{"id":6677,"date":"2016-09-15T09:18:58","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T13:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?p=6677"},"modified":"2016-09-15T09:18:58","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T13:18:58","slug":"acceptable-sins-addressing-the-sin-of-laziness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/acceptable-sins-addressing-the-sin-of-laziness\/","title":{"rendered":"Acceptable Sins? Addressing the Sin of Laziness"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following article is an excerpt from the teaching series \u201cDeadly Sins\u201d taught by Pastor Nick<\/a> at Purdue Bible Fellowship<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

What is laziness?<\/h2>\n

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines laziness this way:\u00a0Unwilling to work or use energy; showing a lack of effort or care.<\/em><\/p>\n

Laziness is an absence of work or effort or care. Something is missing. Is it something that should be there? <\/strong>God has much to say about the issue of laziness, and you don\u2019t have to read very far in Scripture to find it!<\/p>\n

The concept of work\/diligence originates in Genesis 2:15 when God puts Adam into the garden to work and keep it. From the beginning of God\u2019s creation, He designed man to work. Adam was responsible to tend and cultivate the Garden of Eden. God commanded him to work and keep it.<\/p>\n

This has implications for us! Remember where we are in history \u2013 God\u2019s command to work came before the fall after God had declared his creation very good. This means work is good and from God!<\/strong> This backdrop helps us to understand some New Testament passages better. For example, Ephesians 2:10 says,<\/p>\n

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works<\/u>, which God prepared beforehand<\/u>, that we should walk in them.<\/em><\/p>\n

God designed mankind to work. Work is not bad; it is actually an important God-given part of creation.<\/p>\n

You might say, \u201cTHAT\u2019S NOT MY EXPERIENCE! WORK IS HARD. WORK IS BORING. WORK MUST BE BAD!\u201d I hear you. We all struggle with thinking that way, but God\u2019s Word tells us there is a reason for that!<\/p>\n

The next chapter in Genesis tells us why we struggle with work and laziness. Genesis 3 famously records both the first sin (rebellion) of humanity against God and the consequences of it. Genesis 3:17-19 shows us just how sin affects our work.<\/p>\n

This passage captures what God says to Adam as a result of his choice to sin (rebel) against Him. What is the focus of God\u2019s curse?<\/strong> The ground. Why is this significant? <\/strong>It was Adam\u2019s job to work the ground and keep it. How is this going to change Adam\u2019s life?<\/strong> Work will now be hard instead of easy, painful instead of enjoyable, and not fruitful instead of fruitful. Work will be tiring, exhausting and ultimately, will end in death.<\/p>\n

This has far-reaching implications for us today! Why is work so hard and unenjoyable for us? <\/strong>Because of the curse of sin!<\/p>\n

This is the starting point of laziness! Because of the curse of sin on the ground, our work is hard. Because of sin\u2019s effect on our desires, we now struggle to want to do what is hard. This is how laziness began. As we have just seen, this is contrary to God\u2019s original plan for Creation! He designed work to be enjoyable and good, to be fruitful and refreshing\/life-giving, and for man to give effort and care to his work. Sin has made laziness alluring as man is unwilling to work and unwilling to give effort\/care towards what God has for us!<\/p>\n

Why is laziness a problem?<\/h2>\n

The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about why laziness is a problem!<\/p>\n

Proverbs 6:6\u201311, 10:4\u20135, 10:26, 12:24, 14:23, 15:19, 20:4, 20:13, 21:25-26, 22:13, 24:30-34, 26:14-16<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Proverbs, there are some significant themes that come screaming out in the life of a lazy person. Here are some of the consequences of laziness:<\/p>\n