Many of the dear believers in Christ our Lord have never heard of such expression like "God's economy". I came across some who said that there are no such words mentioned in the Bible. Many were shocked whilst taking to their hand the simplest and most common english-greek interlinears and finding for themselves the truth that has been frauded by many inadequate by simply lacking the proper revelation translations of the New Testament. Let's take a closer look at three particular passages in the New Testament, in the writings of apostle Paul. Is it really the issue of God's economy that important in the eyes of God? Shall we take the Word of God to acknowledge and consider our ignorance towards the central line of God's revelation in the Bible? Let us do so...

In the epistle to the Ephesians chapter 1 verse 10 we read according to the most accurate translation taken from the New Testament Recovery Version : "Unto the economy of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him;" Here Paul takes us further in the progression of the divine revelation in the New Testament. Three preceeding verses speak about: redemption, blood, forgiveness of offenses, riches of His grace, abounding in all wisdom and prudence, making known, the mystery, His will, His good pleasure and His purpose - all being considered to be "unto the economy of the fullness of the times" in other words "resulting in the economy of the fulness of the times".

The word "economy" in Greek is composed of two words: "oikos" - meaning house, household and "nomos" - meaning a law, an arrangement. This word "oikonomia" has been used in ancient Greece and elswhere where the influence of the Greek culture was strongly affecting the social and political life of surrounding nations. Oikonomia was simply a system of a house/household arrangement, household law, household administration or household dispensing. The house of a rich owner with all the family members, slaves, possessions, etc. was in need of a well functioning system of distributing all of the riches of the house to all the members of the household so that no one would lack anything. This was an oikonomia - dispensing of the riches, taking care of the house, administrating the resources for the benefit of all. The one in charge of it was called a steward. Thus the word oikonomia has also another meaning - a stewardship. With God this is economy - when a man is involved as a steward of the riches of God's house this economy becomes his stewardship. The word for "economy" and "stewardship" is the same - oikonomia.

Let's take a look at the footnote to the word "economy" in the text of the Recovery Version:

Or, plan. The Greek word, oikonomia, means house law, household management or administration, and derivatively, administrative dispensation, plan, economy (see note 4³ 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 (emphasis added) of the abundant life supply of the Triune God as the life factor into all the members of the church (emphasis added) that they may rise up from the death situation and be attached to the Body.

Another verse showing us the importance of God's economy is Ephesians 3:9: "And to enlighten all that they may see what the economy of the mystery is, which throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things,"

Following verses are a strong proof that in the eyes of God His economy is the most crucial item of the divine revelation - to be taught singly as the main teaching among the churches. 1 Timothy 1:3-4 speaks: "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 Nor to give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than God's economy, which is in faith."

And again the footnote supplied for this occurence of the word "economy" sheds tremendous amount of light for us to see its real meaning:

The Greek word means household law, 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 pasture 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 10¹ 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.

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).

FSS, November 20 2002

Bibliography:

1. New Testament Recovery Version, published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA; Revised Edition 1991