies from true riches. To use such funds to meet an emergency on the assumption they can be replaced later is unfaithful work that is forbidden. False representation, prevarication, crooked schemes to control what was created to help the Southern field, neglect of that field, failure to make ample and full restitution, unconfessed error, and unjust dealing that crowds workers and wrongs Christ in His saints rob God and bring His frown upon the Review and Herald Office and bring the cause into disrepute, requiring confession, repentance and full restitution.
The requirement extends to faithful, just dealing in everyday work on land and buildings and in treatment of fellow workers, revealing kindness, sympathy and goodness without sharp rebukes or wrong impressions, and this instruction is for everyone to read, believe and obey. Time and strength belong to God and should be used diligently for His cause rather than spent chiefly to accumulate land and buildings or merely to enlarge personal property, with reward hereafter for faithful service. Stewards must be faithful in little as well as large responsibilities, refusing to betray sacred trusts or link with wrongdoers, which would make them equally guilty, and refusing wrongful financial obligations that would bring debt and bondage upon God's work, while one unfaithful in stewardship must heartily repent of shortcomings or never see the kingdom of God.
If stewards prove faithful in the unrighteous mammon by judicious use of what is lent, acknowledging God's ownership, giving alms, advancing His cause, supporting the warfare against moral darkness and benefiting fellow men, God will commit to their trust the true riches, the immortal inheritance and eternal life purchased by Jesus. Faithfulness lays up treasure in heaven, and when earthly possessions fail Jesus and angels will be friends to receive the faithful home to everlasting habitations, with a welcome into the everlasting home of the righteous and worthiness to walk with Him in white. Systematic generous giving supports God's work and brings spiritual health and prosperity, drawing givers closer to Christ and to those whose salvation is sought. If stewards prove unfaithful by withholding from God what He lent, claiming means as their own, disowning His claims and robbing Him like the man with one talent, God will never commit the true riches to them, and they make an entire failure, gaining no treasure in heaven and losing earthly treasure also, proving unfit for the kingdom with each case soon decided.
The test strikes to the very root, exposing failure to love God supremely and neighbor as self. Those in financial embarrassment set to work to save themselves from utter ruin yet do not realize their peril of being put out of stewardship, though seeing it would make them change the order of things. God permits misfortune and adversity to come to some in order to test those placed in more favorable circumstances whether they will use means unselfishly to help those needing assistance and return to God what is His rather than using gifts solely for self. One who has shown neither ability nor interest in securing earthly goods nor interest in heavenly treasure must completely reform or God will not entrust true riches.