What Does the Bible Say About... Work and Faith?
Prior to the Reformation, the belief in a sacred-secular divide permeated the Western world. Such thinking suggested that certain roles in society — namely, those in vocational ministry — were sacred, while other jobs reflected lesser callings and were detached from one’s worship of God.
Of course, the Bible provides a starkly different way of viewing the world. While pastoral ministry is a noble task (see 1 Tim 3:1), any form of work that is not immoral can be done for the glory of God. Pastors, plumbers, missionaries, and mailmen alike can honor God in their work, and all of these vocations involve tasks that are necessary for society to function properly.
On Sunday, Pastor Mike helped us see the definition of work, the problems that can be associated with work, and the solution the gospel brings to our work challenges.
Work is any activity that requires effort. This can be paid or unpaid. While work can be challenging, it is nonetheless a good thing. Mankind was made to work, and our calling to work says something about God. To quote David Platt, “When we’re working, we’re reflecting the image of a working God.” As Mike shared, work is a divinely appointed gift. We can honor God by working hard, improving the state of creation around us, and developing relationships with others through our work. Work is a blessing.
Still, work can be irritating. We might become frustrated when work is more difficult than we prefer, when others don’t collaborate in the ways we might desire, or when the results of our work don’t match our expectations. In addition, idols can distort our view of work. People can work to pursue selfish ambition or sinful gain, and work itself can even become an idol when it becomes the basis for how one views his or her identity.
Thankfully, the gospel provides the right lens through which we can view work. We can rejoice in common grace, being grateful the Lord allows us to work in ways that honor Him and be faithful with the resources He has provided us. We can recognize the seriousness of sin, staying on guard against selfish ambition and sinful competition. We can rest in Christ’s finished work on the cross and His resurrection for true, enduring hope.
When we encounter challenges in our workplaces, we would do well to remind ourselves whose we are and why we work in the first place. Then, embracing a biblical view of work, we can honor God in the unique work with which He has entrusted us.
Resources:
Our True Master — Ligonier Ministries
How to Glorify God at Work — John Piper
Reflection Questions:
What are your most frequent work-related frustrations?
How does the gospel free us to work hard and with integrity?
What work-related temptations can you fight against this week?