All of this baggage that comes with work makes it essential to understand God’s purpose in work. Simply put, God has a grand vision for work presented in Scripture and he desires to use one’s work for His purposes. This beautiful vision for work is made clear in the story of Scripture.
ACT 1: God Created Work for Creation to Flourish
The Bible opens with God at work in creation. At the pinnacle of his creation, God creates humanity in his image (Genesis 1:27). If God is at work, then his image bearers should be prepared to get to work. Genesis 1:26-28 shows humanity stewarding and developing creation through their work. God places humanity on the earth to subdue and have dominion, to work as his vice-regents over all creation. God created and called humans to develop creation, to take the raw material God has made and cultivate it into something even better. God is the one who created blueberries, wheat, and sugar; humans are the ones who cultivate it into blueberry cobbler. The Bible presents a grand vision for work indeed. Work from the outset is a good thing.
ACT 2: Sin Curses Work to be Frustrating and Futile
We live in a post-Genesis 3 world. It is no surprise that things are not as they should be. Humanity’s sin brings curses to the ground and makes work itself frustrating (Genesis 3:16-19). The task is not gone; humans are still called to steward and develop creation through their work. Only now they must endure thorns and thistles. Work is now frustrating.
Work fails to be fully effective. The book of Ecclesiastes highlights the futility of our work this side of the Fall. “What does man gain by all the toil, at which he toils under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). Sometimes someone works with all integrity, only to lose a job promotion by someone who cuts corners (Ecclesiastes 8:14). Sometimes someone works all their lives, only for the fruit of their work to be squandered after they die (Ecclesiastes 11:6). Indeed, work can seem to be futile.
ACT 3: The Gospel Redeems Work to its Intended Purpose
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus changed everything, including our work. Our work can now be done unto the Lord as a form of worship (Colossians 3:23), knowing that “in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Compare this vision with how Ecclesiastes presents work! Our work is not in vain if done in the Lord.
The truth of our justification in Christ frees us to flourish in work. We have been declared righteous in Christ, by no merit of our own. We are justified by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Since this is true, our work does not have to enslave us. We no longer have to “work” to prove ourselves; Christ has already done that work. Because we are saved by grace through faith, we can do good work unto the Lord (Ephesians 2:10). This is not to prove ourselves but to honor Christ.
ACT 4: Work Will be Restored in the New Creation
The Bible ends this beautiful picture of heaven meeting earth, God’s dwelling place established with us (Revelation 21-22). Amidst this, Jesus himself says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5). Our work is encompassed in that little phrase “all things.” When Jesus returns, everything that we strive for in work will be fully realized and perfected. The lawyer will see true justice; the teacher will see true wisdom and knowledge; the artist will see true beauty; the medical professional will see a world with no more sickness and pain. Everything good, true, and beautiful will find its fulfillment. When we work towards those things on this side of heaven, we see that “in the Lord our work is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
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