Work In The Bible

Work In The Bible

• Some view work as a product of sin, arising from a misinterpretation of Genesis 3:17-19
• Genesis 3:17-19 is the only passage that portrays work negatively and the curse is on the sin that damaged the relationship between humans, the Creator, and creation
• Divine intention always included work
• Genesis 1-2 details God creating humans in His image (Gen 1:27) and entrusting them with work (Gen 2:15)
• Humans are commanded to conquer and subdue the earth (Gen 1:28)
• God placed humans in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it (Gen 2:15)
• God is presented as a worker, the Creator (Gen 14:19; Heb 1:10; 4:4), who made the heavens (Ps 8:4)
• God is a worker through providence, rescuing Israel from Egypt (Exodus) and providing manna (Ex 16:4ff)
• Human work mirrors the Creator's action, as humans are made in God's image (Gen 1:27)
• Humans are God's co-partners, extending God's work
• Human work is a flowering of the creator's action and a fulfillment of divine will
• Genesis 1:28 states that humans must be fruitful, fill the earth, and labor to dominate and subdue it (Ps 104:24; Si 7:15)
• Work is fundamental and essential for human existence, world development, and self-development (Gen 2:2; Ps 103:22; Isaiah 49:9; Prov 13:1)
• Good work humanizes, and humans find fulfillment in it

Biblical Views on Idleness

• The Bible is very severe toward idleness (Prov 13:4; 21:25, 2 Thes 3:10) and views it as a type of decay
• Proverbs 31:27 admires a woman who is always awake and does not partake in the bread of idleness (Prov 26:14)
• A lazy man is like a spattered rock (Sir 22:1ff) and risks starvation as an idler (Prov 13:4)
• The Old Testament appreciates work well done (1 K 7:1-12; Is 40:19 ff; 41:6 ff)

Purpose of Work

• Work primarily benefits humankind
• The first task God gave Adam was to work in the garden for his own benefit
• Work must extend past self-interest and reflect God's glory
• The world is full of people who do their duty half-heartedly, grudgingly, and poorly, so do your duty fully and perfectly
• The ultimate ground for human work is so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11)
• The ultimate purpose of human work is the manifestation of God's glory, a participation in creation and divine duty
• Sin has tarnished the image of work, leading to instances of discrimination and oppression
• Jesus comes as a worker

Jesus' Teachings on Work

• Jesus was born into a craftsman's family, referred to as the carpenter's son
• Jesus, in his teachings and in the Old Testament refers to:
  • Relationship between employers and employees (Mt 18:23-27)
  • Honesty and responsibility (Mt 21:28-31)
  • Reliability (Mt 24:45-47)
  • Joy and cooperation (Lk 6:40)
  • Keeping balance (Lk 12:15)
  • The final goal of work as union with God and others (John 6:27)
• Jesus' mission is depicted as work, harvesting (Mt 9:37; Jn 4:38) or fishing (Mt 4:19) (John 10:1ff, 15:1; Mark 2:17; 4:3)
• Work ought to be performed in charity and brotherhood (Plm), with purity of intentions (Mt 5:16)
• Work remains the expression of belief (James. 2:14-26; Eph 2:10; Gal 5:22 ff)
• Faith works through charity (Gal 5:6)
• A full life must balance work and rest

Work and Rest

• Exodus 20:9 commands six days of labor and Sabbath rest
• Rest provides the opportunity to communicate with God and restore lost energy
• Three symbolisms of rest:
  • Participation in the divine repose after creation; humans need rest to recover their self-image (Ex 31:17, Gen 2:2ff Ez 20:12)
  • Symbol of liberation, as seen in the instruction to give the Israelites, animals and field laborers rest on Sabbath as a sign of kindness (Ex 23:12, Dt 5:15) -Symbol of celebration, turning energies to praise the creature's redeemer (Isa 58:13ff)
• Jesus says in John 5:17 "My Father has never ceased working, and so do I."
• Rest does not necessarily mean stopping work and a change can be as good as rest, as well as can be achieved by joyfully performing work (Mt 11:29)

Justice

• In Genesis, humans are called to act justly and correctly as stewards
• Justice is a common and often used word
• Justice and righteousness are often used together (Lk 109, Ps 335)
• Justice establishes the right or expresses righteousness, entailing fairness
• Righteousness goes beyond justice, encompassing goodness, kindness, and benevolence
• Prophets were the greatest advocates of Justice (Amos 612, Jer 814, 914, 2315, Hos 104 Prov 54)
• Prophets identified leaders (kings, princess, false prophets, priests) as responsible for community sins (Hos 46, 8f, 73,16, 915, Jer 226, Is 314-15)
• Doing justice was the hallmark of a righteous King of Israel (1 Sam 8 15, Ps 721) and proof of walking in God's wisdom (Lk 328, Prov 815)
• Ignoring wisdom and justice is foolish and brings judgment (Prov 292,4, Mic 3)
• Justice is for everyone, it is part of God's law, a supreme commandment and the way of the Lord (Gen 1818-19, Jer 923-24)
• Justice, righteousness, and kindness reflects God's knowledge

Justice and the Divine

• Justice is a dominant power and a life-giving substance charged with God's omnipotence
• Justice is a manifestation of God, and it is reflected in the sanctification of the holy Israel by righteousness (Ps 972, Is 333-5)
• God shows greatness in righteousness and mercy (Isa 3018) and finds true exaltation in Justice that leads to redemption (Isa 127)
• God's concern for Justice grows out of compassion

Responding to God's Justice

• God calls on people to make a righteous response through righteousness
• Response should be expressed through keeping God's law (Deut 625) and doing Justice (Deut 2410-13, Job 2914-17), which leads to life (Ez 185-9, Hab 24)
• Justice is an interpersonal relationship with claim and responsibility that identifies the self with the whole community
• Justice involves rights and duties towards God and others, i.e. Abraham raised for the Lord, changing his children and his household after him to keep righteousness (Gen 18 18-19)

Practicing Justice

• Practicing Justice involves aiding victims of oppression (Ps 76 9-10)
• Practicing Justice takes the form of:
  • Vindicating the cause of the poor (Job 2912, Ps 186)
  • Knowing their rights (Job 2915-17; Prov 297)
  • Dealing fairly in the marketplace (Deut 2410-13)
  • Showing impartiality (James 21-7)
  • Taking care of the needy (Mt 2531-46)
• Justice is valid depending on blessings for the people and should be done by a person for a person (Ex 2222-23, 27)
• The world was not made to maintain justice, rather justice should maintain the world
• Failure to do justice is blindness to God's justice that leads to salvation (Isa 59 4, 9-11, 14; Prov 2113, Jas 213)
• Justice is better than sacrifice
• Religious duties are worthless without justice (Is 111-17, 581ff, Mt 2323)
• Justice serves the proof of the covenant between God and humans

Love In Theology

• Love is a great quest for humanity
• Humans have a built-in ability for love
• The capacity for love is part of being created in the image of God (Gen 1:27)
• Love is essential to God's nature; God is love (John 4:8)
• God's love is always present and not influenced by your actions
• God's love is constant, even when humans make mistakes
• English does not fully express the biblical concept of love and is often associated with emotion

Hebrew Concepts of Love

• Simple sexual attachments (Gen 34:3; Jdgs 16:4, 15; Is 57:8; Jer 2:25; Hos 2:7-15)
• Designation of preference, like the love between David and Saul (1 Sam 16:21), or a slave to the master (Ex 31:5; Deut 15:16)
• Expression of friendship (1 Sam 18:1; Job 19:19; Jer 20:4;6 2 Sam 1:26)

Love In The Old Testament

• Deuteronomy first expounds the idea of love.
• Deuteronomy centralizes the love of Yahweh
• Israel is to love God with all their heart and strength
• The love of Yahweh was revealed through keeping His commandments

Love and the New Testament

• The Greek uses three words for love - Eros, Philia, Agape
• Eros signifies sexual desire, not in the NT
• Philia, being primary love of friendship
• Agape, often rendered as charity

Love and thy Neighbor

• Relates the love of God with loving your neighbor (Deut 6:5; Lv 19:18 Mt 22:34-40; Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10:25-28)
• In the New Testament neighbor encompasses one's enemies (Lk 10:29-37), such as with the Good Samaritan parable (Mt 5:43-48)
• Christian love is not dependent upon the behavior of one's neighbor towards the self

Four Types of Love

• Extends beyond the self, moves out from the one who loves, i.e. Jesus dying for sin
• Love is dynamic, creating responsive action
• Best shown in action
• Genuine love desires the best of the other person (1 Cor 13:4-8)
• Love is costly
• True love doesn't mind being hurt, love creates realness, and it resulted in Jesus' pain and death on the cross
• This love frees people from fear and death (Heb 2:14-15)
• The more we know God, the more we are able to love
• The love of God includes obeying God, keeping His commandments (John 14:15, 21), and walking by spirit
• Love of fellow means service (Deut 10:12-13, Josh 22:5)
• In love, one must put away bitterness, wrath, anger, wrangling slander, and malice (Eph 4:31) and is realized in forgiveness (Eph 4:32)
• Trust in God (John 14:1), humility (Mt 18:1-4; Lk 18:9-14), and prayer (Mt 6:9-13, Lk 18:1-8) make Love

Freedom and Theology

• Freedom, a popular concept, and underlies democracy
• Freedom can also be the most abused ideology
• It is imperative to seek a biblical understanding of freedom

Freedom in the Old Testament

• Freedom opposes slavery and signifies being independent or able to dispose (Ex 21:2;5, Lev 19:20; Deut 15:12-18, Jer 34:8-17; Job 3:19)
• Freedom was significant where male Jews thanked God for being born, being a Jew, and being free
• Exodus relates to freedom
• Israel was ransomed from Egypt to serve God (Lev 25:45; Deut 6:20-25)
• Freedom is linked to redemption (Ex 20:2, Deut 7:8)
• God set Israel free from Egypt, they became bound of Yahweh
• Loss of freedom tied to desertion of God
• Old Testament views a free person as a noble, generous being
• Messiah will come to proclaim freedom to the captives. (Is 61:1)

Freedom and the Decalogue

• Deuteronomy emphasizes freedom in the context of the Sabbath Commandment (Deut 5:15)
• Israelites must celebrate the Sabbath with the memory of slavery in Egypt
• The implication is to be liberators, not oppressors
• The Decalogue advocates for freedom of servants and animals
• Biblical protection for an escapee slave (Deut 25:15f)

Freedom in the New Testament

• Advances toward the social, spiritual
• Paul claims Christians are called to freedom, from sin, death, and the law

Biblical Character of Freedom

• Christ frees us from sin because it enslaves us
• Sin stops us from service and makes us egocentric (2 Pet 2:19)
• A believer must continue the struggle against evil (Rom 6:12,19; 1 Cor 6:18 ff)
• Emanating freedom gives no room to sin (Rom 6:12) so to be free is to live for Christ
• Christian freedom is in Christ who sets us free (Gal 5) (Gal 2:4)
• A free person lives according to the will of God (Jos 1:25)
• Human freedom is in life with God (Rom 6:22, Gal 5:1, 13; 1 Pet 2:16)
• No longer I who lives but Christ who lives
• A free person does not live for the self (1 Cor 16:19; 1 Pet 2:16)
• After the example of the master who died for us (2 Cor 5:15)
• Freedom means putting others first, meat offered to idols, do not eat meat (1 Cor 8)
• Freedom attained in truth (John 8:32)
• To be liberated lets us serve God (James 1:25; 2:12)
• Christ liberates us from fear
• The freedom attained leads to true humanity (1 Thes 1:9)
• A Christian is perfectly free, devoted to all (Martin Luther 1961:53)
• Christian service is characterized by love (Gal 5:22; 1 Cor 9:19ff)

Leadership and Theology

• Today the world's greatest crisis is a crisis of leadership
• There is demand for leadership as the world lacks value
• There is a significant cry out for role models
• The Bible remains the greatest resource for leadership
• We learn the foundation, purpose and nature of leadership from the Bible

Biblical Leadership

• God is the foundation of human leadership
• Nothing is attained unless given to us
• Leadership is stewardship
• Leaders must account for conduct, dictatorial tendencies not tolerated
• Mirror God, and God's leadership

Qualifications for Leadership

• Implies the need for consultation
• Consent with the giver (God)
• Good listening (to God and others)
• God in prayer
• The voice of the people
• Leadership is about the community
• In Exodus 18, Jethro advises Moses to work and consult with leaders
• In I Chronicles 13-14, David acts in consultation with the people

Biblical Leadership Model

• Biblical leadership entails service
• Jesus served among us (Mt 20:26-28)
• Jesus washed his disciples' feet (John 1:38)
• Does not put put himself first but last
• Lead from the front
• A leader is selfless

Transformational Leadership

• Today a new challenge must transform leadership
• Character becomes the component
• Change through behavior rather than as the giver

Characteristics of a Leader

• Humility - Self emptying creates unity
• Transforms to relate to others
• Reflected in Christ
• Compassion -Sympathy. -Action of compassion shows power
• Using it for the sake of others
• Lack of preoccupation
• Feeding the hungry
• Heal the sick Influence
• Working imagination
• Insight, boldness
• Sees beyond horizon
• Value filled

Morality for Leaders

• Wisdom requires learning, distinguish, realization and value
• Integrity, faithfulness, action
• Honesty, best policy, virtue