Do you know what Net Present Value (NPV) is? It's the value of something when taking into account interest rates and the time that you have or don't have it.
For example, you have $100, and you put it away on deposit at a bank for 1 year. If the interest rate for the entire year is 7% p.a. and it is simple interest (let's keep this simple), your investment will be worth $107 by the end of the year.
So, if someone wanted to borrow $100 off you, you would ask them to pay you back $107 at the end of the year, cos that is what you could have gotten had you the opportunity to put it on deposit. The NPV of a $100 deposit in a year term would be $107.
To NOT put it on deposit, is to actually lose money, because it could have returned $7 if on deposit.
And that's partly the reason why in Matthew 25:14-30, the master is extremely disappointed that the last servant didn't even put the money on deposit. Obviously this lazy and wicked servant didn't grasp the concept of net present value. But that isn't the main point of the parable.
The main point is that it doesn't matter how long you have been a Christian, you are still treated the same in the sense that we enter our master's joy, and "well done good and faithful servant". But also, those lazy and wicked servants are actually "other" servants, (Luke 19:11-27) in that although they do not reject the king's rule outright, they are there because of "faithless association" and will not make it into heaven.
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I thought that was the point of the other parable - the one with the workers getting paid one denarius... is that one that you've referred to? I'm not sure, too lazy to look it up.
I took the meaning of those parables to be "you've been given something, so get off your butt and do something with it." Or something to that effect. That it doesn't matter if you're afraid or even how much you've been given, you've been given salvation - praise God, you've been given the word of God - share it, you've been given a gift - use it.
I didn't know what Net Present Value is. I should think of that next time I lend Dave resources in Settlers of Catan. :P
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