Article 15 – Hard Work
Most of us hate to work. Monday is a dread. For those schooling, the going to school is a dread. Work and study seem like a punishment, a chore. To many, it is deemed a necessity just to survive to get the paycheck. The means to an end. Bible believing Christians must NOT have such attitude. Sure, we do not like hard work, and it is truly tiring and painful. But that is a result of the Fall.
Was work always so hard? No. Work was a blessing from God to Man.
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Before the Fall, Adam was not made to sit in Garden and bowing incessantly to God. God had Adam do work, tending to Eden and all the creatures in it. Adam was given work to do.
Christians must honor God in the work they do. Working for God does not necessarily mean working in church or being on missions or anything related to God. Adam wasn't preaching the gospel. Even after the Fall, for his 900+ years of life, he most likely toiled on the fields to provide for his family. That was the result of the curse of the Fall. If we argue that only work done in and for the Church is work worthy of God's notice, then we cannot be more wrong. What work did all the Patriarchs do? Most were shepherds. Does it mean that God disregards their work since it was neither gospel spreading or working for the church?
Man is to do whatever work God gives them. And a rough guideline can be to do whatever profession or legally sanctioned job that is there. Some are to teach, some are to pastor, some are to work in medical profession, some are to do hard labor. In all these, do for God. The Patriarchs had the right attitude. What has tending to sheep got to do with spreading the gospel? Our Lord Jesus Himself did carpentry with Joseph. Can we discredit the carpentry work of Jesus? Can we discredit the shepherd work of King David? In all work, honor God. Avoid work that goes against biblical principles such as encouraging vices.
Work was not given to Adam as a punishment, it was given before the Fall. And Adam was not to work so that he can live paycheck to paycheck before the Fall. It was in service to God to name the animals, and to keep it.
Our fallen world makes us work hard for the ground has now been cursed. Let us however, not disregard that work was God given. We have to toil, and it is God's purpose for us.
Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
A significant portion of the wisdom literature in Proverbs teaches against laziness and to work hard. We have to labour for the Lord for He works ceaseless as well.
John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Can we as servants be lazy when our Master works? A proper reading of the Bible also shows that Jesus worked ceaselessly during the ministry, going from place to place to teach and preach.
Can a Christian therefore think work is evil? God forbid. The true Bible believing Christian must recognize that work is the sacred duty given to Man. And Man must and should work hard and in doing so, also remember to honor God. One should not complain about the poor pay or what be it, because when one does that, it means that they are working for Mammon, not God. God will pay and reward in His way.
And treat not your workers badly for the Bible teaches:
Romans 13:7: Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Work is not for money, it is done in obedience to God. Do it for God, complain not the poor returns, for one works for God, not for the returns. To reap the rewards of our hard work in the fallen state, is a gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19: Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
It is not our due right or our justice to get what we work for. We are fallen, and the ground has been cursed because of our sin. Let us right this common error and be godly in our attitudes towards work, that we may do what is right and taught in the Bible.
Let us honor God in all we do, study or work, and do it to our best effort. It is His gift to us also.
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