Finance Lesson #12

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Biblical Perspectives

September 21, 2015

Biblical Perspectives

September 21, 2015

Syllabus

February 12, 2010

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Bible Perspectives
FINANCIAL TRUTHS FROM THE BIBLE
Lesson #12
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER –#3 The Concept of Work

• Memory verse: Col 3:23

• Because man spends the majority of his life at work and the majority of people do not like the work where they spend the majority of their lives, we need to understand God’s perspective of work.

• God initiated work for the benefit of man.
  • Read Gen 2:15
    • After the fall of man, work became more difficult.
      • Read Gen 3:17-19
  • Work is necessary in the economy of God.
    • Read 2The 3;10
      • Notice that this verse does not refer to people that cannot work due to some physical incapacity. It only refers to people that have the capacity to work but choose not to work.
• In God’s economic system in the kingdom of God, there is the idea that man should work for what he obtains in this life and that he must not put his trust in the work of other people or in the government to provide for his needs. It does not please God when a person presumes on the grace of other people to provide for his needs.
  • Therefore, to provide the needs of man, God principally gives man work. It is by means of this work that God expects man to earn a living.
  • If man has faith in God as the source of his provision, then God will prosper him by means of work to fulfill his needs. However, man must not confuse us employer as the source of his provision.
    • It is a common failure of man to see his work or his employer as the source of his provision instead of God.
      • Because of that, man becomes discouraged when he loses his job.
      • Because of that, man thinks that God does not provide for his needs.
• God’s perspective of work:
  • When God guides man to a job, God anticipates that man will learn some valuable lessons in his life.
    • Man learns submission to authority from his employer.
    • Man learns how to treat other people.
    • Man learns the qualities of character that make a mature believer. Work develops the character of man.
      • The qualities like:
        • Honesty
        • Perseverance
        • Persistence
        • Integrity
        • Diligence
        • Etc.
• God’s responsibility in your job:
  • As in the other parts of the economy of God, God has responsibilities and man has responsibilities.
  • The lack of understanding of God’s responsibilities in your job will cause stress and frustration in the mind of man.
    • =1= God gives talents, capabilities, and abilities to man.
      • Read Exo 36:1
    • =2= God gives success to man.
      • Read Gen 39:2-3
    • =3= God gives promotion in work.
      • Read Psa 75:6-7
        • How does the reality that God gives promotion in work affect the politics and manipulation of people in your work?
    • =4= God blesses Christian employees on the job with protection and success.
  • Application:
    • How does this information of God’s responsibility affect you in:
      • …your attitude toward your employer?
      • …your attitude toward your job?
      • …your attitude toward God?
• Man’s responsibility in his job:
  • =1= Man must see God as his employer.
    • Read Col 3:23-24
    • Read 2The 3:8-9
      • The most important thing to remember every day in your job is that in reality your employer is God and not man.
    • In what ways can this knowledge that God is your boss affect your actions?
  • =2= God requires that man work diligently.
    • Read Ecc 9:10
    • Read Pro 12:27
    • Read Pro 18:9
      • The pursuit of excellence is what God wants in your job.
      • The opposite of diligence is laziness or procrastination.
        • A person that has the habit of procrastination delays or puts off things that he should do. The development of procrastination can become a fault of character that can detain your success in your job.
        • At times procrastination is the result of:
          • ….fear of making decisions.
          • …laziness.
          • …fear of taking responsibility.
        • God can help you to overcome procrastination. Some suggestions:
          • -1 Every day make a list of all the things that you have to do.
          • -2 Pray and prioritize the list of things that are most important.
          • -3 Finish the first task on the prioritized list before you begin the second task.
          • -4 Ask God for the strength that you need to finish the task.
          • -5 Memorize Phi 4:13
    • Diligence and excellence do not mean that the believer will become a workaholic.
      • In God’s system, God provides the balance of work and rest with appropriate priorities.
        • Read Exo 34:21
          • The first priority in the Christian life is God and your relationship with Him.
            • Read Mat 6:33
          • The second priority in the Christian life is your family and the time that you spend with them.
  • =3= The responsibilities of the employer:
    • The Christian employer must love, serve, and encourage his employees.
      • As a leader, the Christian employer must be a servant.
        • Read Mat 20:26
        • Read Eph 6:7-9
      • The Christian employer must treat his employees with dignity and respect.
        • Read Col 4:1
      • The Christian employer must invest time and money to train and develop the abilities of his employees.
    • The Christian employer must maintain good communication with his employees.
      • Read Gen 11:6-7
        • People that have language communicate in unity. However, the construction of the tower of Babel was not the will of God. When God confused their languages, they did not have communication in unity. Because of that they could not achieve the completion of the project.
      • Read Job 31:13-15
        • The employer must listen to the suggestions of his employees.
      • The Christian employer has responsibility for his employees. Because of that, the employer must evaluate his employees, and he must communicate his expectations to them.
    • The Christian employer must pay his employees an honest wage.
      • Read Deu 24;14-15
      • Read Mal 3:5
    • The Christian employer must pray that God gives him Christian employees.
      • Read Gen 30:27
      • Read Gen 39:4-5
        • God blesses his people and those that are around him.
  • =4= The responsibilities of the employee:
    • The story of Daniel is the example of a holy employee. (Dan 6)
    • =1= Honesty
      • The Christian employee owes absolute honesty to the employer (if he’s a Christian or not).
      • Read Dan 6:4
        • Honesty means:
          • …you arrive at work at the expected hour and leave work at the expected hour.
          • …you do not use the employer’s supplies for your personal use.
          • …you do not rob supplies from your employer.
          • …you always speak the truth.
    • =2= Faithfulness
      • The Christian employee owe the employer faithfulness in the work that he does.
    • =3= The Person of Prayer
      • Daniel was a man of prayer. The Christian must pray for his employer and for the other employees.
      • Read Dan 6:10
    • =4= Honor
      • The Christian employee owes honor and respect to his employer.
        • Read Dan 6:21
        • Read 1Pet 2:18
      • Murmuring and gossip do not give honor to your employer.
      • The Christian employer owes honor and respect to other employees.
        • Read Pro 30:10
    • =5= Speaks His Faith
      • The Christian employee speaks his faith to his employer and to the other employees in the appropriate moments without being a distraction from his work and without robbing from his employer valuable time.
        • Read Dan 6:20
          • The king knew about Jehovah because Daniel spoke of his faith in God.
• Various Things with Respect to Work:
  • Retirement
    • Scriptures do not give examples of people that enter into a period of retirement. God expects that Christians will be productive all their life as God gives them capacity.
  • Ambition
    • The bible does not condemn ambition. However, ambition must be to do a good job in what God has given you to do. Selfish ambition is not legitimate in the Christian life.
      • Read 2Cor 5:9-10
      • Read Jer 45:5
  • Calling
    • The word “vocation” is a call to a specific task.
      • Read Eph 2:10
      • The calling of God includes the work of the ministry, tasks in the church, and work in the secular world. God places his servants in all places in the world as a witness of the presence of God.
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships in business must be between Christians.
      • Read 2Cor 6:14-17
      • Even with other believers, you should be careful of business partnerships. Put your requirements, your agreements, and terms in a written form. In the document, put a way of dissolution of the partnership in case of disagreement.
  • The wife that works outside of the home
    • Today it is very common that wives work outside of the home. However, the Christian needs to know some facts from scripture.
      • In the home where there are children, it is important that the mother is in the home during the formative years of the children.
        • Read Tit 2:4-5
          • If it is possible, limit the hours of work outside the home during the times when the children are in school.
          • There are many jobs that can be done from the home.
          • As children mature, the wife can increase the hours of work outside the home.
        • Read Pro 31:10-31
          • Notice especially verse 24.
          • This woman of Proverbs 31 is not the life of one woman in one point in time. Instead it is the entire life of one woman over many years.
      • The decision of a wife to work outside the home should be made by the couple with the agreement between the two of the shared responsibilities of the tasks in the home.
      • If the wife works outside the home to provide needed money for the family, usually the quantity of money that she gains is less than the expectations, especially when you evaluate realistically.
        • You have to evaluate the expenses of work of the woman outside of the home.
          • Consider the following:
            • The added taxes from the salary of the woman.
            • The expense of transportation.
            • The expense of food outside of the home.
            • The expense of clothing required for the job.
            • The paid care for the children.
            • The cost of things that she does not have time to do and must now hire someone to do it.

HOMEWORK
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacherfor correction.

• If your family depends on the salary of a wife that works outside of the home, make a financial evaluation of the expenses contrasted with the income that the wife gains.

• Make a list of your investments and the value of each one.

Memory Verse: Pro 21:20