Part II.

Leadership: Being A Godly Role Model

Your Personal Holiness (continued)
By: Dr. Roger Pascoe, President
The Institute for Biblical Preaching
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
In the last edition of the Net Pastors Journal, we looked at one aspect of personal
holiness purity in sexual conduct. In this edition, we are going to look at another
aspect of personal holiness - PURITY IN ETHICAL CONDUCT.
Those of us in church leadership must maintain the highest standard of integrity in
our business ethics. That means reporting your income accurately and fully on your
income tax return. It means dealing fairly and honestly with those with whom you do
business. It means acting uprightly before God in all our endeavours.
Purity in your business ethics means being wise stewards of all the resources God has
given you, whether it be time or money or possessions. What you spend your money on
says a lot about who you are. If you spend it frivolously, you are probably irresponsible.
If you live within what you can afford, you are probably well-disciplined, responsible.
One way of controlling your spending is to have a budget. No one builds a tower
without first counting the cost (Lk. 14:28). A budget takes into account your income
compared to your expenses. Itemize them carefully for each month of the year. Make
allowances for unforeseen expenses. Include savings in your budget. And periodically
analyze your spending - the amount and your spending habits.
When you know how much you spend and what you spend it on, it will help to relieve
worry about money whether youll have enough to last until next pay day. This does
not preclude unexpected expenses from time to time, which are often the hardest to deal
with when you are on a tight budget. But it gives you a framework to deal with them.
Develop good spending habits it will save you a lot of financial grief.
And be very careful with debt. You cant help owing for electricity and other household
expenses, but you can control credit cards and bank loans. If you use a credit card, make
sure you pay off the balance every month when it is due. Dont borrow what you cannot
afford.
Plan for the future by investing a certain amount each pay day. The parable of the
talents (Matt 25:15-28) speaks to that. Not being anxious about tomorrow has to do with
lack of trust in God (Matt. 6:25), not with financial planning. Financial planning is
biblical and responsible. Have a long range plan for your money. If you can, start to
save for retirement when you are young. A little saved each pay day will compound into
much at retirement age. This is good stewardship.

For retirement savings, get yourself a good financial planner, preferably a Christian who
can identify with your ethics and goals, including charitable giving. Dont try get-richquick schemes. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Investing is not the same
as hoarding. Dont be a miser. Be generous and sensitive to others in need. But there is
a balance between hoarding and wild spending, between saving for the future and
irresponsible spending.
Calculate how much life insurance you need. Talk to your financial planner or a trusted
life insurance agent. Life insurance is responsible financial planning for your family.
Provide for your familys needs (1 Tim. 5:8). They come first in anyones priorities of
spending. And give to the Lord cheerfully and regularly as you are able (cf. 1 Cor. 16:2;
2 Cor. 9:5, 7). There may be times when you cannot give (e.g. if you are unemployed),
but to the degree that you are able (by wise use of the resources God has given you)
give to the Lords work, even if it is only a small amount.
Above all, trust God. He will provide for you just as he does for the birds and flowers.
But its your responsibility to manage what he has given you and use it wisely.
Maintain the highest standard of integrity in your work ethic. The apostle Pauls
work ethic was intended to be an example for the Thessalonians to follow: You
yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;
nor did we eat anyones bread free of charge, but worked with labour and toil night
and daynot because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of
how you should follow us (2 Thess. 3:7-9).
So, dont be lazy; be diligent in your work. Do what you say youre going to do when
you say youll do it. Dont make flippant commitments that you dont follow through on
this is a matter credibility. And make sure you work hard, give a full days work for a
days pay this is a matter of integrity.
In your work ethic, display a Christ-like, biblical attitude: Bondservants, be obedient
to those who are your master according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in
sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as
bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing
service, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he
will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you masters, do
the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in
heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. (Eph. 6:5-9).
A Christ-like, biblical attitude is an attitude of respect - with fear and trembling (5b).
This doesnt mean that you literally cower in fear before your employer like a scared
puppy in fright. Rather, it means that you honour and respect them; you revere them;
you acknowledge that the source of their authority is God.
Its an attitude of sincerity - in singleness of heart (5c). Be undivided in your loyalty;
faithful to your employer. Let integrity ooze from you uprightness, purity of motive.
Its also an attitude of Christian service - as you obey Christ (5d). This is the
perspective that makes such obedience possible. Your obedience to your earthly master
is actually obedience to Christ. Your work becomes an opportunity to work for Christ.

This is the fundamental motive for Christian obedience - to obey Christ. It has nothing
to do with the personality of your boss, or the treatment he gives you. It has everything
to do with serving Christ. Christians ought to be the most obedient, upright, respectful,
loyal, and devoted employees because they work as to Christ.
This will make your testimony very believable and powerful. If your work ethic is
different from others - if you speak, think, and act differently - you can have a powerful
testimony. But if you always arrive at work late and leave early, do poor quality work,
and take long lunch breaks, then your testimony wont be believable.
If your employer is a Christian, dont think that you are entitled to special treatment.
Christian employers are entitled to even more respect and obedience because they are
brothers in the Lord. Give of your absolute best no matter who your employer is and in
so doing you glorify God. If you cant tolerate your work, find something else, but dont
slack off. So long as you work there, keep on working as to Christ, be punctual,
reliable, co-operative.
A Christian work ethic also means, dont procrastinate do the things you dont like
doing when they need to be done. Do your work gladly, willingly not as one under
compulsion, nor begrudgingly (1 Pet. 5:2). Do your work efficiently make the best use
of your time, set priorities, and say no to things that are not a good use of your time.