What the Bible says
Since the fall, work carries toil: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Yet God does not abandon the worker. Paul tells believers, “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24). Whoever your earthly employer may be, your true Master is Christ.
This changes how we work: not “with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Scripture honours steady labour, that we “study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11), working “that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28).
Yet work is not where we find our worth or our rest. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1). So we pray, “establish thou the work of our hands upon us” (Psalm 90:17), and we heed the word, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established” (Proverbs 16:3). To the weary Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
When the crowd asked Jesus how to work the works of God, He answered, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). Salvation is not earned by labour, but those saved by grace work gladly for their Saviour. “Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
14 verses, King James Version
Psalms 127:1–2
Except the LORD build, labour is in vain
1Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Ephesians 4:28
Work so that you have to give to the needy
28Let 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.
Colossians 3:17
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus
17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Galatians 6:9
Be not weary in well doing
9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Colossians 3:23–24
Work for the Lord, not just people
23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Psalms 90:17
Ask God to establish your work
17And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit your plans to the Lord
3Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Ephesians 6:7–8
Serving as to the Lord
7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Give it your whole effort
10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Proverbs 22:29
Skill is noticed
29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Proverbs 14:23
Hard work brings gain
23In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
A quiet, honest life
11And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
Genesis 2:15
Work was part of God’s good design
15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Nothing done for the Lord is wasted
58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.