What does the Bible say about work ethic? What is a Christian work ethic?

Certainly. This is but God-honouring. A lazy Christian is a disgrace to the coat he wears. But it is one thing to do our business heartily, and another to be so occupied with it that Christ is shut out, and instead of feeding on the bread that comes down from heaven—HIMSELF—to be feeding on the dry husks of business. To start with, you should run your business as the Lord’s steward, and for His glory primarily, not for your own profit. When this is the case the dull routine of business has a halo of glory around it, and commonplace actions are invested with a dignity, before which the crown and sceptre sink into utter insignificance.

We have taken up the case of an ordinary domestic servant in order to illustrate that special line of practical truth now under our consideration. Is it not most blessed for us to know that our God graciously condescends to connect His name and His glory with the very humblest duties that can devolve upon us in our ordinary domestic life? It is this which imparts dignity, interest and freshness to every little act, from morning till night. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men." Here lies the precious secret of the whole matter. It is not working for wages, but serving the Lord Christ, and looking to Him to receive the reward of the inheritance.

As to what one can do for the Lord, it is helpful to read Colossians 3:23-24, which was probably written to those who were menial servants, perhaps slaves: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord... for ye serve the Lord Christ." Thus we learn that we can do our everyday, commonplace work as unto the Lord and serve Him in it. So whatever is given us to do, we are to do it heartily as to the Lord and glorify Him in it. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Eccl. 9:10), is another helpful and encouraging word for our guidance in the matter of service for the Lord. Of Mary the Lord said, "She hath done what she could" (Mark 14:8). This is all that He expects of each of us. If we have a heart that is willing to serve the Lord and desirous of doing whatever He directs us to do, be it ever so small and commonplace, we will soon find that which we can do in service for Him and precious souls.

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col. 3:23). These words were written to those who, in Paul's day, were slaves. A slave's life in those days could be hard, depending on the disposition of the master. Whatever the case was, they were exhorted to work heartily. Although they had an earthly master they were to look above to their Master in heaven. They were to please Him. A remarkable dignity was put upon these slaves when Paul writes, “for … ye serve the Lord Christ”. Although slavery, as known in Paul's day, may no longer exist, there is still an obligation on the part of the Christian employee to render service heartily as to the Lord.

The Greek word for servants is bondservants or slaves. Yet God did not give them permission to rebel against slavery, but told them to obey their masters (vs.5-6). Certainly the same principle applies to employees in any business. They are to show honest concern to faithfully discharge every duty of their business relationships in sincerity of heart, as to Christ. "Not with eye service as men-pleasers" -- working only when being watched, and trying to gain special favor by deceit. The ultimate object of their honest hard work is to please the Lord, not men. For God is watching always and we should always practice obedience from the heart. If Christ is the Object of our service, then it will never become irksome. Even in the bondage of slavery, one could so please the Lord as to be well rewarded at His judgment seat (v.8). Every good thing is remembered by Him, whether one is in bonds or free.

The next exhortation is a little startling from its very obviousness, "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." (v. 28.) We must remember that the early assemblies were formed of persons just brought out of heathenism, with all its abominations, and consisted in part of slaves, an oppressed and degraded class, among whom theft was practised without scruple or shame. The exhortation too goes beyond open theft, and in principle condemns all taking of unfair advantage, such as even the fuller morality of our own day often but feebly condemns. But the interest of the exhortation lies rather in the motive than in the course of conduct enjoined. If believers had been under the law, a simple appeal to the eighth commandment of the decalogue would have been enough. But we are not under the law, but under grace. What is the obligation then imposed by this position? Not only to do "the righteousness of the law," but a great deal more. Did Christ stop with doing the righteousness of the law? On the contrary, He went far beyond it. The law requires that we should love our neighbour as ourselves, but it does not require us to lay down our lives for our neighbour. This however was what Christ did; and if the life of Christ is in us, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16.) So extreme a sacrifice may indeed be rarely demanded, but the spirit of it may always be shown. Christ not only did not injure man, but "though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." (2 Cor. 8:9.) His whole life was one of self-sacrificing love. How beautifully this reappears in Paul, "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you." (2 Cor. 12:15.) The Christian should walk in the same path, as he has the same life, not only refraining from stealing, or taking unfair advantage, but working to have the means of ministering "to him that needeth."

Thus the Holy Ghost, by one of the simplest exhortations in Scripture — an exhortation which from its common‑place character might to our blind reasoning seem hardly worthy of a place in such an epistle — brings out one of the most striking differences between law and grace. Law simply prohibits evil; grace delights in doing good. Law is what God demands from man; grace is what God is in Himself. How sad, then, to see believers, who have been brought into liberty and associated with Christ, falling back into the lower class of motives and principles, and putting themselves again in bondage under a system to which they are declared to be "dead by the body of Christ." The whole "righteousness of the law" shone out in the ways of Christ, and will shine out in the ways of one who is abiding in Christ. But how infinitely beyond law the grace revealed in every action of that perfect life! And this is what will appear, of course in a vastly inferior degree, but still as a real fruit of abiding in Him, and walking in the power of the new life in which we are quickened together with Him.

Very beautiful, therefore, is the apostolic exhortation on the positive side. "But rather let him labour [idleness is neither right nor safe], working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to distribute to him that needs." (Ver. 28.) Thus does the Spirit cheer and direct the man whose hands were once put forth in unworthy ways; thus does He open a happy path where grace can vindicate its power, spite of a dishonest nature and habit; and he who was the stealer before he knew the Saviour's name, may now have fellowship with the spirit and practice of the great apostle (Acts 20:33-35), yea, and of the Master Himself, remembering His words, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. To live is the worldly man's object in labour; to give is the christian motive. It is not a mere question of chance surplusage, but an express object, especially for him who has the consciousness of the mercy that delivered him from covetous sin and its shame and judgment. Only the toil must be about what is good and honest. In vain will you plead a benevolent or religious use of ill-gotten gain! No employment that is contrary to God's will is good for the Christian, but should be given up at once. The covenant of Sinai never enunciated such a motive for toil as this. To talk about the ten commandments as the rule for the Christian's walk now, is to go back from the sun which rules the day to the moon which rules the night; it is to eclipse Christ by Moses under the delusive profession of doing God service. In general, what the law exacted from those under it on the principle of right, the Christian is responsible on the principle of grace to exceed in every possible way. The scope of obedience is immensely increased; the inward motives are searched out and laid bare; the very tendency to violence, corruption, and falsehood is judged in its roots, and suffering wrongfully and withal in love takes the place of earthly righteousness for the disciples. Such is the unquestionable teaching of our Lord and of His apostles; it is darkened, undermined, and denied, by those who insist on judaising the Church by putting the Christian under the law as his rule of life. Truly, they "understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm."

Idleness is the opposite to diligence. Which are we, idle or diligent? Some Christians are very diligent in money-making and even diligent in pleasure-seeking, but idle in the things of God. Is it any wonder they spiritually languish? Others while paying the necessary heed to their business or work are diligent in the things of God. No one need be surprised that they spiritually flourish.

Even when man was unfallen, he had responsibility. He was called to till and keep the garden, planted exceptionally by Jehovah Elohim with every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. When fallen, as the ground was cursed on his account, he had to eat of it all the days of his life with toil. Thorns and thistles it yielded unbidden, so that man had to eat bread in the sweat of his face all his diminishing life. Slothfulness therefore ill became his position, and all the more when he faced adversity through his own fault. The sun arises, and the wild beasts get away to their dens, but man goes forth to his work till the evening; and, as he is, it is well ordered for him. But slothfulness traverses all, and casts into a deep sleep while it is day, and pays the penalty. If any will not work, neither let him eat. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

As to this the Apostle was able to hold himself up as an example. He had laboured night and day for his own support, though he might justly have been chargeable to them. God had ordained that "they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14). Yet he had not claimed this right. As to all others the divine rule is, "that if any would not work, neither should he eat."