Rooted Principle - June 5, 2026

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome back to the Everyday Faith Podcast from Eastside with today's Faith-Rooted Principle.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Good morning. It's Pastor Finley Cutshaw again. Today is Friday, June the 5th. We're about 30 days away from America's 250th birthday, I guess a little less than that, but we're reviewing some of the founding guiding principles that our forefathers that were guiding our forefathers when America was in its infancy. Whenever they sat down to write the Declaration of Independence and other documents, you can see these principles were a part of their thinking. And so as we consider what made America a great nation and has preserved it so, we want to continue to consider these Judeo-Christian principles. And we say it that way because you find them both in the Old and the New Testament. And so today we're looking at that third principle, which is a national work ethic. No nation should expect the government to take care of their every need. The government has a responsibility there to help guide and protect, and uh there is some law and order responsibility that they have, but to take care of us, feed us, clothe us, I don't believe that is a scriptural part of what the government is supposed to do. In Genesis chapter 2, verse number 15, this is before the fall, by the way, we read these words, and the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Second Thessalonians 3 10 says this, for even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Those are some very clear biblical principles. One is prior to the fall, and one is well after the fall. Some have mistakenly implied or believed that man only began to work after the fall. It's true that work became toilsome after the fall. You can read that in Genesis 3, 17 through 19. But God put within man a work ethic even prior to the fall. In fact, we see in God a work ethic. If you look at his creation, when we think about the work that he did, six days, the Bible tells us he worked and created, and then on the seventh day he rested. So we see that this creates a dignity to the fact of work because God himself worked. Not only that, but I thought about this principle. God's still working on each of us, and there's coming a day when he will finish that work. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10 tells us a uh tells us that when we are born again, we're recreated to do good works for the glory of God. We find meaning, purpose, value, and provision in honest work. Now I know many of you might think Ephesians 2 10 refers only to spiritual work, but the reality is that if you work in a way that pleases and honors God in any kind of work, even if you want to call it secular work, it's still a work that can bring glory to God. It's spiritual work. So when a man does not do honest work, he he forfeits a portion of his dignity and defies one of his God-given responsibilities, which is to take care of his family, 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse number 8. His self-worth will decline, and depression and or anger are the inevitable result. I think that may be reflecting in our society today. In a free society, work is a privilege that can produce honor and wealth that benefits the whole of that society, and it can be done for the glory of God. The Bible not only admonishes us to work, it also gives Christ honor and guidance for those who rise to positions of authority or leadership in work. And you can read that in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 5 through 9. It instructs both the servant and the master in that text. And so that today, in our terms, that would be the employee and the employer. So don't forget this principle. A national work ethic is important for any society that is going to flourish. Don't expect to live on handouts, work and serve the Lord. God bless.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Thanks for joining us for today's rooted principle, right here on the Everyday Faith Podcast. If today's conversation has encouraged you, be sure to share it with someone who might need it. And don't forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. We'll see you next time, right here on the Everyday Faith Podcast.