Faithful in the Least, Faithful in Muchby fgsantiago
16:12Luke 16:12
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
That which is another man's is all earthly property, money and means now in human hands, which belongs to God and is held only as a lent stewardship on probation to prove worthiness of eternal life. That which is your own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance Jesus purchased, even eternal life and treasure in heaven and a place in the kingdom of God. This life is a trial in which faithfulness with what belongs to another decides whether God will commit what is truly one's own, so those unfaithful in temporal affairs will never be given eternal life. Faithfulness is freely imparting what is lent to advance God's cause and benefit fellow men, using riches to bless suffering humanity and save souls. The unfaithful who selfishly grasp, hoard and waste the Lord's goods on extravagance and display lose both the increase awarded the faithful and the entrusted principal itself, laying up no treasure in heaven and losing earthly treasure also.
Another Man's and Your Own
That which is another man's is all earthly property, money and means now in human hands, for it belongs to God and is only lent to men placed here on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life. What is now held is not one's own but another's property put into the hands as stewards to carry out His specified will, and God tests by trusting with earthly means and temporal affairs. Faithfulness with that lent trust, especially by not robbing the Lord of His portion and by refusing to live for selfish interests, decides whether true riches will be committed in trust. Using the Lord's goods to lift self above fellows is unfaithfulness that proves unworthy of the kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day.
The trust embraces more than money, including physical, mental and spiritual gifts, talents, time and strength, all belonging to God and lent to develop a character like His. Because they are not their own their use must follow Christ's law, tested as to whether they will be used unselfishly and faithfully, with eternal destiny bearing upon it. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities with corresponding returns expected, to be used and doubled rather than wasted, and time and strength are to be used diligently for His cause rather than spent on accumulating land and buildings. The parental charge to educate and train children as Christians is part of the same stewardship, calling for patient, lifelong, diligent effort for which God accepts no excuse.
That which is your own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance and redemption Jesus purchased, even eternal life, incorruptible treasure in heaven, and a place in the kingdom of God and the everlasting habitations of the righteous. It is the heavenly inheritance Christ purchased, including glory, honor and immortality, committed in trust to those proved good and faithful stewards who gain His approbation. Only those faithful to impart freely of what is lent to advance His cause and benefit fellow men will be entrusted with that immortal inheritance, manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with the character of God.
To those proved faithful will be given their own opportunities and blessings in business transactions, and sacred business to conduct in the world above. Heaven is not an inactive life, and faithful stewards in this probationary life will be entrusted with much in active life and work.
Probation Decides Eternity
This life is a trial in which what is now held is not one's own but another's property placed in the hands as stewards on probation to prove whether worthy of eternal life. That which is another man's is earthly possessions, money and temporal means belonging to God and only lent in trust, while that which is one's own is the true riches and everlasting habitations, the immortal inheritance and redemption purchased by Christ, including glory, honor and immortality. God tests by trusting with earthly means, and only those who prove good and faithful stewards by imparting freely of what is lent to advance His cause and benefit fellow men gain His approbation and will be entrusted with the immortal inheritance. Those proved unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs will never be given eternal life, for they cannot be trusted with eternal riches and eternal trusts. All possess resources on trust, and faithful use of them shows fitness to receive the heavenly inheritance.
God tests through small present duties, for one faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and one unjust or unfaithful in the least is unjust also in much. Being faithful in the unrighteous mammon proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches, with greater responsibilities and eternal riches, while unfitness with even small earthly interests disqualifies for eternal interests. Temporal means including money must be managed honestly, justly and faithfully even in small matters, by refusing to live for selfish interests and using mammon unselfishly for God's kingdom, for dishonesty is not approved. Talents given are sacred trusts to be used and not wasted, and those who perform small duties willingly, readily and well are entrusted with greater responsibilities, with increase leading to the gift of everlasting life. Giving money to religious causes does not make it acceptable if obtained unjustly by cunning, deceit or unjust dealing or managed unfaithfully.
Stewards must render an account, for God takes notice of unfaithful stewards and will call them to account and make settlement with each one for the use of His goods. Earthly money and possessions lent in trust to develop a character like His are on trial to see whether worthy of eternal riches and a place in the kingdom of God, and present faithfulness or unfaithfulness determines fitness for eternal riches and brings accountability in the day of God. Using the Lord's goods to lift self above fellows is unfaithfulness that proves unworthy of the kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day. Faithfulness means conducting worldly business in an orderly, exact, square and straight way and not leaving it loose and in confusion, making wise plans so entrusted means can support God's cause rather than be lost, diverted to its enemies, or allowed to slip into the enemy's ranks where it strengthens Satan's kingdom. It is the special privilege and duty of the aged, the feeble and those without children to settle affairs before death so means remains for God's cause instead of falling to children with no interest in the truth or to those outside the ranks of Sabbath-keepers.
Faithfulness in handling what belongs to another must be even greater than in managing one's own affairs, shown by strict economy, diligence, careful thought, thoroughness and prompt dispatch, avoiding waste of time and means and increasing invested capital, for unfaithfulness limits the resources of the cause so important work is neglected. Faithfulness means using riches to bring revenue for blessing suffering humanity instead of hoarding them or continually seeking to add to wealth for popularity and self-estimation, thereby revealing God's liberality, and riches do no good unless benevolence, kindness and love are acted out. No one can serve God and mammon, so unfaithfulness in temporal affairs forfeits eternal life. Selfishness shown in the use of entrusted possessions unfits for heaven, while regarding treasures as God's gifts and manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with God's character, reflecting Christ's self-sacrificing life, prepares to live in harmony with heaven and become channels for His generous, loving sentiments to flow to humanity.
Faithful Stewardship Described
Faithfulness is freely imparting what is lent to advance the cause and benefit fellow men, for earthly means are not one's own but belong to God and are entrusted on probation to prove worthiness of eternal life. The faithful steward regards treasures as God's gifts and becomes a channel for His generous sentiments, manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with His character. Wealth so used brings revenue for blessing suffering humanity and saving souls, laying up treasure in heaven and preparing for greater responsibilities and eternal riches. In this way the steward reveals God's liberality, love and tender mercy, gains His approbation, and proves good and faithful, while selfish or extravagant use proves unfaithful and unfit for the kingdom.
Faithfulness includes keeping worldly business square, exact, straight and orderly by faithful, judicious management and wise planning, so that entrusted means can support the cause rather than be lost or diverted to its enemies. It must not be left loose and in confusion, nor suffered to slip into the enemy's ranks to strengthen his kingdom, nor fall to children with no interest in the truth, for God takes notice and calls every steward to account. It is the special privilege and duty of the aged, the feeble and those without children to settle affairs before death and place means where it can be used in the cause if they should be suddenly taken away.
In God's work faithfulness must be even greater than with one's own affairs, because property, capital, time and means belong to the Lord. It is shown by strict economy, diligence, careful thought, thoroughness and prompt dispatch, avoiding waste of time and means and increasing entrusted capital rather than letting it decrease through lack of diligence. Time and strength belong to God and are to be used diligently for His cause rather than spent on accumulating land and buildings, and those who so use them will receive their reward hereafter. Such fidelity sets an example that excites diligence in others, brings earth nearer heaven, bears precious fruit for both worlds, and determines fitness to be entrusted with eternal riches, while unfaithfulness limits resources so important work is neglected and brings accountability in the day of God.
Faithfulness is doing small present duties willingly, readily and cheerfully rather than dreaming of some great future work, for God tests ability by what is now before a person and commits no larger work until that is performed well. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities with corresponding returns expected, to be used and not wasted. Whoever does duty according to responsibility will have the amount doubled and increased, be it large or small, and such fidelity qualifies for the true riches, even everlasting life, while neglect with dissatisfaction and murmuring receives no more trust.
Faithfulness is obtaining traded money in strictest honesty and investing it as God's means to represent His character, His love and tender mercy for all His works. It refuses to live for selfish interests and instead makes unrighteous mammon serve God's kingdom unselfishly, for one faithful in the least is faithful also in much and one unjust in the least is unjust also in much. It does not lay up wealth by fraudulent means, cunning and deceit, nor squander it in selfish grasping on palaces, expensive gardens, luxuries and grasping trade for self alone, a warning to open the eyes of the greedy moneymaker. It does not rob the Lord of His portion, especially tithes and offerings, for withholding what is His makes one an unfaithful steward with no ground to expect entrustment with heavenly things or blessing, and giving money unjustly obtained or unfaithfully managed does not make it acceptable even when given to religious causes.
Faithfulness in church finance is promptly placing money entrusted for a stated purpose where it belongs, carefully recording it, tracking it wisely for its intended use, and never diverting it to meet another need on the assumption it will be replaced later. Money belonging to the cause must not be spent for personal gratification nor treated as one's own. Unfitness with even small earthly interests disqualifies for eternal interests.
Faithfulness applied to the work in Washington, including work done on the land and on the buildings, is doing it in God's way as a true representation of Jesus Christ in kindness, sympathy and goodness. Mistakes are to be cured without sharp, abrupt rebukes and no wrong impressions made on the minds of the workers, for faithfulness in unrighteous mammon and in that which is least proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches and with much. This instruction is for everyone to read and believe and obey.
Faithfulness is using money, goods and all means with equity and judgment so the holy Sabbath may be known in all parts of the world, sharing blessings with fellow workers instead of spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere stand and wait in distress. Consecrated offerings for the Southern field were to be sent to that field, for that revenue belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and stewards in positions of trust at the heart of the work were stewards of it. False representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, improvident handling, claiming as one's own what God entrusted, crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall, and acting an independent, selfish part instead of sharing blessings, is unfaithfulness in another man's goods that strikes to the very root, fails to love God supremely and neighbor as self, brings God's frown, brings the cause into disrepute, and leaves reproach unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once. Those who lack wisdom to do God's appointed work in God's way will not be given that which is their own, the true riches in heaven, because they would act an independent part in heaven as they have acted on earth.
Unfaithfulness and Its Loss
Unfaithfulness is selfishly grasping and hoarding what belongs to God and wasting it on extravagance and display instead of advancing His interests and blessing others. Earthly money and possessions are not one's own but another's, lent in trust to prove worthiness of the eternal riches and a place in the kingdom of God. To squander that trust on palaces, expensive gardens, luxuries, and grasping trade for self alone, obtained at times by fraudulent means, cunning and deceit, is to fail the test and disqualify oneself from receiving what would truly be one's own. To use the Lord's goods to lift self above fellow men and exalt self is unfaithfulness that shows unfitness for God's kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day. When money is used wisely to help others and serve the good it is a blessing and reveals compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with God's character, but when used for pride, ambition and imagined wants it becomes a snare and rules like an idol.
Unfaithfulness is laying up wealth by robbery and unjust dealing while serving mammon with avarice, pride and covetousness instead of making mammon serve God's kingdom. Such riches obtained by cunning, deceit and unjust management bring no lasting gain and must be repented of by a change of course. Even small earthly interests must be handled justly and faithfully, for unfitness in little disqualifies for eternal trusts. Giving money so obtained to religious causes does not make it acceptable when it was obtained unjustly or managed unfaithfully.
Unfaithfulness is leaving worldly business loose and in confusion instead of keeping it square, exact, orderly and wisely planned so means supports God's cause. It is suffering Satan and his angels to have more to do with managing property than the Lord has, almost willingly letting the Lord's money slip into the enemy's ranks where it strengthens Satan's kingdom, or letting it fall to children with no interest in the truth. God takes notice of such stewards and will call each one to settlement and account for the use of His goods. It is also acting an independent selfish part, claiming as one's own what God entrusted, spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere wait in distress, and refusing to share blessings with fellow workers to make the Sabbath known everywhere; those who so act on earth would repeat the same independent course in heaven and will not be given the true riches.
A pointed unfaithfulness was withholding the revenue God desired for opening the Southern field by false representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, and crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall. That revenue belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and consecrated offerings donated for the Southern field should have been sent there, so diverting or mishandling them was the untrustworthiness of unfaithful servants. Such unjust, unholy actions strike to the very root of failing to love God supremely and neighbor as self, bring the frown of God upon the Review and Herald Office, bring the cause into disrepute, and keep the backslider from obeying God's holy law. The reproach remains unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once, or the same course will surely be repeated.
The unfaithful steward who fails to render to God what He lent and to improve every opportunity to do good robs Him and makes an entire failure. Like the man with one talent who hid it, such a steward loses not only the increase awarded the faithful but also the principal given to work upon. By robbing God he lays up no treasure in heaven and loses earthly treasure also, left with no habitation on earth and no Friend in heaven to receive him into the everlasting habitations of the righteous. To betray sacred trusts in small as well as large responsibilities and link with wrongdoers is unfaithfulness that makes one equally guilty with them, and without hearty repentance of shortcomings such a steward will never see the kingdom of God.
Scripture Connections Affirmed
The verse restates the rule that faithfulness with what belongs to another decides whether a person will be given what is truly his own, for what is now held is not one's own but another's property placed in the hands as stewards, and the true riches and everlasting habitations are given only to the faithful. To be faithful in that which is least proves faithfulness in much, and to be faithful in unrighteous mammon proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches, while to be unjust in the least is to be unjust also in much. A selfish grasping of riches and a selfish use of them proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies for greater trusts, for unfaithfulness in little things means unfaithfulness in larger matters. Dishonesty is not approved, but what is commended is refusing to live for selfish interests and instead using unrighteous mammon unselfishly for God's kingdom. All are on trial to prove whether worldly ambition, greed, and grasping every advantage for self alone will mark the life, and men in financial embarrassment set to work to save themselves from ruin, but those in peril of being put out of their stewardship by God often do not see their danger, though seeing it would change the whole order of things.
This same stewardship applies to all connected with the work in Washington, including work done on the land and on the buildings, which is to be done in God's way as a true representation of Jesus Christ in kindness, sympathy, and goodness, curing mistakes without sharp, abrupt rebukes and making no wrong impressions on the minds of the workers, an instruction for everyone to read and believe and obey. The parable of Luke 16:1-12 warns against supposing that gain is godliness and that wealth is evidence of favor with God. It agrees fully with the warning that 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, 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. It calls the man of God to flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. It charges them that are rich in this world not to be highminded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, to do good and be rich in good works, ready to distribute and willing to communicate, laying up a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.
The verse links stewardship to the talent parable, for earthly means are another's, God's property lent to be used for His glory and improved for good, while that which is one's own is incorruptible treasure in heaven and a place in the everlasting habitations of the righteous. God tests ability by giving small, present duties first, and will not commit any larger work until the work now before a person is seen and performed with a ready, cheerful will. Those who neglect small duties while dreaming of some great future work, or who turn from them with dissatisfaction and murmuring, remain unfaithful and receive no more trust. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities, with corresponding returns expected, and whoever does duty according to responsibility will have the amount doubled, be it large or small. Those who fail to render to God what He lent them rob Him and make an entire failure, and like the man with one talent who hid it, they lose not only the increase awarded the faithful steward but also the principal given them to work upon, so that by robbing God they lay up no treasure in heaven and lose their earthly treasure also, leaving them with no habitation on earth and no Friend in heaven to receive them. Such fidelity proves wise stewardship and qualifies a person to be intrusted with the true riches, even the gift of everlasting life.
The verse enforces that no one can serve God and mammon, for God tests men by trusting them with earthly means on probation to prove worthy of eternal life, and if they use them freely to advance His cause and benefit their fellow men they prove good and faithful stewards and gain His approbation, but if they prove unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs God will never give them eternal life, since that which is our own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance, the redemption Jesus purchased. To be unfaithful in the unrighteous mammon is to fail to love God supremely and the neighbor as self. It exposes selfishness and avarice that serves mammon instead of making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom in the earth, and dishonest practices cannot be tampered with without advancing in evil. It warns impenitence, pride and covetousness to change course because riches obtained by robbery and unjust dealing bring no lasting gain. The revenue and means God desired for opening the work in the Southern field belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and those in positions of trust at the heart of the work were stewards of it, so that false representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, and crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall were unfaithfulness in another man's goods that strikes to the very root of the matter. Such unjust, unholy actions bring the frown of God upon the Review and Herald Office, bring the cause into disrepute, keep the backslider from obeying God's holy law, and leave reproach unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once, or the same course will surely be repeated.
That which is another man's is all earthly property, money and means now in human hands, which belongs to God and is held only as a lent stewardship on probation to prove worthiness of eternal life. That which is your own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance Jesus purchased, even eternal life and treasure in heaven and a place in the kingdom of God. This life is a trial in which faithfulness with what belongs to another decides whether God will commit what is truly one's own, so those unfaithful in temporal affairs will never be given eternal life. Faithfulness is freely imparting what is lent to advance God's cause and benefit fellow men, using riches to bless suffering humanity and save souls. The unfaithful who selfishly grasp, hoard and waste the Lord's goods on extravagance and display lose both the increase awarded the faithful and the entrusted principal itself, laying up no treasure in heaven and losing earthly treasure also.
Another Man's and Your Own
That which is another man's is all earthly property, money and means now in human hands, for it belongs to God and is only lent to men placed here on probation to prove whether they are worthy of eternal life. What is now held is not one's own but another's property put into the hands as stewards to carry out His specified will, and God tests by trusting with earthly means and temporal affairs. Faithfulness with that lent trust, especially by not robbing the Lord of His portion and by refusing to live for selfish interests, decides whether true riches will be committed in trust. Using the Lord's goods to lift self above fellows is unfaithfulness that proves unworthy of the kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day.
The trust embraces more than money, including physical, mental and spiritual gifts, talents, time and strength, all belonging to God and lent to develop a character like His. Because they are not their own their use must follow Christ's law, tested as to whether they will be used unselfishly and faithfully, with eternal destiny bearing upon it. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities with corresponding returns expected, to be used and doubled rather than wasted, and time and strength are to be used diligently for His cause rather than spent on accumulating land and buildings. The parental charge to educate and train children as Christians is part of the same stewardship, calling for patient, lifelong, diligent effort for which God accepts no excuse.
That which is your own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance and redemption Jesus purchased, even eternal life, incorruptible treasure in heaven, and a place in the kingdom of God and the everlasting habitations of the righteous. It is the heavenly inheritance Christ purchased, including glory, honor and immortality, committed in trust to those proved good and faithful stewards who gain His approbation. Only those faithful to impart freely of what is lent to advance His cause and benefit fellow men will be entrusted with that immortal inheritance, manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with the character of God.
To those proved faithful will be given their own opportunities and blessings in business transactions, and sacred business to conduct in the world above. Heaven is not an inactive life, and faithful stewards in this probationary life will be entrusted with much in active life and work.
Probation Decides Eternity
This life is a trial in which what is now held is not one's own but another's property placed in the hands as stewards on probation to prove whether worthy of eternal life. That which is another man's is earthly possessions, money and temporal means belonging to God and only lent in trust, while that which is one's own is the true riches and everlasting habitations, the immortal inheritance and redemption purchased by Christ, including glory, honor and immortality. God tests by trusting with earthly means, and only those who prove good and faithful stewards by imparting freely of what is lent to advance His cause and benefit fellow men gain His approbation and will be entrusted with the immortal inheritance. Those proved unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs will never be given eternal life, for they cannot be trusted with eternal riches and eternal trusts. All possess resources on trust, and faithful use of them shows fitness to receive the heavenly inheritance.
God tests through small present duties, for one faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and one unjust or unfaithful in the least is unjust also in much. Being faithful in the unrighteous mammon proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches, with greater responsibilities and eternal riches, while unfitness with even small earthly interests disqualifies for eternal interests. Temporal means including money must be managed honestly, justly and faithfully even in small matters, by refusing to live for selfish interests and using mammon unselfishly for God's kingdom, for dishonesty is not approved. Talents given are sacred trusts to be used and not wasted, and those who perform small duties willingly, readily and well are entrusted with greater responsibilities, with increase leading to the gift of everlasting life. Giving money to religious causes does not make it acceptable if obtained unjustly by cunning, deceit or unjust dealing or managed unfaithfully.
Stewards must render an account, for God takes notice of unfaithful stewards and will call them to account and make settlement with each one for the use of His goods. Earthly money and possessions lent in trust to develop a character like His are on trial to see whether worthy of eternal riches and a place in the kingdom of God, and present faithfulness or unfaithfulness determines fitness for eternal riches and brings accountability in the day of God. Using the Lord's goods to lift self above fellows is unfaithfulness that proves unworthy of the kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day. Faithfulness means conducting worldly business in an orderly, exact, square and straight way and not leaving it loose and in confusion, making wise plans so entrusted means can support God's cause rather than be lost, diverted to its enemies, or allowed to slip into the enemy's ranks where it strengthens Satan's kingdom. It is the special privilege and duty of the aged, the feeble and those without children to settle affairs before death so means remains for God's cause instead of falling to children with no interest in the truth or to those outside the ranks of Sabbath-keepers.
Faithfulness in handling what belongs to another must be even greater than in managing one's own affairs, shown by strict economy, diligence, careful thought, thoroughness and prompt dispatch, avoiding waste of time and means and increasing invested capital, for unfaithfulness limits the resources of the cause so important work is neglected. Faithfulness means using riches to bring revenue for blessing suffering humanity instead of hoarding them or continually seeking to add to wealth for popularity and self-estimation, thereby revealing God's liberality, and riches do no good unless benevolence, kindness and love are acted out. No one can serve God and mammon, so unfaithfulness in temporal affairs forfeits eternal life. Selfishness shown in the use of entrusted possessions unfits for heaven, while regarding treasures as God's gifts and manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with God's character, reflecting Christ's self-sacrificing life, prepares to live in harmony with heaven and become channels for His generous, loving sentiments to flow to humanity.
Faithful Stewardship Described
Faithfulness is freely imparting what is lent to advance the cause and benefit fellow men, for earthly means are not one's own but belong to God and are entrusted on probation to prove worthiness of eternal life. The faithful steward regards treasures as God's gifts and becomes a channel for His generous sentiments, manifesting compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with His character. Wealth so used brings revenue for blessing suffering humanity and saving souls, laying up treasure in heaven and preparing for greater responsibilities and eternal riches. In this way the steward reveals God's liberality, love and tender mercy, gains His approbation, and proves good and faithful, while selfish or extravagant use proves unfaithful and unfit for the kingdom.
Faithfulness includes keeping worldly business square, exact, straight and orderly by faithful, judicious management and wise planning, so that entrusted means can support the cause rather than be lost or diverted to its enemies. It must not be left loose and in confusion, nor suffered to slip into the enemy's ranks to strengthen his kingdom, nor fall to children with no interest in the truth, for God takes notice and calls every steward to account. It is the special privilege and duty of the aged, the feeble and those without children to settle affairs before death and place means where it can be used in the cause if they should be suddenly taken away.
In God's work faithfulness must be even greater than with one's own affairs, because property, capital, time and means belong to the Lord. It is shown by strict economy, diligence, careful thought, thoroughness and prompt dispatch, avoiding waste of time and means and increasing entrusted capital rather than letting it decrease through lack of diligence. Time and strength belong to God and are to be used diligently for His cause rather than spent on accumulating land and buildings, and those who so use them will receive their reward hereafter. Such fidelity sets an example that excites diligence in others, brings earth nearer heaven, bears precious fruit for both worlds, and determines fitness to be entrusted with eternal riches, while unfaithfulness limits resources so important work is neglected and brings accountability in the day of God.
Faithfulness is doing small present duties willingly, readily and cheerfully rather than dreaming of some great future work, for God tests ability by what is now before a person and commits no larger work until that is performed well. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities with corresponding returns expected, to be used and not wasted. Whoever does duty according to responsibility will have the amount doubled and increased, be it large or small, and such fidelity qualifies for the true riches, even everlasting life, while neglect with dissatisfaction and murmuring receives no more trust.
Faithfulness is obtaining traded money in strictest honesty and investing it as God's means to represent His character, His love and tender mercy for all His works. It refuses to live for selfish interests and instead makes unrighteous mammon serve God's kingdom unselfishly, for one faithful in the least is faithful also in much and one unjust in the least is unjust also in much. It does not lay up wealth by fraudulent means, cunning and deceit, nor squander it in selfish grasping on palaces, expensive gardens, luxuries and grasping trade for self alone, a warning to open the eyes of the greedy moneymaker. It does not rob the Lord of His portion, especially tithes and offerings, for withholding what is His makes one an unfaithful steward with no ground to expect entrustment with heavenly things or blessing, and giving money unjustly obtained or unfaithfully managed does not make it acceptable even when given to religious causes.
Faithfulness in church finance is promptly placing money entrusted for a stated purpose where it belongs, carefully recording it, tracking it wisely for its intended use, and never diverting it to meet another need on the assumption it will be replaced later. Money belonging to the cause must not be spent for personal gratification nor treated as one's own. Unfitness with even small earthly interests disqualifies for eternal interests.
Faithfulness applied to the work in Washington, including work done on the land and on the buildings, is doing it in God's way as a true representation of Jesus Christ in kindness, sympathy and goodness. Mistakes are to be cured without sharp, abrupt rebukes and no wrong impressions made on the minds of the workers, for faithfulness in unrighteous mammon and in that which is least proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches and with much. This instruction is for everyone to read and believe and obey.
Faithfulness is using money, goods and all means with equity and judgment so the holy Sabbath may be known in all parts of the world, sharing blessings with fellow workers instead of spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere stand and wait in distress. Consecrated offerings for the Southern field were to be sent to that field, for that revenue belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and stewards in positions of trust at the heart of the work were stewards of it. False representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, improvident handling, claiming as one's own what God entrusted, crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall, and acting an independent, selfish part instead of sharing blessings, is unfaithfulness in another man's goods that strikes to the very root, fails to love God supremely and neighbor as self, brings God's frown, brings the cause into disrepute, and leaves reproach unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once. Those who lack wisdom to do God's appointed work in God's way will not be given that which is their own, the true riches in heaven, because they would act an independent part in heaven as they have acted on earth.
Unfaithfulness and Its Loss
Unfaithfulness is selfishly grasping and hoarding what belongs to God and wasting it on extravagance and display instead of advancing His interests and blessing others. Earthly money and possessions are not one's own but another's, lent in trust to prove worthiness of the eternal riches and a place in the kingdom of God. To squander that trust on palaces, expensive gardens, luxuries, and grasping trade for self alone, obtained at times by fraudulent means, cunning and deceit, is to fail the test and disqualify oneself from receiving what would truly be one's own. To use the Lord's goods to lift self above fellow men and exalt self is unfaithfulness that shows unfitness for God's kingdom and will be exposed in the great reckoning day. When money is used wisely to help others and serve the good it is a blessing and reveals compassion, sympathy and love in harmony with God's character, but when used for pride, ambition and imagined wants it becomes a snare and rules like an idol.
Unfaithfulness is laying up wealth by robbery and unjust dealing while serving mammon with avarice, pride and covetousness instead of making mammon serve God's kingdom. Such riches obtained by cunning, deceit and unjust management bring no lasting gain and must be repented of by a change of course. Even small earthly interests must be handled justly and faithfully, for unfitness in little disqualifies for eternal trusts. Giving money so obtained to religious causes does not make it acceptable when it was obtained unjustly or managed unfaithfully.
Unfaithfulness is leaving worldly business loose and in confusion instead of keeping it square, exact, orderly and wisely planned so means supports God's cause. It is suffering Satan and his angels to have more to do with managing property than the Lord has, almost willingly letting the Lord's money slip into the enemy's ranks where it strengthens Satan's kingdom, or letting it fall to children with no interest in the truth. God takes notice of such stewards and will call each one to settlement and account for the use of His goods. It is also acting an independent selfish part, claiming as one's own what God entrusted, spending profusely in one place while workers elsewhere wait in distress, and refusing to share blessings with fellow workers to make the Sabbath known everywhere; those who so act on earth would repeat the same independent course in heaven and will not be given the true riches.
A pointed unfaithfulness was withholding the revenue God desired for opening the Southern field by false representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, and crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall. That revenue belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and consecrated offerings donated for the Southern field should have been sent there, so diverting or mishandling them was the untrustworthiness of unfaithful servants. Such unjust, unholy actions strike to the very root of failing to love God supremely and neighbor as self, bring the frown of God upon the Review and Herald Office, bring the cause into disrepute, and keep the backslider from obeying God's holy law. The reproach remains unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once, or the same course will surely be repeated.
The unfaithful steward who fails to render to God what He lent and to improve every opportunity to do good robs Him and makes an entire failure. Like the man with one talent who hid it, such a steward loses not only the increase awarded the faithful but also the principal given to work upon. By robbing God he lays up no treasure in heaven and loses earthly treasure also, left with no habitation on earth and no Friend in heaven to receive him into the everlasting habitations of the righteous. To betray sacred trusts in small as well as large responsibilities and link with wrongdoers is unfaithfulness that makes one equally guilty with them, and without hearty repentance of shortcomings such a steward will never see the kingdom of God.
Scripture Connections Affirmed
The verse restates the rule that faithfulness with what belongs to another decides whether a person will be given what is truly his own, for what is now held is not one's own but another's property placed in the hands as stewards, and the true riches and everlasting habitations are given only to the faithful. To be faithful in that which is least proves faithfulness in much, and to be faithful in unrighteous mammon proves fitness to be trusted with the true riches, while to be unjust in the least is to be unjust also in much. A selfish grasping of riches and a selfish use of them proves unfaithfulness to trust and disqualifies for greater trusts, for unfaithfulness in little things means unfaithfulness in larger matters. Dishonesty is not approved, but what is commended is refusing to live for selfish interests and instead using unrighteous mammon unselfishly for God's kingdom. All are on trial to prove whether worldly ambition, greed, and grasping every advantage for self alone will mark the life, and men in financial embarrassment set to work to save themselves from ruin, but those in peril of being put out of their stewardship by God often do not see their danger, though seeing it would change the whole order of things.
This same stewardship applies to all connected with the work in Washington, including work done on the land and on the buildings, which is to be done in God's way as a true representation of Jesus Christ in kindness, sympathy, and goodness, curing mistakes without sharp, abrupt rebukes and making no wrong impressions on the minds of the workers, an instruction for everyone to read and believe and obey. The parable of Luke 16:1-12 warns against supposing that gain is godliness and that wealth is evidence of favor with God. It agrees fully with the warning that 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, 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. It calls the man of God to flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. It charges them that are rich in this world not to be highminded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, to do good and be rich in good works, ready to distribute and willing to communicate, laying up a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.
The verse links stewardship to the talent parable, for earthly means are another's, God's property lent to be used for His glory and improved for good, while that which is one's own is incorruptible treasure in heaven and a place in the everlasting habitations of the righteous. God tests ability by giving small, present duties first, and will not commit any larger work until the work now before a person is seen and performed with a ready, cheerful will. Those who neglect small duties while dreaming of some great future work, or who turn from them with dissatisfaction and murmuring, remain unfaithful and receive no more trust. Talents are sacred trusts distributed impartially according to known powers and capacities, with corresponding returns expected, and whoever does duty according to responsibility will have the amount doubled, be it large or small. Those who fail to render to God what He lent them rob Him and make an entire failure, and like the man with one talent who hid it, they lose not only the increase awarded the faithful steward but also the principal given them to work upon, so that by robbing God they lay up no treasure in heaven and lose their earthly treasure also, leaving them with no habitation on earth and no Friend in heaven to receive them. Such fidelity proves wise stewardship and qualifies a person to be intrusted with the true riches, even the gift of everlasting life.
The verse enforces that no one can serve God and mammon, for God tests men by trusting them with earthly means on probation to prove worthy of eternal life, and if they use them freely to advance His cause and benefit their fellow men they prove good and faithful stewards and gain His approbation, but if they prove unfaithful in the management of temporal affairs God will never give them eternal life, since that which is our own is the true riches, the immortal inheritance, the redemption Jesus purchased. To be unfaithful in the unrighteous mammon is to fail to love God supremely and the neighbor as self. It exposes selfishness and avarice that serves mammon instead of making mammon serve the interests of God's kingdom in the earth, and dishonest practices cannot be tampered with without advancing in evil. It warns impenitence, pride and covetousness to change course because riches obtained by robbery and unjust dealing bring no lasting gain. The revenue and means God desired for opening the work in the Southern field belonged to another — to God, to Christ in the person of His saints, and to that field — and those in positions of trust at the heart of the work were stewards of it, so that false representations, schemes to get control of it, crooked and selfish neglect, robbing God of that revenue, and crowding workers into disagreeable positions and forcing them to the wall were unfaithfulness in another man's goods that strikes to the very root of the matter. Such unjust, unholy actions bring the frown of God upon the Review and Herald Office, bring the cause into disrepute, keep the backslider from obeying God's holy law, and leave reproach unwiped out unless errors are confessed and repented of and ample, full restitution is made at once, or the same course will surely be repeated.