The Bible and Moral and Immoral Occupations
The Bible and choosing a career
It is very clear in the Bible that able-bodied people should be productive:
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
For some Christians, this may mean compromising on the sort of work they do. It is better to do an unfulfilling job that means you can support yourself than to do no job and rely on others to keep you.
It is important to work hard and be good at your job:
The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work. Proverbs 12:24
Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a backseat to anyone. Proverbs 22:29
Should Christians choose careers based on how much they will earn? There is nothing in the Bible that says it is bad to be wealthy, but 'the love of money is the root of all evil'. Jesus made it clear that you either put God above money or money above God:
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13
The Bible and the workplace
Christianity teaches that you should constantly live a Christian life. This means that the way you do your work is an act of worship to God. For example the Bible says:
'Do not steal' The Ten Commandments
A Christian may understand this to say that it is wrong to take items home from the workplace, such as stationary etc. It might also mean that it is wrong to steal time, by taking a long lunch-break.
In any job, Christians are called to act like Jesus - to ask 'What would Jesus do?' They should follow the example of Jesus from the Bible, as well as following his teaching. Jesus said:
Love your neighbour as yourself. Mark 12:31
This particularly applies in the caring professions. You could say that a nurse is following this teaching by caring for his or her patients.
