Grace School of Theology

WORLDVIEW PAPER

A Paper Presented to

Albert Letting III, Th.M., Ed.D.

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of

MS-761: Ministry Stewardship

by

Joriel S. Asi

Lobo, Batangas, Philippines

March 5, 2020
 OUTLINE

Worldview Paper

1A. Introduction

2A. Worldview on finances, stewardship, possessions, and eternity

1B. Finances

1C. The Power of Money and Its Form

2C. The Purpose and Danger of Money

3C.The Future of Money

2B. Stewardship

1C.It Is Integralto Our Design

2C.Stewardship of Soul and Body

3C. Stewardship of Finances and Relationships

3B. Possessions

1C. The Picture of Possessions

2C. This Is Heaven-Sent

4B. Eternity

1C. The Two Destination

2C.Who Wants to Go First?

3A. Conclusion

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 WORLDVIEW PAPER

Introduction

This is for the student to present his worldview on four areas namely; finances,

stewardship, possessions and eternity discussed in the entire Ministry Stewardship course. It is

based on what were discussed on the two books; Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy

Alcorn and The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and activities done weekly that deepen

the understanding on each chapter.

Worldview on finances, stewardship, possessions, and eternity

Finances

The Power of Money and Its Form

When I was young, I‟ve used to hear the saying that “without a round, you cannot go

around.” This is true most if not all of the time. Money is involved in almost every transaction.

Without it, doing things progressively would be almost impossible. Money is power. It is one of

things people wanted most. It played a significant role throughout the historical milestones.

Generations come and go, but the involvement for money to lives of people now is the same as

before.

There is no time in history that money is more fluid than in our time today. Before, trades

were made using a barter system where people involve in a transaction used goods or services in

exchange of other form of goods or services without the use of any currency. Until people

learned to assess and measure things and agreed to note its value in a paper. The currency was

invented. Since then, the value of everything could be converted and saved in a memory

engraved metal or inked paper we call now money on its bill and coin form.

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The Purpose and Danger of Money

Money is neutral. It is neither good nor bad. But like the presence of the sharpest knife

around, money should be handled most carefully. The power of money therefore is dependent on

the person handling it. If the person managing it is good, the use of money will be for the good,

but if the person handling it is bad, the money will be used for bad purpose. As Alcorn put it,

“Money makes a terrible master, yet it makes a good servant to those who have the right master-

God.”1

Because money represents values, it is appealing to human desire to be valuable. People

desire money because it adds great ability to the one handling it. Money can talk and walk. It can

work for someone without excuse or exhaustion. It knows no limit as long as it is mandated. In

having much of it, one will be tempted to abuse its power and be dependent to the pleasure it

could bring. It can therefore be a snare to anyone to exclude God and become self-centered. I

believe in what the Scripture says, chasing for having much of it can cause us sorrow and pains.

(1 Timothy 6:9 NASB)

The danger of money poses not only in having much of it but also in lacking much of it.

Bank robbery, murder, prostitutions, child labor and human trafficking are crimes that are not

only because of exploitation but because of the scarcity as well. The lack of money impedes

one‟s holistic growth. One person may not see God as good or doubt of His existence if there is

always much financial shortage. As the bible states it, “That I not be full and deny You and say,

„Who is the Lord?‟ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.”

(Proverb 30:9 NASB) So there is danger both in having much of money and lacking much of it.

1
Randy C.Alcorn, Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House
Publishers, 2011), 37.
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This is why God warned us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Both the lacking

and the having are exposed to the temptation to love money. Both have the challenge to believe

and trust God with respect to money. The rich istested to give money away while the poor is

confronted to trust that God will provide. It is the matter of the heart towards money. In Matthew

6:24 it says, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Money, if treasured rather than God, will

be destructive to mankind.

The Future of Money

We are in our time today that money on its bill and coin form is phasing out not to get

back to an old barter system but to take-off to a new digital currency system. Where money is

needed not to be kept in a pocket but digitalized and saved in an electronic memory. We are now

selling goods and services and buying it online. We are sending money via wire or wireless

transfer services. We have access to our bank accounts and manage our money over the

cyberspace.

Today that money can move faster than ever before, we are expected to partake in

accelerating the reach of the gospel to any part of the world. From our neighborhood to the

uttermost part of the earth where the hard-to-reach people groups are located. We have a quick

access to a real time updates and data to see the spiritual need of the world and the imbalance

distribution of money to advance God‟s kingdom. We are given the most opportunity to rethink,

re-evaluate our finances and extend the reach of our hand for the sake of the gospel of Christ.

Stewardship

It Is Integral to Our Design

Every individual is a steward. The word steward defined as “one employed in a

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largehousehold or estate to manage domestic concerns.”2It includes supervising, collecting, and

keeping domestic concerns. When God created us in His image, we are given with the ability to

recreate and manage. It says in Genesis, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the

garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15 NASB) When God created the first

man, He put them in the garden to work for it and watch it.

God in the very beginning of life progression on earth, ordained manto multiply and rule

over every creature. Alsoin Genesis it says, “God blessed them; and God said to them, „Be

fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over

the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.‟” (Genesis 1:28 NASB)

We are entrusted by God with everything that surrounds us. From the air we breathe, to

the rivers, mountains and everything in it. Yes, we are stewards of ourselves as well. While all

plants and trees were given to us as our source for food, God also reminded us not to eat the fruit

of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). We are given a task as well to take care

of ourselves. To nurture our physical body and guard our life - soul and spirit, against which will

destroy us. Mankind therefore is a steward of self and surroundings.

Stewardship of Soul and Body

God‟s way of creating us is unique. After He creatively molded us from the dust of the

ground, He breathed into our nostril a breath of life that made us a living being. We are both

spiritual-breath of life from God, and physical-body from the dust designed by God.

God gave everything for us to live life to the fullest within our boundaries as humans. We

2
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “steward,” accessed March 3, 2020, https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/steward.
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can eat from any of the trees, including the tree of life, except from the tree of knowledge of

good and evil. If they eat it, they will die, not physically but spiritually. God has given us

freedom to enjoy life with Him and order us not to eat what will kill us spiritually.

While we are a spiritual being and our life comes from God, we are also a flesh in the

first place. We humans are made from dust.Ecclesiastes 3:20 says, “All go to the same place. All

came from the dust and all return to the dust.” We then are subject to a physical realm. We have

to recreate and procreate physically. We were ordered to subdue the earth and have rule over it.

It requires energy and physical strength. This is why God has provided all the food we

need as a source of our physical strength. We need to eat mainly plants and fruits. We need to be

a good steward of our body. Drinking, eating and doing things that damage our body is not

pleasing to the Lord. We cannot be good stewards of our surroundings if we are not good

stewards of our body and soul (andspirit).

Stewardship of Finances and Relationships

I agree with the Psalmist that we are made wonderfully and fearfully by God (Psalm

139:14.) God has equipped us with wisdom and ability for us to be good steward of our

surroundings. We are to live accountable with the material things around us and with our

relationship to others.

Since almost everything can be converted into currency, financial stewardship is very

important. We are to be very careful in collecting, managing, and disbursing our finances. God

gave us a very serious warning about money because we always have a tendency serve it rather

that Him. So, we have to keep God on top of our ways in acquiring and spending money.

We are commanded also to love others as ourselves and so therefore we are ought to be

good stewards of our relationship with others. Anger and greed are not part of it. Instead, we are
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expected to work to have plenty not merely for our own good but mainly to help others.It is only

when we learn to give our money in exchange of the welfare of others, that we can say we are

valuing our loving relationship with the people around us.

Possessions

The Picture of Possessions

One of the photos most memorable to me is when I was like 2-year old boy sitting on the

top of a large flat circular woven tray, which is about 3 yards in diameter, full of root crops. It

was taken inside our unpaved house capturing front wheel of our Kawasaki 125 motor bike. I can

still imagine my big smile. When I was growing up and see it for the first time, four things came

up into my mind; first we have plenty of harvest in every season, second we own a house, third

we have motor bike, and in lastly the 2-year old boy full of Joy. I came to a conclusion that

having a simple place and hard-working parents is enough to have a joyful life. It built my

fundamentalworldview of possessions; work hard and live simply.

When I became an evangelical Christian, I was exposed to community of believers who

believed that possession is not important. I remember the majority of our pastors taught that one

should leave all the possessions in order to serve the Lord. “We have to serve the Lord by faith”

they said.I know ever since that I was called to serve the Lord, so I‟ve started to adhere this

mindset. I‟ve just found along the way that it is difficult to serve the Lord with limited resources.

Besides, I can‟t reconcile how the good and rich God could ever be pleased with a beggar-like

servants while there are untap resources around.

I also observed that many pastors have spare time to do other things that might make

them more financially dynamic but chose to do unproductive things. I almost label many of them

“lazy.” I should be gracious to assess because this thing could be the product of the past. But I
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can‟t barely accept the notion that to serve the Lord fully, one should accept poverty. To serve

the Lord “by faith” does not only mean you can withstand the difficulties, sacrifices and

scarcities. “By faith” could also mean you can trust God that he will bless you with everything

you need now and tomorrow as He wills.

This Is Heaven-Sent

This course is heaven-sent to me. It is like a guitar tuner calibrating each string I have

towards possessions. It enables me to play music that resonates to the eternity. I‟ve learned the

exact words to describe and identify things about possessions. I understand the concepts about

materialism, ascetism, treasures and biblical views on possessions.

Materialism is embracing material things far above anything. It goes to the extent of

defying the spiritual and intellectual relevance to life. The desire of secured and plenteous future

cause people to hoard things as many as he could and want. But since material things will not

satisfy human‟s longing for secure and worry-free life, materialistic people will think that they

still need to pile up more and more.

Ascetism on the other hand, viewed everything as spiritual. It goes to the extent of

defying the physical and intellectual relevance to life. The desire to attain the peak of spirituality,

one withdraws itself from the surroundings and refrain from any physical contacts or connection.

Having in mind that every physical thingis sinful, ascetic people abstain from food, water, and

even to the point of hurting its own body.

The God of the Bible does not favor in any of these two extremes. He created the heavens

and the earth, the space and time and beyond. He is the Creator of both spiritual and physical

world and declared it as good. When He created man with body and spirit, His declaration was

not just “good” but “very good!” We therefore handle possessions in the light of God‟s scale.
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He asks us to pile up our treasures not here on earth but there in heaven-His Kingdom. He

might command us to sell all our possessions and follow Him or He might command us to fill the

container with water so that He could turn it into wine for our enjoyment of His blessing. Both

require an obedient heart of a servant to the Master. Our response to His calling and obedience to

His cause will what really matter. We can only pile up treasures in heaven through reaching

others with His love using the pile of our treasure here on earth.

Eternity

The Two Destination

When I started preaching the gospel, is used to preach about accepting the Lord in one‟s

heart with a promise of receiving eternal life. The verse in the Bible that I have been using is

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes

in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NASB) This verse, being one of the

verses I upholds to when I have decided to surrender my life to God, is very power and

memorable for me. It is very clear that if one believes in Jesus will have eternal life.

It is really powerful because it touches the longing of humanity to live life endlessly.

There is this intuition of life‟s longevity that can be found somewhere else. I believe that God

wired it to mankind to naturally feel the need for a Supreme Being, The One who is all powerful

and trustworthy. Now this John 3:16 has not just touched the longing of a person for eternity but

amazingly provided the Way. Whoever believes in Christ Jesus have eternal life. I believe it

because the Word of God is true.

I believe that the opposite place of heaven is hell. Those who will not go to heaven will

be thrown into this place.As I have been teaching with my focus is about having eternal life in

heaven, I almost miss out that the hell is a place of eternal suffering with the beast and false
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prophets (Revelations 20:10.) Everyone therefore has eternal destination; the only question is “is

it with God or with the beast and false prophets?” If we offer eternal life in following Christ, one

may refuse and choose to die thinking it as the end of his existence. But if we say everyone is

immortal and will have eternal destination, we can direct others more to God than to their own

choice.

Who Wants to Go First?

It is interesting and funny sometime to know that many people wanted to get to heaven,

but when I ask them who wants to get in first, no one answered. It seems heaven is just a perfect

contingency plan. I have to admit as well that, aside from meeting the Lord, I‟m not really sure

what else will motivate to get to heaven. Heaven must be a place that is far desirable than

anywhere else. Aside from different gems and precious stones glamorously heaven is made up

of, its God presence - He Himself, is what heaven make it heaven. We will see His glorious

throne and place no one can imagine ever imagine yet. Experiencing God‟s glory is what make

heaven motivating for me.

Upon reading the book Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn, my eyes

were wide-open like I have found a piece of pure gold in my pocket. This book taught me about

the doctrine of eternal reward. “Eureka!” Praise God! This is one of the pieces I am looking for

that certainly gives a Christian a further excitement getting into heaven. Why It was not

emphasized in our bible study before? Why didn‟t I notice it? I believe of course that God

Himself is sufficient to be with in heaven but eternal rewards add to His kindness, mercy and

love!

I was preoccupied before with teachings about salvation by faith and not of works. I was

too focus on assuring the salvation of myself and of the people whom I am sharing the gospel to.
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Emphasizing the “faith” we must have to make sure of our relationship with God, we oversight

the importance of “works” we need to do to deepen our intimacy with God. We believe in the

assurance of salvation by faith, but we viewed faith in the light of our capacity to believe and not

in the light of God grace. As a result, we spent more time thinking about the sufficiency of our

faith rather than working in grace as we follow Christ.

These five crowns in heaven;crown of life, the incorruptible crown, the crown of

righteousness, crown of glory, and the crown of exultationmake sense now to me. Whatever it is

that we are doing now on earth will be rewarded in heaven. When we get to heaven, we will see

and be with God, and He will also interact with us and rewards us according to what we did here

on earth. What a motivation we have towards eternity.

Conclusion

God has entrusted the whole creatures to mankind. Especially we Christians are expected

to be the most accountable. And so, we are all accountable to God about almost everything that

surrounds us. In fact, Paul says, “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more

matters of this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:3 NASB) We will judge the angels. We are created little

lower than Him and therefore we are more liable for many compares to other creatures.

We will give an account to God with our finances. We have to make sure that earning it

and spending it will be for the benefit of God‟s kingdom causes. We have to be responsible in

allocating it most especially to missions in reaching the least-reached people groups of the world.

We have to grab every opportunity to bless others especially God‟s full-time workers. We have

to be willing to have them enjoy our house, our table, our car, and even our material bonuses in

this life because only then our earthly possessions are being converted to heavenly treasures.

In Ecclesiastes, the Preacher, who once a king of Jerusalem, found that everything under
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the sun is vanity of vanities. One thing is for sure; we will give account to God in everything and

He will give us rewards that are eternal. The Preacher ended with these last two verses, “The

conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this

applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden,

whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NASB)