5. The perfect submission also includes the surrender of one's earthly occupation and time. Here too exist to kinds of Christians. Many believing Christians, among them some leading personalities, are of the opinion that Christianity and business must be strictly separated. The division of Christianity and business, however, is not just practiced, but openly taught; naturally only by the foolish virgins. A fellowship leader proclaimed in an open assembly that he conducted his business not according to christians principles, but according to business principles. With this statement the foolish and the wise virgins became apparent. While the latter ones took offence at this, the foolish ones nodded sympathetically, thinking: "Yes, that is true, in my business Jesus has no say; it is my personal affair; I go to church Sundays and to bible study during the week and hold my daily devotions, and that is enough for me. I also was converted through the ministry of an evangelist and found peace with God. What more do you want? Am I not rich? My business is not the Lord's affair. There is no such thing as a christian business!" - Such a language is just as nonsensical as saying: "There is no such thing as a Christian alphabet or Christian numbers, and therefore there are not Christian schools. I teach my students not according to christian principles but pedagogical principles". The expressions "business or pedagogical" are first of all neutral and don't have anything to do with Christianity or Heathenism. The only thing that matters is, with which spirit these principles are filled. If we let our business be filled with a christian Spirit, our business will be conducted according to christian principles. But if we eliminate, however, the Holy Spirit from our business, it will be conducted according to worldly principles; and these are poles apart from christian principles, like Satan and Christ are poles apart. If Christ rules our business, the service to our neighbour is foremost; if Satan has control, our money-making comes first. It is therefore completely incomprehensible and really confusing for the conscientious soul, when a bible teacher explained to a businessman who conducted his business according to christian principles: "Even if you run your business according to christian principles you cannot expect others to do the same". Of course, from people of this world we certainly can't expect to run a business in a christian spirit, for they are not under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. But when even the secular state established the principle: "Common good before Self-interest" and demands these principles even from the world, how much more should we be able to expect from Philadelphia-Christians and wise virgins, that are filled with the Holy Spirit, to give this Spirit room in their business life; for the Word of God says:"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus".(Col.3.17) Some examples from daily life from daily life will illustrate, that the difference between christian and wordly principles don't exist just in theory but in praxis. When a Christian businessman explained that in his business, service not profit is foremost, he could say that without fear of contradiction, because his growing circle of customers can confirm that he put the christian principles into practice; and that is the proof that a business, run in a christian Spirit, can exist and thrive. And this business is not the only one of its kind. It should be stressed to the foolish virgins, therefore, that there are even among businessmen wise virgins who put service before profit and prove thereby, that it is possible.

(I have ommitted here some more examples from daily life of born-again businessman who, thinking business is business, take advantage and exploit customers by palming off inferior goods and refuse fair refunds of returned appiances and basically always have profit instead of service to the neighbour in mind.Walter)


These are Laodicean-Christians who will be spat out and foolish virgins who are going to get excluded from the wedding of the Lamb, even if they preached the Word of God. These are not, as mentioned, just occasional venial transgressions, but a completely wrong inner attitude to the earthly occupation.
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