Is it acceptable for Christians to have an unchristian job or career?

[Edify]

Is it acceptable for Christians to have an unchristian job or career?
No. Scripture teaches we shouldn't do some things for conscious' sake. It also says if we cause our brother to be offended, it's a sin.
Then there's the example we're supposed to be. Hollywood 'christians' are usually only a good example of being a sinner.
I once worked in a liquor warehouse. Good pay, but was the only job I couldn't keep. Got layed off. I'll never do it again.

 

[ResidentAlien]

1 Cor 10~~23All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up.

I am not to judge these people. Many people have to go through experiences(that we disagree with) to get them to a place God wants them. Maybe it was a "bad" experience that brought them to a good place. God can use our bad choices and bad experiences to His advantage.

A believer that teaches loss of salvation or that God elects/predestines people to salvation is doing WAY more damage to their witness for Christ then a believer who works at a gay bar.

I'm not judging you or anyone else. I'm not asking you to judge anyone.

 

[Chester]

Some examples I can think of are Alice Cooper, who claims to be a Christian but goes onstage and performs some of the most demonic songs and acts imaginable. Another is Brian Welch, who claims to be a Christians but is a member of the metal band KoЯn. He initially left the band but then went back and now claims it's okay to be a Christian in an unchristian profession. And Alan Ritchson of Reacher, a show filled with partial nudity and erotica. And many other celebrities are doing it nowadays.

Can a Christian compartmentalize his or her life into Christian/Work? Under this logic, wouldn't it be acceptable for Christians to participate in any job they wanted? What about Christian prostitute? Christian hit man? Christian drug dealer. I mean, if it's just a job, why not?

I know it can be difficult finding a job or profession that isn't unchristian to some extent; but should extend this to any and every profession out there and then excuse it by saying "it's just my job?"

Is it ever right to do wrong for the sake of a profession, career, or for money? I think not.

Is it OK for a policeman to carry out a govt. raid on a church because they are worshipping Jesus? I think not.

It is OK for a German soldier in WWII to kill Jews because Hitler says so? I think not.

 

[Kroogz]

I'm not judging you or anyone else. I'm not asking you to judge anyone.

So what is your point? Motive?

I work in a secular work place. What are you telling me?

 

[ResidentAlien]

So what is your point? Motive?

I work in a secular work place. What are you telling me?

If you read my second post you'd know I'm not telling anyone to not work a secular job; most jobs are secular. My point should've been clear from the get-go: When Christian celebrities, who have a lot of influence on people, are telling them by their words and actions you can be a disciple of Christ and at the same time work a job or profession that blatantly promotes immorality and evil, it seems reasonable to me to question the truth of this. Doesn't it to you?

 

[Karlon]

Some examples I can think of are Alice Cooper, who claims to be a Christian but goes onstage and performs some of the most demonic songs and acts imaginable. Another is Brian Welch, who claims to be a Christians but is a member of the metal band KoЯn. He initially left the band but then went back and now claims it's okay to be a Christian in an unchristian profession. And Alan Ritchson of Reacher, a show filled with partial nudity and erotica. And many other celebrities are doing it nowadays.

Can a Christian compartmentalize his or her life into Christian/Work? Under this logic, wouldn't it be acceptable for Christians to participate in any job they wanted? What about Christian prostitute? Christian hit man? Christian drug dealer. I mean, if it's just a job, why not?

I know it can be difficult finding a job or profession that isn't unchristian to some extent; but should extend this to any and every profession out there and then excuse it by saying "it's just my job?"

if a real born again Christian has an unChristian like job, he or she will be nudged by the Holy Spirit with conviction saying something like, " what you're doing is wrong"! and said Christian should quit & get a new job. if said person doesn't listen to the H.S., the H.S. will speak again & again but after awhile He'll leave you alone. But your own spirit will convict you too. it seems alice cooper is the biggest example going today about this issue. when i 1st heard he was born again, i said, he should change the lyrics to some of his tunes. this reminds me of a woman who says another woman became born again THEN married a lesbian. well, Christians know that's impossible. you can not become born again then sin all you want without repentance. might as well stay atheist.

 

[Blade]

" who claims to be a Christian" no more then you or I "claim" to be a Christian. We know about him but how many know you other there here? What about all those that "claim" to be Christian yet watch TV/Movies and then read all those books written/directed not by any Chrisitan or what about "music".

There is none righteous, no not one. After I was saved I listen to Acid Rock all the time. I went to this bible study where one day they were praying for me and she says "Danny I see all these black albums. Do you listen to those albums? you need to get rid of them". Ah weeks passed she was praying for me again and "Danny I still see those black albums you need to get rid of them". it was Kiss, Styx, Boston.. those are the easy ones. I did get rid of them. It was 5 years later I can still remember at work ..sad but still listening to Acid Rock and I don't know what happened. Well in one moment all that music I really loved I didn't any more. Now I LOVE music from all over the world. But I only listen to what praises gives my Father glory.. just me.

Same thing happened with my wife. I didn't like her at all nothing. I haha can stil remember at Church one night she was on stage playing what was that....yeah "Raggedy Andy" I can't explain it but everything I really didn't like I loved and been over 40 years now.

 

[JohnDB]

It's not just the job that matters...it's how you must behave when doing the job.

Even regular jobs can have issues. Say for example a job requires you to embezzle company materials or funds Because the entire employee group you work with is "in on it" and there's no one to tell.
Or you are required to lie outrageously as a normal part of the job.

Or there's something else that you are required to do that's unethical in some fashion.

And it's about your identity...whose identity do you want vx whose you have.

Being a Christian is not about the easy path or the wealthy path...it's about you.

 

[Westward]

So I should think twice about my career as a stripper...

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

So I should think twice about my career as a stripper...

Well it's dirty work, but someone has to do it. I say go for it!

 

[SomeDisciple]

" who claims to be a Christian" no more then you or I "claim" to be a Christian. We know about him but how many know you other there here? What about all those that "claim" to be Christian yet watch TV/Movies and then read all those books written/directed

It's not really non-Christian authorship that makes a product objectively immoral, though. I loathe anything with puppets, like Sesame Street; but I'd be hard-pressed to say that watching Sesame Street is immoral. I think it's definitely immoral to force children to watch it... but that's another matter. OP is talking about products and services that are objectively immoral- specifically condemned in the scriptures: Murder, Sexual immorality, Idolatry, theft, deception, etc.

The OP's question is really about the seller. The buyer is accountable to God; for sure- but the seller is more accountable. The buyer stumbles; but the seller casts the stumbling block- and casting the stumbling block gets you in a lot of trouble. I tested this once, because I was a real idiot- it turns out the bible is correct. Even Johnathan Davis knows this, in his song to Brian Welch-

You write it, so you'd best believe it.
You sold it now your soul perceives it.

If a product or service is ultimately for sin; then I don't know how we can justify selling it- we're servants of sin if we sell sin! and we can't have two masters.

With respect to Brian Welch specifically , KoRn specializes in selling temporary catharsis for rage and despair... but Brian has the CURE for rage and despair. If you have the cure for a disease, but you are selling the drug that treats the symptom of that disease.... because it is more profitable... if that's what's going on, then I might have a problem with that.

 

[CarriePie]

I listen to Cooper.
And Korn.
And other such stuff that I won't mention here.

 

[SomeDisciple]

Well it's dirty work, but someone has to do it. I say go for it!

not gonna lie... I've done some stripping in my day. It's an honest days work.

 

[Lanolin]

hmm christian prostitute... surrogate parent?
christan drug dealer...health pharmacist?
Christian hitman...people who work in HR?

I know there are christian lawyers and dentists but I wonder if they charge as much as anyone else.

Maybe you wouldnt choose those professions if you were born again but some people become christians after they already in a career and stay. Some have no choice in what they do, because well, famine. Have a job, or starve. You think the Hebrews really WANTED to work as slaves for Pharoah?!

I dont know about the musicians , lots of people sadly take the name of the Lord in vain, but a lot of people would leave a job that they dont like or its against their conscience if they could be let go.

I dont think believers really enjoy working for Mammon

 

[Nehemiah6]

Can a Christian compartmentalize his or her life into Christian/Work?

Of course not. Any job with an unethical or immoral content should automatically be ignored. Even some which appear to be OK may not really be suitable.

And then there are jobs in which one can be either honest or dishonest. COVID 19 forced the medical profession to deceive the public, but many doctors and nurses refused to go along with the lies. The oath to do no harm went out the window and millions died unnecessarily. But many lost their jobs and livelihoods by refusing the lies.

The people you mentioned may think they are Christians and could be deceiving themselves. Even unbelievers know the difference between right and wrong.

 

[jb]

Some examples I can think of are Alice Cooper, who claims to be a Christian but goes onstage and performs some of the most demonic songs and acts imaginable. Another is Brian Welch, who claims to be a Christians but is a member of the metal band KoЯn. He initially left the band but then went back and now claims it's okay to be a Christian in an unchristian profession. And Alan Ritchson of Reacher, a show filled with partial nudity and erotica. And many other celebrities are doing it nowadays.

Can a Christian compartmentalize his or her life into Christian/Work? Under this logic, wouldn't it be acceptable for Christians to participate in any job they wanted? What about Christian prostitute? Christian hit man? Christian drug dealer. I mean, if it's just a job, why not?

I know it can be difficult finding a job or profession that isn't unchristian to some extent; but should extend this to any and every profession out there and then excuse it by saying "it's just my job?"

Col 3v17: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (with Col chapter 3 (all))

Secular work done by a Christian in the Lord and for Him, is MOST acceptable to Him!

Indeed, the things like, parenting, work, relationships etc., the things that a lot of Christians think are trivial and unimportant to the Lord, are indeed MOST important to Him, and indeed we shall be judged on these when we stand before Him at the judgement, immediately after His Second Coming! Col 3v24

 

[ResidentAlien]

Col 3v17: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (with Col chapter 3 (all))

Secular work done by a Christian in the Lord and for Him, is MOST acceptable to Him!

Indeed, the things like, parenting, work, relationships etc., the things that a lot of Christians think are trivial and unimportant to the Lord, are indeed MOST important to Him, and indeed we shall be judged on these when we stand before Him at the judgement, immediately after His Second Coming! Col 3v24

Amen, I agree. In retrospect I think the title of this thread could have been worded better. I'm afraid a lot of people just looked at it and didn't read my posts to see what I'm talking about. Secular work is good and pleases the Lord; the right kind of secular work.

 

[Thunderrr-mental]

Speaking about jobs that are not acceptable to the lord.

How about all things we get from people, who people consider not people of the lord. 🤔

The list is endless I can name loads, but for now just one of the most common.


What makes a meat halal?


For meat to be certified halal, it must be slaughtered in a manner known as dhabiha. That means cutting through the jugular vein, carotid artery, and windpipe in order to drain all blood from the carcass. In Islam, the consumption of blood is considered haram.

most chicken farms have Asians blessing the chickens into halal meat before they cut there throats.

 

[Thunderrr-mental]

 

[tourist]

Most jobs are secular/not religious just to keep the world running. I don't believe it is sinful to work in these jobs.

The other jobs you mentioned are sinful and no Christian should be involved in those jobs.

I agree with your estimation.