The Gospel and Work (Part 1)

Most of us were never discipled to have a gospel centered work ethic. The two ideas simply seem to have no direct correlation.

The industrial age dramatically changed the journey we take in becoming competent, trustworthy employees. Rather than joining our fathers in the field and working side by side we observed that one or both of our parents left the house, were gone 8-12 hours, and came back tired. We rarely heard them talk about work unless it was negative, and our training was as in depth as weekly chores for allowance.

The church has largely adapted a modern view of work that sees employment as a means to get what they really want. In other words, work is what happens while we pursue our true desires. In this perspective idolatry is rampant. I pursue my idol of money, power or status, free to sign on with the highest bidder while maintaining little or no loyalty to my employer, brand or co-workers. If my idol is leisure or entertainment I will not see work as a God given gift and command, but rather a impediment in my schedule. Equally, for those intent on climbing the ladder, their work becomes who they are. When they lose their job they lose their identity and purpose. All of these habits and mindsets compete against a biblical view of work and lead to and incredible amount of stress, imbalance and sin.

God says that Gospel work has three foundations and three reasons:
Foundations
1. Work is founded on mutual submission
As in the other gospel relationships Paul talks about in Ephesians 5-6, a biblical work ethic is not about climbing over one another, but instead mutually submitting to your co-workers and employers.  A gospel ethic requires that I count those I work with more significant than myself.  (Phil 2:3)

2. Work requires that I be filled with the Holy Spirit
How many of us view our work environment as a place that we must have the Holy Spirit’s filling and guidance if we are to succeed? Paul says our testimony is contingent on our living quietly, minding our own business, and working with our hands.  (1Thess 4:9-12) A gospel centered work ethic in not attained in our own power, but in that of God’s Holy Spirit

3. Work must be properly set in our priorities
Paul explains three Gospel relationships that flow our of our Gospel Identity and Gospel Community. He begins with our marriage, proceeds to our families, and then addresses our work relationships. The order is intentional, for if I place my work above my marriage, or my children I will compromise the priorities that God says will be shown by one walking worthy of who Christ has made me. (Eph 4:1) A man who succeeds at work and fails in his marriage or as a father has made and idol of his pursuits at the expense of the relationships that God says will primarily define his walk.  The Gospel is not simply the entry point for our Christian life. Rather it provides an incredible blueprint for our efforts and work in ways that bring God glory, and protect us from self destructivve idolatry

Part 2: The biblical reasons to work