God created the world, everything in it, and everything around it, including us. Jesus commanded us to love and respect God, so it is expected that we do things for the glory of Him.
The book of Proverbs addresses laziness very often. It explains that those who don’t work won’t get paid, so they won’t have anything to eat. This stands for modern life as well.
If you are wondering whether being lazy is a sin, The Bible has your answer.
Laziness or sloth is one of the 7 deadly sins. It is something that takes you away from God, the goods, the opportunities, and the joys that he places on your path. By refusing to work towards achieving them, you are refusing Him and his love.
Why is laziness considered a sin?
To understand why laziness is considered a sin, you need to look at it from a Christianity point of view. Unless we talk about someone who is sick, tired, or has some other physical or emotional issues, laziness is understood as disregarding everything good.
But, what exactly is that “good”?
This refers to everything reflective of God. So, if you want to be closer to God, to love and respect Him, you need to practice everything good. And this is where laziness can put you aside from your path. According to Christianity, a lazy person is the one who can do and experience good, but lacks the enthusiasm to reach it.
Laziness is considered a sin because it is interpreted as declining the opportunity of joy, happiness, empathy, and ultimately like a rejection of God. Every good requires some kind of effort, so if you refuse to put that effort into achieving the good, you are making a sin.
The sin of sloth refers to “spiritual laziness,” and the lack of enthusiasm about your life and soul, the love of God, and the mission he has given you. This is considered to lead your soul to despair.
What does the Bible say about lazy people?
The Bible has put a lot of effort into explaining laziness and every reason why people should stay away from it. People who have read The Bible know about the many proverbs that are filled with concerns about laziness, but also with wisdom and warnings to the people who practice it:
“The soul of the lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” (Proverbs 13:4);
“A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth” (Proverbs 26:15);
“The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work” (Proverbs 21:25);
“Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15).
There is no room for laziness in Christianity. Laziness is known as a sloth in the Bible, and it is one of the seven deadly sins. It is something that keeps us bound up from doing good. Though, there is a big difference between having short moments of laziness and struggling with the sin of sloth.
The easiest way to describe it is by using the Greek word “akedia” which means “the absence of care”. This will help you realize that sloth is much more than just being lazy, it is about being indifferent to everything.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). The Bible tries to encourage people to stay away from laziness. Here, you will discover simple but deep explanations on how sloth can bring you only misery and unhappiness.
The Bible is making people understand that by staying away from sloth they are closer to God. It creates a circle which shows that by respecting the possibilities that God gave us and working towards them, we are paying respect to him and our faith, which will be rewarded with greater goods and hopefully, a place in heaven.
Biblical consequences of being lazy
Christianity believes that the lazy man rebels against God. The Bible teaches us that we need to work to achieve some goods. He who submits to the demands of that good, will generally see his desires fulfilled, but this is not the case for the lazy man.
The lazy man wants everything that the hard-working people desire: food, home, wealth. But the lazy man’s desires will remain unsatisfied, while the hard-working people will gain wealth.
“He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” (Proverbs 10:4-5).
The Bible makes people aware that they are going to face serious consequences if they surrender to the slothfulness:
“Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks” (Ecclesiastes 10:18);
“Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor”
(12:24);
“A sluggard does not plow in season, so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing”
(20:4);
And those who fight it and work towards everything good that God has given us will enjoy his love and a better life:
“The soul of the lazy man desires and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich”
(13:4 KJV).
Christians should labor in the name of God, and even in heaven, Christians’ service to God will continue.
(1 Corinthians 15:58).
“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain”
