The Bible Teaches Believers to Manage Their Own Business and to Not be Slaves to the System – Just the Opposite of Christian Teaching

An Amish Barn Raising in Wisconsin. Most Amish are independent business owners living off the grid in communities that help each other. Image source.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

by Brian Shilhavy

In the New Testament part of the Bible, Paul wrote 2 letters to the believers living in the Greek city of Thessalonica, and in his first letter he wrote:

Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

Apparently some of the believers there did not take his advice, and so in his second letter to the believers in this Greek city he wrote:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.

We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12)

What a contrast this teaching is, especially the part about attending to your own business so that you will not be dependent on anybody, to the teaching in Corporate Christianity today.

Today’s American Christian church encourages employment, either employment to the slave masters in corporate America, or employment to the Government, which is just a watered down version of slavery.

In another letter that Paul wrote to the believers living in the Greek city of Corinth, he wrote:

Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you–although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. (1 Corinthians 7:20-23)

But in modern day American Christianity, working for the slave masters as opposed to starting one’s own business is not a common teaching in the Christian churches. Church members are expected to put in their hours at their 9 to 5 jobs as slaves, and then spend the rest of their time in “ministry” by volunteering their services to the church, which is viewed as a more moral endeavor than “secular” employment.

What is the result of this practice and teaching in American Christian churches?

The result is masses of slaves dependent upon the “system” which is run today by pedophiles and criminals, the corporate billionaires and bankers who run the country.

But how could Paul’s teaching be any more clear?? Attend to your own business, so that you will not be dependent on anybody!

I have been following this teaching since 1997, when I was forced to start my own business because the slave master I worked for, fired me and falsely accused me of crimes I did not commit and proceeded to sue me.

With a young family to take care of, that was all I needed to stop working for the slave masters and start my own business, and I have never regretted it.

Someone commented on a recent article I published and wrote:

I don’t understand the justification of the christian “prepper” when Jesus spoke the parable you quoted and also said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 NKJV

The parable she was referring to is the one in Luke 12:15-21, which Jesus told to define greed.

But these verses from Paul’s letters, and in many other parts of the Bible, we are clearly taught NOT to depend upon this evil world system, and the only way to do that is through hard work and learning how to separate oneself as much as possible from being dependent upon the things modern culture supplies us through the slave owners in corporate American and the Government.

Technology and the modern lifestyle produces too many people like the ones Paul referred to in his second letter to the Thessalonians who are too lazy to work for themselves and depended upon others to take care of them.

And I am not primarily talking about poor people dependent upon government subsidies, but also American Christians who depend upon their “experts” such as Pastors and Priests and other professional Christians who depend upon the charitable support of others to do their “ministry.”

This hierarchical structure in Corporate Christianity which is no different from the structures in “secular” corporations on Wall Street, is not found in the Bible. See:

Fact Check: “Christianity” and the Christian Religion is NOT Found in the Bible – The Person Jesus Christ Is

Is “Pastor” A Biblical Title for Church Leaders?

One of the most common terms that Paul used in his writings in the New Testament referring to other believers who were working in the ministry of teaching about Jesus, was the Greek word in the original language of the New Testament συνεργός (sunergos), usually translated into English as “fellow worker.”

Notice the emphasis on work!

Here are some examples with the English translation for sunergos highlighted in red:

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. (2 Corinthians 1:24)

Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3)

Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers. They have testified about your love before the assembly.

You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a way worthy of God, because for the sake of the Name they went out, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 1:5-8)

The other place this word is used in the New Testament is describing believers as “fellow workers” with God:

Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers.

You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it.

But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:8-11)

For over 2 decades now I have worked with other independent business owners to bring to the public clean and uncontaminated food raised by small-scale family farmers, and many of these farmers are among Amish communities, where most of them are independent business owners who live off the grid, and in many cases they are in self-sufficient communities because they all pitch in together to support each other.

I followed this same model the years I lived in the Philippines in organizing independent family businesses that secured coconuts and produced our Virgin Coconut Oil using traditional methods, rather than mass producing it by machine.

This principle taught in the Bible actually does work! I have never regretted one day since I ventured out by faith to start my own business back in 1997, and today I am prepared for a total system collapse where I and the members of the community I live in may have to provide our own energy, food, healthcare, and other basic necessities when this evil, Satanic system crashes.

Yes, I am a “prepper” and not ashamed to say so, because I am very blessed to not be so dependent on the system which is about to collapse.

But the corporate American churches?

Well, we saw what they did when the lockdowns were ordered, and the COVID vaccines were mandated.

Slaves don’t have a lot of options when the slave masters deny the public their services…

Published on July 16, 2023

7 Comments

Deanne August 16, 2023 at 9:07 am - Reply

Yes, working for yourself also has the added benefit of not feeding the beast system with your labour. Unfortunately, I am most assuredly a slave. But I was practically starving poor as a child and now I have a safe home and safe transportation. I will keep my eyes open for any escape the Lord offers me.

Rodolfo July 30, 2023 at 11:58 pm - Reply

Being self employed is a blessing from God. You have to learn accounting, marketing, inventory, and repairs to machines and tools aside from your business task. Being in control of your schedule means that you can help others without asking permission from an employer. And you don’t have to follow CDC or WHO.

Debbie Wulfhorst July 17, 2023 at 2:37 pm - Reply

Timely teaching for me! I was just thinking about starting my own business and when I came back inside, your article was the first thing I read!! I will be praying for guidance! Thank you so much!

Sarah July 21, 2023 at 1:30 am - Reply

So do I! I just got employed and boy, what corruption and dishonesty, and now I’m thinking of starting my own business instead. I will also pray

Kimmy July 17, 2023 at 12:04 pm - Reply

Thanks for the wonderful teaching and encouraging work you’ve been doing for us your readers and those who use your products .  It’s great to be able to start and flourish your own business.

As to 1 Thes 4:11 I do think you can still work quietly and manage your own affairs while employed by someone else. In the days of the Lord Jesus and apostles many were slaves when they converted and are urged to seek freedom if possible but otherwise continue as they are. Many were laborers working on another man’s land or fishing boat or construction site etc. Same through the ages and in most part of the world, most of us just can’t go off to start a new business without capital or with great risk to their family. I don’t see that it’s a sin to be employed though self employment is much preferable.

But we can live responsibility and save and invest in our homestead or garden while remaining employed, which we do.  For me when Covid came up I lost my job in the hospital but I was able to survive and now I’m even more keen on gaining independence as the next crisis is around the corner.  I do believe the Lord will proivide for each of His sheep in their unique circumstances.  We have to live under Caesar and use his currency and pay taxes to him just as Christ did, but we know our real provider is our heavenly Father.

Dawn McLaughlin July 17, 2023 at 11:47 am - Reply

Fantastic article! I grew up around the Amish and still am located within a large Amish community. I can absolutely attest to what you have written about them. The downside is that they tend to be cultish and not welcoming to English. You seriously have to work your way in. It is worth it to do so. They have a lot of wisdom about living with creation as God intended humans to do. Also living in a real community as I believe God intended.  It is a challenge to have one foot in each world.
Your message is really important. Folks need to be ready and willing to actually work for what they need to survive. All of this technology will not survive long term. Folks who know nothing more than pecking on a keyboard will be devastated when this comes to pass.
Change is needed to dispel all of the gathering darkness. About time to embrace this fact and learn to adapt. God’s word is a good place to start!

Rachel July 17, 2023 at 10:52 am - Reply

My husband and I were called out of that system a few years ago when we moved south and he started his own business. 1 year ago we were able to buy a little farm and have begun to be producers and not consumers. Now, we are considering moving again because we currently have a mortgage (our only debt) and are thinking that may need to go, too. Many have told us we are wrong to escape the city because we are “hiding our light”. But we can be a light to the people in the country, too. Dead religious churches are all that are available to these people for the most part. My mind and body, as well as my husbands, have improved since living like this. Our children are learning excellent things being raised this way. We feel very fulfilled doing so- but it is hard work and it’s been difficult going from suburbs to farming but no doubt, our Father has designed us to do so. Biblical principles also come to life much more when you farm.