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We recently had another graceTALK session in which people ask questions and the Pastors of Grace seek to answer them. It is a great time of expressing Biblical truth in the context of desiring to know God’s Word better.

The following was submitted, but there was not enough time to give an answer. I hope we can supply some insight in this forum. Since there are two questions that live in the same arena, I will list them both.

#1. What is the “Protestant work ethic” and what makes it “Protestant?”

#2. Sometimes I’m tempted to think my work doesn’t matter because my job isn’t “spiritual.” I know that’s not the right way to think about it, but what IS the right way to think about my job?

Thoughts?

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6 Comments

1. Tom : November 8th, 2006 at 2:22 pm

   For question #1; This seems to be more of an etymological question than a spiritual one,..at least in the strict sense of the question. I found several encyclopedic answers in searching. This one seems fairly concise:

   http://www.coe.uga.edu/workethic/hpro.html

   Having said that I suppose the question of whether this idea is truly biblical is the more interesting one and leads to question #2.

2. guiroo : November 8th, 2006 at 3:52 pm

   Off topic, but the following statement makes me a bit wary of the source:

   “Calvin was a French theologian whose concept of predestination was revolutionary.”

   Predestination was around LONG before Calvin — it was Arminius that was the “revolutionary”.

   Back to topic, anything else out there?

3. guiroo : November 8th, 2006 at 3:59 pm

   “What is the right way to think about my job?”

   Check out this sermon from Ephesians.

4. Tom : November 9th, 2006 at 7:27 am

   Quiroo-

   Not to quibble, but I think it’s significant that the author didn’t say “…who had the revolutionary idea of predestination”, but “…whose concept of predestination was revolutionary.”. I think the meaning in context is that the way Calvin thought of predestination was quite different from the Roman Catholic understanding of the doctrine.

5. guiroo : November 9th, 2006 at 2:32 pm

   Agreed.

   While perfectly sound for the most part:

   Encouraged work in a chosen occupation with an attitude of service to God
   Viewed work as a calling and avoided placing greater spiritual dignity on one job than another
   Approved of working diligently
   Allowed a person to change from the craft or profession of his father

   It’s funny how even people that grasp God’s ultimate sovereignty still try and put Him in a box. I wonder how it would address folks that have enough investments to live and serve as volunteers.

   “…to achieve maximum profits, required reinvestment of profits back into one’s business, …and associated success in one’s work with the likelihood of being one of God’s Elect.”

   I also recommend the book New Way to Be Human by Charlie Peacock. It really gives you a Kingdom perspective to everything you do … work, marriage, play, whatever.

6. Dan Miller : December 1st, 2006 at 10:58 am

   Without being overly simple, I would say that the work ethic that best represents the “protestant” view is to do all things for the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). When pleasing God is your goal the quality of your work ethic will be solid. All Christians are involved in this dynamic regardless of whether we know it or not. As we move through life we do things for specific reasons and those reasons are now, at the base level, supposed to resonate with a passion to spread God’s fame. As a person matures this understanding should develop, grow, and eventually envelope our reason for all activity. When that does not happen, we repent of our need to be that way.

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