2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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ACCOUNTABILITY IN CHURCH FINANCES (I)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24
2 Corinthians 8:16-24
2 Corinthians 1:12
“Providing for honest things
… in the sight of men.”
ACCOUNTABILITY IN CHURCH FINANCES (I)
Every church is to be careful in handling her finances. First, these funds are the monies of God’s people given with the trust and intention that it be used for the extension of God’s kingdom. Second, these funds belong to God. Thus, the church finances must be employed in a manner that is consistent with God’s Word. It must never be abused, wasted or used in support of unlawful causes.
The passage today demonstrates the carefulness of Paul in handling the contributions of the Corinthian Christians for the poor saints in Jerusalem. Paul’s principle in the handling of public funds is stated in 2 Corinthians 8:20-21, “Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
Paul was wholly committed to be blameless, accountable and transparent with regards to church funds. He was keen to avoid any occasion for suspicion or accusation in financial matters. Once suspicion in such matters is aroused, it will be difficult to eradicate for future collections. Kent wisely observed that “anyone in the limelight, as Paul was, quickly learns that his prominence makes him an obvious target of critics, especially in financial matters.” Moreover, there were many opponents of Paul in the Corinthian church that were only too eager to attack him. The collection of vast amounts of funds could easily be a trigger for false rumours against Paul. Precaution must be taken to make sure that the collection was not misunderstood. Financial integrity is the key.
To ensure transparency and accountability, Paul sent three men to oversee the collection. These were men who were trusted by the churches. We will study the character of these three men tomorrow.
THOUGHT: The monies in the church belong to God.
PRAYER: Father, help me to be careful in managing finances.