"Stewardship" is something that is expected of all believers by God the Father. He gives us so many things we often take them for granted. But God expects us to care for what He has given us, to be good stewards of what we have in trust.
 
 

1. Believers are free to serve God, and not to serve themselves: ROMANS 12.1-2

"I BESEECH (Parakaleo - Para, alongside; Kaleo - to call : to call alongside, ask in a commanding tone, cry for help, beg)

YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE

MERCIES (Oiktirmos, intensive plural - Great mercy, compassion)

OF GOD, THAT YE PRESENT

YOUR BODIES (Somata hymon = Your bodies. Refers to both the body as well as it's God given bodily functions)

A LIVING SACRIFICE (Before a priest is allowed to act on behalf of others, he must first consecrate himself and offer his own sacrifices without blemish. See Malachi 1.8-13)

HOLY (Hagios = sanctified, set apart. As an instrument the body is capable of expressing either righteousness or sinfulness)

ACCEPTABLE (Euarestos = well pleasing, agreeable, acceptable)

UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR

REASONABLE (Logikos = Logical, reasonable, normal. Where we get "logical")

SERVICE (Latreia - Function of the priesthood, worship).

AND BE NOT CONFORMED (Suschematizo - Fashioned alike, molded by, conformed to a pattern. Where we get "schematic")

TO THIS WORLD (Aion - age, dispensation. The believer has been delivered from this present evil age which accepts Satan as it's god (Gal 1.4; 2 Co 4.4)

BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED (Metamorphoo = To go through metamorphosis, such as a butterfly goes through; be transformed from one creature into another entirely)

BY THE

RENEWING (Anakainosis - Renovation, renewal, rebuilding)

OF YOUR MIND (Nous - Mind, the memory center of the soul. Doctrine brings renewal of the mind)

THAT YE MAY PROVE (Dokimazo - put to the test to determine the quality of)

WHAT IS THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD."

2. By willfully sinning we lose our freedom of stewardship: JOHN 8.31-34

"THEN JESUS SAID TO THOSE JEWS WHICH BELIEVED ON HIM, IF YE CONTINUE IN MY

WORD (Logos = Teaching, body of doctrine)

THEY ARE YE MY DISCIPLES INDEED.

AND YE SHALL KNOW THE

TRUTH (Aletheia =- Absolute objective truth, here refers to the knowledge of pure doctrine and salvation)

AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU

FREE (Eleutheroo = Liberate, deliver ((from the bondage of Satan)), make free).

THEY ANSWERED HIM, WE BE ABRAHAM'S

SEED (Sperma = seed, sperm, literally "out of the lineage of)

AND WERE NEVER IN BONDAGE TO ANY MAN: HOW SAYEST THOU, YE SHALL BE MADE FREE?

JESUS ANSWERED THEM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER

COMMITTETH SIN (Poieo harmartano = Works in or with sin, does sin)

IS THE SERVANT (Doulos = Slave)

OF SIN."

3. Unbelief leads to uncontrolled slavery to sin, and restriction from serving God: HEBREWS 3.7-17

"WHEREFORE AS THE HOLY GHOST SAITH, TODAY

IF YE WILL HEAR (ean + Aorist Act Subjunctive Akouo = If (maybe, maybe not) you will hear and comprehend)

HIS VOICE (Refers to doctrine. See Hebrews 4.12; 1 Corinthians 2.16)

HARDEN NOT (Skleruno + me - stop hardening (Pres Active Subjunctive))

YOUR HEARTS (Kardia = Heart, controller of the soul)

AS IN THE PROVOCATION (En + Parapikrosmos = In the place of bitter complaining, in the place of unbelief, in the place of Meribah. See Psalm 95.8)

IN THE DAY OF TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS.

WHEN YOUR FATHERS

TEMPTED ME (Peirazo, Ingressive Ao Active Indicative = Began to and continued to test for the purpose of determining quality)

PROVED ME (En + instrumental case Dokimos - By means of judging and doubting the quality of)

AND SAW (Aorist Ac Ind horao = Having had a panoramic view of)

MY WORKS FORTY YEARS.

WHEREFORE I WAS GRIEVED (Aorist Ac Indicative Prosochthizo = I was provoked to anger, disgusted anger)

WITH THAT GENERATION, AND SAID THEY DO ALWAYS

ERR (Planao, present passive ind = Wander or go astray continually)

IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN MY WAYS.

SO I

SWARE (Ao Ac Ind , Omnumi = To promise with an oath, make a very solemn vow)

IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER

INTO MY REST (eis + Accus Sing Katapausis = Into a state of settled tranquility, rest)

TAKE HEED, BRETHREN, LEST THERE BE IN ANY ONE OF YOU AN EVIL HEART OF

UNBELIEF (Apistia, ablative of means = An unbelieving heart)

IN DEPARTING FROM (en + Instrumental aorist Act Participle Aphistemi = By means of revolting)

FROM THE LIVING GOD.

BUT EXHORT (Pres Act Imperative Parakaleo = Keep on encouraging)

ONE ANOTHER DAILY, WHILE IT IS CALLED TODAY, LEST ANY OF YOU

BE HARDENED (Constative Aorist Skleruno = become hardened)

THROUGH THE DECEITFULNESS (Instrumental, Apate = By means of strong delusion. Doubt doesn't seen like sin, but it is)

OF SIN.

FOR WE ARE MADE

PARTAKERS (Nominative plural Metochos = partners, sharers, associates)

Of CHRIST

IF WE HOLD THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONFIDENCE (Gen singular Hupostasis = Of our essence, of our priesthood and faith)

STEADFAST UNTIL THE END.

WHILE IT IS SAID, TODAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVOCATION.

FOR SOME, WHEN THEY HAD HEARD, DID

PROVOKE (Aorist Ac Indicative Pasrapikraino, constative aorist = Did always revolt)

HOWBEIT NOT ALL THAT CAME OUT OF EGYPT BY MOSES (Joshua and Caleb alone remained faithful)

BUT WITH WHOM WAS HE GRIEVED FORTY YEARS? WAS IT NOT WITH THEM THAT HAD SINNED, WHOSE CARCASSES FELL IN THE WILDERNESS?"

4. Lust particularly destroys the freedom of Stewardship: James 4.1-4

"FROM WHENCE COME

WARS (Polemos = Warfare on a massive scale, whole churches being destroyed)

AND FIGHTINGS (Kai pothen machai = And from what source skirmishes, battles between church members)

AMONG YOU? COME THEY NOT HENCE

EVEN OF YOUR LUSTS (Hedone, ablative plural + Ek = Out of the source of your sensuality)

THAT WAR (Present middle participle, Strateuo = that keeps on contending and struggling)

IN YOUR MEMBERS?

YE LUST (Pres act indicative epithumeo = You keep on lusting)

AND HAVE NOT (Pres ac ind, echo + ouk = keep on not having)

YE KILL AND DESIRE TO HAVE, AND CANNOT OBTAIN

YE FIGHT (Pres mid indicative, Machomai = quarrel between two)

AND WAR (Polemo = a quarrel with many people involved)

YET YE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT.

YE ASK AND RECEIVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK

AMISS (Kakos - evil, wickedly)

THAT YE MAY CONSUME IT UPON YOUR

LUSTS (hedone, locative = in the sphere of your sensuality).

YE ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES, KNOW YE NOT THAT FRIENDSHIP

OF THE WORLD (Genitive of Kosmos = Of the world order, of Satan's rule)

IS ENMITY (echthra = Alienation, enemyship)

WITH GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD."

5. Doctrine, i.e., the Word of God, frees the soul from slavery to sin, and frees us so that we might be good stewards for God: Hebrews 4.12

"FOR THE WORD Of GOD

IS QUICK (Pres active participle, Zao = keeps on being alive)

AND POWERFUL (energema = operationally powerful, energetic)

AND SHARPER THAN ANY

TWO EDGED SWORD (Machaira = The Roman short two edged sword, which was lightweight, perfectly balanced, having a sharp point and two sharp edges. With this sword Rome conquered the world)

PIERCING EVEN TO

THE DIVIDING ASUNDER (Achri merismos = penetrating so as to separate)

OF THE SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF THE

JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER

OF THE THOUGHTS (Gen plural enthumeisis = Function of the nous, thoughts)

AND INTENTS (Ennoia, genitive plural = Motivation formed by thought)

OF THE HEART."

OF US, AS OF THE MINISTERS (HUPERETES, THE SUBORDINATE OFFICIAL WHO WAITS TO ACCOMPLISH THE COMMANDS OF THE SUPERIOR OFFICIAL)

OF CHRIST, AND STEWARDS (OIKONOMOS, STEWARD, PERSON WHO MANAGES THE DOMESTIC AFFAIRS OF THE GREATER HOUSE)

OF THE MYSTERIES ( MUSTERION, A PERSON INITIATED INTO SECRET FRATERNAL MYSTERIES. REFERS TO CHURCH AGE DOCTRINE NOT KNOWN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT)

OF GOD .......... MOREOVER IT IS REQUIRED IN STEWARDS THAT A MAN BE FOUND FAITHFUL ( PISTOS, FAITHFUL, TRUSTWORTHY, DEPENDABLE, TRUE)"

1 PETER 4.10-11 "AS EVERY MAN HATH RECEIVED (LAMBANO, AORIST, HAS RECEIVED ONCE FOR ALL)

THE GIFT (CHARISMA, GIFT OF GRACE, UNDESERVED BENEFIT FROM GOD. REFERS TO THE GIFTS OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12)

EVEN SO MINISTER (DIAKONEO, PRESENT PARTICIPLE = KEEP ON SERVING, WAITING UPON)

THE SAME ONE TO ANOTHER AS GOOD STEWARDS ( OIKONOMOS = ADMINISTRATORS OF THE HIGHER HOUSE)

OF THE MANIFOLD GRACE (CHARIS = FAVOR DONE WITHOUT RETURN EXPECTED, REFERS TO SALVATION GRACE)

OF GOD ...... ANY MAN SPEAK ( LALEO = TALK AT RANDOM, DAILY SPEECH)

, LIT HIM SPEAK AS THE ORACLES (LOGION, DIRECT UTTERANCE FROM GOD, SPEAK WHAT GOD WOULD WANT TO HAVE SAID)

OF GOD; IF ANY MAN MINISTER, LET HIM DO IT AS OF THE ABILITY WHICH GOD GIVETH: THAT GOD IN ALL THINGS MAY BE GLORIFIED (DOXAZO, BE PRAISED OR INVESTED WITH DIGNITY, GLORIFIED, PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE MIDDLE PASSIVE, MIGHT BE PRAISED OVER AND OVER AGAIN)

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST; TO WHOM BE PRAISE AND DOMINION (KRATOS, MIGHT, MANIFESTED POWER) FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN"

, I HAVE NOTHING TO GLORIFY OF: FOR NECESSITY (ANAGKE = A COMPELLING FORCE, HARD BINDING TO DO SOMETHING)

IS LAID ( PRESENT INDICATIVE, KEEPS ON BRING LAID)

UPON ME: YEA, WOE IS UNTO ME, IF I PREACH NOT THE GOSPEL ..FOR IF I DO THIS THING WILLINGLY, I HAVE A REWARD (MISTHOS = WAGES, REWARD FOR SERVICE RENDERED IN THIS LIFE)

FOR THIS LIFE, BUT IF AGAINST MY WILL, A DISPENSATION (OIKONOMIA, COMMANDED ADMINISTRATION OF A HOUSE OR PROPERTY WITHOUT PAY)

OF THE GOSPEL IS COMMITTED (PISTEUO, PERFECT INDICATIVE PASSIVE, HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME IN THE PAST WITH THE RESULT THAT IT'S ALWAYS ENTRUSTED TO ME)

UNTO ME." (SEE ALSO GALATIANS 2.7)