THE WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S
WRITINGS
We live in a time in which some believe
that the world owes them everything in life. The philosophy of some is "If
the government or others will take care of me why should I work." We see
more and more of this attitude in our society today. We need to realize that
the world does not owe us a living.
What has happened to the work ethic in
our society today? Has the work ethic that permeates our society affected our
attitudes concerning our work in the church today? Has God in His Word given us
any direction at all about "work" and the "work ethic?"
God has given "...unto us, all
things that pertain unto life and godliness" (II Peter 1:3). Paul declared
in II Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works." If this is true and it is, then it will be
our purpose in this lesson to go to the Bible and see what it says about
"work" and the "work ethic."
God in the Old Testament has giving us
some eternal principles that we must come to know and understand about
"WORK." God demands man to work. This He has done from the beginning.
In the garden of Eden, God enjoined the necessity of
labor upon man. Notice the words found in Genesis
God dislikes laziness, slothfulness. In
Proverbs
God desires man to work, but it must be
work that is pleasing to Him. God never told man to be involved in "just
any kind of work." Surely we realize that not all work is pleasing to God.
Some in time past were busy in doing whatever they desired to do rather than
what God desired. "In those days there was no king in
From the Old Testament we can learn
many valuable lessons about "work" and the "work ethic."
Let's now look to the New Testament, and especially to the writings of Paul, to
see what can be learned about the "work ethic."
First, we need to understand the
meaning of the basic words in the title of our lesson, "The Work Ethic in
Paul's Writings." The word "work" as defined by Webster's New
World Dictionary is "bodily or mental effort exerted to do or make
something." Work has reference to our actions, activity, the things that we do, to toil. It is our labor whether on
the job, at home, at school or in the church. The word "ethic" or
"ethics" as defined by Webster is "the science of moral values
and duties; the study of ideal human behavior, action, ends." It is the
"study of human actions in respect to their being right or wrong in
connection with moral duties or obligations." It has reference to "a
set of moral principles or values; the principles of conduct governing an
individual or a group." It deals with "what I should or should not
do." The words "Paul's writings" simply has reference to the
books in the New Testament that Paul wrote by inspiration. So, from "Paul's
writings" what can we learn about the "work ethic?"
THE
WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S WRITINGS
DEMANDS
AUTHORITY
In Colossians 3:17 Paul declared,
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." In
the "name of the Lord Jesus" means by his power or authority (Acts
4:7-12). The work that is authorized by the Lord is the work we must
choose to do. What about our jobs? Does the authority of Christ have anything
to do with it? In Colossians 3:1-3, notice the words of Paul, "If ye then
be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." If our jobs will cause us
to fail to put Christ first in our lives, then we need another job. Sometimes
today in looking for work to do or a new job, one only looks at the financial
benefits and security in determining whether or not to accept a certain
position. It is not wrong, it is not unethical to be concerned about such
matters, but, it is wrong not to consider what effect accepting such a position
may have upon our spiritual welfare. If a certain job or work is going to cause
us to lose our souls, if our spiritual growth is going to be hindered, if our
appetite for spiritual things is going to dwindle "...it is high time to
awake out of our sleep" (Romans
What about our work in the church? What
we proclaim and practice must be authorized by the Lord. In our day many are
not concerned about Bible authority. Some think they do not need Bible
authority. If in our preaching or practice we do things not approved by God we
sin. Even in the church, some are not concerned about Bible authority. In fact,
some are more concerned about attending social activities than the services of
the church; some are more concerned about numbers than New Testament authority;
some are more concerned about changing the church than changing their conduct;
some are more concerned about pleasing self than pleasing the Son of God; some
are more concerned about the budget than the Bible; some are more concerned
about physical things than the precepts and promises of God; and some are more
concerned about money than the Master.
Some of the very things that are being
proclaimed and practice by the "brethren" are without Bible authority
and therefore must be refuted and rejected. There is no Bible authority for
mechanical instruments of music in worship; for choirs, choruses, solos in our
worship services; for women preachers; for the church to be involved in the
recreational and entertainment business; for deacons ruling over congregations
instead of elders; for fellowshipping the denominations nor those in the church
who proclaim and practice false doctrine, and many other things could be
listed. Those who practice such things are doing the work of Satan and not the
Lord's work. They are as Paul described in Romans 6:16-18, "servants of
sin and not servants of righteousness."
What about our preaching? Does that
have anything to do with the "work ethic?" It certainly does. Just as
in our practice there must be Bible authority, so it is true concerning our
preaching. We do not have the authority to preach whatever we desire. Paul
said, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the
word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry" (II Timothy 4:1-5). The only thing we have the authority to
preach is the "Word." Notice the words of Paul in Galatians 1:8-9 as
he wrote, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we
said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." In
I Corinthians
THE
WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S WRITINGS
DEMANDS
ACTIVITY
We must work. Work is an honorable
thing. Some are always looking for an handout. Some do
not want to work and then expect others to provide for them. On occasions we
have seen those who did not want to work, get upset if others could not or
would not assist them. We are not talking about those who cannot work but those
who refuse to do so. Paul said, "For even when we were with you, this we
commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear
that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but
are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (II
Thessalonians 3:10-12). Can anyone misunderstand that? In I Thessalonians
4:11-12 Paul said, "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own
business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk
honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of
nothing." In Ephesians 4:28, he wrote "Let him that stole steal no
more: but rather let him labour, working with his
hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."
Just as the "work ethic" in
Paul's writings demands activity in our daily lives, so it is in our work in
the church. We read in I Corinthians 3:9, "For we
are labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building." We are to labor, work in the
It is an honor and a great privilege to
work for the Lord. We should not have to be continually begged, pleaded with,
to be involved in the Lord's work. Where there is an appreciation for God and
for His gifts and the assurance that as we work and do those things approved by
Him, He accepts us, you will find a person greatly motivated to do the Lord's
work. We must be workers that persevere. No matter what any one does or says we
must determine to remain faithful in service to the Lord. Our activity for the
Lord must not cease just because others have quit.
Read and meditate upon the following
verses of Paul's writings as we think about our work for the Lord demanding
activity: "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord.
Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured
much in the Lord" (Romans
THE
WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S WRITINGS
DEMANDS
PROPER ATTITUDES
We realize that even in being involved
in authorized activities there is also the need for proper attitudes and
motives. On the job, at school, in the home and in the work of the church right
attitudes are required. Some, no matter the type of work they are involved in,
have developed an attitude of mind that says, "I don't care." They
just want to "put in their time." Because of that attitude, what is
being doing many times is not acceptable. Our attitude goes a long way in
developing our character and in molding our activity. Notice the words of Paul,
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians
The work that we do for the Lord must
come from an willing mind. Have you ever heard the
following questions asked by members of the church? "Do I have to study
the Bible?" "Do I have to attend all the services of the
church?" "Do I have to be a good example to others?" "Do I
have to teach the gospel?" "Do I really have to give liberally?"
"Do I have to pray to God?" "Do I have to stand for the
truth?" Many times such questions are asked to see just how little one can
do and still be pleasing to God. It is evident that such questions demonstrate
the lack of a willingness to do whatever we can and must to please God. We are
not robots. God does not force us against our will to serve and work for Him.
Our attitude must be, "What the Lord has authorized me to do, I am ready and willing to do it with no questions
asked." Paul said in Colossians
THE
WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S WRITINGS
DEMANDS
AVOIDING CERTAIN THINGS
If our activities and attitudes must be
governed by the authority of the Lord, and they must, then whatever is not
authorized must be avoided. In I Thessalonians 5:21-22 Paul said,
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all
appearance of evil." Anything that would hinder us from being the kind of
worker that God demands must be avoided. If we are asked to do things on the
job, in school, or anywhere else, that are contrary to God's Word we must
refuse to participate. We can not condone, support, uphold any activity that is
in conflict with the Scripture, by our words, by our actions or even financially.
Notice what Ephesians
The "work ethic" demands that
we avoid any form of worldliness. We are to "...live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present world;" (Titus
THE
WORK ETHIC IN PAUL'S WRITINGS
DEMANDS
A CERTAIN AIM
Why do we do what we do? What is our
aim? Our aim must be as stated in the Scripture. In I Corinthians 10:31, we
read, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to
the glory of God." Our aim must always be to glorify God. We can only
glorify God when our activities and attitudes are authorized by Him. We want to
glorify God in all we do for we know that we must give account of the things
done and we want to be accepted by the Lord, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted
of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we
persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made
manifest in your consciences." (II Corinthians 5:9-11).
Our aim must always be to do good. Paul said in Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially
unto them who are of the household of faith." We are to do good, and be rich in good works (I Timothy
"I Want To Be A
Worker" is a song that we often sing. Let us strive to put into practice
those words and not just leave them on the pages of our song books. We can work
and be the kind of worker that God wants if we will follow the "WORK
ETHIC" as revealed in Paul's writings. It demands AUTHORITY, ACTIVITY,
ATTITUDES that are proper, AVOIDING of certain things and proper AIM.
by Jerry W.
Joseph