Ancient Christian Witness

I commented on a statement made by someone else on a different board that just got closed down.

"If faith is a gift, it's not something you do OR maintain."

One can't maintain a gift? Christmass is coming up........we all can abuse or take care of a gift "given to us".


If we can't handle it and take care of it then it wasn't a gift in the first place. The Parable of the Talents show that we can do things with God's gifts.


Matthew 25

"14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to
another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.
Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at
once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the
two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went
off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19"After a long time
the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man
who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said,
'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21"His
master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master's happiness!' 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he
said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23"His
master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master's happiness!' 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came.
'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have
not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and
went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest
where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then,
you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I
returned I would have received it back with interest. 28" 'Take the talent from
him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will
be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what
he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into
the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

THE LORD GIVETH and the LORD TAKETH away






JNORM888