Pragmatism

God does not necessarily place his stamp of approval on our actions when he uses them in a positive way. We do not absolve ourselves of responsibility if, in his providence, God uses our unwise or sinful actions to bring about positive results.

This is a good word from Tim Challies on pragmatism. This has been on my mind for the last couple of months in the form of finances and how we manage them. I was thinking through conversations that go something like this: well, we dont have enough money to cover our needs for the month but God will provide...and He does. Then that moves over to:  well, its ok if I add expenses that aren't needs because God will provide for my needs. And He does.

But now the question comes in: is this pragmatism? There are many scriptures on how we are to handle our money. Is it a good thing to just spend (even if we rationalize and justify that what we are spending on is a "need") because we know God will provide?

Am I really doubting God if I am cautious with the way I spend?

Is it more spiritual/faithful to just buy what we want "trusting God' to provide the rest?

We trust God to provide for us every week by even providing the work for us. We trust God to move the people we are working for to deal honestly and pay on time. We trust God to provide more work when things come that we must buy that arent a part of our monthly needs. 

Just thoughts floating around. In reading Russell Moores book on Temptation I came across the statement that we should be suspicious of our motives in times of conflict. So in thinking through the issue on money I want to be sure that I check my motives. Am I only thinking this because it is "working" for someone else or because I truly think I am not trusting God? I guess it would be obvious that I am just wanting to spend my money in a way that I maintain comfort in my life and "trust God" to take care of my messy handling of finances.

Link for scripture dealing with finances (thanks to a sweet friend that is helping think this through)

http://christianpf.com/money-in-the-bible/#planning

Here is a the web address to the article Challies wrote on pragamatism and sin. It is written in connection with CJ Mahaney and the Spirit used it in the area of money with me. Maybe you will find it useful in some other area of your life.

http://www.challies.com/articles/sinful-means-to-a-glorious-end

I will post this paragraph from the article to close:

The strange reality is that God specializes in using sinful means to bring about glorious ends. The Bible is full of examples of this. Just looking at the Messianic line our minds are drawn to Tamar and Judah or David and Bathsheba, clear examples of the Lord using sinful means to bring about the most beautiful end of the birth of a Savior. Of course the cross of Christ offers the most powerful example of all. Through outrageously sinful, treasonous acts committed against the Creator of the universe, the Lord brought about the most God-glorifying act in all of history. Were we to judge this pragmatically, we could excuse the actions of those involved, from the religious leaders who demanded his crucifixion, to the secular leaders who ordered his death and who nailed him to the cross. But the Bible would never allow us to go there; it would never allow us to minimize the horror of such sin.

This means that statements like, “God used it” or “God can use it” or “God will use it” or “Look what God is doing!” are not enough. We need to look to the Bible as our ultimate standard of what is right and what is wrong. We need to approach the Bible humbly, asking the Spirit to show us if this course of action is appropriate or inappropriate, consistent with biblical conflict resolution, or inconsistent with it.