God’s Economy and the Riches of Christ for Building Up the Church
God has an economy, a household order to fulfill His purpose to Build up the Church in this age. Depending on context, the word, “economy” is translated into different words in English. The same word appears as “fellowship” (eph 3:9), “administration” (Eph 1:10), “dispensation” (Eph 3:2), “A dispensation of the grace of God has been given to me for the Gentiles.” It’s also called a “stewardship” (Luke 16:2), in the parable of the stewards where the unrighteous steward was to give account of His stewardship. All of these verses use oikonomia.
Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:Luk 16:2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.1Co_4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Again, when we consider the meaning of the word, oikonomia, we know that it means “household order.” With God’s economy we are presented with a picture of an exceedingly rich household. The head of the household is the Father and in that household are many sons, the heirs of everything the Father has. These sons need to be furnished, equipped, fed, nourished, clothed, and trained because they’re going to participate in the business of the household.
In rich households, the sons and heirs are often raised up by stewards and trained in the household affairs. Then, when they reach maturity, the sons and heirs partake and run the family business. It’s a legacy. We don’t understand this concept because we’re not rich, but I’ve watched a lot of period pieces about “the gentleman” and this is representative of the way it is in those rich houses.
We are in a rich house — the household of God (Eph 2:19). In order for us to be fed, nourished, and supplied with everything, we have need of stewards. The stewards are the gifts given to the body – apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher (Eph 4:11-12; 1 Cor 4:1). These are gifts given to the body, and they are “stewards of the mysteries of God.” These stewards have a role in the household of God for the equipping of the saints (the sons) “unto the work of the ministry — unto the building up of the Body of Christ to be the habitation of God” (Eph 2:11).
The household is built by the Sons of God as they’re equipped by the stewards to function. What do the stewards work with? They have the unsearchable (vast) riches of the household. It is not theirs, but it is their job to ensure it is being distributed. As I mentioned, the children in the household are furnished with the riches of the household — to be supplied in order that they be properly trained to participate in the economy. The riches in God’s household are Christ Himself, and these riches are entrusted to the ministers as a stewardship.
Eph 3:8-9 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
The riches of God’s household are really what Christ is to us. He is “unsearchably rich” in His being. Christ Himself is everything in God’s household, and He is its “economy”. Christ is the food, the drink, the clothing, the nourishment, the supply, the wisdom, and the training. Christ is everything with which the children of God are to be fully equipped and furnished. This is why Paul says, “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Col 1:28.
We are to “grow in all things into the head, which is Christ” (Eph 4:15). Again, Christ is the reality of everything in this economy. Everything is centered on Christ. He is God’s economy. Christ is the way God accomplishes His Eternal Purpose, which is to make Christ the first in all things. He does this by filling the Church with Himself and He accomplishes it by distributing the riches of Christ, which have become an inheritance to the sons of God.
In God’s household, there’s a great inheritance. This inheritance has already been secured through the “death of the testator”, the death of Christ (Heb 9:15-17). Christ is also the mediator of this testament to distribute the riches granted in the will, (the estate of the household), to the children. This is called the New Testament ministry. The New Testament ministry is for the purpose of distributing Christ in God’s economy — to supply, to nourish, to feed, to strengthen, to grow, to train, and to equip the children of God to function as members of God’s household. This ministry is handled by stewards.