What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working? Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” God created us to work. However, not in a sadistic sense to do His bidding or face His wrath. His purpose for mankind to work was to subdue the Earth and have dominion over every living creature as we can read from Genesis 1:28. Likewise, we can say that all of life, culture and work is to reflect the beauty and gory of God Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth. This point is highly supported by the different Bible verses on work. In fact, it is a frequent theme across the Bible. Whether you are a pastor, entrepreneur, elementary teacher, construction worker, or a stay-at-home mom, work is deeply rooted in the goodness of God’s creation.
Genesis 2:15 highly supports the fact that work is good and pleasing before God. Behold, Jesus Christ Himself was a carpenter, and his earthly day, Joseph, was a carpenter, too. The Bible tells us that God the Father Himself went to the extent of getting His hands dirty when He made “man of dust from the ground” (Genesis. 2:15; cf. 1:28). If God worked, what more of us? Even today, He is still the one supporting the pillars of the universe. That is, He is still doing something which we can consider as work. Also, He knows and controls all things that happen. Not only did God command us to work, but, being created in His image as a Creator, we are hardwired with a desire to create -to work. However, this is not to say that we are able to create something out of nothing as God did.
What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working?
Moving from creating a meal out of multiple ingredients to building a pretty nice house out of multiple materials, to varying degrees as God permeates, man can create. In the likeness of God, we can bring out order out of chaos. Genesis 1:1-2 says, “The earth was without form and void… And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Just as the Spirit of God Almighty brought order to creation, we too can bring order in the world we dwell in. Behold, it is a desire and matter of wanting it to be and going after it. Today, governments can establish an orderly way of life and commerce. Likewise, engineers can create order out of the systems that they develop. And even when we clean, we bring forth order in chaos.
What does the Scriptures say about Work?
Although we find work challenging, the Scriptures tell us that it is quite glorious. This brings forth many questions in our minds. That is, we are more likely to question why the Bible portrays work as glorious yet we find it challenging? Tragically, the goodness of work was tainted by sin. The Scriptures tell us that not only did sin enter the human heart through Adam’s rebellion, but sin has permeated the entirety of creation, including work.
How sin twisted work
In reading the different Bible verses about work, we realize that sin has corrupted the desire for the good work we were created to do. In addition, it has made work itself difficult (Genesis 3:17-19). Below are three different temptations that you are likely to face at work:
1. Worship work
The temptation to worship work as an idol is quite prominent in our midst. We are tempted to serve work gladly with long hours, bowing down to its demands despite the destruction it causes us and our families.
2. Twist work
We are often tempted to twist work. Are you feeling inclined to fudge the number on your sales quota? Are you being tempted to receive money under the table to push through a deal? Whatever type of work we carryout, we are always tempted to twist it with sin for one or more reasons. In most case, it is for our personal interest. But it ought not to be so. Jesus Christ came to redeem everything – including work (Col. 1:15-20). That is why whenever we are doing work, we should make sure that it is pleasing to God. Work is meaningless and useless when God is not involved.
3. Reject work
It is without doubt that we are regularly tempted to reject work. We turn to run away from work. We are more likely to embrace laziness: a little sleep, some more sleep, a good nap, more merry, feasting, and rest. Such is the path that leads to laziness. It ought not to be so. It’s high time for us to face it; working is difficult. Of course, you’ll have carefree days, but there are seasons when you’ll feel tired and defeated. Whether we find work too challenging, or are struggling with laziness and worship leisure and rest, we’ll wrestle with a desire to reject work outright.
Biblical facts about work
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ has taken the “thorns and thistles” we work among (Gen. 1:18). Also, He wore a crown of thorns on His head as a reminder that He is the Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 19:16). The crown of thorns that was prepared by the Roman soldiers and placed on Jesus’ head with the intent of mocking Him, turned out to be a picture of Jesus Christ as the one true King and sovereign ruler over Heaven and Earth. Jesus came to accomplish a redemption mission. Through faith in Him, our lives have been redeemed. He has delivered us from the penalty and power of sin. In Him, we benefit God’s special gift of Eternal Life. Thanks to Christ, we’ve been saved from the Fire of Hell.
Stephen Nichols says, “Christ through his redemptive work undone what Adam did in the fall. And he restores to us the ability and the capacity to be image bearers as God intended us to be.” In the process of redeeming our work, below are three great ways we’ll find God at work in us and through our work in Scriptures about work:
1. Jesus Christ is our Boss
How do we work for our employers? Do we work for him or her as we work for Jesus? It is easy for our eyes of faith to become glassy at work, and forget who it is that we work for. Jesus may not be your crew leader. In fact, He may not even be physically sitting in an office watching your every move. Likewise, He may not be the one signing your check, but He remains the one you work for. With a deep understanding of this, Apostle Paul said “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men… You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). If you happen to find yourself frustrated, angry, or not compelled to do something your employer request of you, take a moment and pray. Seek God’s grace in Christ, and remember that you are working for Jesus Christ.
2. God works through your work
Behold, God is at work in your life and through your life in more ways than you can imagine. Even if you do not instantly see how the work you do benefits others, have it in mind that God has chosen to work through you, your skills, and experiences for the good of others.
3. You can trust God with your work
There are times we feel stressed at work. If you’ve never felt this way, then you’ve probably not worked for long. The workplace has several causes of stress. At work, we have crushing deadlines, conflicts with our co-workers or manager, or not compensated well for the work we do. Regardless of the cause of stress at work, we are free in Christ from anxiety and can fully trust God to meet our needs. God is able to justly work through us despite the happenings around. He never fails His own because He is all-faithful.
What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Proverbs 13:11 – “Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”
Proverbs 12:24 – “Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Proverbs 10:22 – “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.”
Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.“
1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Do everything in love.“
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.“
Group 1 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Ecclesiastes 5:19 – “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.”
Matthew 6:26 – “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?“
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9 – “Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor.”
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 – “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
Psalm 90:17 – “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.”
2 John 1:8 – “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.”
Group 2 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,“
John 14:12 – “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
Hebrews 4:9-10 – “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18 – “This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.“
Ecclesiastes 4:4 – “And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Acts 20:24 – “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
1 Peter 3:13 – “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?“
Group 3 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.“
Colossians 3:22-24 – “Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”
Proverbs 18:9 – “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”
Genesis 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.“
Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
Group 4 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Psalm 90:17 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“
Proverbs 21:5 – “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.“
Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.“
1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Let all that you do be done in love.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Galatians 6:4-5 – “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 – “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.“
Group 5 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Proverbs 12:24 – “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”
Proverbs 22:7 – “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Proverbs 24:27 – “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”
Colossians 3:23-25 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Proverbs 12:11 – “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.“
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
James 2:18 – “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Proverbs 13:11 – “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
James 2:26 – “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Proverbs 13:22 – “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.”
Proverbs 24:30-34 – “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Job 1:10 – “Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”
Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Luke 14:28 – “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?“
Luke 10:7 – “And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.”
Proverbs 22:29 – “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.“
John 5:17 – But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.”
Proverbs 10:4 – “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.“
Proverbs 13:4 – “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.“
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
Ephesians 6:5-8 – “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.“
Genesis 1:31 – “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“
Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Ecclesiastes 3:22 – “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?“
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Deuteronomy 8:18 – “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
John 17:4 – “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”
Psalm 128:2 – “You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.”
Hebrews 6:10-12 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About A Man Working
Proverbs 21:20 – “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.”
Proverbs 10:5 – “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.”
Genesis 2:3 – “So