The Intrinsic Value of Work

(Note: I wrote this article and posted it on my blog before my book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession was published by WestBow Press in February 2018.  This critical topic was later included in the book.  I invite you to check it out.  It was also posted on the Coram Deo blog.)

In this post, I am going to discuss the idea that work is intrinsically (by nature, fundamentally, or inherently) valuable.  Later, I will discuss the idea that work is instrumentally valuable, that is, it has purpose and benefits many.  I have to acknowledge that these two foundational concepts about a theology of work came directly from a life-changing book I read in 1989 entitled Your Work Matters to God, by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks.

First off, God is introduced to us in Gen.1:1 as a worker.  He created the heavens and the earth.  In the introduction to the Theology of Work Bible Commentary, we read “God worked to create us and created us to work.”  In this creative process He did two things: He made something out of nothing and brought order out of chaos.  In Gen. 2:2-3, you see that the word “work” is used three times. What God created, He continues to sustain.  (See Ps. 104:10-31.)

Secondly, in Gen. 1:26-28, we see that God made men and women in His image and calls them (and us) to be His co-workers over creation.  Verse 28 is referred to as the cultural or creation mandate.  It is both a command and a blessing for Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth, subdue it, and rule over every living creature.

The contributors of the Theology of Work Bible Commentary tell us that “God brought into being a flawless creation, an ideal platform, and then created humanity to continue the creation project.”  Although God’s creation was good, it was incomplete.  He needed Adam and us to bring out its potential.  Humans are to care for the plants, to cut down the trees to make lumber, to dig rocks from the ground to make buildings and roads, and to extract minerals from them to make silicon chips for computers.

Timothy Keller, in his excellent book, Every Good Endeavor, adds to this discussion: “Whenever we bring order out of chaos, whenever we draw out creative potential, whenever we elaborate and ‘unfold’ creation beyond where it was when we found it, we are following God’s pattern of creative cultural development . . . He calls us now to labor as his representatives in a continuation and extension of that work of subduing.”

Michael Wittmer, in his book, Becoming Worldly Saints reminds us of God’s purposes: “God created Adam and Eve in his image, empowering them to expand the boundary of Eden until the entire world flourished under their loving care.”

All work is valuable in and of itself, but only if it does not promote evil but produces shalom (peace, well-being, flourishing) in society.  All work that produces shalom is valuable, regardless of whether we get paid for it.  This means that the intrinsic value of the work of a mother, a college student, or a volunteer, is just as valuable as one who earns a wage or salary.

There is a lot more that can be said, but this is a good place to stop.  This idea is critical to a biblical understanding of work.

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(Note: This reflection has been adapted from notes to a presentation I gave last spring.  Here is a short video clip from a portion of this section.)

Master Sergeant Russell E. Gehrlein (U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 38 years, father of three, grandfather of four, blogger, and author of “Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work”, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He received a B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1980 and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015.  He is also a former junior/senior high school math and science teacher and youth pastor.  Russ currently works as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.