Economy, dispensation, stewardship

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The Greek word, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00BF00" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>oikonomia</B></I></FONT>, means house law, household management or administration, and derivatively, administrative dispensation, plan, economy (see note 4(3) in 1·Tim. 1). The economy that God, according to His desire, planned and purposed in Himself is to head up all things in Christ at the fullness of the times. This is accomplished through the dispensing of the abundant life supply of the Triune God as the life factor into all the members of the church that they may rise up from the death situation and be attached to the Body.  [<U>The New Testament Recovery Version, Ephesians 1:10, Footnote 1</U>, Living Stream Ministry]</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" > If indeed you have heard of the </FONT><B>stewardship </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" >of the grace of God which was given to me for you </FONT>(Ephesians 3:2)  In Greek, the same word as economy in v.·9 and in 1:10. In</div> <div> relation to God, this word denotes God's economy, God's administration; in relation to the apostle, it denotes the stewardship (stewardship is used also in 1·Cor. 9:17). The stewardship of the grace is for the dispensing of the grace of God to His chosen people for the producing and building up of the church. Out of this stewardship comes the ministry of the apostle, who is a steward in God's house, ministering Christ as God's grace to God's household.  [<U>The New Testament Recovery Version, Ephesians 3:2, Footnote 2</U>, Living Stream Ministry]</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" >And to enlighten all that they may see what the </FONT><B>economy </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" >of the mystery is, which throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things.</FONT>  (Ephesians 3:9)  God's mystery is His hidden purpose, which is to dispense Himself into His chosen people. Hence, there is the economy of the mystery of God. This mystery was hidden in God throughout the ages, but now the New Testament believers, having been enlightened, are able to see it.  [<U>The New Testament Recovery Version, Ephesians 3:9, Footnote 2</U>, Living Stream Ministry]</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Even as I exhorted you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things  4  Nor to give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than </FONT><B>God's economy</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Times New Roman" >, which is in faith.</FONT>  (1 Timothy 1:3-4)  The Greek word means <I>household law</I>, implying distribution (the base of this word is of the same origin as that for pasture in John 10:9, implying a distribution of the <I>pasture </I>to the flock).  It denotes a household management, a household administration, a household government, and, derivatively, a dispensation, a plan, or an economy for administration (distribution); hence, it is also a household economy. God's economy in faith is His household economy, His household administration (cf. note 10(1) in Eph. 1; Eph. 3:9), which is to dispense Himself in Christ into His chosen people that He may have a house to express Himself, which house is the church (3:15), the Body of Christ. The apostle's ministry was centered on this economy of God (Col. 1:25; 1·Cor. 9:17), whereas the different teachings of the dissenting ones were used by God's enemy to distract His people from this economy. In the administration and shepherding of a local church, this divine economy must be made fully clear to the saints.</div> <bR> <div> In the first chapter of this book the apostle Paul presented God's economy in opposition to different teachings. God's economy is in faith (v.·4), whereas the different teachings are based on the principle of the law and centered on the law (vv. 7-10).  Hence, faith is versus the law, as dealt with in Gal. 3 (vv. 2, 5, 23-25). Any teaching that is based on the principle of the law and centered on the law is unhealthy (v.·10). Only God's economy, which is in faith, in opposition to the teachings that are based on the principle of the law and centered on the law, is healthy and can make it possible for people to believe on Christ unto eternal life (v.·16) and to thus participate in God's eternal plan, God's economy, which is in faith. This is the gospel of glory with which the blessed God entrusted the apostle Paul (v.·11). If anyone thrusts away such faith and a good conscience, regarding the faith he becomes shipwrecked on a deep sea (v. 19).   [<U>The New Testament Recovery Version, 1 Timothy 1:4, Footnote 3</U>, Living Stream Ministry]</div> </td> </tr></table></body>