"An idle, slothful person can never be a Christian." - Adam Clarke
 
To the above quote, Barnes' Notes adds - "An idle man and a Christian are names which do not harmonize. Every Christian has enough to do to occupy all his time, and he whose life is spent in ease and doing nothing, should doubt altogether his religion. God has assigned us much to accomplish, and He will hold us answerable for the faithful performance of it...All that would be needful to transform the idle, and vicious, and wretched, into sober and useful people, would be to give them the spirit of the Christian religion..."
 
Matthew Henry, the renowned Bible Commentator, responds with these comments - "We must not drive on slowly in religion. Slothful servants will be reckoned with as wicked servants." "It is a great error, or abuse of religion(Christianity)to make it a cloak for idleness or any other sin...If we are idle, the devil and a corrupt heart will soon find us something to do. The mind of man is a busy thing; if it be not employed in doing good, it will be doing evil."
 
Lastly, Adam Clarke, another well-known, highly-esteemed Bible Commentator, made this final statement - "An idle person, though able to discourse like an angel, or pray like an apostle, cannot be a Christian; all such are hypocrites and deceivers; the true members of the church of Christ walk, work, and labour."
 
It was a known fact that both the Romans and the Greeks despised manual labor. Hence, they hired slaves for such menial tasks. The Jews, on the other hand, considered work to be an evidence of good character and would even go so far as to train their young to work in a trade.

We have already seen from the comments mentioned above, that Faith in Jesus causes one to be industrious and conscientious, always making the most of each passing moment, while avoiding pleasures and pursuits which promote laziness and ease.
 
In Romans 12:11, the Apostle Paul described the Christian as being - "not slothful in business..."
In other words, he isn't slow-moving, laid-back, idle, or desiring his own ease. Instead, he is intense, fervent, active, diligent, industrious, faithful, and in a hurry to carry out his assigned tasks from the Lord.
 
Whether it be in discharging earthly or heavenly duties, the believer in Jesus Christ will never be "slothful in business."

Some might be energetic when it comes to secular work, but fail miserably in spiritual matters. They work passionately for the paycheck at the end of the week, but never crack open their Bibles or find the time to pray during the week.  

Ecclesiastes 9:10 exhorts us with these words - "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
 
It's the time of the Endtime Harvest, and everyone knows that Harvest Days are busy days. Hence, our minds must be focused on the good - the opportunities - the service or business at hand. There is no work to be found "in the grave." Now is the time to be about our Father's business. What we do, we must do quickly and with all of our "might." Time is running out. The doors of opportunity will soon be shut.
 
In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, the Apostle Paul offers us three directives - "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands..."
 
First of all, we must "study to be quiet." In other words, we must have a calm, peaceful, patient, meek, mild, and gentle disposition and temper. This kind of mindset is in total opposition to one of strife, contention, and division.
 
Secondly, we must "do your own business." In other words, we must attend to our own concerns and not interfere with the affairs of others.
 
So many - because they failed to do their assigned work from the Lord - went about disturbing the peace of others by being an idle tattler or busybody in other men's matters. They didn't work; therefore, they became restless and dissatisfied and went about trying to run other people's affairs, while neglecting their own. 
 
Lastly, we are admonished by the Apostle to "work" with our own hands. What brings great honor to Christ is when His followers become dedicated and productive workers, avoiding - at all times - being a burden unto others through slothfulness or laziness.

So many would rather talk than work.
Then they wonder why they never enjoy abundance or gain like others do.
 
Proverbs 14:23 says - "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury."
 
Spiritually speaking, many want to confess things into their lives but never want to work or go through the process or preparation to bring about such a calling. They are deceived into believing that by their mere words of confession, they can call down a Great Anointing on their lives or ministry, for example, without ever laboring in prayer, intense Bible Study, fasting, or evangelism to get to that place.
 
It simply doesn't work that way. God didn't call us to be mere confessors of His Word, but doers. As is oftentimes the case, we find that, in order to receive something from Him, there will always be a cost - a sacrifice - involved!
 
Both Proverbs 12:11 and 28:19 call us to hard work -
 
"He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding."
"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread, but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough."
 
Have you ever "tilled the land"? It requires very hard labor which is simply not alot of fun. But the rewards - satisfaction and plenty - are great and worth it all.
 
Our work for the Lord is likened unto "tilling the land." God is not promising an easy job. However, He is promising great rewards in the end if we will not allow any "vain persons" - lazy, fun-loving, pleasure-seeking, "at ease-in-Zion" idlers - to sidetrack or distract us from the task at hand.
 
What is required to "till the land" is "the hand of the diligent." It is the one that "maketh rich" and brings preferment - "bear rule." Conversely, it is the "slothful hand" which brings poverty, bondage, slavery, and shame.
 
Proverbs 10:4 says - "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."
Proverbs 12:24 adds - "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute."

Proverbs 13:11 explains - "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathereth by labour shall increase."
 
A real problem that we are facing in our world today is that many people want something for nothing. They are always looking for a handout, yet they never want to work in order to get it. Many would rather steal than labor to obtain the money needed to purchase a desired item. On most jobs, you will find more lazy people who are only concerned about collecting a paycheck at the end of the week without doing an honest work for God's sake and glory.

The very fact that you call yourself a Christian tells the world that you are not an idle or lazy person - a time waster who spends his day in frivolous talk or nonsense. You are a conscientious, diligent, and trustworthy laborer who is very capable of getting a job done for the Glory of God.

Remember - "...Every Christian has enough to do to occupy all his time, and he whose life is spent in ease and doing nothing, should doubt altogether his religion. God has assigned us much to accomplish, and He will hold us answerable for the faithful performance of it.."(Barnes' Notes).
 
"...the true members of the church of Christ walk, work, and labour."(Adam Clarke)
 
May God Bless His Word.
Connie