“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” (Ephesians 4:28).
The Gospel is the glorious message of how God has redeemed sinners in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He redeems us and sets before us the hope of heaven, but He also renews us and sends us out to serve Him in the world.
Paul often implicitly makes this point in his letters in the way he structures them. He begins with Christian doctrine and the glories of the Gospel and then moves to the practical application of the Gospel to our life. He does this in the Epistle to the Ephesians where, in chapters 1-3, he sets before us the Gospel and brings us to appreciate the love of Christ in its breadth, length, depth, and height (Eph. 3:18).
In Eph. 4, he begins to apply this to our lives, telling us we are to “walk worthy” of the calling we have been called with (Eph 4:1). In the middle of the chapter, he says we are to put off the “old man” which is corrupt and to put on the “new man” which has been renewed after the image of God (Eph. 4:22-24). When he begins to apply that to different areas of our life, he shows us in Eph 4:28 that it should affect how we view work:
“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” (Ephesians 4:28).
The Problem of Sin
God appointed work in the beginning when He made man in His image, but sin changed our relation to work in a number of ways. In the first place, work got harder. Adam would continue to work the earth but now the earth would fight against him, bring forth thorns and thistles (Gen 3:17-18). Man’s attitude to work would also be distorted by sin. Some people now make work an idol and become workaholics, or in the case of our text, they will battle laziness and disinclination to work. There are those who refuse to work, preferring to steal to make their living in a sinful way. Paul’s point is that this has to change and this will be evidence that the Gospel has changed us.
Stop Stealing
So the first message of the text is “Stop stealing!” Obviously this applies to theft and all gain that you would get that way. People can steal when they take what does not belong to them: for example, if they rob a bank or a house. However, there are more subtle modes of theft, as well. A person can steal when he refuses to work and makes himself dependent on other people’s money. You can also steal when you are employed but you do not work hard for your employer, but rather steal his time and money.
Start Working
The second message of the text is “Start working!” There are three helpful principles presented here that will challenge and encourage us at all times. This might be especially relevant at this time of the COVID-19 crisis when people have lost their jobs or are concerned their employment is under threat. The principles will also guide younger people as they consider what career they might follow. God is not going to whisper in your ear, “I am calling you to be a construction worker or an IT analyst.” You will have to weigh up your gifts and abilities together with the opportunities God has given you in Providence. This being said, Ephesians 4:28 gives these principles to guide.
1. Honest Work
You are not to work in anything that requires you to break God’s Law. We must work in that which is “honest” or “good” as defined by God. Certain industries will be closed to a Christian, and some jobs or companies in other industries should be avoided if their moral practices violate God’s Law. That being said, all honest work is a lawful calling to be pursued, and it is a duty lying upon us to pursue such work.
2. Hard Work
Paul uses two words for emphasis: “Let him labor, working with his hands” (KJV). The first word means “to feel fatigued,” and it is clear that he has hard work in mind. Sometimes you might wonder what you will do to make a living, or what qualifications you should obtain for the future. These are legitimate concerns, but it is good to remember that hard work is the chief qualification that God requires and rewards. So be determined to work hard, and pray that God would bless and honor that work. Employers love such employees, and they often advance, gain promotion, and gradually add new skills.
3. Helpful Work
It is right that we think of work as a means to provide for our own and our family’s needs, but Eph 4:28 takes us beyond that. It is common today to see “the extra” as disposable income to fund a certain kind of lifestyle. Paul in this verse would have us use the extra in relation to others. Stop stealing, start working, not only to provide for yourself, but that you may have “to give to him that needeth” (KJV).
This is one way that Christians can serve God. People often wonder, “If I am not called to be a minister, etc. how can I serve the Lord?’” Ephesians 4:28 answers, “Work hard, increase your salary, but not to live to yourself, rather to serve others.” You could then help those in need, give to the Church, financially help struggling pastors and Church planters, fund missionary work, and so on.
Conclusion
So the Gospel governs your attitude to work, and your attitude to its rewards. Stop stealing and shirking. Start working! Give yourself to hard, honest work to the Glory of God and the service of others.
If you want to learn more, you could look up the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism questions and answers on the 4th and 8th commandments.
About the Author
Rev. Gavin Beers, a native of Northern Ireland, is Pastor of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Mebane North Carolina. He has been an ordained minister of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) since 2006 and previously pastored for twelve years in the congregation of Ayr in the South West of Scotland. Gavin served as lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew in the Free Church Seminary, Inverness, from 2009-2016. He has been married to Alison for twenty years and the Lord has blessed them with five sons and one daughter.
Acknowledgements
Featured image photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash