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The common practice is to reverse these words. Business is the chief concern, and religion only secondary; whereas the text teaches us that business is to be attended to as well as the duty of our calling, but religion is to be the object of our holy enthusiasm. There is a vast distinction between the expressions "not slothful" and "fervent." The one simply denotes that there is to be no loitering, or trifling, but a steady perseverance; the other denotes that there is to be an intensity of ardour. And if we give either a greater degree of attention to business than "not to be slothful" in it, or a less degree of attention to religion than to be "fervent" in it, neither our works of business nor our works of religion are a "serving the Lord."

I. THE GRACE INCULCATED, "fervour in spirit." The great propriety of this is apparent, if we call to mind —

1. The infinitely important matters with which it has to do. "It is not a light thing, but it is your life." "One thing is needful."

2. The regard which is due by you to your own interest. Religion has to do with the soul, and business with the body, and therefore religion is just as much more important than business as the soul is than the body.

3. That this is the great end for which you were sent into this world. The primary object of God's giving you being, was not that you might be men of business. You have a soul to save, and God created you that you might show forth His praise.

II. THE SECULAR DUTY WITH WHICH THE EXERCISE OF RELIGION IS CONNECTED. Even when man was innocent, God allowed him not to be idle. It is not good, therefore, for man to be unemployed, and it is more advantageous to the exercise of piety that our entire time is not to be given to religious employments. Be this, however, as it may, the command is explicit that we be not slothful in business. "Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work." The Book of Proverbs contains many striking exhortations on the will of God in this matter. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings," etc. The apostle also gives his command that we "study to be quiet, and to do our own business."

III. THE NECESSITY OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BEING FERVENT IN SPIRIT AND NOT SLOTHFUL IN BUSINESS.

1. For the purpose of bringing down God's blessing upon our secular employments. "Godliness is profitable unto all things," etc.

2. Because activity in the concerns of business tends to deaden the mind to the claims of religion. Worldly objects are good, but they are good only as they are "sanctified by the Word of God, and by prayer"; and he who spends a portion of his time in prayer shall sooner arrive at the attainment of his object than he who has been the most diligent, but has neglected prayer.

3. Because the principles of the gospel are intended for illustration in the common every-day occurrences of life.

(J. Garwood, M.A.)

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KJV: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

WEB: not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;