MARKETPLACE FACTS
DEALING WITH BRIBERY Module 307 E Mario Denton Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Overall purpose of this series on Marketplace To understand and learn from various marketplace facts so that you can: • Be more effective and anointed wherever you are in the marketplace. • Adapt and benchmark your marketplace practices and principles discussed in this series. • Use these material to facilitate the work of evangelism.
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE In many quarters of the world the offering or receiving of bribes is an integral aspect of business. Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • Because the Scriptures clearly condemn the practice, what is a follower of Jesus Christ to do?
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous. (Ex.23:8) (See also Deut. 16:19; 2 Chron.19:7; Psa. 15:5; 26:10; Prov.17:23; Ecc.7:7; Amos 5:12)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Blinds those who see
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • According to Webster, a bribe is money or favour given or promised to a person in a position of trust to influence his judgment or conduct.
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • Extortion, on the other hand is ...the act or crime of getting another's money or property through force, under colour of office, fraud, forgery, intimidation, threat, blackmail, oppression or show of might. (See Lev. 6:4; Psa. 62:10; Eccl.. 7:7; Isa. 33:15; Jer. 22:17; Ezek. 18:18; 22:12; 22:29; Hab. 2:6)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • While the Scriptures clearly condemn the practice of offering or soliciting a bribe, they are silent on the practice of paying money, or its equivalent (goods and services) when it is demanded. • Jesus instruction may be relevant here:
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. • Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. (Lk. 6:29b, 30)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BRIBERY ISSUE • Understanding the difference between transactional and variance bribes may prove helpful in working through this difficult issue:
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
A transactional bribe • is a payment routinely rendered and usually impersonally made to a public official to secure or accelerate the performance of his prescribed function. • The payment is made not to violate a substantive norm but rather to assure the performance (with dispatch) of the official act or service that is available to the public. (Deut. 16:19,20; Amos 5:12, 13)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
A variance bribe • By contrast, is payment given where a norm has been varied, not to facilitate or accelerate an act substantially in conformity with a norm, but rather to secure the suspension or non-application of a norm. • Clearly, this kind of bribe is wrong.
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
ASK YOURSELF • (1) Is this action against the law of the land? (See Rom.13:1; I Jn.2:6; Rom.14:13; Act. 24:16; I Cor. 16:14; 2 Tim.1:9)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
ASK YOURSELF • (2) How does it fit with Jesus pattern of life? (3) How are other people affected? (4) What does my conscience tell me? (5) Which decision best expresses love? (6) Does this action fit in with God’s larger purposes for me? (See Rom.13:1; I Jn.2:6; Rom.14:13; Act. 24:16; I Cor. 16:14; 2 Tim.1:9)
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Prayer Focus • Father, In the name of Jesus, I surrender myself to walk in the Word in the marketplace. Your word living in me produces the Life in this world. • The word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It makes my way plain before me. • I boldly and confidently say that my heart is fixed and established on the solid foundation – the Living Word of God! Amen Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Learning, application and commitment: James 1: 22-25 • “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. • Do what it says. • Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. • But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV) Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Learning, application and commitment • One of the principles that I have learned from this lesson was … • I intend to apply this principle in my market place by: ….. • With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Jesus said: Take what I have given you and change the world!
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Sources and acknowledgement CHRIST@ WORK NEWSLETTER • •
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The “Facts of the Matter” is also available through the Internet: www.factsofthematter.org. R. Dwight Hill. Slides compiled by Mario Denton. Please commit yourself to inform us of the results regarding the effectiveness thereof should you wish to use this material.
Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery
Blessings from Dr Mario Denton as the Africa: Continental Program Director - Marketplace
Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Become a member of the Crown Companies Marketplace Coaching Forum. Â Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. e-mail address:mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za Marketplace facts: Dealing with Bribery