The Puritans had no guilt about making money; to make money was a form of stewardship. The Weber thesis made mileage out of Baxter’s statement:
"If God shows you a way in which you lawfully get more than in another way (without wrong to your soul, or to any other), if you refuse this, and choose the less gainful way, you cross one of the ends of your calling, and you refuse to be God’s steward."
Isn't that striking?
Samuel Willard theorized that “riches are consistent with godliness, and the more a man hath, the more advantage he hath to do good with it, if God give him an heart to it.”
William Adams regarded economic endeavor as worthy of a Christian’s affection; he wrote that the Christian “hath much business to do in and about the world, which he is vigorously to attend, and he hath … that in the world upon which he is to bestow his affection.”
In affirming the goodness of money, the Puritans found it necessary to defend the legitimate aspects of money against its detractors. William Perkins did so in a sermon on Matthew 6:19–20, in which he listed what Christ did not forbid: Diligent labour in a main vocation, whereby [a person] provides things needful for himself, and those that depend on him.… The fruition and possession of goods and riches: for they are the good blessing of God being well used.… The gathering and laying up of treasure is not simply forbidden, for the word of God alloweth here for in some respect. 2 Corinthians 12:14
One of the ironies in the history of the Puritans is that their very industriousness and plain living tended to make them relatively affluent. Their virtues produced corresponding temptations. On the one hand, the Puritans held attitudes conducive to the amassing of wealth and property: the view that money and property are good in principle, disbelief that poverty is meritorious in itself, and a conviction that the disciplined and hardworking lifestyle is virtuous.
On the other hand, to curb the potential for self-indulgence that followed in the wake of their lifestyle, the Puritans had an even longer list of cautions: an awareness that God sends poverty as well as riches, an obsession with the dangers of wealth, the ideal of moderation, a doctrine of stewardship in which God is viewed as the ultimate owner of goods, and a view of money as a social good.
That is really interesting. I was not aware of this. Thank you for sharing that information.
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The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61
thread has been re-opened. Let's please try to stay on topic. *S*
__________________ Psalms 89:14
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Last edited by pdudgeon; 21st September 2006 at 08:52 AM.
__________________ Romans 3:3 (Amplified Bible)
3What if some did not believe and were without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity [to His Word]?
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Interesting. The focus is stewardship more than prosperity. Prosperity is permissionable however the love of prosperity is another issue. Puritan's view of stewardship is pretty interesting because it was Puritan's teaching that I have learned about stewardship. Their teachings are not like some of today's properity teachings. Today's teachings are more extreme than during the days of the Puritans.
Stewardship is looking at our talents, assets, financial and other situations by looking at our lives spiritually in from God's perspectives. Wealth that is earned for personal growth rather than spiritual growth is not being used to fulfill God’s purpose. God is the one who gave me the ability to make a good living and have a great job. The word steward means: manager, custodian, caretaker, administrator, or trustee of God's properties. The steward is the person that effectively and efficiently uses the money and resources that God has given to as Christian duty.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.
If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper
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