God is sovereign over all the details of life, which means Christians can rest in the peace of Christ. However, that is no excuse to be lazy. We can trust God and work hard. In fact, one way to express our trust in God is by working hard. We seize the opportunities for work that the Lord has set before us.
Hard Work in Scripture
The book of Proverbs consistently warns against the ways of the sluggard. We are to observe the ways of the hardworking ant (Proverbs 6:6). The sluggard is fearful (22:13; 26:13) and ill-prepared for harvest (20:4). His “hands refuse to labor,” which leads to death (21:25, ESV). We have the mocking imagery in the Proverbs—“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to his mouth” (19:24; cf. 26:15). It is the “diligent” who is satisfied, not the sluggard (13:4).
Such admonitions to work hard are also found in the New Testament, especially in the writings of the Apostle Paul. He set an example as one who “worked” hard, day and night, in order to earn a living on top of his apostolic ministry. And then he said, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:8, 10).
In the context of instructions for slaves, Paul says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). To “work heartily” is literally “from the soul.” We are to put our whole being into our work. This includes earthly jobs, but it also includes ministry and our work towards holy living. And we give it our all because we serve Christ, and He will reward us bountifully.
Train Yourself for Godliness (1 Timothy 4:7)
As for holy living, Paul gave the command in 1 Timothy 4:7 to “train yourself for godliness.” He explained that while “bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Paul even set an example in this regard, as he said, “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God” (1 Timothy 4:10).
Paul uses two Greek words in 1 Timothy 4:10 for “toil and strive.” The first, kopiao (κοπιάω), means to “exert oneself physically, mentally, or spiritually” and is translated “work hard, toil, strive, struggle” (BDAG). It can be used for physical labor (1 Corinthians 4:12; Ephesians 4:28), as well as spiritual labor. Paul said, “I worked harder than any of them” (1 Corinthians 15:10), and spoke of his “labor” in the ministry (Galatians 4:11; Philippians 2:16). There are elders who “labor” in preaching and teaching, which are known as pastors or teaching elders (1 Timothy 5:17).
The second word, agonizomai (ἀγωνίζομαι), means to “fight” or “struggle.” Jesus uses this word when He tells us to to “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24). Epaphras was said to “struggle” in prayer (Colossians 4:12). Paul uses the same verb in his famous phrase “fight the good fight.” He told Timothy to “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). In his second letter toward the end of his life, Paul spoke of his own work—“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
When we believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior, God justifies us—that is, He forgives our sins and imputes the righteousness of Christ to our account. That is a free gift that comes by grace and is received through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet we are also saved “for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Unfortunately, Christians commonly confuse God’s unilateral work of regeneration and justification with the work of sanctification. But that is not how the Bible approaches holiness and the Christian life. God calls us to work hard for our sanctification. The strength comes from God, but it is strength to work hard. We must not view God’s grace as an excuse for laziness but a call for action.
Working Hard by God’s Power (Colossians 1:28–2:1)
Similar to his teaching in 1 Timothy 4, Paul spoke of labor and striving in Colossians 1:28–2:1:
We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 1:29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. 2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face.
Paul’s goal in ministry was to present all Christians “complete” or “mature” in Christ (Colossians 1:28). And he worked hard toward this goal, as he said, “For this purpose also I labor, striving” (1:29). The Greek words used here are kopiao (κοπιάω) and agonizomai (ἀγωνίζομαι), the same words used for “toiled” and “strived” in 1 Timothy 4:10. Paul adds in Colossians 2:1 that he endured a great “struggle” (ἀγῶνα) on the behalf of the Colossians.
Paul clearly worked hard. But his energy ultimately came from God. As he said in Colossians 1:29, “I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” Paul relied upon God’s “energy” or “power” (ἐνέργειαν). Similarly, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored (κοπιάω) even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” Again we see that Paul’s hard work came by God’s grace. God’s grace was not an excuse for passivity but a source of power and hard work.
Similarly, Paul in Philippians 2:12-13 commanded Christians to work, but he also noted such work comes by God’s power—“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” It is both/and. Sanctification takes work, and we must train ourselves for godliness. But such hard work is ultimately God’s work in us, for He is the source of the energy unto sanctification.
So Paul worked hard in his ministry. He trained himself spiritually, and he called all Christians to follow his example. But he also prayed for God’s energy so that Christians may become holy and spiritually fit. Paul prayed that the Colossians would be “strengthened with all power” (1:11). Here is his prayer from Colossians 1:9-11:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.
Christians must follow Paul’s example in praying for God to strengthen ourselves and others with His power—that we may be filled with knowledge and wisdom, produce good works, and serve Christ in all we do. We should ask God to “strengthen me according to your word!” (Psalm 119:28). And there are even times to ask for supernatural strength, as Samson did to bring down judgment on the Philistines (Judges 16:28).
Examples of Those Who Work Hard in Ministry
The Apostle Paul thus set an example for hard work. As he said in Acts 20:35, “In all things I have shown you that by working hard (κοπιῶντας) in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Working hard in ministry is a way to help others. Yet Paul was not the only Christian to work hard. He said in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor (κοπιῶντας) among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.”
In his greetings at the end of Romans, Paul said, “Greet Mary, who has worked hard (ἐκοπίασεν) for you” (Romans 16:6). And “Greet those workers(κοπιώσας) in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard (ἐκοπίασεν) in the Lord” (Romans 16:12). So Paul set an example of hard work for Christ, and he commended others who did the same. We too should set an example of hard work for others.
Conclusion
Christians are to be hard workers. We are to work hard at our jobs, whether that be in manual labor, the office, pastoring, or homemaking. We are to work hard at having a good marriage and at raising children well. And we are to work hard to kill sin and live a holy life. Where do we find the strength for such hard work? By God’s grace and energy. We must therefore pray for God’s strength. Ask God to empower you to work hard for Christ—that you may provide for your family, raise your children well, love your neighbor, fulfill your ministry, and glorify God.
