The Christian and Business

Text: Luke 12:15-21

 

I.         I saw an article where the author railed against a business

            A.        The gist was that the corporation was “bad” because it was large and successful

                        1.         The author assumed that its success must have come from exploiting workers and giving unfair competition to other businesses.

                        2.         The author also assumed that the corporation reached its level of success because the owners were driven by greed and selfishness

            B.        Besides the poor ploy of building a house of cards out of assumptions and hollow rhetoric, I began to think about what the Bible says about businesses. In particular, is wealth an indication that someone is up to no good?

II.        Biblical rules for business conduct

            A.        What is being sold is not to be misrepresented

                        1.         Honest weights and measure - Leviticus 19:35-36

                                    a.         A product must be represented for what it is. You don’t claim that a customer is buying a different amount than what is stated - Proverbs 16:11

                                    b.         False weights is a indication of a character flaw - Hosea 12:7

                        2.         Given a choice, being honest is more valuable than being rich - Proverbs 19:1

                                    a.         Wealth gained by deceit is fleeting - Proverbs 21:6

                                    b.         Lies don’t last - Proverbs 12:19

            B.        What is being bought is not to be misrepresented - Proverbs 20:14

            C.        Christians are not to defraud others - I Thessalonians 4:6

                        1.         Don’t misrepresent your competition

                        2.         Proverbs 26:24-26 - Don’t hate others, it will be your ruin

            D.        Don’t use false flattery - Proverbs 26:28

                        1.         It is a sign of entrapment - Proverbs 29:5

                        2.         It is not honest with their feelings - Psalm 12:2

                        3.         Now, politeness and kind words are appropriate, but they must be sincere as well

            E.        Honesty in all our conduct - II Corinthians 8:21

III.       Biblical rules for the conduct of an employer

            A.        Workers have the right to be paid for their effort - Deuteronomy 25:4

                        1.         A laborer is worthy of his hire - Matthew 10:10

                        2.         Using unpaid labor is condemned - Jeremiah 22:13

                        3.         Workers have a right to a fair wage - Malachi 3:5

                                    a.         Some will take advantage those who have limited chose.

                                    b.         The poor who cannot afford to be without work, the widows or orphans that have no one to plead their cause - Proverbs 22:22

                                    c.         Example: Hiring illegal aliens and then paying them far less than what would be paid to someone hired off the street because they are not in a position to complain or go elsewhere for work.

                                    d.         This does not mean there cannot be low paying jobs. The worker must decide that is what he is willing to work for - Matthew 20:1-2

            B.        Workers have a right to their full pay, paid in a timely manner - James 5:4

                        1.         Again, don’t take advantage. Pay on time - Deuteronomy 24:14-15

                        2.         Withholding wages is equivalent to robbery - Leviticus 19:13

            C.        Workers need periods of rest

                        1.         God rested from His labors and used that as a precedence for Israel’s law to rest on the Sabbath day.

                        2.         Jesus made sure his disciples had a chance to rest - Mark 6:31-32

            D.        Work for your employees - Ephesians 6:9

                        1.         Do not use threats as a motivation for productivity

                        2.         Treat them as you want to be treated, fairly and impartially

                        3.         Give them justice and fairness - Colossians 4:1

IV.      Rules for the employee

            A.        If possible, get paid for doing something you enjoy - Ecclesiastes 2:22-24

                        1.         Few things are more miserable than being a slave to a job you hate

                        2.         But it must be balanced - II Thessalonians 3:10

                                    a.         I’ve seen people who have not worked for months because they are looking for the perfect job

                                    b.         For some I suspect the perfect job is one that requires no effort, which is why they never find it.

                                    c.         Take any job that pays and in your spare time look for something better

                                    d.         If you have a poor job, keep working while you search for something better. Don’t quit until you start your new job.

                        3.         A good job is a gift from God - Ecclesiastes 3:13

            B.        Respect your employer - I Timothy 6:1-2

                        1.         Don’t argue with the boss - Titus 2:9

                        2.         This rule applies even to the unreasonable boss - I Peter 2:18-20

            C.        Be honest in your dealings

                        1.         Don’t steal from your employer - Titus 2:9-10

            D.        Give sincere obedience - Ephesians 6:5-8

                        1.         Don’t work hard only when the boss is looking

                        2.         Give honest effort at all times, deserving your pay

                        3.         Effort that comes from the heart - Colossians 3:22

                        4.         Work for Jesus who is always watching

                        5.         Realize that what we do and how we behave is a reflection on our Lord

            E.        Work heartily - Colossians 3:23-24

                        1.         Give full effort while you can - Ecclesiastes 9:10

                        2.         Proverbs 18:9 - A slack worker is a destroyer

            F.        What about unions?

                        1.         Unions assume that employers are taking advantage of the employees

                                    a.         Such may or may not be the case, but the attitude is incorrect for a Christian

                                    b.         Recall that Christians are to give their employers respect

                        2.         Union’s power is in the threat of work slow downs, outright work stoppage, or strikes (preventing a business from operating)

                                    a.         This violates the rule of giving full and honest effort

                                    b.         It also seeking vengeance; seeking to do damage to an employer’s business for perceived damage to the employee - Romans 12:19

                                                (1)       You see it is the “wronged” party who is dealing out retribution

                                                (2)       There is no fairness or impartiality in the situation

                                    c.         Even when deserving, recall I Peter 2:18-20

V.        Is success and wealth wrong?

            A.        The natural result of labor is profit - Proverbs 14:23; 13:11

            B.        Hence, a successful business does not necessarily imply that the wealth was gained dishonestly or through exploitation, though such does happen

                        1.         The Bible speaks of righteous, wealthy men: Abraham, Job

                        2.         Command to wealthy Christians - I Timothy 6:17-19

                        3.         Always the warning is not to trust in wealth or expect riches to remain - Proverbs 23:5

                        4.         Seeking wealth contains the danger of distraction - I Timothy 6:9-10

                        5.         But being wealthy does not imply that you have ill-gotten gains or that you are greedy

            C.        One mistake often made is to consider that the one who has gained wealth is unique.

                        1.         But in a normal, fair system, anyone can apply the same or similar techniques to gain the same result

                        2.         Sometimes things happen by chance - Ecclesiastes 9:11

            D.        The Christian’s focus should not be on this world, on wealth, on fame, or the like. This world is passing - I Corinthians 7:29-31

                        1.         Paul is not saying you cannot laugh or cry; marry or purchase; but that it should not be our focus.

                        2.         Worldly desires will not survive - I John 2:15-17

                        3.         Wealth might come, or it might not, or it might leave – it doesn’t matter.

            E.        Parable of the Rich Man - Luke 12:15-21

            F.        Where is your treasure?