Business for the Glory of God By Grudem W

Many people interpret the phrase ""glorifying God"" as having something to do with the religious practices or tenets of a specific denomination. The Bible and Christian denominations tend to use the word most frequently. Most Christians understand the five main components—worship, moral living, faith, evangelism, and giving—as those actions that bring God glory (Grudem, 2003).

The five qualities that Christians believe are the means by which God can be exalted are not given much attention by the author. It seems that he looks at the perspective with which Apostle Paul viewed life: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31. KJV), which implies that everything that one does is to give glory to God. According to Grudem, business is one such activity which should be conducted in a manner that will give glory to God (Grudem, 2003).

However, he points out the challenges that come with business some of which are the kind of selfish interests and the love of money which has entered the hearts of many so that business is majorly done with the sole reason of making profits. Many aspects of the business activity can give glory to God if they would be properly done. Many take the advantage under pretense especially behind the economic collapse that is facing most countries in the world. In essence, business is an aspect borrowed from God (Grudem, 2003). Being busy and creative is a power given by God, and God enjoys seeing the humans thoroughly engaged in activities to making the world a better place as Adam and Eve were commanded: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:28. KJV)

Ownership

Business can be viewed as an aspect of ownership, productivity, employment as well as competition. Speaking on the chapter on ownership, Grudem seemingly suggests that the commandment, “Do not steal,” implies that God has given individuals the power to possess wealth in whatever form, whereby stealing implies that another person takes that which does not belong to him or her (Grudem, 2003). God being the creator and the owner of everything in the universe, it implies that by giving men wealth, He imparts in man the attribute of possession and control over a small portion. Therefore by one possessing a form of business, control and wisdom, knowledge and fairness, as well as freedom, is imparted in man. Form childhood, man is carefully taught to be a possessor and a steward over what has been given to his care. By possession, acts of kindness can be extended to the needy (Clark, n.d).

Rightly understood, the aspect of ownership is not absolute. The teaching of the Bible on ownership suggests that man is just a “caretaker” over what God has given him. It is like a child who has been given a toy which is in his name. The reality is the toy does not belong to the child. However, it is entrusted to his care and for his growth. The same way God entrust His possession to man to be stewards. From the behavior of the children, one can learn the principles of living and sharing. The children mostly share with their fellow what they have even if it is small. Usually, when a child behaves in a manner that suggests that he or she is tending to selfishness, that child is termed as not good in the face of men. The same way, the Bible teaches that man is to be sensitive to a fellow man so that the character of God is revealed the more in the way the possessions that are in the custody of men are used to bless humanity. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb 13:16, ESV) (Clark, n.d).

However, possessions are also a source of a curse if the same are used to gratify the lower passions of men. Some, after realizing that they have great possessions are taken by pride whereby they think that other people do not deserve to be humans. The worst occurs when men after being blessed with wealth, profane the name of the Lord, forgetting that it is God who gives.

Productivity

The command, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:28. KJV), is such a powerful statement as far as business is concerned. Business is productivity in itself. The word “subdue” as used in the book of Genesis is used to imply being productive. As commanded to them, Adam and Eve were to till the land whereby it was to be a source of their living by working making an idle commodity being put into use. Through the production process, not only does the work done geared to the production of what is needed at the time, but it also aids in the making of the land a safe and secure place for the inhabitants of the land ( Whelchel, 2014) (Clark, n.d).

The result of production is not limited to just sending the products to other places, but is also to a great extent leading to the keeping some of the produced products to enhance the wealth or possessions of an individual. As Grudem says, a farmer, possessing the land and does agriculture is producing farm products which are used for feeding as well as for transporting to markets (Grudem, 2003). In reality, that is the work that blesses humanity since the produce from the firms reaches out to those who could not produce it. Principle teaches that every good work has a reward, and as such, anybody who works hard and sells the produce of his labor must be repaid with the reward that is equal in measure to the value of what is produced ( Whelchel, 2014).

The imagery of Adam and Eve having been on this earth in our time would marvel at how God provided all things through the earth for the betterment of humanity. However, if left idle, the rich possessions that the earth contain would not have impacted to the kind of technology that we currently have. The great machinery that men possess would not have been found had people remained in laziness to digging into much deeper insights and innovation. It is the result of productivity and creativity into better productivity practices that has led the earth to what is is today (Clark, n.d).

Actually, productivity glorifies God in many ways. For instance, producing things, as earlier pointed out is not for the consumption of the producer alone but also for the consumption of the rest, which shoes that indeed men are showing kindness to others. On the other, productivity glorifies God by imparting an influence to other men so that the precious creation of God is put into proper use as God intended it to be. By that, men become lights to the other men, just as Jesus had commanded: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16. KJV). Some producers, however, instead of glorifying God in the manner in which they produce their products are bringing humanity to doom. For instance, those who produce bioweapons and diseases ( Whelchel, 2014)

Competition

In business, there is the tendency to want and outdo the others who are offering the same products or services. Contrary to what Grudem says concerning competition in business as an aspect that glorifies God, it is a matter of careful thought and sound reasoning to realize that competition does in business brings down the moral and ethical issues that are the foundation of human social setting (Shileifer, 2004). For instance, it is an aspect that has no properly supported basis in the Bible. Many have used the idea which Paul puts forward of the teams that are running a race towards a given mark whereby the winner is given the prize and a crown. That should not be thought as a competition in the specific business setting. Professionals in the business world say that competition brings the best in the competitors, of which is politically correct, but religiously destructive (Shileifer, 2004).

First, competition creates hatred rather than inspiration as Grudem suggests. Instead of one being inspired to continue the business, one is dejected and overcome by the well-placed competitors. The result is the desire by the loser to find how the business of the other person can go down. Various dubious ways are used in the competition process and turn men become animals rather humans with a sense of humanity (Shileifer, 2004).

Competition leads to the destruction of quality (Shileifer, 2004), shifted the focus of production to quantity and profit making. The emerging trends in the poor quality products as well as those that come with diseases. Currently, the field of agriculture is the most affected with this mess of production of quantity instead of quality. The animal products are becoming the killers rather than help in the perpetuation of life. To produce more the farmers focus in the Genetically Modified Organisms so that their personal gains can be met at the expense of the consumers (Clark, n.d).

However, if it could be properly conducted, competition could bring the best of every good and kind activity in the world. If the competition were done so as the focus is on the heavenly rather than worldly, it would be a better thing. If it was conducted as to the command: “replenish the earth,” such that each person is concentrating on ensuring that his or her part is in making the world a better place, free from diseases and sufferings, then it could be nice competing (Shileifer, 2004).

Conclusion

Indeed, nobody could agree less with the aspects that Grudem addresses with relation to the conduct of business. It is wonderful to be an owner, a steward who engages in the work of making that which is under his care better than he found it, and from the same bless humanity. From such God is glorified our wealth. Productivity is also core aspect in the business that blesses the humanity. By producing and producing, humanity continues to ensure their existence in the world. However, even though competition is good in some aspects, it is a source of strife and jealousy which does not make the light shine to the others who are living around the Christians. Competition brings pride and arrogance, whereby men take the result of the competition is their own and therefore deserves the right to what they own.

References

Whelchel, H. (2014, March 4). A Biblical View of Productivity. Retrieved from Institute for Faith, Work and Economics: https://tifwe.org/a-biblical-view-of-productivity/

Clark, C. M. (n.d). Promoting Good Wealth: CST and the link between Wealth, Well-being and Poverty Allienation. St. John's University. Retrieved February 19, 2017, from https://www.shu.edu/micah-business-ethics/upload/Promoting-Good-Wealth.pdf

Grudem, W. (2003). Business for the glory of God: The Bible's teaching on the moral goodness of business. Crossway.

Shileifer, A. (2004, May). Does Competition Destroy Ethical Behavior? AEA PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS, 94(2), 414-418. Retrieved February 19, 2017, from http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/shleifer/files/competition_ethics.pdf