Work And The Bible
By Robin Calamaio
During the working years, up to half of a person's waking hours
are dedicated to work. When preparation and travel time are
figured in, a 50% figure is rapidly approached. Work is a
subject of great practical importance. This Article first
examines the Creation Account for information on work's
origination. Then the situation as a result of man's fall is
discussed. Next, the Old and New Testament witness is presented.
The final section discusses prevalent Church teaching and
practice today with points for corrective action.
The Original Situation
In the Creation Account, God saw each stage of creation as
"good." When the creation was completed, Genesis 1:31 literally
says, "Behold - Look at this! It is very good - exceedingly
excellent, extremely precious, tremendously benevolent!"
Concerning Adam, God "planted a garden toward the east, in Eden,
and there He placed the man whom He had formed." He put him into
the Garden "to cultivate it and to keep it" (Gen 2:8,15). As a
couple, Adam and Eve were to "fill the earth and subdue it and
rule ... over everything that moves on the earth" (Gen 1:28).
Originally, Adam was created to fill several vocations. He was a
worker.
Changes With Man's Fall
Currently, we experience two types of evil - natural and moral.
Natural evils are negative environmental realities. They include
negative weather, natural disasters, diseases, and accidents.
Moral evils are negative acts by morally responsible creatures.
Initially, natural evil did not exist. Pronouncements in the
Creation Account support this as does a careful examination of
the judgments at Adam's rebellion. On the other hand, moral
evil was present before the fall. Satan, apparently a fallen
angel, was lurking in the Garden, waiting for an opportunity to
ruin Adam and Eve. In a sense, moral evil was also present in
Adam and Eve. They were created innocent, but not perfect, as
they had the capacity to be deceived and/or rebel. These flawed
capacities were exploited by Satan - thus creating the Fall. Eve
somehow got God's instructions twisted around and was deceived
into disobeying God. Adam simply rebelled (Gen 2:16-17 with
3:2-3 and 3:1-19 with I Tim 2:14). While judgments were levied
on all parties in this scene, the penalties directed toward Adam
are our concern. God said, "Cursed is the ground because of you.
In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both
thorns and thistles it shall grow for you, and you shall eat the
plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat
bread until you return to the ground. Because from it you were
taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Gen
3:17-19). While death is the most severe pronouncement here,
look at then rest of the judgment. Almost all of it focuses on
labor and the new results to be received. If these realities
already existed, then the judgments are nonsense. The ground
was cursed creating at least two new conditions. First, it would
be difficult to work with. It would be worked by the sweat of
his face. The word for "toil" includes the meaning of pain,
difficulty, grief, and vexation. Second, the reward for this
painful labor would be thorns and thistles. It is amazing how
weeds flourish in our ground. And Adam was to eat from the
plants of the field - not the Garden. Only Adam and Eve know the
degree of loss incurred at this critical point. The struggle to
cultivate food bearing plants is all uphill. It involves proper
soil preparation, nutrients, weed and pest control, and proper
light and moisture. It is a battle.
Since Adam's rebellion, natural and moral evil has proliferated.
This "inheritance" from Adam has profoundly impacted labor.
Concerning natural evil, the environment resists us on every
hand. The Second Law of Thermodynamics rules - all things tend
toward disorder. Things corrode, break and wear out. And only
God knows how many of Adam's descendants have lost their lives
while engaged in daily employment. Additionally, moral evil has
compounded the grief in labor. People often destroy or demean
another's labor through sabotage or outright attack. Gossip and
slander poison workplaces. Administrators make much of their
living by managing and containing natural and moral evils.
Thousands of years ago, Solomon lamented the futility of wise
labor (Eccl 2:11,17). What about foolish labor due to ignorance
or improper tools? This creation longs to be "set free from its
slavery to corruption" as God "subjected (it) to frustration"
(Ro 8:19-22). Soon, God will forever remove all natural and
moral evil from this order (II Pet 3:13). It is of great value
to closely study the original creation account and the promises
on the coming restoration. This gives one a better understanding
of this valley called "the present evil age" (Gal 1:4). For an
in depth discussion on the fall, and the fallout from the fall,
get your copy of "Death and the Bible" at the website below.
It's free.
The Old and New Testament Witness
At Mount Sinai, God commanded, "Six days you shall labor and do
all your work" and rest one (Ex 20:9,10). In Proverbs 31:10-31,
the Virtuous Woman is described as a worker. Even the "welfare
system" was a system of work (Lev 19:10 and 23:22). Laziness was
unacceptable. "He who is slack in his work is brother to him who
destroys" (Pr 18:9). God sees a lazy man and a destroyer as
brothers! In this valley of natural and moral evil, God expects
His people to work and produce. And in His mercy He has allowed
labor to give satisfaction and yield profitable results - even
with the judgments. "In all labor there is profit" (Pr 14:23).
Labor produces outward gain, inward satisfaction and sweetness
of sleep (Eccl 5:12).
The Apostle Paul made a statement that strikes at the heart of
the New Testament work ethic. "If anyone does not provide for
his own, and especially those of his own household, he has
denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (I Tim 5:28).
The strength of this statement is remarkable. A non-provider
betrays the faith and is worse than an unbeliever - and the
Bible has nothing good to say about unbelievers. Paul told one
church that if someone there decided not to work (but rather
"work around work"), that brother was not to be associated with
or given food (II Thes 3:8). Let him starve. Chances are he will
start working before that occurs. Paul referred to his own
manual labor as a "tradition" to be imitated and passed on. He
also declared it a "cherished honor" to lead a quiet life,
attend to one's own business, and work with one's hands (I Thes
4:11-12). To another church, he said, "Let him who steals, steal
no longer, but let him labor, working with his own hands the
good thing" (Eph 4:28). A literal translation declares manual
labor as good. What God declares "good "should never be
demeaned. See also Col 3:23-24, Eph 6:6-8 and I Cor 10:31.
Prevalent Church Teaching and Practice Today
The leaders of the Fifteenth Century Reformation recognized
one's vocation as ministry before God. Calvin referred to one's
vocation "as a sort of sentry post" that when faithfully
executed would "be reckoned very precious in God's sight"
(Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion, pgs 724,725).
Matthew Henry said that when people perform their work "with an
eye to God, they are as truly serving Him in it as when they are
upon their knees" (Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol 1, pg 17).
Unfortunately, most churches have lost this Bible teaching, and
replaced it with the concept of "secular work." This concept has
arisen from the clergy/lay church model. Indeed, "secular work"
is a critical plank to this model. The clergy/lay model claims
there is sacred work and there is secular work. One is ministry
and the other is not. The clergy is in sacred work ("in the
ministry"), while all other Christians are "laymen" existing and
working in the secular realm. Laymen sometimes cross over into
"ministry" by joining the choir, or doing church visitation, or
participating in some other church-sponsored program. But, as
most Christians never serve in a church staff position, there is
a constant sense of being relegated to a life of sub-ministry.
They make their bread by the sweat of their brow, and go through
life bearing labor's burdens - just to appear before God empty
handed. This teaching of Christian "laymen" in "secular work"
has no Bible foundation. There is not even a hint toward either
concept. When discussing his spiritual or manual labor, Paul's
terminology never changes - even when the type of work being
referred to does. This erroneous teaching (of "laymen" in
"secular work") is very destructive. Those who unwittingly
accept this teaching do not realize that when at work, they are
ministers - and are ministering. Opportunities for the
benevolent promotion of Christian values and graces are missed.
From the moment of salvation, every Christian is in a continual
state of ministry. Ministry is simply service to God. Everything
is to be done so as to honor God - even eating and drinking (I
Cor 10:31)! At any given moment, the Christian is either serving
God well or poorly, and will be recompensed accordingly on
Judgment Day.
Obviously, not all vocations can be done to honor God. If a job
cannot be done in the name of Jesus Christ with scriptural
truths, principles, and ethics brought to bear, that work should
be abandoned. Also, when opportunity exists to choose a
vocation, it is proper to seek work where one's talents and
skills are best utilized. While it is improper to think that one
is too good for some kinds of work, it is also improper to
underachieve in a false humility.
For an in depth discussion on a Christian's labor and this
secular work heresy, get your copy of "No Tithe for the
Christian" at the website below. It too is free!
Here are some things the local church should teach and promote:
1. One's vocation should be acknowledged and declared as
ministry. The Christian is working in it for the Lord.
2. The workplace should be recognized as a mission field. It is
filled with opportunities and challenges.
3. Church leadership should assess how much time and energy is
required of the Christian in his/her vocational
ministry before
being approached for church labors. Other areas of ministry
(one's family, civic duties, etc.)
should also be considered.
4. A church should have a Labor Support Ministry. That ministry
would create a network of resources relating to
labor issues.
Work problems could be presented to this group and options for
action could be forwarded.
Successful precedents could be
shared. Those in this ministry would seek to tap the collective
wisdom of the
congregation. They could also pray for and monitor
various situations. Opportunities for successful ministry in
this area abound. This should be one of the most exciting and
challenging church ministries.
5. A church could promote prayer for their workers in their
mission fields. Surveys could be taken to find out how
many non
Christians work with the Christian workers of the congregation.
Opportunities for tactful sharing of the
Christian faith could
also be prayed for.
Conclusion
Work should be elevated to its rightful place. It is ministry
before God. This gives work an entirely new dimension and helps
one perform diligently and vibrantly. God knows the burdens of
labor in this current, fallen age. He has decided that work done
well before Him is worthy of reward - eternal reward. This is
truly marvelous. It is my hope that Christians will become
enlightened into this hope. This is the true teaching about
"Work and the Bible."
This Article's an excerpt from Robin's definitive work on
the Abortion Argument
http://www.freelygive-n.com/Abortion_Argument.html
Robin has an M-Div (Emmanuel School of Rel '92.)
