1. Truth Project Lesson 11: Labor

2. Martin Luther (German, 1483 – 1546) Reformation in the Church Lutheran church spread over Germany and Scandinavia John Calvin (French, 1509 – 1564) Reformed and Presbyterian churches spread to Switzerland, The Netherlands, and parts of England. The Dutch pastor and prime minister in government, Abraham Kuyper (1837– 1920), described the Calvinist version of Christianity as a “life-system” with relevance, not only to religion, but to the arts, the sciences and politics as well. He opposed the centralization in the church, the role of the King in the state church and began to plead for the separation of church and state. The Reformed Church in the Netherlands was formed. This denomination has its counterpart in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Kuyper founded in The Netherlands the first Christian Democratic party in the world.

3. Kuyper delivered lectures at Princeton Seminary in 1898, which was his first widespread exposure to a North American audience. He also received a honorary doctorate in law there. During his time in the United States, he also traveled to address several Dutch reformed congregations in Michigan and Iowa. In 1880 Kuyper founded the Free University in Amsterdam and he was made professor of Theology there. He also served as its first rector magnificus. Sphere Sovereignty was first formulated by the Neo-Calvinist theologian and Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper and further developed by philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd (Dutch, 1894 – 1977, Professor at the Free University of Amsterdam). Quote by John Calvin: "There is not one little blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make men rejoice." Quote by Abraham Kuyper: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"

4. Abraham Kuyper’s sphere sovereignty

5. Abraham Kuyper’s spheretrinity

6. Herman Dooyeweerd’s spheres

7. Parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30 (Luke 19:12-28) What is a steward? 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To 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. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But 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. 20 The 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.’ A manager of God's goods, given delegated authority by God

8. 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. 25 So 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? 27 Well 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. 29 For 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. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

9. Now the second half of Lesson 11 on ‘Labor’ discussing: Video starts at 26 min 40 seconds 1. A general economic model and seven economic principles In the first half of the session on ‘Labor” we have seen God’s design of this sphere 2. Our responsibility to the poor 3. Created to be creative

10. Sphere of Labor God goods steward God’s design owner goods worker Economic imprint

11. 7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. 8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed- bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

12. Summary of general economic model and its seven economic principles 1.All things belong to God; Our materialistic drive is a reflection of Satan's lie that more "stuff" will satisfy us. 2. God appointed man to be a creative steward of his goods with ownership rights. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Gen 2:15). 3. Theft and coveting of another's goods is wrong 4. Skills and abilities to work come from God 5. Work is profitable, good, and to be pursued; laziness is not 6. Love God and not your goods 7. Be compassionate and generous with your goods to those in need

13. Who is responsible to take care of the poor? God? The State? What are reasons to labor? Who is the owner of everything? What has God delegated to us in terms of labor? What is the Latin phrase for ‘For God's glory alone’? Soli Deo Gloria Exodus 20:8-17 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy..... 15 “You shall not steal.... 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Rule, subdue, and... be creative:... the LORD.... has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And... to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers. (Ex 35:30-35)