A Theology of Work

Any theology, including a theology of work, must begin as the term itself implies with a proper understanding of God. Likewise, as humans are an integral part of work, a right understanding of man is also key to an accurate theology of work. A base concept of theology proper is the sovereignty of God, from which one derives an understanding of God’s will for his life in terms of righteousness and calling. Furthermore, a spiritual take on anthropology informs one of his uniqueness and value, a concept that carries over into what one does (including his work). Anything postulated in a theology of work must be said in the context of and submit to these truths. As this paper is not the venue to defend these base principles, it will be assumed that God is sovereign and that as such He has the right and the power to govern the believer’s vocational life and that each person is uniquely gifted to contribute something of value.
The idea of work, how it is carried out and exactly who does it has changed over the generations. By and large society has moved from a hunter-gatherer work force to the Industrial Revolution and then on into the current technology age. The church’s comments on work have largely been limited to the first half of the church age; the early church taught on the benefits of work for increasing the believer’s opportunity and desire to participate in virtuous behavior. The church fathers, such as Origen, saw in one’s work a source of dignity for the worker (Vacek, 1100). During the Reformation, Luther taught that even the most “insignificant, distasteful, despised duties” could, through the Spirit, become “adorned with divine approval as the costliest gold and jewels” (Luther 39). As the nature of work became less personal and geared more and more toward accumulating wealth for the employer, the church likewise became more and more silent, until perhaps recent years, when the evangelical position can often be boiled down to “don’t steal anything and don’t forget to tithe.” Considering how much of one’s life is spent working, the church, in living its mission, is obligated to provide for believers a theology of work so that the life of Christ may be lived out in all facets of life.
What sorts of activities are covered in a theology of work? What exactly counts as work? The definition of work will vary from person to person and indeed there are subjective elements involved. A definition of work must encompass more than what one does as a job, what one does for a living. At the rudimentary level work is that which is not leisure. Whereas leisure is an exercise done for enjoyment or rest, work is an exercise, mental or physical, that is done out of necessity. Further, work is creative productivity; it is expected to produce something for the effort put in to it. This is a sacred element of human work, where the divine and the mortal come together in co-creation. Human work is redeemable, able to be sanctified by God in preparation for the coming kingdom. Finally, as God was the first to employ creative productivity, work involves the utilization and application of gifts given by God toward that same purpose.
Assuming then one’s submission to God in the area of vocation, it is proper to ask, each one as an individual, what it is God wants one to do as a profession; indeed, many people spend an inordinate amount of time wrestling with this question and searching for the signs that will inevitably provide the answer. The question again is a good and right one, but many Christians have a difficult time accepting God’s answer when He says (by way of paraphrase), “Whatever you want.” While it would be easier to have God say “I want you to be a ,” there is no indication in scripture that God does this save for a very few individuals. This is not to say that God has nothing to say about vocation, however. In fact, the writers of scripture take how one approaches work, and even the very fact that he must work in the first place very seriously: As Paul says, “If one does not work he does not eat” (2 Thess 3:10).
To begin with, there are several principles to be drawn from scripture that apply directly to one’s work. One such principle evidenced in the very nature of God is justice. Genesis 18:19 refers to justice as the “way of Yahweh.” In the New Testament, Matthew 12:18 says that Jesus was sent to proclaim justice; there are over 500 references to justice to be found in the scriptures, suggesting that the practice of it is something that God desires of His people. The allure of fraud in the workplace is great, and considering the average person spends at least one-third of his time at work, the willingness and ability to seek justice in this, the era of Enron, is as important as it ever was.
Though the link is not always obvious with the limited insight of man, justice, in God’s sight, is most perfectly expressed when intertwined with mercy (Matt 23:23); it is a trait that God desires of His people above almost all others (Matt 9:13). The word mercy often carries with it the connotation of something given that is undeserved, rather than a duty, it is a gift given that could, should one choose, hold on to. But this is a description more fitting of grace–mercy is much broader in context. Mercy manifests often times as kindness, generosity, and charity. Understood in this manner one can see that mercy is ever applicable to one’s work life, whether he is supervising his employees, serving his supervisor, or dealing with the competition.
The foundation for both these principles is humility before God, that is, a willingness to remain faithful and submit to what God requires of the believer in all facets of his life, including his vocation. “He has showed you, O man, what is good, and what Yahweh requires of you: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
The vocational life of a believer can not be compartmentalized apart from the rest of a life lived by faith, especially in a culture where one of the first questions asked after meeting someone is “What do you do?” One’s identity is so inexorably linked to one’s profession that if one chooses to be known as a Christian, if one chooses to live a life of testimony and witness to the gospel, he must examine what role his convictions play in the way he does his work, thus the importance of justice, mercy, and faithfulness in the workplace. Further, it is in living these principles that one can be sure he is within the will of God, whatever profession he chooses, and thus can find confidence without seeking signs that he is in the right job.
The scriptures do have some specifics regarding work. One of the first things one notices in examining these scriptures is that the current culture places value in what, according to God’s economy, is trivial. As mentioned, one’s identity is largely based in one’s vocation and this culture is one that measures success in terms of dollars. But scripture does not support this distorted view of work. On the contrary, the Bible is clear that one’s work, absent the grace of God, will provide nothing (Luke 12:27). Moreover, while the current culture, with cell phones, laptop computers, and now the combination of the two, coupled with the statistical fact of diminishing vacation days and time with the family, elevates work to a high priority. Scripture calls for it to be done in moderation; God calls on His people rest (Exodus 20:9-10). Finally, the scriptures call on believers to keep the main focus of their energy somewhere else, not on “perishable things,” but rather on seeking “the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you” (John 6:27).
This is not to say that the scriptures do not hold a high view of work. On the contrary, work done in the proper context and with the proper mindset is considered honorable and valuable and it is appreciated by God. Perhaps one of the reasons the apostle Paul called on Christ followers to refrain from laziness (Rom 12:11) and to earn their keep (2 Thess 3:10) is because he understood the great amount of care God put in to giving us the ability to work in the first place. Not only does God provide each individual with his own skill (Exodus 35:35), He values and appreciates the application of that skill. By implication, he is disappointed when His people fail to use their skills that He has given them (Exodus 28). A job well done is one of the few areas in life where the believer is able and called upon to please both God and man, and he is entitled to a just compensation for doing so (Gen 29:15) and will be likewise blessed by God for his efforts (Deut 15:10).
One thing work in the technology age has demonstrated is that mankind is linked closer together now more than ever before; even the most simple of jobs may have, to one degree or another, a global impact. Rarely in buying a diamond does one think of the individual in Africa who dug it from the ground. The migrant farm worker is rarely prayed for as one says grace over their lunch. Many professions are geared primarily for the upper class, since they are the only ones that can pay for the services and those that enter those professions are likewise primarily from the upper class, as they are the only ones who can afford to train for it. It behooves the believer to not only consider the moral and theological dimensions surrounding his own work life, but that of others and what part he plays in it as a consumer.
It has been suggested already that there is a sacred nature to work, should the worker allow there to be, and yet it goes even further than that. One’s work can become one’s calling, when certain elements become a part of the job. First, to have a calling implies that there is a caller, one must acknowledge the presence of God in his work. Second, with a calling there is a sense of urgency. Witness for example the prophets, who were called to begin (or at least begin training for) their work immediately. Witness also the ministers of the early church, who set about their work with such urgency that the gospel soon spread around the world. Third, a calling carries with it an equipping. It may come as natural ability or it may manifest as the ability and desire to learn the necessary skills. Finally, and most importantly, a calling changes the relationship between the caller and the called and they work conjointly to reach the goal of the call (Miller 2005). The work of one’s calling extends well beyond the temporal to the eschatological elements present in human work, leading “the present world of work towards the promised and hoped for transformation” (Volf 83). Human work finds its ultimate meaning when placed within the broader perspective of God’s purposes within Creation. As mentioned previously, man participates with God in co-creation when he labors in the context of faith, providing the building blocks for the coming kingdom.
One’s spiritual and vocational lives are intricately braided together into a holistic synergy, affecting not only each other but also all areas of one’s life. The leaders within the church, be they clergy or counselor, must make it their business to understand this and teach it to those given over to their care.


























Works Cited

Luther, Martin. The Estate of Marriage (1522) in “Luther’s Works vol 45. Philadelphia: Muhlenberg
Miller, David. “Living Out Our Callings in the Workplace,” at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 5, 2005
Vacek, Edward. “Work”, The New Dictionary of Theology, edited by Joseph Komonchak (1990) Collegeville: Liturgical PressVolf, Miroslav. Work in the Spirit. (2001) Wipf & Stock Publishers