John Stroman: Misusing our position

Ill-gotten gains do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 10:2

“The coming of the kingdom into our lives challenges us to resolve the issue of how we use power. Each of us, to some degree, exerts personal influence and power. We are tempted to use it for our advantage. This can happen in our work relationships or at home in our personal relationships. What about those “power plays” we make with our colleagues, spouses, and children? We are tempted to take advantage of others because of our position of privilege. The Bible considers it a grievous sin to take advantage of another person by misusing our position of power and influence. Jesus had more problems with the religious leaders of his day who used their power for selfish purposes than with any other group of people. In practical terms, it is a grievous sin to take advantage of the elderly because of our youth, to take advantage of the weak because of our strength, to take advantage of the poor because of our wealth, or to take advantage of a lesser employee because of our seniority or status. Do you get the picture? How great is the temptation to misuse what God has given to us for personal advantage.”

John Stroman in Pray in This Way: Sermons on the Lord’s Prayer (Protestant Pulpit Exchange; Nashville: Abingdon, 1995) excerpt from Chapter Three.

This look at gain brings into view the “ill-gotten gains” that do not profit and lead to destruction. These awful gains surface when we misuse our position and influence instead of following God’s right and righteous design when we serve in positions of authority. This abuse was common among the religious leaders in the time of Christ and persists in that group today.

Sadly, the newspapers and internet report numerous examples of ministry leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, who have misused their positions and committed sins linked to money and sex from their position of power. How can we avoid this? What can we do to prevent it? And how to we exhibit generosity toward perpetrators and victims?

Stroman offers us advice for avoiding these grievous sins. If, in God’s providence, we ascend to a position of power, we must not selfishly misuse it, but see it as an opportunity to serve others more generously. Hoarding gain in the form of power or money is a recipe for disaster. The righteous avoiding selfishness by serving everyone with humility and generosity.

When we read stories of the sins of religious leaders, the injustice angers us. Ill-gotten gains have pillaged victims. What should we do? We must remove perpatrators from power and minister to victims. We must forgive sinners as we have been forgiven. We can take solace in texts like Ezekiel 34:1-11. God will weed out selfish shepherds! Share that truth generously.

Father, the world tells us to seek power to “get ahead” of those around us. Society says to hoard the gain we make because “we earned it.” These are lies. By your Holy Spirit, help us live differently, give generously, and serve humbly. Forgive us for our selfishness. Help us model selfless service like your Son, Jesus. In Your mercy hear our prayer in His name. Amen. 

Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Titus 1:7

“Paul’s primary concern is not finding people with the best skills. His primary concern is character… Skills used for selfish ends become destructive. We see this often enough in history. The tyrants of the world do not get where they are simply through luck. They are people — great orators, charismatic personalities, and strategic thinkers. These skills combine to make them effective leaders, who achieve their aims. The problem is not their capabilities, but their characters. Their aims are selfish and bring misery to those they lead. Such extremes may be less common in the church — but it is not unusual for a gifted person to rise quickly only then to crash — and their church crashes with them.”

Tim Chester in Titus for You (Surrey: The Good Book Company, 2014) 33-34.

Often people think of dishonest gain as gain made through nefarious activities. While that’s undoubtedly part of it, as we have explored the idea of ‘gain’ in the biblical record, there’s another layer that surfaces. What we do with gain makes it either good or bad. When retained for “selfish ends” or one’s own purposes, it actually ruins the person, the gain, and adversely impacts the community of faith. When, alternatively, gain is used for God’s purposes, which are enjoyment and sharing, it enhances the character of the person, reflects God’s design for the use of gain, and blesses the community. While today’s Scripture relates to overseers in God’s house, it reflects the exemplary behavior we should all seek to exhibit.

Father in heaven help us use the skills You have given us for Your glory. Shape our character as selfless servants who earn gain in honest ways and use it with integrity. By your Holy Spirit, as we earn gain honestly, keep us from acting like dishonest robbers who keep for ourselves what belongs to You and what You have entrusted to us for the good of those around us. Mammon’s power is strong and sweeps many people away. Lest we lose our souls, help us maintain the right perspective on gain. In your mercy, hear my prayer for all of us, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” Luke 17:3

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” Matthew 18:15

“Luke’s ‘if he should repent’ gives way to ‘if he should listen to you’. Matthew often stresses hearing the word as a true learner. ‘Forgive him’ becomes the happy declaration ‘you have gained your brother’.”

Robert Horton Gundry in Matthew: A Commentary on His Handbook for a Mixed Church Under Persecution (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994) 367.

Here again the word ‘gain’ appears as a verb in the biblical narrative. This time it’s associated with a benefit of extending forgiveness. We gain a brother or sister.

The greatest act of generosity extended to all people is the gift of forgiveness of sins from Jesus Christ. Here, true learners discover that forgiveness is a gift we get to give others.

How does this relate to generosity? In the family of God, we need to forgive one another generously like Christ forgave us. When we do we ‘gain’ relationship rather than lose it. But is this optional?

Jesus tells us that if we don’t forgive others, our own forgiveness may be in jeopardy (Matthew 6:15), so we must watch ourselves and be quick to extend the generous gift of forgiveness that we have received.

True learners, don’t miss this: when we extend forgiveness we reveal the evidence that we ourselves have received forgiveness. Forgiven people forgive, and they gain as a result!

Speaking of brothers and sisters, today’s my sister’s birthday. Happy Birthday Heather! Thanks for the times you forgave me over the years when I was a difficult baby brother! I love you.

Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil — they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them. Isaiah 33:15-16

“Before people can hear the word of forgiveness, they must face the rigor of God’s law for only those who meet the law’s demands can enter the new Zion. The verbs throughout are singular: the demand is individual and, first, comprehensive: walk covers a person’s whole outward lifestyle, characteristic behavior; righteously is a plural of amplitude, righteousness in all its aspects and in all life. Secondly, there is straightforward truth in speech: right means ‘straight’. Thirdly comes finance, with particular reference to how money is gained: extortion, refusal to subordinate people to profit; bribes, refusal to subordinate truth to profit. Fourthly, there is the mind: the ears receive what other say, the eyes look where the observer directs. They are both channels of the thought-life. Plots of murder is literally ‘hearing of blood-guilt’, which is listening either to what will bring guilt before God on the hearer, or to that which tells of guilt incurred by others. For the one who is thus righteous immense privileges open up: fellowship with the Lord, i.e. dwell on the heights (of Zion); security: refuge is ‘top security’, to be set on an inaccessible height; and provision (bread and water).”

J. Alec Motyer in Isaiah (TOTC; Downers Grove: IVP, 1999) 237.

There’s a lot going on in today’s text. As it comes from the Old Testament, we must start by giving thanks that Christ fulfilled the requirements of the God’s law for us. In plain terms, we study it to learn about God’s heart and desires for His people, individually and collectively, but thankfully we do not follow it to win God’s favor as that was won for us by Christ.

Regarding gain, this text teaches us explicitly that God cares how we earn money. He despises it when we subordinate people to profit (extortion) or truth to profit (bribes). In modern times, business owners may think that if they obey government laws that they are not guilty of extortion or bribery, but notice that God has a higher standard.

Making money must never become more important than caring for the needs of workers or communicating truth. If you are an employer, do more than comply with laws, be generous to your employees and be honest in all your dealings. God sees all you do. I am talking ‘straight’ like the prophet Isaiah to remind us all that God will look us when we do rightly.

Wisdom is supreme; therefore acquire wisdom. And whatever else you obtain, gain understanding. Proverbs 4:7

“Knowledge is not simply information but what one needs to live wisely. Such knowledge is gained dialectically through conversation with others by reproof. One must give up one’s preconceived ideas and undergo discipline in order to gain wisdom.”

Richard J. Clifford in Proverbs: A Commentary (Louisville: WJKP, 1999) 129.

While “gain” is commonly used as a noun, it also appears as a verb in many occurrences in Proverbs. In this instance we see the value of wisdom and applied knowledge, also known as understanding. It’s the possession to go after!

At Family Camp at Black Rock Retreat this week people said they appreciated our Bible teaching, but most of all, they were grateful that we also shared formational practices and application ideas for families.

How does this relate to generosity? Proverbs tells us that if we go after anything, aim at wisdom. The world says to gain it to “get ahead” of everyone else. The Word suggest we would do this not to get ahead but help the weak.

When we gain wisdom, it transforms us, but the key is to not let the transformation stop with us. Generosity is sharing the wisdom we gain with others so they too know how to live. What wisdom have you gained that you could share generously?

Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. Proverbs 16:8

“Unjust social systems are often the cause of poverty. Examples include unjustly low wages (Jeremiah 22:13), loans with excessive interest (Exodus 22:25-27), a legal system in which the wealthy get far better outcomes than the poor (Leviticus 19:15), and social prejudice against immigrants or minorities (Exodus 22:21, 23:9). There are few societies in which these conditions have not existed. And while there is poverty caused by foolishness, Proverbs insists that poverty is not always shameful. In every poor population there are many of strong, even blameless (19:1) moral character who have been swept up in the complex forces that create poverty. These “better than” proverbs show that it is quite possible to be poor and still a man or woman of love rather than hatred (15:17), of humility rather than pride (16:19) of righteousness rather than injustice (16:8), and of honesty rather than lying (19:22).”

Timothy & Kathy Keller in God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs (New York: Penguin, 2017) Reading for November 30.

As we drill down on the idea of “gain” in the Scriptures we start to realize that God’s Word calls us to live differently than the financial systems around us. That might even mean that by choosing not to participate in “what everyone else is doing” we might come to a place of suffering rather than flourishing.

This “better than” proverb reminds us that it is better to have a little and follow God’s design for life and living than to have gain with injustice. The world cares how much we make. God cares how we make it. Think about how you earn income. If Jesus went to work with you, would He find your gain comes as a result of just systems or injustice?

Today we wrap up the week at Family Camp with “The Mission Every Family Must Choose to Accept” teaching from the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46). While the world aims to get great gain for selfish purposes, good and faithful families use all they gain to show their faith in loving service of the least deserving.

The wages of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16

“The contrast in this proverb is between the consequences of the gain of the righteous and the wicked respectively. The righteous and the wicked are the wise and the fool, described by their ethics. The term “wages” is a noun form of the verb, “to act, do, make, accomplish”; but in it’s nominal form (here) it can mean wages or payment. This verse assumes that both the righteous and the wicked may gain some material substance, but contrasts the value that it has for them. Money in the hand of the righteous person is a positive thing, but money in the hand of a wicked person is a negative thing. The contrast in consequences is interesting and somewhat unexpected.”

Tremper Longman III in Proverbs (BCOTWP; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006) 236.

Consider the message of this proverb. For the righteous (think: those who follow God’s design for life and living), gain becomes a positive thing. For the wicked (think: those who do not follow God’s design for life and living), money contributes to their destruction. It resources the virtues or vices present in their lives.

How does this relate to generosity? Those who follow God’s design for life and living will exhibit the fruit of the spirit of generosity. Those who don’t will not. Essentially, the proverb shows that our fruits reveal our roots. That leads those who desire to live generous lives to aim only at to aim at being rightly rooted in Christ. Hear and do what He says.

Today at Family Camp we are teaching on “The Trap Every Family Must Avoid” from the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21. Are you blessed with abundance? Steer clear of the trap of greed by serving as a distributor. Jesus calls it being “rich toward God.” In the parable, the fool pridefully failed to play his part with gain and was relieved of his distribution duties.

Does your life reveal that gain a positive or negative for you? 

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:7-9

“Paul has abandoned or renounced any gains connected with his previous benefits and assets, whether the privileges of birth, family honors, personal achievements, family, or material possessions. Like a liquidation sale at an expensive furniture warehouse, Paul concluded that all the valuable stuff was expendable and had to go if it got in the way of gaining Christ and being found in him…Paul can no longer profitably use those good things (cf. Isaiah 64:6). They no longer nourish his life. In any event, Paul is saying that such earthly things have been totally eclipsed by the value of knowing Christ and the benefits one has in Him.”

Ben Witherington III in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011) 202.

Today’s look at gain in God’s Word directs our attention to choices we must make. Paul considered “whatever were gains” as loss. Why? Their worth was far less than knowing and gaining Christ. Do you have these things? Paul would say to let go of them. As Witherington writes, “they no longer nourish” you. You’ve tasted something better.

This renunciation echoes the call of Jesus to the rich man in Mark 10:17-31. There, the call to let go of wealth and status comes with promise of one hundredfold gain. That’s the paradox of gaining Christ! It costs us everything and yet, the gain is one hundred times better than the cost. The reality is, however, that we can’t have both.

By calling the rich to let go of gain and consider it loss, Jesus and Paul are not trying to rob the rich but help them. Please hear that! With them, I am not telling you that you are bad if you have wealth. God often richly supplies material resources to faithful servants. I am saying that if you have wealth, don’t hold on to it lest it get it’s hold on to you!

Today at Family Camp we are teaching on “The Choices Every Family Must Make” and the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Notice that a rich person does not save the day in that story. The last person anyone would expect to show love, to share resources, and to offer help becomes the role model for the rest of us. That’s how it works with Jesus.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:35-36

“In developing the thought of the supreme value of life in its deepest sense, Jesus employed language drawn from commercial life: profit, gain, loss, give in exchange. A comparison of values is the proper setting for a consideration of profit and loss. Corresponding to the advantage gained — the whole world — is the payment which must be forfeited — authentic life. But the ledger involves values which cannot really be compared. The loss even of ordinary human life is in no way compensated by winning the world; how much more is this true of eternal life.”

William L. Lane in The Gospel According to Mark (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974) 309.

Today our exploration of “gain” takes us to a famous saying of Jesus. As Lane notes, Jesus uses the language of everyday business and exchange to describe the priceless value of the life Christ offers. In short, this abundant life exceeds everything the world offers, but one must abandon the latter to grasp the former.

How does this use of “gain” relate to generosity? If we pursue all the world offers with the aim of using the earthly gain for good, we miss the mark altogether. We may think we are doing good things, but all our “righteous acts” are meaningless to God; they are like “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Jesus flatly states that such people will miss the kingdom. Though in the last day they will remind Him of all the things they did in His name, they will be sent away. He will say, “I never knew you” (cf. Matthew 7:21-23). Only those who know Christ and abandon all the world offers, will end up living (and giving) abundantly.

Today Jenni and I teach on the Parable of the Watchful Workers (Mark 13:32-37) in our lesson entitled, “The Task Every Family Must Undertake.” Having taken hold of abundant life, watchful workers live in a state of readiness for Christ’s return, avoid the temptations of the world, and do the work God made them to do.

We are at Black Rock Retreat near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Amish Country (pictured above)! Of course, the Amish have a reputation for their work. What about you? Have you lost yourself for Christ’s sake? Are you ready for His return? Do you avoid the temptations of the world? Are you a watchful worker?

These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:2b-6

“As indicated by the repetition of the two key terms “gain” and “godliness” and the linking “to be” verb (now moved to emphatic position), Paul turns the negative assessment just made inside out to correct (and further condemn) the heretical distortion of values. While the repetition of thoughts is rhetorically significant, it is the expansions he introduces, and the implicit redefinition of “godliness” that results, that shift the direction of meaning.

First, Paul takes the discussion to a higher level than the heretical understanding is able to reach. The “great gain” he associates with “godliness” exceeds the limited material “gain” sought by the opponents.

Second, his repetition the term “godliness,” bearing the profound meaning of authentic Christian existence, also seeks a higher, spiritual level of meaning. The further qualification of it as “godliness with contentment [or self-sufficiency]” removes godliness from the material limitations of the false teachers’ motives and substantiates Paul’s spiritual thrust. The qualifying phrase contains a term that was essential to Stoic philosophy (and present also in Cynic and Epicurean teaching), where it expressed the notion of “self-sufficiency,” emphasized detachment from things or outside possessions, and stressed independence. Paul was clearly in touch with this theme (2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:11-12), but supplied a Christian basis for it. By introducing the counter-materialistic concept of self-sufficiency as an element of “godliness,” he left no room for the acquisitiveness and financial implications attached to the false teachers. With a slight shift, the term comes to mean the satisfaction or contentment with what one already has. In the present context, the two ideas converge. Godliness is not about acquiring better and more material things; it is instead an active life of faith, a living out of covenant faithfulness in relation to God, that finds sufficiency and contentment in Christ alone whatever one’s outward circumstances might be.”

Philip H. Towner in The Letters to Timothy and Titus (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006) 398-399.

When Towner was my doctoral advisor, I marveled at his brilliant grasp of the biblical text as evidenced by his profound comments here. “Godliness is not about acquiring better and more material things; it is instead an active life of faith, a living out of covenant faithfulness in relation to God, that finds sufficiency and contentment in Christ alone whatever one’s outward circumstances might be.”

We live in a world that bombards us with messages to the contrary. The world equates gain with getting the money and things that it says you need to live. That’s the part Towner pins down for us. “With a slight shift, the term comes to mean the satisfaction or contentment with what one already has.” Or in plain terms, when we have Christ, we have everything we need, we have ever needed, and will ever need.

Many, wrongly, fall into the trap of thinking that they need Christ and money or material possessions. What’s wrong with this thinking? It creates two masters in our lives and Christ tells us that we can only serve one, so we end up slaves to the wrong master. This is a common pitfall for many professing Christians in modernity. Those who fall into it might live what the world describes as “the good life” but in so doing they miss out on grasping the abundant life that Christ offers.

This week at Black Rock Retreat, the theme for Family Camp is “Mission: Improbable.” Jenni and I will teach on “Building Good and Faithful Families.” This is not likely to happen, but it’s possible, and even probable, with Jesus! We plan to go through five parables and teach five spiritual practices this week. Our lesson today is entitled “The Secret Every Family Must Know” based on the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. We will discover together that the secret to entering eternal joy is knowing the Master.

Father, open the eyes and ears of the couples we will speak to this week, and all readers of these daily meditations, to grasp authentic Christian existence. Forgive us for thinking we need anything but You. Forgive us for holding on to money in fear. By your Holy Spirit, empower us to show the world that we have found everything we need in You by how we obediently put to work all the money You have entrusted to us. Hear our prayer in the name of Jesus, in Whom we have everything we need. Amen.