Trabalhar para Deus
Trabalhar para Deus vai além do ofício secular. É dedicar a vida inteira — palavras, ações e atitudes — ao serviço do Reino, reconhecendo que cada tarefa pode glorificar o Senhor.
Servindo ao Senhor em tudo
Quando trabalhamos como para Deus, cada ação se torna um ato de adoração. Não importa a tarefa — o que importa é o coração dedicado.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve.
Do your best to win full approval in God’s sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God’s truth.
Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice.
Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before. In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need.
Chamados para as boas obras
Fomos criados em Cristo Jesus para boas obras, que Deus preparou de antemão para que andássemos nelas. Não somos salvos por obras, mas para obras.
God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.
Yet we know that a person is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing what the Law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what the Law requires.
And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.
So then, dear friends, as you always obeyed me when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God’s perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted.
A missão do cristão
O chamado a trabalhar para Deus inclui a Grande Comissão: fazer discípulos de todas as nações, cooperando com Ele na expansão do Reino.
Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
For we are partners working together for God, and you are God’s field.
You are also God’s building.
For all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve, according to everything we have done, good or bad, in our bodily life.