Faith and Business
A Bible Study in Daniel 1
by Jeff Barneson
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"A merchant can seldom if ever please God." — St. Jerome
"Business is in itself evil." — St. Augustine
Business students (and plenty of others) probably all disagree with these statements of two notable Church Fathers. Nevertheless, living, working, and studying in business school or in the marketplace does raise a variety of questions:
- Is our faith in Christ consistent with the goals and methods used in MBA programs?
- What does it mean to be a Christian in the workplace?
- How can my faith be lived out from day to day?
The biblical account in Daniel 1 gives us an example of faithfulness to God in the midst of a situation strikingly similar to our own. |
The Scripture and Background
Read Daniel 1. Here are some of the facts:
Daniel and his friends enrolled in the best school in the land.
They were among the best and the brightest.
After their three-year MBA program they were to work for the king.
They were given (and accepted) new names:
- Daniel ("God is my Judge") became Belteshazzar ("Bel [i.e. the god, Marduk] protect his life")
- Hananiah ("The Lord shows grace") became Shadrach ("command of Aku," the moon god)
- Mishael ("Who is what God is?") became Meshach ("Who is what Aku is?")
- Azariah ("The Lord helps") became Abednego ("Servant of Nego/Nebo")
They refused the royal food and drink and suggested an alternative.
Their health and performance improved over their classmates.
They entered the king's service.
Issues Raised
In what ways does our allegiance to God place us in tension with the culture around us?
What sorts of compromises may I make and how do I decide?
What are the key issues on which I must not compromise?
Discussion Questions
What are some of the compromises we feel pressed to make in business or graduate school?
How do you determine where compromise is acceptable?
How can we be helpful to one another?
Paul wrote: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 4:10). What could it mean to do business "in the name of the Lord Jesus"?
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