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In Matthew 17:24-27 and Matthew 22: 15-22, Jesus taught on the responsibility to obey authority and to pay taxes. God has put authority in place to protect and govern citizens. Jesus further had an opinion on wealth, on money and on stewardship. See Matthew 6:24- 27 and Matthew 25:14-30.
Read the article “Money and Possessions – God’s Wealth in our Hands” (p. 143) from the Africa Study Bible.
What ethical principles can you draw from the above Scriptures in Matthew and the article from your Africa Study Bible for the management of money, integrated with how Christians are to live by the law of the Spirit, and not to be governed by their flesh?
Describe any instances where you have read about, experienced or seen these biblical principles used in the wrong way and the result
NOMHLE MPOTSHA Discussion 2 Ethical Principles from scriptures in (Matthew 17:24-27, 22:15-22, 6:24-27 and 25:14-30)
In first scripture Jesus was showing obedience to authority that recognizing and respecting governmental and societal structures as part of God ‘s order and the need to pay taxes, and he did even miracle to provide the means.
Second scripture teaches the principle of rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s suggesting a balance between civic duty and spiritual faithfulness to God. This involves an ethical principle of fulfilling societal responsibilities while maintaining faith.
Third scripture warns us as Christians, of not allowing the things of these earth to own us like material needs to possess our love for God and neighbour, to God we are more valuable than the birds and wildflowers.
The last scripture illustrates stewardship, where individuals are entrusted with resources and expected to use them wisely and productively. The ethical principle here is accountability and responsibility to use of what one is given, with the reward or consequence depending on one’s diligence.
“Money and Possessions- God’s Wealth in our Hands” I can say is a perspective where wealth is seen as a divine gift to be managed ethically, agreeing with Christian values of generosity, fairness and spiritual priority over material gain. Ethical principles that can be drawn include the Stewardship by managing resources (money, possessions) as a trust from God, using them to benefit others and honour God. Spiritual focus by prioritizing spiritual growth and service over material wealth or fleshly desires.
Personal instances I have experience about, was in the church after service two leaders were responsible for counting, recording, and signing the total money. When the time of one of them go to bank for depositing. The teller discovered cash shortage of amount of R200 and that leader eventually paid the money because she realised that she did not do check-up and learning that both must do all processes of counting, recording and signing together. The money was taken by one of them for her personal needs. (Spirit of flesh: greed, selfish ambition).
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