Should Christians Be Pursuing Success?

If we’re tempted to pursue the kind of success as the world defines it, we should first examine what God says about success.

One of the more familiar passages about success in the Old Testament was given to Joshua. God’s words to him as he accepts an important assignment are a good place to begin.

“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Joshua 1:7-8, emphasis added).

The Hebrew word is śāḵal, meaning to be prudent or circumspect, to have insight and understanding, or to prosper. Joshua was charged with a great task. He was to take up the mantle of his beloved mentor, Moses, and finish the work of bringing God’s people into the Promised Land. His success would be guaranteed, according to God’s promise, if he continued to obey the commands set forth in the Law of God. As He sought God’s wisdom, meditating on God’s Word, he would have what he needed to make right decisions and succeed in his mission. The prosperous way would be the path of obedience.

We don’t find the word “success” in the New Testament; the closest we get is 3 John 1:2-3, where John writes to Gaius, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.”

To the New Testament writers, success is defined by the eternal – the prosperity of the soul. Health and prosperity in the physical world would be meaningless if one’s soul languished in the pursuit of temporal, earthly things. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36)?

Jesus made this distinction clear as he addressed both His disciples, the unbelieving Pharisees, and the crowds pursuing Him for physical provision after He fed five thousand with a small boy’s lunch.

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal. … This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:27, 29b).

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Grace Cary

God defines success as living in obedience to His commands and seeing our physical work as ultimately serving Him.

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian” (Genesis 39:2).

“Now, my son [Solomon], the Lord be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the Lord your God just as He has spoken concerning you” (1 Chronicles 22:11).

“So I answered them and said to them, ‘The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:20).

“So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Daniel 6:28).

God often gives physical success to His people as they employ their talents and spiritual gifts. Missionaries would not be on the field without the financial generosity of those who have a talent for business and the gift of giving. The gospel can be proclaimed with great influence as we live with a kingdom perspective while succeeding in our earthly work. Humanitarian work can be a great blessing to a hurting world, but is successful when we see past physical needs to the spiritual needs of those we are serving.

The danger comes when the success of the work of our hands and its benefits distracts us from the higher purpose of God’s glory and the proclamation of the gospel.

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives. Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:1-3, 9).

Verses about Working Hard

God affirms the value of hard work and warns us against apathy or laziness.

“A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence” (Proverbs 12:27).

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat” (Proverbs 13:4).

“The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor” (Proverbs 12:24).

“He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys” (Proverbs 18:9).

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29).

“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Boonyachoat

God also gives us guidance on the purpose of wealth, and the dangers of the love of money.

Jesus tells an interesting parable in Luke 16:1-13. An unrighteous steward has been confronted by his employer and is getting fired. Before he is dismissed, the steward calls the people who owe his boss money and reduces the amount owed, in hopes that when he’s out of work, they will have mercy on him and help him out. At first, Jesus seems to commend this unrighteous steward for cheating his boss, but a deeper read reveals the real lesson.

“And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Luke 16:18-13).

Jesus observed that ungodly men know to use wealth to its best advantage; the man acted shrewdly which impressed the master. The Greek word is phronimōs, meaning wise or prudent. The man looked ahead and used his success (his position and the wealth he managed) for the future. The point Jesus is making is that God’s people ought to see success (including the management of financial blessings) as tools to use for eternal purposes. In other words, use the temporary things of this world to win souls for Christ, who will greet you when you enter heaven.

It's in this context that Jesus goes on to teach some familiar lessons. Be faithful in the little things, so that God can trust you with the big things. Don’t fall in the trap of serving and living and striving for money; it will master you and you will be unfaithful to your Master, Jesus. You cannot serve God and wealth.

The writers of the Bible, both Old and New Testament, echo Jesus’ warning.

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

“An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3).

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:9-11).

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

Should Christians Pursue Success?

By all means. Work hard where God has put you. Be a faithful, dependable, honest employee. Use the influence and position God gives you to boldly proclaim the gospel. Be generous with your financial blessings and use them wisely and prudently for kingdom purposes. Take care of your loved ones and leave your children and grandchildren an inheritance.

Live your life to glorify God, and according to Him, you will find success.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/venuestock