Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Context:Earning, in the biblical context, refers to the acquisition of income or resources through labor, trade, or other means. It encompasses the principles of work, stewardship, and the ethical considerations surrounding wealth and possessions. The Bible provides guidance on the attitude and approach believers should have towards earning and the use of their resources.
Biblical Principles of Earning:1.
Diligence and Hard Work: The Bible emphasizes the importance of diligence and hard work in earning a living.
Proverbs 10:4 states, "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." This verse highlights the value of industriousness and the positive outcomes associated with it. Similarly,
Proverbs 14:23 notes, "There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty."
2.
Honesty and Integrity: Earning should be pursued with honesty and integrity.
Proverbs 11:1 declares, "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight." This underscores the importance of fairness and truthfulness in all financial dealings. The Bible condemns dishonest gain and encourages believers to earn their income through righteous means.
3.
Contentment and Trust in God: While earning is necessary, the Bible warns against the love of money and the pursuit of wealth as an end in itself.
1 Timothy 6:10 cautions, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." Believers are encouraged to find contentment in God's provision and to trust Him for their needs.
4.
Stewardship and Generosity: Earning is not solely for personal gain but also for stewardship and generosity.
Ephesians 4:28 advises, "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need." This reflects the biblical principle that earning should enable believers to support themselves and others, contributing to the well-being of the community.
5.
Avoiding Greed and Covetousness: The Bible warns against greed and covetousness, which can corrupt the purpose of earning.
Luke 12:15 records Jesus' warning, "Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." This teaching encourages believers to focus on spiritual riches rather than material wealth.
Examples from Scripture:·
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30): This parable illustrates the importance of using one's resources wisely and the expectation of earning a return on what God has entrusted to each person. The servants who diligently invested their talents were commended, while the one who did nothing was rebuked.
·
The Industrious Woman (Proverbs 31:10-31): The virtuous woman described in
Proverbs 31 is praised for her industriousness and ability to earn through various means, including trading and managing a household. Her example demonstrates the value of hard work and resourcefulness.
·
Paul's Tentmaking (Acts 18:3): The Apostle Paul, while spreading the Gospel, also worked as a tentmaker to support himself. This example shows the balance between ministry and earning a living, highlighting the dignity of labor.
Conclusion:The biblical perspective on earning encompasses diligence, integrity, contentment, stewardship, and generosity. Believers are called to earn their living in a manner that honors God, supports their families, and contributes to the needs of others, all while maintaining a heart free from greed and covetousness.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Earn.
2. (n.) That which is earned; wages gained by work or services; money earned; -- used commonly in the plural.
Greek
2865. komizo -- to bear, carry... I receive back, receive what has belonged to myself but has been lost, or else promised
but kept back, or: I get what has come to be my own by
earning, recover
...Library
An Active Life of Service.
... Many others have been left free of the necessity ofearning bread and home and clothing
and so have a rare opportunity of devoting themselves to the going, as...
A Living Sacrifice.
... her giving. And her gift, small in itself, touched with sacrifice, became
worth several hundred dollars in itsearning power. And...
The Structure of the Lord's Prayer
... 'Bless my cheating, my sharp practice, my half lies!' If we dare not pray this prayer
over what we do in 'earning our living,' we had better ask ourselves...
The Wages of Sin (Chapel Royal June, 1864)
... That the wages of sin, and the end of sin, to which it must lead, are death; that
every time he sins he isearning those wages, deserving them, meriting them...
The Economic Challenge to the Church
... to be disturbed over the tendency, as it is useless to try to keep young men and
women in an occupation that does not offer opportunity forearning a living....
The Cry for Bread
... to details of conduct, but it is my business to say"take this prayer for a test,
and if you dare not pray it over what you do inearning your living, ask...
The Teen Age Teacher
... The public school seeks to give the boy the necessary education toward hisearning
a livelihood, and the business of the Sunday school Teacher is to give him...
Aubrey Leigh was a Man who had Chosen his Own Way of Life...
... He had no independent means,"he lived from hand to mouthearning just what he could
by hard labour,"till one day, when the forces in his own soul said...
True Repentance a Thing Divine, Originated by God, and Subject to...
... then, the ingratitude of men see to it, [8431] if it attaches repentance even to
good works; let their gratitude see to it too, if the desire ofearning it be...
Baptism not to be Presumptously Received it Requires Preceding...
... for all, and perpetually retaining it, does indeed bear upon all who are given up
to the Lord, as being all competitors for salvation inearning the favour of...
Thesaurus
Earning (2 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Earning (2 Occurrences). Proverbs 31:18 She perceiveth
that her
earning is good; her lamp goeth not out by night. (DBY).
...Earnings (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural ofEarning. Multi-Version Concordance
Earnings (6 Occurrences). Deuteronomy 23:18 You shall...
Josephus
... Returning to Palestine with Titus, he proceeded to mediate between the Romans and
the Jews,earning the suspicion of the former, the hatred of the latter....
Lean (22 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) of a character which prevents the compositor fromearning the usual
wages; -- opposed to fat; as, lean copy, matter, or type....
Wages (52 Occurrences)
... (4) Mistakker means "earning," "hire," "reward," "wages," from root sakhar, meaning
"to hire," and has in it the idea of temporary purchase: "He that earneth...
Flavius
... Returning to Palestine with Titus, he proceeded to mediate between the Romans and
the Jews,earning the suspicion of the former, the hatred of the latter....
Earneth (2 Occurrences)
Ptolemy
... He brought back with him from the East the Egyptian gods that Cambyses had carried
away 300 years before, thusearning from the Egyptians the title of...
Inspiration (4 Occurrences)
... and earns the blessings or the curses of all times, according to its effort to do
good and to hate evil, even as they are alsoearning their payment for their...
Resources
How is Satan god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Charles Ryrie? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? | GotQuestions.orgEarning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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