Grudem’s book, “Business for the Glory of God,” briefly addresses the business practices that are Godly, and which every Christian who engages in business around the world should understand. It is a presentation of a concise and a clear case that Christians can be business persons in areas encompassing competition, commercial transactions, employment, inequality of possessions, lending and borrowing, profit, and ownership, without any fear that the businesses they engage in are not morally right (Grudem, 2003). A reader gets to understand that a business is morally good, but only if conducted according to the boundaries that the Bible sets. He disregards the notion that business is merely neutral or bad, but he argues that a good business provides several opportunities for God’s glory to be manifested while, on the other hand, giving temptations to evil. Even though the book exhaustively explores the functionalities of Christian involvement in business, in regard to the extent to which aspects of business activity are ethically good and how these activities glorify God, some of its deductions, in the same manner as other literary masterpieces, are faulty.
Grudem, accurately deduces, that business has been neglected for a long time, in spite of its potential significance with respect to the glorification of God. He captures the attention of the reader to nine areas that are of controversy. He refers to scripture in every area and illustrates the extent to which the practice has foundations in the Bible (Snapp, n.d). He also elaborates how every field can be used against or for the glory of God. For instance, the author points out in the chapter about “competition” that, Christians can use competition to glorify God as people with talents who make improvements on the products of the competitor. As such, the innovation which results in improved products, will ensure that consumers of the product will always have better goods which can be on sale at prices that are affordable to the customers. Additionally, he points out that sinful people exploit competition when they attempt to apply schemes that are either unethical or unfair.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
It is true that indeed, the human person mimics the sovereignty of God via private possession, by exercising the sovereignty of man over creation. Grudem argues that when a person cares for his possessions, then he has the opportunity to emulate such Godly attributes as creativity, beauty, knowledge, wisdom, freedom, independence, fairness, kindness, love for everyone, blessedness, and exercise of will (Grudem, 2003). The craving to possess one’s property is not a sin, but reflects the person’s innate cravings of divinity, which are bestowed to be self-sufficient over things. Additionally, private ownership gives individuals the opportunity to make good use of the available resources by ensuring that they share them with the needy people. Readers get to learn that the word ‘subdue’, in Genesis 2:15, insinuates the importance of the productivity of man. The intention of God is for humans to work towards developing the world in a manner that glorifies God and which consequently, accrues goodness to humanity in general. The author explains that manufactured goods provide man with the opportunity to exalt God for the resources that are available in the universe. Any item that is manufactured gives man the opportunity to discover the wonders of the creations of God in terms of the resources that man is capable of making from the earth (StudyModeResearch. n.d).
Being in command of the universe is all about carrying out activities that are productive, as well as making useful the earth’s resources for everyone. Grudem rejects the outright of Marxism, and instead maintains that the Bible considers it right for an individual to seek the services of another person and gain profit from the work of such a person (Bradley, 2015). He explains further that the employee-employer associations are mutually valuable as well as good (Luke 3:14; 10:7; 1 Tim. 6:2). The relationship of employment presents a framework for an all-purpose gratitude for the calling and dignity of other people. Employees can search for the employers’ reward through their hard work at their places of work, while employers can search for the employees’ good by providing fair salaries for any work that is well done. Grudem notes that business deals are always a typical part of man’s society, right from the days of creation (Lev. 25:14). The Bible teaches that it is right to sell and buy because a person gets the opportunity to be virtuous to others by providing them with the goods which they demand.
Man gets a chance to emulate his creator in the marketplace by practicing the freedom of choice, fairness, faithfulness, and honesty. The author also writes that use of money and profit are good since both insinuate that an individual is making efficient and good use of the resources of God as the teachings in the Book of Matthew 25:14-30 encourage (Bradley, 2015). Money sets humans apart from the animal kingdom. It also makes it easier and fair with less wastages, the deliberate exchange of goods and services. Money and the making of profits provide man with the opportunity to give glory to God. Man’s glory to God can be espoused through advocating for the church’s mission in the universe, providing aid, meeting one’s requirements and those of other people, and increasing one’s stewardship.
On the other hand, the book has its deficiencies. The book was written to expound on a lecture that was given at a conference, though it stirs up the appetite for a thorough study of the topics which it discusses from the point of view of the self-disclosure of God (Bradley, 2015). As a result, the book misses the needed discussion concerning some of the consequences that come about due to the interference in business activities by third factions. In other words, the explanations by Grudem revolve more around whatever takes place when the attributes that have been discussed in this paper are abused, but fails to discuss the consequences that may result from suppressing such attributes by the state. There is a need to provide more elaboration regarding the consequences of the government’s suppression to the attributes.
The author writes that it is not a sin for a person to desire the property of others, but that this a reflection of the person’s divinely cravings, which are bestowed to be self-sufficient over things. He fails to put into consideration that such cravings can lead to some unethical acts that may include bribery and corruption, robbery with violence, and murder in order to acquire the property of others (Snapp, n.d). Additionally, extreme desires for the acquisition of more property by a person can create poverty in the society as the people who are in positions of power will ensure that they get as much as they can without considering the wellbeing of their neighbors. As such, the less fortunate individuals in the society can become poorer at the expense of the people with extreme cravings for wealth. On the other hand, the people who eventually become richer by taking advantage of the plight of the disadvantaged individuals in the community can decide to sell their products expensively. Therefore, it might be difficult for everyone in the society to benefit from the resources that are available in the universe. Such is contrary to Grudem’s explanation that private ownership gives individuals the opportunity to make good use of available resources by ensuring that they share them with the needy people. In fact, the needy people can end up becoming the subjects of the private owners of business.
Also important to note is the fact that Grudem rejects the outright of Marxism, and instead maintains that the Bible considers it right for an individual to seek the services of another person and gain profit from the work of such a person (Grudem, 2003). He fails to note that there are employers who will take advantage of their employees by making them work for long hours while paying them disproportionately just because they want to make mega profits out of the employees’ sweat. His explanation can easily be exploited by business owners who have the bad intention of misusing their employees. There seems to be contradiction when Grudem notes that man produces goods so as to exalt God and also writes that the same man has the right to use others to make profits.
He fails to consider that man is also a creation of God just like the resources that man extracts. Therefore, business owners should focus on creating wealth for everyone regardless of a person’s economic status (Snapp, n.d). The author also writes that the Bible teaches that it is right to sell and buy because a person gets the opportunity to be virtuous to others by providing them with the goods they demand. On the other hand, he does not emphasize that such transactions should be fair to both parties since sellers can make goods available to buyers, but at the rates that they cannot afford. Therefore, the author ought to have emphasized that sellers should not over price their products so as to get huge profits than what is expected as such would amount to business immorality.
The author explains that business people use the knowledge, expertise, and strength of their employees to manufacture goods and sell them to buyers so as to get the opportunity to exalt God for the resources that are available in the universe (Bradley, 2015). Additionally, he notes that any item that is manufactured gives man the opportunity to discover the wonders of the creation of God in the resources that man is capable of making from the earth. Conversely, he fails to write that there is a need for the manufacturers to be ethical when producing the goods. Misusing employees by their employers with the intention of making extra profits by making them produce harmful goods that are not fit consumption such as the production of hard drugs and alcohol will not give God the glory. Therefore, the author ought to have emphasized that man can only glorify God through the productions of goods that are not harmful for consumption. Additionally, man will only glorify God if there are measures that ensure that there is equal distribution of resources regardless of the economic might of a person.
In summation, in the entire book, Grudem puts lots of emphasis on Scripture as well as on the significance of God’s glory, which the hearts of people seek. He provides some of the essential observations about the daily activities in business. One of such observations is that good practices in business as well as new opportunities give positive hope to a person’s deliverance from poverty in a society. He also writes that the Bible encourages the ownership of business, production of goods and services, and the use of manpower by employers to make profit. On the other hand, the book has its shortfalls as it fails to provide deeper explanations concerning the chapters of the book.
References
Bradley, A. (2015). Review of "Business for the Glory of God: The Bible's Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business" by Wayne Grudem . Journal of Markets and Morality. Pp. 111-113, Vol. 8(1).
Grudem, W. (2003). Business for the glory of God: The Bible’s teaching on the moral goodness of business. Wheaton: IL: Crossway. ISBN: 9781581345179.
Snapp, B. (n.d). A Review of Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business. Retrieved from http://chalcedon.edu/research/articles/a-review-of-business-for-the-glory-of-god-the-bibles-teaching-on-the-moral-goodness-of-business/
StudyModeResearch. (n.d) Business for the Glory of God Book Review. Retrieved from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Business-For-The-Glory-Of-God-868307.html
