Luke 14:25-33 (Discipleship Tested/Counting the cost Parable) as instructions for Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning

[bartmac123]

Is evaluating Luke 14:25-33 verses which discusses the Parable about Discipleship Tested / Counting the cost as instructions for Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning be considered as taking said verses out of context?

The reason I'm asking is because Luke 14:25-33 starts off by emphasizing the sacrifices/challenges for Christians as disciples of Jesus Christ, however, would we be able to also consider said verses as instructions for Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning be considered as taking said verses out of context?

Quote

 

Luke 14:25-33

Discipleship Tested/ ( Parable about Counting the cost )

25 Now [a]large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends [c]a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

 

 

[Bawb]

10 minutes ago, bartmac123 said:

Is evaluating Luke 14:25-33 verses which discusses the Parable about Discipleship Tested / Counting the cost as instructions for Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning be considered as taking said verses out of context?

The reason I'm asking is because Luke 14:25-33 starts off by emphasizing the sacrifices/challenges for Christians as disciples of Jesus Christ, however, would we be able to also consider said verses as instructions for Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning be considered as taking said verses out of context?

 

As a former Financial Counselor/Instructor I would now use this as financial advice...

 

Matthew 6:19 through 21 ^{- 19} “Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. ²⁰ Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. ²¹ For your heart will always be where your riches are.

 

THIS, especially when viewing the current world events, manipulation of the stock markets and cooking the books in general.

 

Also pertaining to credit: consider Romans 13:8 - Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Bawb

[bartmac123]

@Bawb

Thanks for responding.  

This might a bit of a stretch using the following circuitous / tortuous logic, however, let me explain

A) The Luke 14:25-33 bible passage verses is about the sacrifice/challenges in regard to being a disciple of Jesus Christ
B) It is important to note being a disciple of Jesus Christ does mean that we should live out the Christian life according to The Bible Word.
C) Since the following 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse instructs people to look after members of their household (family, even oneself if we are single, etc.) which could be
-family/personal financial planning
-project planning at a job that allows us to have a salary to look after our household
-business planning if we are self-employed or even a CEO or some executive of a company which also allows us to have a salary to look after our household
, and please keep in mind that 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse is part of The Bible Word.
 

Quote

1 Timothy 5:8

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

D) Therefore, keeping 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse, we could argue via circuitous / tortuous logic that the  Luke 14:25-33 bible passage verses are broad enough to entail Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning in a Christian's life.

[Bawb]

6 minutes ago, bartmac123 said:

@Bawb

Thanks for responding.  

This might a bit of a stretch using the following circuitous / tortuous logic, however, let me explain

A) The Luke 14:25-33 bible passage verses is about the sacrifice/challenges in regard to being a disciple of Jesus Christ
B) It is important to note being a disciple of Jesus Christ does mean that we should live out the Christian life according to The Bible Word.
C) Since the following 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse instructs people to look after members of their household (family, even oneself if we are single, etc.) which could be
-family/personal financial planning
-project planning at a job that allows us to have a salary to look after our household
-business planning if we are self-employed or even a CEO or some executive of a company which also allows us to have a salary to look after our household
, and please keep in mind that 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse is part of The Bible Word.
 

D) Therefore, keeping 1 Timothy 5:8 bible verse, we could argue via circuitous / tortuous logic that the  Luke 14:25-33 bible passage verses are broad enough to entail Personal Financial Planning/Project management/Business Planning in a Christian's life.

I don't believe it to be tortuous logic. I'll agree with that one too! While we're in Timothy...

2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Pretty much any scripture concerning provision you post is going to be good advice.

Proverbs 22:7 - The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Psalm 37:21 - The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.

1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Philippians 4:19 - And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

[bartmac123]

On 12/29/2021 at 3:25 PM, Josheb said:

The Bible is not a business or accounting text, any more than it is a biology, engineering, psychology, or computer programming text. Treating the Bible as if it were a textbook on business or financial planning is a recipe for legalism. The Bible speaks to all concerns and conditions of human life with God, but it does not generally do so in letter; it does so in principle. Most of it is not difficult to understand when it comes to this op. God teaches stewardship. 

 

Work.
Work hard. 
Earn more money than you spend.
Spend little.
Invest money where its growth eclipses inflation. 
Do so honestly, morally. 
Give. Cheerfully and generously based on real need and God's leading.
Don't trust a lawyer without also consulting an accountant and vice versa. 
The IRS is friendly until they are not, and the States are worse. Stay out of their awareness by being honest and moral. 
Bend your knees. 

 

Simple things like that. The application of the scripture's principles varies depending on time and place. Investing in property is a risky premise in certain parts of the US right now because of an overinflated market. Investing in property in Syria is a no-brainer: don't do it in any war-ravaged area where the war still rages . And like anything else, it is possible for a novice to succeed but part of wise application of God's wisdom is to consult those He has provided the body for that purpose (Pr. 11:14, 15:22). 

 

 

@Josheb Thanks for your response.  I want to share the following helpful chat conversation that I had with a user on another site ( Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange ):

Quote

[*]I see things more simply - Jesus example of financial planning was used as a metaphor of the cost of life planning when a person considers dedication to the Lord.
– Dottard
4 hours ago
[*]
@Dottard Are you saying? Tower Building would naturally involve planning (including financial planning, & more) like purchasing equipment, hiring workers, moving materials, etc. King commanding his military involves military logistics, etc., which all obviously involve planning (including financial planning, and more). Essentially, it's quite obvious said duties need all sorts of planning. The key point of said parable is that said tasks are very similar to being a Christian disciple. It's a given that said parables incidentally point to everyday life's tasks' planning.
– crazyTech
3 hours ago
[*]
@Dottard Essentially, Only incidentally do the aforementioned parables emphasize everyday life's tasks' planning.
– crazyTech
3 hours ago
[*]1
Yes - the Christian life involves as much planning as a commercial project. Another way to understand Jesus' parable is: If you plan a commercial project well, why not plan the commitments involved in the Christian life as well?
– Dottard
3 hours ago

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by bartmac123