Where the doctrines, teachings, principles of the Bible have been removed, God cannot be worshipped. If the god we worship is not The God of the Bible, then we are worshipping an idol of our own creation, an idol in our own image. If we do not know God as the Bible defines Him, we cannot worship Him. If the god we know is defined by false teachers or false doctrines, then we only know a false god.
Business deals are not inherently wrong. But it is equally obvious that the worldly business practices of worldly men are worldly instead of godly. Thus, the goals of Believers are often diametrically opposed to those with whom they must do business.
How then can a Believer navigate the world of business in a way that honors God?
If our steps are ordered in God’s Word, we will live by God’s rules. And if we live by God’s rules, then God is our King, our Lord.
Conversely, if our steps are ordered in the world’s value-system, we will live the world’s rules. And, if we live by the world’s rules, then the world is our king, our lord.
For Esau, The Birthright (the privilege of God working through him to establish a holy nation) was not priceless. There was a situation in which he would be willing to sell his Birthright.
For Esau, present physical need was more important than future spiritual gain.
It is God and not men that impute value to human life. And, in God’s eyes, ALL lives matter. Whether you value my life or not, God does. How anyone (even me) values my life does NOT change my intrinsic God-derived value.
Money can buy:
Food, but not an appetite
A bed, but not sleep
Medicine, but not health
Books, but not brains
It meant he would lose his job, his wealth, his seat “at the receipt of custom”. It meant taking the biggest risk of his life. But this was his only chance, his only hope, his only way out. Either he would follow Jesus or fester in the mess he had created for himself.
If all the material things, that we so love to accumulate, are going to be dissolved,
Then it is wiser to spend our time and effort accumulating spiritual treasure that will be preserved for eternity.
Many of us in the evangelical Church today have convinced ourselves that our agenda is also God’s. However, our agenda MUST be informed by The Scriptures, not our feelings. And The Scriptures tell us that God’s glory tops His agenda.
A profit is an improvement resulting from a transaction… examine whether the transaction of exchanging our souls to gain the world puts us in a better position eternally. Because in God’s ledger only salvation… counts as profit; only work in the Kingdom of God brings in revenue; everything else is loss.
