Be Sure of this, my thinking here is not a dismissal of the suffering of disease, illness, and financial hardship. A widespread and fast spreading virus like COVID-19 is a serious matter before all people. This is both a natural and a spiritual issue. It is foolish to ignore the one at the expense of the other. There will continue to be good thinkers thinking about this for a long time.
The Bible is a lamp, lamps are needed for dark days.
What is a nation to do when it limits who can work and when work can resume? I’ve been thinking about this doctrine and pleased to share a few thoughts. This is not an exhausted examination; more of an exercise in musing over a command of God and the impact it has on the person, family, and community.
How does not being able to work influence the Gospel? How does the Gospel apply to work?
First, the bible has a lot to say about work. From creation through the fall. Work was not first commanded after the fall, work changed after the fall, it was given a hardship. Adam and Eve worked in the garden before the fall. After the fall they “worked” the land outside of the garden.
I can’t think of a person in the bible who was not identified in some way or another by a work, job, skill, or trade.
Peter says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:2-3 NASB) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. In that wisdom and knowledge of God it speaks to everything pertaining to life and godliness. So, yes, the Bible helps us think through the doctrine of work.
The follower of Christ is expected to transform the world, even to put everything under the Lordship of Christ. This work is a duty we do until He comes again. We are told multiple times, in one way or another, to work with all our might; and do so as to glorify God, praising Him, worshiping Him. This is to be applied to every work; homemaking, career, philosophy, instructing, crafting, designing, creating, etc…
There is a task kind of work and there is a vocational kind of work. I find the biblical application of the duty is with the same end in both task and vocation, to glorify God.
How does this fit within the Gospel work?
I think it fits in at least two ways.
First, the gospel is on the shoulders of faithful followers of God who support the mission. We learn a lot about this in the book of Acts. As those first missionary journeys begin, there is an army of people at home doing work and supporting the preachers/missionaries.
Equally as important, are the Christians in the workforce. We will find ourselves working together with non-Christians in common causes; political, economic, or cultural. There is both a commonality in causes and an influence the true follower of Christ has upon his co-workers, boss, employees, families, and customers.
The fact that many are being forced to not work today by some kind of a government edict is unlike any other day I can think of. What are we to take of a government that is hindering an otherwise able-bodied work force to not work and how will this impact all of life? This is of interest to me and I will think more on this in the coming days, but the point I see first is that God made humanity to glorify Him. One of the ways God has ordained for humanity to glorify Him is in man’s work.
This is not to mean the day we are in is a new normal way of life. It can’t be. The ruin of everything will be what follows if it is. But it demands a few moments of consideration upon why there would be a strange movement in our day that would limit most from working. (I say this with respect that I want to give the benefit of the doubt that the intention of the stay home orders are well intended.)
Is this a proper way to give attention to a real and present danger of a virus? Or is this, unsuspectingly, an attack on the glory of God that a government would essentially shut down the bedrock of society, the labor force, and keep them from glorifying God in their work?
Let me clarify at least this; I do hold that this day is established by God for His glory. This virus will not thwart the will of God. It is our duty in days like this to not be hindered from glorifying God.
It will be important for the government to understand an unintended danger that could be done if humanity, designed of God to work, is hindered from its work. To the faithful follower of Christ, your work is not an idol if it is performed in a manner as to glorify God. To the follower of Christ, you get this connection. May these days get sorted out soon. But in the meantime we must not sit down and play our days away. Christian, rise up and work. Rise up and glorify your God with your hands and your mind.
You might not be able to go to your job today, but you can work. I argue, you must work. The bible teaches this.
Society is better when Christians work. Society is better because God’s economic mechanism is made for this; “…but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. ” (Ephesians 4:28 NASB)
Church, pray that the workforce will be released to go back to work, not so the economy can recover, but because God is worthy to be praised and glorified by the worker.
Now, go wash your hands and work, and when you are done working, wash your hands, and glorify God.