Beginning of Stewardship-Bible Study

Stewardship is a theme repeated throughout the Bible. Stewardship is the profitable management of someone else’s property that has been entrusted to your care.

PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIP found in the Garden of Eden

(Gen 2:4-9; 15-17).

1. OWNERSHIP —Who owns what—who does it belong to?
   • God OWNED the garden since He created it (Ps. 24:1; Gen. 2:4).Gen. 2:16-17—The tree of the knowledge of good and evil would test Adam’s recognition of God’s ownership.
2. TRUST — Property/resources that have been entrusted to you.
   God ENTRUSTED all the trees to Adam except for one that God reserved to Himself (Gen. 2:16-17).
3. RESPONSIBILITY— To wisely use what has been entrusted to you to gain a good return.Adam was a STEWARD of the garden (Gen 2:8, 15). God owned the garden—Adam was the “gardener” and RESPONSIBLE to take care of God’s garden.

   Violation of stewardship (3:1-6). Satan tempts us covet what God reserves for Himself. The roots of “original sin” was covetousness which is IDOLATRY (Col. 3:5).

   Covetousness is idolatry because it desires something that God in His wisdom has not given you, but you put your own desire above the wisdom of God. It is putting your desire ahead of what God has withheld from you.

4. ACCOUNTABILITY— Giving account to the owner of how you used what he entrusted to you)Adam gave account of his stewardship (Gen. 3:8-11).

SUMMATION: At the heart of stewardship is this question: Am I the OWNER or the CARETAKER of what I have?