To Be Idle Means God Is Not Working Within

We know that it is God who has made His elect people a new creation and has ordained them to perform good works (Eph. 2:10). And the Greek word translated as "works" is ergon (Strong's #2041).

But did you know that the word "idle" (Strong's #692) is argos-and argos is the word ergon with an alpha prefix to negate it. No work. Obviously we understand that to be idle literally means to not be working. But, now we can see that the Biblical definition of idleness is for us not to be performing the good works God had ordained for His elect people to accomplish. If spiritual work (obedience to God's commandments) is not being performed in our lives – if we are not working – it must be because God has not worked within us to do the work. And this lack of spiritual activity in one's life – we usually call spiritual death.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.