Connecting Our Faith to Our Work

Bible Text: Genesis 1:26 | Preacher: Frank Bolling | Series: 2018 Summer Series

How God envisions our work as part of His plan.
What was your first job?
There many philosophies regarding jobs. You have to make a living some how. There are mouths to feed, etc. Retirement leaves people with the feeling of, “What’s my Purpose?”
God designed us to work. Gen 1:26 “fill the Earth and subdue it…”
God is a worker, creator, Gen 2:7 “God formed man, God planted a garden, Psalms 104:10 says “You (God) make valleys.. plant trees.. made the Sun and the moon”
God made us in his image, he is a worker, therefore we should be workers. God rested after His work. God did not design us to be lazy.
He designed the cycle, Rest -> work -> play. God intended for us to participate in this cycle. Work was a part of the Eden paradise.
God’s plan for our work is that we actually do stuff with our life, Work has an inherent dignity to it. The Greeks believed that physical work was demeaning and work of the mind was more noble and dignified. Gen 3:17 God cursed Adam to eat of the work of the ground. People blame Adam for the hard work. Work is not the result of the fall of Adam but work has been profoundly effected by the fall. Rom 8:18-23. Ecclesiastes 2:17 says “all is vanity, all of his days are full of sorrow, toil leads to leaving it to someone else, work is a vexation, sorrow.” ECC 3:12 says, “Everyone should eat and take pleasure in their work as it is a gift from God”.
IF we set our expectations realistically then our work does n0t seem so dreary. A Christian’s main work is to do God’s will. A Christian’s secular work goal is to be the best worker that you can be. When we connect our faith to our work we realize we are loving our neighbor as ourselves, by contributing to the advancement of our society. Committed to be engaged in this world, we need to be faithfully present wherever we are being a Christian and representing God. Our work is what God has designed us to do.