Participating: Working Toward Worship
R. Reno
"A Christian ethic of work must always reflect the fact that our labors lead to the Sabbath." "… a Christian work ethic recognizes that the life discipleship rightly accepts the necessity of work as a providential imposition that we can use, not only to ensure survival, but also to prepare the should for enjoyment of God, and others in God.” "… God ‘uses’ work so that we might enjoy him.”
Disciplining Necessity of Work. “Work is a purposeful activity that we must undertake, even when we wish to do otherwise.” Externally, we need to survive and work is a part of that. Internally, we want to do something forces us to do what we don’t want to do. <Interesting—I’d like to discuss that with the author.>
Bitter Necessity of Work. Aquinas and others hold that work is precept of natural law. Work is required to eat and survive hence it must be natural. Work has also been viewed as divine punishment (using Gen 3:17-19 as a text). Luther develops this concept. He points out that our inability to escape from the necessity of work saves us from the temptation of idleness. It also applies the running of a church by both the paid staff and the volunteers.
Work as a Humanizing Activity. Four ways in which work edifies and fulfills.
- Work provides a social identity that goes beyond family, clan, and nation.
- Work demands social interaction. <Well most work does.>
- Works requires self-discipline.
- Work provides scope for creativity.
Doing the Work of the Lord.