The protestant ethic and how it changed the world (2)

Another very important aspect of the Protestant teachings is that money is simply a byproduct, a natural consequence, a compensation, it is never the goal.

The quality of goods and services are always viewed as more important than the compensation. If I do my best and produce the best products, that is my purpose, then I shall definitely be compensated. The byproduct will come when the product is good.

I think it would be interesting for us to know from what perspective the Protestants preached faith. They preached faith not as a means of personal gain or profit. The Protestants preached that through faith we can endure.

For example I need faith to keep on working on my product, I need faith to give my best, I need faith to endure the process of production, I need faith to persevere, I need faith to pay the price of self-denial, of sacrifice, of repetition. I need faith to keep myself encouraged while I go through the hardship of labor.

The Protestants preached that faith is necessary to planning. They encourage their members and followers to see into the invincible world. They taught their adherents to plan into the future and believe that they are able to bring to pass that which they have envisioned.

The Protestants taught their followers that faith is needed for hard work because every hardship on its own discourages, hence you need faith not to be discouraged. The faith you have, keeps you going and makes you to pass through the valley and the mountain top.

The Protestant church today need to borrow a leaf from their actions. We need to preach the gospel not just from the aspect of selfish gains and profit, but from the kingdom perspective whereby we strive to build the kingdom of God through each believer on the earth as it is in heaven.

The European Protestants credited their values to teaching that evolved from the teachings of Martin Luther. Before then, the Catholic Church had presented to the believers a doctrine of back doors, where an individual who might not be living quite to the Christian standard, could still have an assurance of salvation by taking the sacrament and even in death the relatives could buy him out of hell and get him a place in heaven through indulgentia.

That type of doctrine gives birth to a lifestyle of back doors, cutting corners, getting something for nothing. The consequence? Europe went through a very bad period of her history, both politically and economically known as the Dark Age. There could be no development talk less of civilization in such circumstances.

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”– Beverly Sills Europe was set free largely thanks to the Protestant reformation that began to teach that believers don’t have any assurances to salvation through the back doors. According to the teachings of Martin Luther, John Calvin and their colleagues, sacraments do not get you salvation anymore and indulgentia could not get your relatives out of hell fire. You now must live right and straight.

This teaching from the Protestants made the believers to sit up and work out their salvation on daily basis.

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it” Genesis 2:15 John Calvin and his teachings in Geneva played a decisive role in spreading this spirit of capitalism or Protestant ethics. The cardinal point of his teaching, his doctrine of control by conscience, led to rigorous honesty in the daily lifestyle of the believers.

John Calvin and his adherents taught that any form of waste must be frowned at, because people gave their lives to earn whatever they possess. This of course led to the view that luxury is a sin. The Calvinist did not believe in bringing all their money or worldly wealth to the church as the Catholics did. They were supposed to use it to do more good to their fellow men and the community.

These Protestants discouraged donation of money to the poor, because according to them, that could rather lead to beggary and laziness. According to them, a man is not supposed to be a burden to his fellow man. Neither should he be a nuisance to God by not working.

“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” 2Thessalonians 3:10-11

In their teachings, when you fail to work you fail to glorify God. The preachers laid a huge emphasis on savings that could eventually lead to investments. That gave a huge boost to the development of new economy in Europe, banking, industrialization, etc.

This led to mass productivity and production in the economy. Industrialization gave birth to wealth for an average man. Today however, most people are forced to work either for survival or to fulfill their greed for money. Whereas the Protestants wanted to work to please God and to serve man.

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”– Aristotle It is these values that were later transferred into the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries and continents where the descendants of these European Protestants were scattered.

Everywhere the Protestants and their descendants went, they took with them this same teachings and they got the same results – a developed economy and an advanced and civilized society. A generally more prosperous nation. Let’s examine some of the gains of the Protestant ethics and teaching that we all still enjoy today.

Industrial revolution. A civilized society. A developed system of economy. A total detachment from superstitions and magic mentality. You work for what you want, instead of hope for miracles. A closer relationship between mathematics and observation. An enhanced value of scholarship and education.

A higher emphasis on rational systematization of governance and administration.

An increase in entrepreneurship.

If the modern Protestant churches must maintain her place of relevance in the society, we would need to review where we missed it. How have we diverted from the teachings of the Protestants? Of course I realized that the Protestants denominations of the world have grown and matured over the years, but maybe we should not throw away the gains of the old Protestants that brought us to our modern day civilization.

For those who are anxious and eager to regain the lost glory. For those who want to raise up a new generation of Protestants that would be capable of bringing reformations to their nations and societies. For those asking the question, where do we start? I wish to give you a list of the core teachings of the early Protestants:

They taught about the equality of all before God. Every person is equally valuable, either behind the pulpit or as a laborer in the construction site. We all are carriers of God and his image. We can all contribute. They emphasized the dignity of labor.

They emphasized the principle of Justice and equality in the distribution of wealth. They strongly believed in the fact that he that does not work should not eat.

They believed that the principles of the kingdom virtues, values and morals of the Bible must not remain just in the church, they must be a part of the structure and the building blocks of the society.

The Protestants taught that the law comes from Zion and that righteousness must be at the basis of the nation, government and society in general. The Protestants strongly advocated the integrity of your words. They believed that your yes must be yes and your no must be no. they taught that it is better to lose your life than not keep your word. It became the basis for contracts, business and commerce.

They taught that everybody has a calling and that calling is not in the four walls of the church except you are part of the clergy. Your work is your calling. Your profession is your service to God and to man.

Ministry is not only meant for the clergy, every believer is a minster. Howbeit they minster everywhere they find themselves on daily basis, at work, family, everywhere, etc.

The Protestants taught that money and wealth is a byproduct of diligence, sacrifice, hard work, faith and passion.

The Protestants taught that the secular work is as sacred as the clergy. Hence you do everything as unto the lord and whatsoever your hands find to do, you do to the very best.

I am sure that there might be people who might wonder why Pastor Sunday is taking his time to do all these researches and write all these articles. Well, my reasons are not farfetched. I come from a continent that is widely regarded as the Dark Continent.

Having lived in Europe for close to 30 years, more so having being graced by God to have lived, work and teach mainly white Europeans, American, Australians, Canadians, etc. I think I might just have what it takes to help my continent.

Moreover, having been privileged to consult and speak in parliaments and to the governments of some of the leading countries in the world, it would be a waste if I don’t contribute my quota and do my best to help rescue my continent from that backwardness and darkness that Africa is largely agonizing in at present.

It is my deep conviction that any person or nation can successfully duplicate any achievement that a person or nation succeeded in attaining. I am sure that Africa and other economically backward countries, that are sometimes referred to as third world countries, can attain a very high rate of development much faster than the time it took Europe and other first world countries.

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”– Colin Powell No doubts, there are a thousand and one possible factors for development and advancement of any nation or continent. Yet, I think this my submission today could definitely go a long way in contributing to the development of my beloved continent Africa and other Third World Nations of the world.