Chapter IX

Man’s God Given Responsibility to Work.

From man’s beginning, he was given the responsibility to “work.” Before Adam sinned, God placed him by himself in the Garden of Eden to take care of it:

Genesis 2:8, 15 And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted).
15 And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it{/take care of it}. AMP

But after Eve sinned, man’s/Adam’s “work” became “toil” – to have a job to support his family which took on different parameters of just removing the “weeds” from the edible plants so the family can survive. Also after they sinned, God removed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and placed them in the Land of Nod/the physical land of the earth which He cursed:

Genesis 3:17-19 And to Adam He {God} said, Because you have listened and given heed to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it, the ground is under a curse because of you; in sorrow and toil shall you eat [of the fruits] of it all the days of your life. 18 Thorns also and thistles {inedible weeds} shall it bring forth for you, and you shall eat the {edible} plants of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread until you return to the ground {until you die}, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall return. AMP

The Ten Commandments {The Law} also commanded man to work:

Exodus 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, AMP

The Bible states that we – “True Believers” are called to provide for our family members:

1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone fails to provide for his relatives, and especially for those of his own family, he has disowned the faith [by failing to accompany it with fruits] and is worse than an unbeliever [who performs his obligation in these matters]. AMP

Why are we to toil/have a job? I want to make a point here. There is a Scripture in the Book of Deuteronomy which states it is God Who gives us the ability to make or produce wealth/money so that we can go beyond just providing for our family.

Deuteronomy 8:18 But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get {make/produce} wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. AMP

And there are Christians who can truly handle true wealth, BUT they are not many! What happens to most Christians who are trying to become wealthy from kingdom of the world motives is they cannot serve God and money at the same time! This is a very painful experience! I know! It cost me my wife and our land!

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). AMP

Mark 10:23 And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, With what difficulty will those who possess wealth and keep on holding it enter the kingdom of God! AMP

The world taunts us to toil to seemingly accumulate wealth. There is a difference between “accumulating worldly wealth” and having a job that supplies the money for you and your family, to pay your tithes to you church, to win sinners to Jesus Christ as their Savior, and to assist the disadvantaged. In the process of accumulating worldly wealth, the “Love of Money” sneaks in and detracts from our love, worship, and service to God.
I believe a Saint’s main work/fruit for the Lord in His Bride Church is to win sinners to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and to disciple them to come to know Him as their Lord God and Master and to provide for the disadvantaged in our societies of the world!

Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun — all the days of futility. For that is your portion {physical significance} in this life and in your work at which you toil under the sun. AMP
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, {soul winners} as a fisher of men — he gathers and receives them for eternity]. [Matt 4:19; 1 Cor 9:19; James 5:20.] AMP

Daniel 12:3 And the teachers and those who are wise {lead sinners to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior} shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness (to uprightness and right standing with God) {those who disciple the “new creations” to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord God and Master} [shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever. [Matt 13:43.] AMP

Matthew 24:45 Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise {“Born Again”} servant, whom his master {God} has put in charge of his household {His Church and their outreaches to help the disadvantaged} to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time? AMP

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” NIV