THE BIBLE, ON WEALTH POWER, SERVANT-HOOD AND MERIT--that which is good, has worth and is of value The Latin is, meritum--that which is earned.
The following is by way of background
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1930 to 1947, I was born, I lived and was raised in NEWFOUNDLAND--then known as, Britain's first and Oldest Colony, which had a population of about 225,000 people.
Because of Depression-based debt, the island and Labrador (twice the area of the island) was forced into bankruptcy and into being governed by a British governor assisted by a panel of six. There were three officials from England and three business leaders from Nfld--all men.
EDUCATION SYSTEM. Interestingly, Nfld (now NL) then had a totally denominational school system. The largest system was owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Church. All other denominations--Anglican, United Church (the system I attended), the Salvation Army, and others--were free to own and operate their own schools. Bible-believing and church-obeying theocrats, in all denominations, loved it. The few who objected to the powers there were simple grumbled to themselves.
In 1947, identified as a British citizen and as a student, I migrated, quite freely, to New Brunswick, Canada. There I attended Mount Allison University
www.mta.ca --associated with the United Church. It is in Sackville, NB.
IN MY OPINION, the Bible is not The Word of God For all time TWOGFAT
Jesus did not NOT say: Follow me! I am your lord, king and messiah
"I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:27). Also 'minister' means one who serves. All government ministers, including the PM, and the civil servants they appoint, tell us by the title of the office they seek, and accept, that they want to be our servants, not our masters.
I certainly do not expect any servant to be an unjustly rewarded slave; servants deserve to be rewarded, but on what basis? For me this raises a very BIG question about the kingdom of GOD: Is the kingdom of GOD an aristocracy, a democracy, or a meritocracy?
Me? Though I my name is 'King', I abhor aristocracy. I respect democracy, but the more I think about it, the more I like to think we need to have a democratic meritocracy.
Questions: Should the Christian ministry be a kind of democratic meritocracy? Was Jesus a democratic Meritocrat?
What did he think of people who acted our of fear rather than out of faith?
Read the parables of Jesus in the Gospels.
Many of them are about Faithful and/or Unfaithful Servants.
For example, Matthew 25:14-30--The Parable of the Three Servants. Take note of what happened to the servant who said. "I was afraid ... "
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