INTRODUCTION

For some time now, I have not been punctual and consistent with my assignment, the "Betterlife Sunday School Lessons". I apologise for that. But I promise to be faithful from now.

*Memory Verse:

2 Corinthians 9:8

God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work
(KJV)

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Central Truth

Business performed within Biblical boundaries invites God's blessings.

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The Lesson Outline

1. Biblical Purpose of Business

Genesis 1:28-31; Jeremiah 29:4-7
A. Stewards of Creation
B. Seek Peace with Others

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2. Biblical Responsibilties in Business

Proverbs 11:23-31; 2 Corinthians 9:8
A. Good and Evil Contrasted
B. Equipped for Generosity

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3. Biblical Ethics in Business

Proverbs 11:1; 21:25-26; 22:16; James 5:14
A. Honest and Compassionate
B. Selfless, Not Self-Indulgent

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Teaching Goals

1. Impart and Reinforce Knowledge: Instruct students toward godly actions in the marketplace amid an ungodly world.

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2. Influence Attitudes: Encourage students to value Scripture as the guide to honesty and justice in doing business with others.

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3. Influence Behaviour: Challenge students to do business with others in a way that glorifies God and proclaims Christ.

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Introducing the Lesson

Begin by discussing this question: "What does the Bible tell us about why work, doing business, and pursuing a career isa necessary part of our lives?"

A biblical view of life in the marketplace begins in the Creation story, before the Fall. In this way, we are reminded that God had a plan for our professional lives from the beginning. As a result, Christians can look to Scripture to guide us as we do business in a world so profoundly impacted by sinful desires and motives.

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The Holy Scriptures

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29. And God said, Behold, have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat. 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowi of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Jer 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5. Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6. Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands that they may bear sons and daughters that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7. And seek the peace of the city whither have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace

Prov 11:23. The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath

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COMMENTARY AND APPLICATIONS

1. Biblical Purpose of Business

A. Stewards of Creation Genesis 1:28-31

Genesis 1 is the chapter of beginnings. God created the universe, He created this world, and He created humanity in His image. Then, beginning in verse 28, we see the role humanity is called to fill within this created world.

Having been made in His image, God gave humanity a measure of authority to rule over the rest of the created world. This would begin as Adam and Eve became fruitful, filling the earth with more people to live in relationship with God. Then they would 'subdue" the earth, becoming masters, under God, of Creation. Note the broad scope here: All manner of creatures and plant life were included (verses 29-30).

"Subduing" the earth was not a call to exploit it for personal gain but to use the resources of Creation to glorify God, its Creator. This would involve learning about the various components of Creation, then acting as good, godly stewards of its many resources.

Having finished Creation and appointing humanity to subdue it, God saw that all He had made was "very good" (verse 31). It is important to keep this point in view. Sin corrupted humanity, and that corruption impacted what had been intended regarding our role as rulers and stewards of what God had made.

As we utilise the resources around us, we must remember that Our Creator has called us to be stewards of that which He has created. We are accountable to Him for what we do and the decisions we make. As we move beyond Genesis 1 in Scripture, we will further find that this same principle of godliness and accountability applies to how we interact with others in using the blessings and resources God has made.

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Questions forApplication

How would you describe what it means to rule over Creation, as seen in Genesis 1:28-31?

How can recognising God as Creator of all things impact the way we act and manage the resources of this world in the marketplace?

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B. Seek Peace With Others

Jeremiah 29:4-7
The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the people of Judah during the final years of the nation, aS they were beginning to be taken to Babylon in captivity. As a result, the book contains many gloomy prophecies of judgement.

However, Jeremiah also provided practical instruction as to how they should Conduct themselves in Babylon. The prophet called them to live "normal lives, doing business while in exile and even praying for their captors (Jeremiah 29:4-7).

Building houses planting crops and establishing families represented a return to normal life for the exiles. They were experiencing the trauma of being deported from Judah and
relocated hundreds of miles away in Babylon. Now far from home they were to resume the process of making a living and building families.

Furthermore, they were to live in Such a way as to promote the "peace and prosperity of the city" (verse 7, NIV). This may have been hard, since the city consisted largely of their conquerors. Yet God reminded them that they at the prosperity of Babylon would bring prosperity to them as well.

There are several principles we can draw from Jeremiah's lnstruction to the exiles. First, we as Christians are to function as productive members of society, even though that society might utterly reject all that we believe.

Second, we are wise to seek both the peace of our society as well as its well-being. This should even be a matter of our prayers(see also 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Matthew 5:44). Such a pursuit will work to the betterment of our lives. More importantly, It can open doors of opportunity to demonstrate compassion tor the needy (through Our giving and charity as well as to proclaim the gospel through words that are supported by loving actions.

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Questions for Application

Why do you think Jeremiah instructed God's people to live normal lives while in Babylon?

What are some specific prayers Christians can pray for the unsaved world and leaders around them?

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Response to the Word

God desires us to function productively in our fallen society—but for a purpose higher than ourselves. To what degree do you see your career pursuits as an opportunity to Iive out your faith in a practical way? Pray that God will open new doors in your life for sharing your hope in Christ.

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2. Biblical Responsibilities in Business

A. Good and Evil Contrasted Proverbs 11:23-31

The Book of Proverbs is one of stark contrasts: good vs. evil, wise vs. foolish, responsibility vs. laziness, and many more. Proverbs 11:23-31 provides a good overview of these themes, and it helps us better understand what God expects of His people when doing business with others.

When studying Proverbs, keep in mind that many proverbs will contradict normal human understanding or expectations. In Proverbs 11, we also see a strong emphasis on sowing and reaping (see also Galatians 6:7-8):

Righteous desires lead to blessing: evil desires lead to judgement.

Generosity brings prosperity, but selfishness brings poverty. These two contrasting attitudes will also greatly affect a person's reputation.

People will usually find what they seek after, be it good or evil.

The object of one's trust greatly impacts the cutcome of his or her life.

Sin brings trouble and ruin to far more than just sinners—also harming those closest to them-but righteousness brings fruit to the righteous as well as those in their lives.

The righteous walk a road that leads to reward, but the ungodly walk a road that leads to judgement.ķjuuujkuý judgements in Proverbs 11 often speak to life on a
spiritual level, of everlasting blessings and consequences. It is important to keep this in view when considering right and wrong in even the most practical, everyday areas of life.

Some are tempted to separate their business lives from their spiritual lives. They might do all the rightthings with their church family, yet straddle the line between good and evil in their Work—seeking personal profit while compromising truth or treating others badly. God allows no such distinctions. He expects good from His people in every area of life. Compromise brings risk of harm in this world and judgement in the world to come.

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Questions for Application

How can the call to generosity seen in Proverbs 11 translate into the way Christians do business and function in the secular world?

What are some practical ways compromise might harm a Christian in his or her work? What are some spiritual consequences of comprormise?

B. Equipped for Generosity 2 Corinthians 9:8

The principle of sowing and reaping, So prominent in Proverbs 11, is Seen again in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8. This forms the foundation for a key principle on generosity: It is a matter of the heart and of the will, and is rooted in one's walk with God (verse 7).

But in describing proper motivation toward generous action, God gives a word of comfort and of challenge: He blesses His people so that they can, in turn, bless others through their giving. This can be comforting for any who are moved by needs yet needy in themselves. When they see others in need, they can seek the Lord with expectant hearts, praying that He might give them opportunity to help in some tangible way. The implication of verse 8 is that every believer will have a chance to help in some way.

Verse 8 also presents a challenge: When God blesses us financially, He expects us to be generous. Success for the believer ought to translate into compassion for those in need.

It can be easy to rationalised hoarding money: shielding oneself against a financial downturn, reinvesting in the business for future growth later, or rewarding oneself for hard work. While al these have me they can also distract from Biblie principles of how a Christian businessperson is to treat employe as well as the needy. God calls us be generous toward others in some way, whether we own a business find ourselves strugging with our own finances.

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Questions for Application

How can you help a needy person near you today?

Why do you think God values generosity among His people?

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Response to the Word

Take stock of how God has blessed you, as described in 2 Corinthians 9:8. In what ways has He made sure that you have all you need? In what ways have you "abounded in every good work" (NIV) toward others?

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3. Biblical Ethics in Business

A. Honest and Compassionate Proverbs 11:1;21:25-26; 22:16

There are few places where the believer's ethics shine brighter than the marketplace. The Scriptures in this subpoint address three issues where ethics can be clearly displayed (or compromised, often in subtle ways).

Proverbs 11:1 offers practical application of the command to love one's neighbour as well as the stranger (see Leviticus 19:18,33-37). In ancient times, it could be difficult to be precise in making weights used in business, thus creating opportunity for dishonesty and injustice. Today, such opportunities might take other forms, but they are just as real, such as selling something without revealing a problem. One might be able to conceal fraud from others, but the Lord sees all. Those who are honest even in private find favourwith Him.

Proverbs 21:25-26, interestingly, links sloth and a lack of charity. The righteous possess Wisdom, which helps them see the necessity of work. (See the Historical-Literary Background on the first page of this lesson.) They also recognise that with work comes prosperity, which allows them to give to those in need. In contrast, the slothful never have enough to be generous. They demonstrate their foolishness in their selfishness and lack of compassion.

Proverbs 22:16 reminds us that unrighteousness can be seen in the way we treat the rich as well as the poor. Oppressing the poor for personal gain is often readily seen (i.e., exploiting a needy person by withholding proper wages). However, currying favour with a rich person through self-serving flattery or favours is also wrong in God's eyes.

Throughout Proverbs we are reminded that injustice and
dishonesty are used in the
marketplace because they are
"effective" in the temporal sense.
Throughout history, many have gotten rich at the expense of the poor and desperate. The issue is ultimately spiritual. Prosperity is not, for the Christian, a sign of God's blessing; it can come as a result of unrighteousness, and with terrible Consequences. We are wise to instead navigate the marketplace using Scriptural principles of righteousness.

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Questions for Application

What are some examples of unethical behaviour in the marketplace today that exploit the poor and needy?

In what subtle ways might a Christian be tempted to compromise ethnics?

Questions for Application

What does it mean to set your heart and mind on things above? How will doing be seen in your life?

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B. Selfless, Not Self-Indulgent James 5:1-4

James 5:1-4 is likely directed at unbelievers. These selfish rich men would be judged because they had stored up treasure for themselves. Unlike spiritual treasures, their wealth would not stand the test of time. Worldly treasure eventually rots or tarnishes—a testimony to the greed, selfishness, and lack of compassion within those devoted to hoarding it (verses 2-3). In these Last Days, people ought to be devoted to laying up treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:19-21). Yet these unbelievers instead focused on accumulating things that would not stand the test of time.

Furthermore, the cries of the exploited also testified against these men (verse 4). In Bible times there were no labour laws. The wealthy could enrich themselves by treating their workers unfairly. The needy and desperate had no recourse in such cases.

The message of James 5 is
twofold. The righteous are not focused on accumulating wealth for their own indulgence, but for gody purposes. And if they do obtain riches it is through legitimate means and with compassion for the vulnerable and needy.

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Questions for Application

Why do you think God will judge those who hoard material possessions for themselves?

How would you define the proper Christian attitude toward wealth?

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Response to the Word

Scripture does not condemn wealth, and in fact describes possessions as an opportunity to help others. However, Scripture does warn Strongly against improper views and uses of wealth. Examine how view and use your possessions. Ask God to help you change any improper attitudes or motivation.

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Call to Discipleship

We live in a culture that defines success in
temporal terms and encourages people to look out for their own interests first. But God has instead called us
to be first and foremost focused on the values of His
kingdom. As you live and work in the marketplace of
your world, ask God to help you maintain a proper attitude toward possessions, express compassion for others, and honour His kingdom above all.

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THIS PUBLICATION IS A PRODUCT OF GENERAL COUNCIL SUNDAY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA