Christian Principles in Earning a Living

Luke 12:13-21

ONE of the important facts which: should govern a Christian in earning a living is that it should be considered merely his avocation—a necessary incidental, as it were—and that the real objective of all his efforts should be that of laying up treasures in heaven. Jesus expressed the thought very clearly when he said, “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these [necessary material] things shall be added unto you.”—Luke 12:31

Jesus said, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.” (Luke 12:22,23) The thought in these words is undoubtedly that of taking anxious, selfish, and ambitious thought for our physical needs. They constitute Jesus’ application of the lesson taught in his Parable of the Rich Man whose ground brought forth “plentifully,” and who decided that he would pull down his barns and build larger ones, and thus make himself economically secure for many years to come. It was taking thought for the morrow along the lines illustrated in this parable that Jesus condemned.

In the parable, after the rich man decided to build larger barns, he said, “There will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.” After reaching this decision, the rich man concluded that he could say to himself, “Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” This man’s viewpoint was wholly selfish, for he decided to hoard all his fruits and goods then for his own personal use and security. Besides, he gloated over this decision, thinking it to be a wise one.

But God’s viewpoint was different. From the divine standpoint the man was very foolish—“Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” “So is he,” Jesus explained, “that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” “Therefore,” Jesus continued, and then gives his admonition to his followers to take no thought for their lives, what they should eat, nor for their body, what they should wear.

The lesson seems clear. The Lord knows that his people while still in the flesh need food and clothing, but he does not want them to center their affections on these things in the sense that the securing of them becomes the all-absorbing interest of life. It was this that the rich man of the parable did, and he became very poor toward God, and in the end lost everything, even life itself.

II Thessalonians 3:7-10

“IF ANY would not work, neither should he eat.” Thus did Paul instruct the brethren at Thessalonica. To expect to live without working, he explained,’ would be walking disorderly. (vs. 11) Paul himself adhered strictly to this rule, although he had the “power” or authority to accept his physical needs from the brethren whom he served along spiritual lines.

The community of saints is a very sacred one. No brother in Christ would withhold food or clothing from another brother who, because of circumstances over which he had no control, had been reduced to a state of need. However, everyone, in the church should gladly bear his own burden along this line by the work of his own hands, and not expect others to provide for him.

Those who fail to do this and expect to live by the generosity of their brethren, walk “disorderly,” Paul declares. Apparently there were some in the church at Thessalonica who did this. True brethren in Christ are kind and sympathetic, so become easy victims for exploitation by such disorderly ones who come among them. But it is well to be on guard, not so much because of the losses that may be sustained by helping the unworthy, but because of the injury done to those who are thus encouraged in their laziness.

Elsewhere Paul admonishes the brethren to make provision for the needy by laying aside on the first day of the week what they can afford and thus have it ready for use when the occasion arises. (I Cor. 16:1,2) So it is not a matter of neglecting our brethren who are passing through distressing circumstances, but merely exercising care so as not to be taken advantage of by the unscrupulous.

Paul was practically a full time worker in the Lord’s vineyard, devoting himself to the spiritual service of the brethren and to making known the glad tidings of the kingdom. Under the circumstances he would have been justified in accepting his “living” from the brethren. But he chose not to do this, although the choice meant the necessity of his working “night and day.” It is this that he elsewhere refers to as keeping his body under, or “browbeating” [Diaglott, word for word] his body—making it do double service.—I Cor. 9:27

“For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us,” Paul wrote. By “tentmaking” to provide for his own living, he was in a position thus to admonish the brethren. It may be that the “disorderly” brethren at Thessalonica were posing as teachers in the church, and on this ground expecting the “brethren to make provision for their food and clothing. Paul recognized the evils to which this could lead and by both precept and example warned against it.

QUESTIONS

What is a Christian to consider as being the chief objective of his life?

In what sense is a Christian not to take any thought concerning the things which he needs to eat and wear?

Why did Paul say that those in the Early Church who did not earn their own living were walking disorderly?

Why did Paul decide that it would be best for him to provide for his own physical needs while serving the brethren along spiritual lines?

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