...The book Business for the Glory of God is a great resource on business and each chapter starts with a phrase. The book has many opportunities for glorifying God but also many temptations to sin and what it can do to you and your business. The writer Grudem concisely lays out his reasons why business is good and very briefly raising some of the dangers of greed, envy and materialism. The weakest arguments by far are his argument that inequality of possessions is the way God intended things to be, that this is a good thing that gives glory to God. While extreme wealth and extreme poverty are both considered 'bad things' there's no way of drawing a line, no attempt at working out how some inequality is good but too much inequality is bad. Nor is there recognition that in the countries that have excelled in competition, profit making and generally getting rich is also the countries with the greatest inequality. So while it is good to be in business, and it is good to equip those who are called to business, this short book is unbalanced by taking complicated issues and making them black and white. For me is what the Bible is about taking a yes being a yes and a no meaning don’t do it, nor go there because he gives you all the reasons of what happens in evil deeds. Companies close, people go bankrupt and show on the news of people going to jail for fraud for being greedy. Hebrews 12:11 NIV No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces...
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...Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business Book Review Nathan Minor Liberty University The book that is under review is “Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business” by Wayne Grudem. It is a useful resource for looking at business from different prospects. First off, it addresses a view on relationships between business and religion. Secondly, it shows how different philosophies connect. Lastly, Mr. Grudem does a great job nudging readers to look at a different perspective. First I would like to start this review by mentioning the main ideas and points of this book. The author of “Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business” proposes to the readers that business itself glorifies God when it is conducted in a way that imitates God’s character and creation. All elements of how a business operates like profit, money, competition, borrowing, should glorify God because they are reflective of God’s nature. In Business for the Glory of God, Wayne Grudem points out, “When people ask how their lives can ‘glorify God,’ they aren’t usually told, ‘Go into business.’” Yet business is where God calls many, if not most, Christians to serve him. Though they can repeat that familiar line from the Westminster Confession, “the chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever” (Peel 2015). What he is saying is few are encouraged to run their business for...
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...Business For The Glory of GOD Can business activity in itself be morally good and pleasing to God? This is the main question we are looking at in reading the book this term. In my readings I have found some very interesting thoughts and questions about business, God and business in a Godly perspective. In each chapter of the book, Grudem explains to us that business is essentially a gift from God, therefore is good. In Business for the Glory of God, Grudem explores the following aspects of business activity: 1. Ownership 2. Productivity 3. Employment 4. Commercial Transactions (buying and selling) 5. Profit 6. Money 7. Inequality of Possessions 8. Competition 9. Borrowing and Lending 10. Attitudes of Heart 11. Effect on World Poverty One chapter in Business for the Glory of God talks about borrowing and lending. As some Christians refuse to accrue any debt, this chapter helps to give insight regarding the acceptance of certain debt. If one is purchasing a home, then signing a mortgage loan for 30 years is normal. The main objective in borrowing money or accruing debt is the intent to repay in the proper time line. Borrowing can be unwise. In cases where one borrows too much and cannot repay, this does go against the Bibles teachings. Proverbs 22:7 says, “the wicked borrows but does not pay back.” When used in a responsible manner lending and borrowing can bring much good to the economy. Grudem explains how the “process...
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...BUSINESS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business Book Review BUSI 301 In the book, “Business for the Glory of God”, the author, Wayne Grudem, states there are many aspects of business that a Christian can use to glorify God. The main aspects are Ownership, Productivity, Employment, Profit, Money and Borrowing and Lending. According to Grudem, all these things can bring glory to God in the way they reflect the nature that is God and His provision for man. God structured humans in such an intricate way to give them the ability to provide food, shelter and clothing for themselves and families. He also designed us to be a part of a community, one with an economic system for sustainability. The basis for all economic systems is free enterprise. The ability to govern one’s own business and to set forth the mandates therein is essential to the well being of any strong economy. In today’s marketplace, many consumers have become weary of businesses due to the high level of corruptness and the large amount of government interference. Grudem suggest that rather than business being viewed with inherently evil motives, consumers should understand that business activities are sometimes manipulated and used as a means to sin. In this book, he proposes that the practice and nature of business is a blessing given by God to mankind. The Introduction and fist chapter begin by acknowledging that many view business ownership as a means to procure...
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...Wayne Grudem’s Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business analyzes a myriad of misconstrued facets of business and how these facets are rather intended and are able to be implemented as acts that glorify God. Primarily, these various components of business carry negative connotations, because, it seems, more often than not that businesses fall into corruption and scandal due to greed and lust. Grudem does an exceptional job in explaining that it is not the concepts of business themselves, such as money or owning multiple possessions, that are evil, but rather the acts of coveting, idolizing, or being wicked stewards of money or possessions. In business, Grudem articulates, the main position supported...
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...Christian Social Thought puts it, the “encumbered self.” Religionists are not simply free-will individuals bound to choose their religious convictions as they choose between McDonalds or Burger King. Rather, people of faith are fundamentally identified by their faith convictions and communities. These commitments are seemingly foreign to the court that Hitchcock describes. Will religious institutions, as a community of faith, be able to withstand employment discrimination lawsuits posed by individuals? Will parents, as the children’s most fundamental community, continue to be able to pass on religious values, through private education and homeschooling, even if deemed divisive and irrational by society at large? Furthermore, a liberal worldview that views true knowledge as rational and leaves issues of faith to personal speculations necessarily gives religious believers a disadvantage in the area of church-state relations. As Hitchcock accurately explains, the court, by defining religion as irrational and subjective belief may provide the benefits of the free exercise clause to political and philosophic viewpoints, including secularism. On the other hand, the establishment clause restricts the actions of traditional religions such as Christianity, while allowing other “faiths” to escape. This disadvantage plays out not only in traditional church-state issues such as funding (e.g., faith-based initiatives) but also in the rapidly escalating church-state discussion surrounding moral...
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...beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1-1). God made the world out of his own image. God creates man and woman, which are Adam and Eve. With many plans for us human beings, like for man and woman to be fruitful here on earth but sin came along which led to a sinful world and the death of the human race. God’s creation of the living world was designed for his own glory and because he desired to share his life with others. The beginning of the world is a plan of the power, love, and goodness of him. His purpose was to create a natural world were man could follow and glorify him. Thus, the biblical worldview of today’s life is that half of the human race that he has created does not glorify him, just as he had intended it to be. The human race of today’s time and even of thousands of years ago does not obey God’s will. He created man so that we can follow and learn from him. The world we live in was intended for his own glory and because he desired to share his life with each and every one of us. The creation of the world is an example of the power, love, and goodness of God. As someone who is majoring in business administration in communications, I would use my beliefs to glorify our Lord by learning his ways of interacting with others. This is how I would communicate in my position as someone with a business degree. Most importantly with integrity just as Jesus did. The biblical worldview of today’s life shows the opposite of what God intended. God had created...
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...Business Comparison Paper Larry Jackson Ohio Christian University Author’s note This paper was prepared for Business Law (ONB54), taught by Professor Tino Business Comparison Paper A vertical market relationship is connections between the firm, customers, and supplier. In which companies within any given vertical market are mostly the same in solving similar issues. Most of these markets are very competitive because of overlapping focal points of the manufactured goods being provided to the customer. Examples of vertical markets are: insurance, real estate, banking, heavy manufacturing, retail, transportation, hospitals, and government. Vertical market relation is the process in which several steps in the production and/or distribution of a product or service are controlled by a single company or entity, in order to increase that company’s or entity’s power in the marketplace (Dharma, 2009). There are basically 3 classifications of Vertical Integration namely: Backward integration where in the company tries to own an input product company. Forward integration the business tries to control the post production areas, namely the distribution network. Like a mobile company opening its own Mobile retail chain. Balanced integration a mix of the above two balanced strategy to take advantages of both the worlds. In the external analysis customers play a key role because of their characteristics determine the firm’s market opportunities (Dharma, 2009). It is the glory of...
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... April 17, 2016 Everyone has a worldview, no matter who they may be. Whatever a persons’ view is, it is what drives their every action; it is what makes them who they are. Worldviews have caused major wars yet they have also led some to perform extreme acts of love. The Jewish people are driven by their ritualistic love and devotion to God, while Islam is driven by acts of kindness in order to face their maker. I feel that it is more than that; I hold true to a Biblical worldview that is explained best by Paul in Romans 1-8. Paul helps to explain how I view the natural world and how nature is the canvas of God, showing His power and majesty. When I look at these chapters, how I feel about human identity and our relationship with God and others is solidified. The very culture in which we live in is mirrored by Pauls’ letter to the Romans, as if he was speaking directly to the people living today. My worldview begins with God and the world around me. I look at nature and witness His glory everywhere my eyes set. It makes no sense to me how anyone can see the things that they see and not believe and worship. To deny God the glory of His creation is to reject Him completely. We are left with no excuses as Romans 1:20 shows, for when He created life, He “revealed Himself in nature in a such a way to hold all people responsible.” When we step outside on a beautiful spring day and a...
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...Suicide 2. Beyond the Sun and Stars 3. Elijah Explains 4. The Happiness of Heaven 5. We Shall Know Each Other 6. Conducted to Hell 7. The Tortures of Hell 8. A Lost Soul Speaks 9. Further Conversations 10. An Atheist in Hell Chapter 1: Planning Suicide When evil persons have gone in a life of sin, and find that they have reason to fear the just judgment of God, they begin at first to wish there were no God to punish them. Then little by little they persuade themselves that there is no God, and look for arguments to back their opinion. I had the unhappiness to know someone like this, who would always be telling me there was neither God nor devil, and no heaven or hell. It was with fear and trembling that I first heard him speak about these topics, but he spoke of them so often that I felt I must consider what he said. From this time I found my mind so confused that I could not remember the truths about God which had appeared so clear to me before. I could not think there was no God but with the greatest horror, yet I questioned the truth of His being. I would not have parted with my hope of heaven for all the riches of the world, yet now I was not sure whether there was any such place. In my confusion I went to my false friend to see what comfort he could give me. He only laughed at my fears and pretended to pity my weakness. His talks only made me more confused, until life became a burden to me. It is impossible to tell you the agonies I felt, until I was pushed to the edge of desperation...
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...Statement of Faith I believe that the structure of the church should not be determined by culture, business practices, or denominational traditions. The Bible is the only possible common denominator upon which most, if not all, of the God-fearing people of the land can unite. I believe that there is only one God and this God is manifested in three persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit (trinity). He is the creator of the universe and of all life, the sustainer of all things, who is infinite in glory, wisdom, holiness, justice, power and love. God is love and thus is a personal God establishing a personal relationship with those who are called His people. I believe man was created in the image and likeness of God. However, through the sin of Adam, man fell into sin and is, therefore separated from Christ. As a sinner mankind was subject to both physical and spiritual death becoming eternally separated from God and incapable of providing redemption for himself. Only if a man be born again, will he see the kingdom of God. The bible and all of its 66 books are the plenary, verbally inspired Word of God. It is inerrant in its original manuscripts and infallible in its authority. The bible is the ultimate authority guidebook from God to Man in matters of faith and day to day life, interpreted by the Holy Spirit to each individual believer. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the trinity conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. ...
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...Bibles to Genesis Chapter 1 were are going to look at verses 26,27, and 28. Stop at at and God Blessed them. My bible has commentary to further explain what is going in vs ‘s 26 and 27. You know as I read this I began to think wow we were made in God’s glory. Yet we were born in sin and shapen in inquity. And then we were given another opportunity to live for his glory thru Jesus’ death. However we don’t want to give up the sinful nature. We relish in it. When we can be delivered from sin by accepting Christ as our personal Savior. Another thing I find amazing is that God has to become appealing to a heart he created. Sin is deep and we need to recognize our sinful condition. We have a problem accepting our creator and then wonder why our children turn on us . We say we have to give up to much to live for Jesus and I just not reafy. I have to give up the club scene , I have to give up being promiscuous, I have to give up what I like to eat. I have to make my body a living sacracfice holy and acceptable to God which is my reasonable service. I can’t be conformed to the world but I have to be transformed by the renewing of my mind that I may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Yes, we quote scriptures because we show up for church and sometimes listen and allow the word of God to speak us and we know it right but it’s still to hard. And we think we can hide the way we live our lives from Jesus. We think we have pulled the wool over Jesus’s...
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...year, each setting sun, each tick of the clock – is shortening our days, and swiftly, silently, but surely bringing us closer and closer to eternity. There is nothing we can do to stop the course of time. Life itself is no more than a breath. “You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). The year, the day and the hour will soon come that will bring our life here on earth to an end. There, at life’s junction, our eternal destiny will be sealed. It will be the point of no return. So make sure today that you know where you are heading. Today our feet stand on time’s sinking sand. Tomorrow some of our footprints might remain, but we are gone – into eternity. Today our hands are busy at work, we can see things with our eyes, our mind is thinking, we are planning for the future. Tomorrow all is still. The arms are folded, the eyes are closed and they will remain so, for we are gone – gone to eternity. Others were once busy as we are now, healthy as we are, thoughtless as we are; but now they are gone – to eternity. What comes after we die? Whether your destiny takes you right or left at the junction of your life is something you must decide today. Either you will wake up with rapture in the glory of heaven or be engulfed in the darkness and despair of hell. “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb. 9:27). Dear reader, our own turn to...
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...found in churches: BUILDERS (born prior to 1945), BOOMERS (1945-64), BUSTERS and GEN X (1965-1983), and BRIDGERS/MILLENNIALS (born since1984). Discontent over worship styles and music will intensify. The church must address the needs of all people God places in its care. Remember, love the brotherhood regardless of age or gender. 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 2. Spirit-filled (Pentecostal) churches will come under tremendous pressure from clergy and church members, to silence the Gifts of the Spirit in public meetings, and to further compromise Pentecostal teachings. The Full Gospel church must take a stand for freedom of the Spirit in all of its ministries. 1 Corinthians 14:37-39 3. Churches will be pressured to adopt unscriptural tactics of the corporate business world into key areas of their structure. This may lead to stale, impersonalized, or ineffective religious procedures. The church must understand that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, and the Biblical order of organization is to be followed. 2 Timothy 3:5 4. America will steadily decline as the major influence in the world. This will create stress within our business and economic community. Our only Hope is a mighty revival of God's glory, by again placing our total trust in God. The church must...
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...Where did He get such Wisdom! Wisdom and a Fresh Anointing of the Holy Spirit for New Seasons & New Beginnings... The Lord wants to anoint us with supernatural wisdom that will cause people to say, “How did he get so smart?” They said that of Jesus. Mark 6:2b And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! You see, we need that again in the Church. We need to set the standard for the world. Jesus lived His life plugged into the Flow of the Spirit of Wisdom, so His life, on a day to day basis, demonstrated skillful living that glorified and demonstrated the reality of the Kingdom of God. Don’t you want an impartation from the Spirit of wisdom? I believe we're coming into new seasons and new times in the Lord. It's not that it’s new to Him, it's new to us. The Church needs to operate in the Spirit of wisdom and understanding now! We need to raise up a standard, not by our ability, but by being plugged into the Spirit of wisdom, this is not information or performance, but skillful ability and understanding that releases authority and strong leadership. We are seeing major changes all around that will and has effect each of our lives and more are on the way. If there was ever a time for you and I to live and operate out of the Spirit of Wisdom it is Now! Please know that I'm not talking about what your ability is or a few nuggets...
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