Although Apostle John says in 1 John 2:15, “Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him (KJV),” he states in John 3:16, “For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believed
in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The world and the things in it have been
corrupted since the first Adam’s fall, yet God still loves the people who were
created according to His image and likeness. As Christians we should not be
conformed to this world (Romans 12:2) but try to transform this society and
this world according to the will of God and His instructions.
Jesus Christ commanded his disciples in Matthew
28:19-20, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.” I believe that teaching students in this world is
one of the very important Christian ministries than can transform this society
and this world according to God’s instructions.
God wants to save this world spiritually and
materially. The Greek word, “oikonomia,”
corresponds to the English word, “economy.” Its meanings in the Bible include “stewardship
or the management of the household” (Luke 16:2-4), “mission or dispensation of
(spreading) the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:17), and God’s plan or dispensation of human
salvation” (Eph. 1:10). I believe that God wants His people to be saved not
only spiritually but also materially. By “material salvation,” I mean that God’s
people can also be saved materially in this world by learning economics of God –
learning how to manage their time, money, and life according to the will of God
and His instructions.
I want to teach students economics of sharing,
which Jesus once taught his disciples. When a great multitude of people were
around him in a desert place, Jesus told his disciples, “They need not depart,
give ye them eat” (Matt. 14:16). And he gave the loaves to his disciples to let
them distribute them to the multitude (Matt. 14:19). Apostle Paul also
mentioned this economics of sharing in 2 Corinthians 8:13-15, “For I mean not
that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this
time your abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be
equality: As it is written, ‘He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he
that had gathered little had no lack’ (cf. Exodus 16:18).”
As a person who teaches economics, I want to
connect my knowledge in economics with my faith in God and His instructions.
So, I will keep trying to find a way to let people know the sound economics of God
that they can learn from the Bible and apply its principles to their daily
living accordingly.