Post by Zac Loh on Apr 3, 2009 9:10:44 GMT -5
Tough financial climate naturally conditions people to bend and follow the crooked path. I know how it's like. It's strange if one has never been tempted to offer money, gift or favor:
For illicit/illegitimate profits/savings; or
To beef-up personal corporate situation in the expense of the company; or
Emotional favors (pat on the back, lovey-dovey) and opportunity-giving favors to hide certain facts in order to safeguard religious/church/ministry position/status from jeopardy such as the chief priests and the elders which we read in The Gospels.
The essence of bribery is the intention of the heart. Legally speaking, most bribes are undetected. Commonly speaking, inner motives are not readily confronted nor easily discerned. But God will know what is in our heart. The good news is that we can have victory over bribery by trusting God. The question you may ask: "Why do we want this type of victory?" "Why do we need to trust God?"
Bribery
Matthew 28:12-13
When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ (Matthew 28:12-13)
How often have we been tempted to offer bribe after we got caught speeding by the police? In tough economic times, temptation will surely bear on us to bribe in money or in kind or in favors – in business, in corporate office – to get orders, to keep our job.
Why must we not bribe? A simple answer: we trust God to provide, to promote and to protect.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
Why do we need to have faith in God, what’s the point?
Many rich people didn’t need to have faith in God. They didn’t need to `seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’. Yet, they don’t seem to have any unusual problem at all in their lives.
Can we have an explanation for this?
I have been thinking about some rich non-Christians. I have nothing against them. The truth is; I love them. Jesus said that they can be saved for eternity!
One thing I am sure, for these unbelieving rich people, the way they are (and if nothing changes); they are not on the way to heaven (and this happens to be an understatement).
Few realize that getting into heaven is the minimum benefit. Rewards and honors are accumulated and upgraded constantly, even as we are serving God – and these last for eternity – we won’t lose them, they won’t wear-and-tear and they won’t be forgotten!
The general cause-and-effect is that one mistake might destroy our entire life time of work. But you know what …it won’t happen in heaven!
Coming back to `bribery’ …we see clearly that Christianity is a whole package deal (pun unintended!). It involves everything. We don’t bribe because we trust God, and we trust God because we believe in the blessed eternity …with promised eternal rewards and eternal honors.
If you want to believe God for something, start by believing God for a blessed eternity beyond what you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
This scripture is never meant for the limited usage of sharing the love of God with unbelievers: it is a serious promise for you and me.
We ought to live eternity and heaven …right here and now …we don’t sin …we have faith …and we don’t bribe.
For illicit/illegitimate profits/savings; or
To beef-up personal corporate situation in the expense of the company; or
Emotional favors (pat on the back, lovey-dovey) and opportunity-giving favors to hide certain facts in order to safeguard religious/church/ministry position/status from jeopardy such as the chief priests and the elders which we read in The Gospels.
The essence of bribery is the intention of the heart. Legally speaking, most bribes are undetected. Commonly speaking, inner motives are not readily confronted nor easily discerned. But God will know what is in our heart. The good news is that we can have victory over bribery by trusting God. The question you may ask: "Why do we want this type of victory?" "Why do we need to trust God?"
Bribery
Matthew 28:12-13
When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ (Matthew 28:12-13)
How often have we been tempted to offer bribe after we got caught speeding by the police? In tough economic times, temptation will surely bear on us to bribe in money or in kind or in favors – in business, in corporate office – to get orders, to keep our job.
Why must we not bribe? A simple answer: we trust God to provide, to promote and to protect.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
Why do we need to have faith in God, what’s the point?
Many rich people didn’t need to have faith in God. They didn’t need to `seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’. Yet, they don’t seem to have any unusual problem at all in their lives.
Can we have an explanation for this?
I have been thinking about some rich non-Christians. I have nothing against them. The truth is; I love them. Jesus said that they can be saved for eternity!
One thing I am sure, for these unbelieving rich people, the way they are (and if nothing changes); they are not on the way to heaven (and this happens to be an understatement).
Few realize that getting into heaven is the minimum benefit. Rewards and honors are accumulated and upgraded constantly, even as we are serving God – and these last for eternity – we won’t lose them, they won’t wear-and-tear and they won’t be forgotten!
The general cause-and-effect is that one mistake might destroy our entire life time of work. But you know what …it won’t happen in heaven!
Coming back to `bribery’ …we see clearly that Christianity is a whole package deal (pun unintended!). It involves everything. We don’t bribe because we trust God, and we trust God because we believe in the blessed eternity …with promised eternal rewards and eternal honors.
If you want to believe God for something, start by believing God for a blessed eternity beyond what you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
This scripture is never meant for the limited usage of sharing the love of God with unbelievers: it is a serious promise for you and me.
We ought to live eternity and heaven …right here and now …we don’t sin …we have faith …and we don’t bribe.