The Work Ethic Begins in Genesis

Many of us reluctantly get up and go to the workplace, then take satisfaction in a job well done. These days, some people have an entitlement mentality where they expect money for doing little or nothing at all. We were designed to do work.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Fran Hogan (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The work ethic is important in Western civilization. It was emphasized by the Protestant Reformers who noticed that it is a strong aspect of Christianity. Indeed, the value of work is all through the Bible and goes back to Genesis. Someone can be a construction worker, CEO, musician, ranch hand, stay-at-home mom, working with the developmentally disabled, author, or any of a myriad of professions. There's honor in that, especially when the worker seeks to glorify God.

Paul urges Christians, “to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). But the biblical mandate for work goes far deeper and further back than these instructions. God worked on His creation masterpiece for six days and “on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done” (Genesis 2:2). Created in God’s image, there is a divine element to mankind’s labours, whether hard toil, creativity, or invention. We embrace our ‘God likeness’ in work, whether manual, creative, or intellectual. Many work activities combine all three.

To read the entire article, work your way over to "The work ethic — forged in Genesis". You may be interested in a follow-up feedback article from someone who objected to things that were not even said. For that, see "Why should a Christian ‘labour and toil’?"