Biblical teaching on work

Why should we concern ourselves with the teaching of the Bible concerning work—whether that work is what we might call your preparatory work, or whether that work is domestic or gainful in nature? I want to answer that question and give you something of a rationale for why we should consider the teaching of the Bible. There are some major elements of biblical truth that are involved in a God‑centered, God‑honoring doctrine and practice of work.

A first response to the question—why concern ourselves with the teaching of the Bible?—can be answered by excerpting from 1 Corinthians 6:20, which reads: because you are not your own, you have been bought with a price. We can answer again from 1 Corinthians 10:31—whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. These texts indicate that the claims of Christ upon our lives are comprehensive and broad. They are not compartmentalised and narrow, in that the Christian faith is not some abstract speculative philosophy to be exercised in the realm of the mystical and meditative, but rather a divine revelation that has been revealed in history and addresses the everyday lives of men and women. In that those things were so, we are under obligation if we profess Christ, to submit to him in all of our lives—in our persons, in our conduct, in the use of our talents, in the use of our possessions. We are his and we are to live to his glory—whatever the realm of conduct may be. His authority applies indiscriminately. His glory is our aim in all that we do, think, and say—and that includes our work.

Again, why give ourselves to the teaching of the Bible concerning our work? Let me answer in a second way, pointing you to Ephesians 5:16—because we are charged to make the most of our time. We are charged to seize our time; to use it wisely, purposely, and productively. And how great a portion of our time is used every day in working! Great quantities of time and effort are invested daily in our work. Surely, we must have a desire to do more than put in time. Surely, we must desire to have attitudes that enable us to deal with our work as something more than a necessary evil; something more than a drudgery, which must be tolerated to simply receive a paycheck; something more than of boredom, which is a means of achieving leisure. Surely, with work occupying such substantial quantities of time and the Bible desiring us to be wise and productive users of our time, redeeming the time, there must be instruction which will enable us to so work as to please God, and to derive the meaning and satisfaction that he intents from our work. Our work is not dead time. Our work is not off limits to the stewardship of time which God requires.

Again, why the attention by way of introduction to the Biblical teaching of work? As the third answer, I cite from 2 Timothy 3:16–17: Because all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. And included in all Scripture is much revelation connected to our work. The reality that Scripture addresses our work demands consideration of its teaching.

A final response to the question—why give a few minutes to what the Bible teaches about work?—I answer in a fourth way from 1 Peter 3:15. This text sets forth what I have come to call the normative practice of evangelism: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account for the hope that is in you; yet with gentleness and reverence. This is the evangelistic duty bound up in the verse just quoted, that is indiscriminately the duty of every man and woman in Christ. There are certain dimensions of evangelism, for which such a thing cannot and should not be said. But here in 1 Peter 3:15, we have an evangelistic duty set forth, that is the obligation of every Christian. The essence of it is this: it is the divine providence employing the godly lives of Christians, so as to trigger in an unbeliever’s mind the question: what makes you tick? To trigger in the unbeliever’s mind an appeal to give an account of the hope that is within you. In the context of 1 Peter 3:1–22, unbelievers were so intrigued with how Christians responded to and handled unprovoked abuse and suffering, that some apparently were led to ask about the hope, which was in them, using the agency of a practically demonstrated holy life. The point is from time to time, providence orders the unconverted into what we might call natural encounters with the converted.

Now in that connection, few areas of daily living hold the potential for that happening any more than our work. Gainful or domestic—with the practice of labour, perhaps in some quarters having degenerated to a deplorable, almost mercenary nature—there exists for the Christian a marvelous opportunity by living out a biblical theology of work, to bring the gospel to the lost. Not by stealing that employer’s time by using work time to verbally present the gospel, but rather by working with attitudes and working in a manner that testifies you are distinctively different, that testifies to Christ’s lordship in your heart.

In the providence of God, as unbelievers work with you, as unbelievers transact business with you, as unbelievers partake of the goods and services that are the fruit of their labours, they note there is something different about you. They note perhaps attitudes of cheerfulness, willingness, servanthood, a gratefulness relative to the work you have to do. They note your diligence, your competence, your reliability, your thorough‑going honesty. And in the providence of God, they may seek you out to discover: why do you feel about your work the way you evidently do? why do you go about your work as you do? Upon such an inquiry, there is an open door for the gospel. Upon such an inquiry, the Christian workman and the Christian workwoman presents the person and work of Christ. That is the hope that is within, that makes me the way I am.¹

George McDearmon