MARKETPLACE FACTS
BUSINESS ETHICS AND THE HOLINESS OF GOD Module 307 G Mario Denton Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
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: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
BUSINESS ETHICS AND THE HOLINESS OF GOD • Kent Humphries asked ten separate individuals, “Do you know any businessmen whose business ethics are consistent with Biblical teaching?”
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
BUSINESS ETHICS AND THE HOLINESS OF GOD • Their response? A blank stare . An awkward pause. And then, “No.” (Jeremiah 5:1) Their answer alerts him to the fact that it is a serious problem.
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
BUSINESS ETHICS AND THE HOLINESS OF GOD It raises a fundamental question, “Is it possible to be in business and remain ethical?”
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Is it possible to be in business and remain ethical?” • In his book “Just Business”, Dr. Alexander Hill states, “The foundation of Christian ethics in business is not rules but the changeless character of God...Behavior consistent with God’s character is ethical - that which is not is unethical.” Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
The three characteristics of God The three characteristics of God we are to mirror in our business practices are His holiness, justice, and love Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Focus on holiness. • God’s holiness is “the sum of all moral excellence...absolute purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin.”++ (See I Jn. 1:5; Hab. 1:13a) • And that is to be the standard for our conduct in business
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Focus on holiness. • “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” (I Pet. 1:15)
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Focus on holiness. So, how do we know when our behavior in business is holy? When it is ethical?
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Behaviour One When we are zealous for God.
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
#1 When we are zealous for God. •
“...Holiness is fundamentally about priorities. So long as business is a means of honoring God rather than an end in itself, the concept of holiness is not violated. • What holiness abhors is when business or any other human activity becomes an idol.” Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
#1 When we are zealous for God. • “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”(Matt. 6:24
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Behaviour Two #2 When we exhibit ethical purity
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
#2 When we exhibit ethical purity • by (1) communicating the truth, and (2) by serving rather than exploiting others.(Matt. 5:37; Mk. 10:43-45)
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Behaviour Three #3 When our attitude and actions signify humility rather than pride.
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
#3 When our attitude and actions signify humility rather than pride
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• “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities...” Rom. 12:3a, Phillips
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Behaviour Four #4 When we are circumspect in our actions
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
#4 When we are circumspect in our actions, • checked by the realisation of impending accountability. “Holiness holds us accountable by rewarding moral purity and punishing impurity.” See Matt. 11:2024; 25:46; Gal. 6:7, 8)
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Reflect again on your current practices Is it possible to be in business and remain ethical?
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
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: Ethics and the Holiness of God
A new commandment I give unto you That you love one another as I have loved you That you love one another as I have loved you By this shall all men know that you are my disciples If you have love one for another By this shall all men know that you are my disciples If you have love one for another Â
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
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: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Learning, application and commitment • One of the principles that I have learned from this lesson was … • I intend to apply this principle in my marketplace by: ….. • With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Jesus said: Take what I have given you and change the world!
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Acknowledgement CHRIST@ WORK NEWSLETTER Copyright Notice FCCI- Limited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice. Copy is limited to member and/or FCCI small group use. Unauthorized use of FCCI, Christ@Work, Crown Companies, their trademarks or logos is strictly prohibited.
The “Facts of the Matter� is also available through the Internet: www.factsofthematter.org . R. Dwight Hill.
Marketplace facts: Ethics and the Holiness of God
Blessings from Mario Denton
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: Ethics and the Holiness of God