In the Beginning: God Owns It All

To discover what the Bible says about stewardship, we start with the very first verse: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

The Top Button

As the Creator, God has absolute rights of ownership over all things. Missing this truth is like misaligning the top button on a shirt — nothing else will ever line up. Nothing in the Bible, including the doctrine of stewardship, will make sense or carry any real relevance if we miss the fact that God is the Creator and has full rights of ownership.

Why This Matters First

It is through fully grasping this truth — and embedding it in our hearts — that the doctrine of stewardship is understood at all. Before we talk about budgets, savings, or generosity, we have to settle the ownership question:

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Psalm 24:1).

Everything you have — your income, your home, your time, your body — belongs to God first. That is not a discouraging thought. It is the foundation everything else is built on.

Reflect

Before moving to Lesson 2, sit with this question: if God truly owns everything in your life, what would change about how you handle it this week?