What Is Scriptural Stewardship?
To discover what the Scripture says about stewardship, we start with the very first verse: “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). As the Creator, Yahuah has absolute rights of ownership over all things, and to miss starting here is like misaligning the top button on our shirt or blouse—nothing else will ever line up. Nothing else in the Scripture, including the doctrine of stewardship, will make any sense or have any true relevance if we miss the fact that Yahuah is the Creator and has full rights of ownership. It is through our ability to fully grasp this and imbed it in our hearts that the doctrine of stewardship is understood.
The Scriptural doctrine of stewardship defines a man’s relationship to Yahuah. It identifies Yahuah as owner and man as manager. Yahuah makes man His co-worker in administering all aspects of our life. The apostle Paul explains it best by saying, “For we are Yahuah’s fellow workers; you are Yahuah’s field, Yahuah’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Starting with this concept, we are then able to accurately view and correctly value not only our possessions, but, more importantly, human life itself. In essence, stewardship defines our purpose in this world as assigned to us by Yahuah Himself. It is our divinely given opportunity to join with Yahuah in His worldwide and eternal redemptive movement (Matthew 28:19-20). Stewardship is not Yahuah taking something from us; it is His method of bestowing His richest gifts upon His people.
In the New Testament, two Greek words embody the meaning of our English word “stewardship.” The first word is epitropos which means “manager, foreman, or steward.” From the standpoint of government, it means “governor or procurator.” At times it was used in the New Testament to mean “guardian,” as in Galatians 4:1-2: “What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.” The second word is oikonomos. It also means “steward, manager, or administrator” and occurs more frequently in the New Testament. Depending on the context, it is often translated “dispensation, stewardship, management, arrangement, administration, order, plan, or training.” It refers mostly to the law or management of a household or of household affairs.
Notably, in the writings of Paul, the word oikonomos is given its fullest significance in that Paul sees his responsibility for preaching the gospel as a divine trust (1 Corinthians 9:17). Paul refers to his call from Yahuah as the administration (stewardship) of the grace of Elohim for a ministry of the divine mystery revealed in Messiah (Ephesians 3:2). In this context, Paul is portraying Yahuah as the master of a great household, wisely administering it through Paul himself as the obedient servant of the Master Yahusha HaMashiach.
Also significant in what Paul is saying is that once we’re called and placed into the body of Yahusha HaMashiach, the stewardship that is required of us is not a result of our own power or abilities. The strength, inspiration and growth in the management of our lives must come from Yahuah through the Ruach HaKodesh in us; otherwise, our labor is in vain and the growth in stewardship is self-righteous, human growth. Accordingly, we must always remember the sole source of our strength in pleasing Yahuah: “I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NJKV). Paul also said, “But by the grace of Elohim I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of Elohim that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
More often than not, when we think of good stewardship, we think of how we manage our finances and our faithfulness in paying Yahuah’s tithes and offerings. But as we’re beginning to see, it’s much more than that. In fact, it’s more than just the management of our time, our possessions, our environment, or our health. Stewardship is our obedient witness to Yahuah’s sovereignty. It’s what motivates the follower of Messiah to move into action, doing deeds that manifest his belief in Him. Paul’s stewardship involved proclaiming that which was entrusted to him—the gospel truth.
Stewardship defines our practical obedience in the administration of everything under our control, everything entrusted to us. It is the consecration of one’s self and possessions to Yahuah’s service. Stewardship acknowledges in practice that we do not have the right of control over ourselves or our property—Yahuah has that control. It means as stewards of Yahuah we are managers of that which belongs to Yahuah, and we are under His constant authority as we administer His affairs. Faithful stewardship means that we fully acknowledge we are not our own but belong to Messiah, the Master, who gave Himself for us.
The ultimate question, then, is this: Am I the master of my life, or is Messiah Yahusha of my life? In essence, stewardship expresses our total obedience to Yahuah and our Master and Savior, Yahusha HaMashiach.
Managing Yahuah’s Gifts To Us
https://www.gotquestions.org/biblical-stewardship.html
