There is a trend of questioning long-held beliefs that began by some people outside of the Christian faith and has spread to some churches today. Often, these statements are presented as “Did Jesus actually say …?” Part of the trend is to cherry-pick parts of a message and present it out of context. The goal of that is two-fold, to have you believe that God says something different or to just plant a seed of doubt. Why would a church be involved? Some churches have been built on those differences, which is how they grow in members. Why would someone outside of the church be involved? They desire to reduce the influence of the Christian faith.
Below is an example of this process shared on the internet today. In this article, I will only address the first of the twelve comments due to the number of verses chosen in response to the assertions made in the article. There are verses in the Bible that encourage helping others in need, but with warnings that should be understood. God expects every able person to work for multiple reasons as seen in the verses listed below.
“Twelve widely circulated statements Jesus Christ has been surrounded by countless sayings and teachings attributed to him. However, there exists many misconceptions and misattributions. In this slideshow, we explore the truth behind twelve widely circulated statements falsely linked to Jesus.
“God helps those who help themselves.” This phrase implies that individuals should take initiative and not rely solely on divine intervention. It suggests that one should be proactive and self-reliant rather than passively waiting for assistance.”
Verses from the Bible address the subject of effort expected by God to receive benefits like food. The verses are random, and the text is from the ESV Bible; however, you can look up the verses in whatever version you prefer.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
1 Timothy 5:8 ESV
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15 ESV
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. …
1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV
And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
Genesis 2:15 ESV
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Proverbs 10:4 ESV
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
Ephesians 4:28 ESV
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Proverbs 13:4 ESV
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Proverbs 18:9 ESV
Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
1 Thessalonians 4:12 ESV
So that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Genesis 3:19 ESV
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Proverbs 21:25 ESV
The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
Ecclesiastes 2:24 ESV
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,
2 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV
Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Proverbs 20:4 ESV
The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
Proverbs 14:23 ESV
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Hebrews 6:10 ESV
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
Colossians 3:23 ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Colossians 3:22-24 ESV
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 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.
Proverbs 12:24 ESV
The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
Psalm 128:2 ESV
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Luke 10:7 ESV
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Proverbs 6:6 ESV
Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 ESV
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? …
Colossians 3:23-24 ESV
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.
Galatians 6:9-10 ESV
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Proverbs 26:16 ESV
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
Genesis 3:17-19 ESV
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
James 2:26 ESV
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
1 Timothy 1:1-20 ESV
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. …
2 Thessalonians 3:11 ESV
For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.
Romans 14:1-23 ESV
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. …
Ecclesiastes 5:18 ESV
Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
2 Thessalonians 3:7 ESV
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,
1 Thessalonians 2:9 ESV
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV
For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
Acts 20:34-35 ESV
You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard 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.’”
2 Thessalonians 3:8 ESV
Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 ESV
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
Acts 20:35 ESV
In all things I have shown you that by working hard 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.’”
Proverbs 28:19 ESV
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
Proverbs 24:30-34 ESV
I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
Proverbs 12:11 ESV
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
