5. Jesus’ Kingdom Work and Our Kingdom Work
We can also derive an idea of the holistic nature of God’s mission from Jesus’ ministry on earth. He not only met people’s physical needs but also ministered to their emotional, psychological and physical needs: he worked at his carpentry (Mk 6:3), fed the 5000 (Matt 14:15-21), healed the sick and cast out demons (Matt 8:16), raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:43-44) and washed his disciples’ feet Jn 13:4-5). The Kingdom of God is not just spiritual: it is personal, social, political, economic and cosmic. Most good work in this world is a way to extend the Kingdom of God and to bring shalom to people and creation. The distinction often made between spiritual work (expressed as Kingdom work) and so-called “secular” work is both unbiblical and harmful. Gospel work and societal work are interdependent and together are ways of praying “thy Kingdom come.” This would imply that all human work that embodies kingdom values and serves the kingdom goal can be regarded as kingdom work. Likewise, the diverse gifting of the church also testifies to the multi-faceted nature of God’s mission (Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Eph 4).
6. Why We Are to Work
According to New Testament teaching, Christians should stay in their professions and witness to Christ in those situations unless God calls them to do otherwise (1 Cor 7:20). Furthermore, we are told to work “to the glory of God” (Col 3:13; 3:23-24). Christians are also urged to work in order to provide for themselves, to share with others and as an example to other believers (2 Thess 3:10, Eph 4:28).
There are many fine examples in the Bible of God’s people who worked and served God and others in the marketplace: Daniel, Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther, Priscilla and Aquila, Lydia.
7. Final Judgment of Our Work
At the culmination of God’s purposes when Jesus comes again, Christians will be judged not only for their work that is directly related to evangelism and the church but also for their faithfulness as stewards with the resources and responsibilities that God has given them: material resources, gifts, training and skills (Matt 25:31-36). The judgement criteria put into perspective God’s expectations of us on a broader scale and thus validate our present human work in various capacities.
The eschatological vision in the Old Testament is that of a humanity at work (Amos 9:13, Mic 4:3ff, Isa 11:1-9, Hos 2:18-23). This picture is completed for us in the New Testament.
8. Work that Lasts and Work in the New Heaven and New Earth
Our final destination as Christians is glorified material destination described as a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21-22, Is 65). We will not be “saved souls” in “heaven” but fully resurrected persons in the new heaven and new earth. The redeemed community will inhabit this new creation in their glorified bodies (1 Cor 15; Phil 3:21). They will bring their cultures (Rev 21:24,26) and their ethnic and linguistic diversities (Rev 5:9). All of this strongly suggests that there will be continuity with our present existence which will undergo a dramatic, transformative and cathartic renewal. In some ways which we do not fully understand, our human work and labour will surely find a way into the new creation (Rev 14:13). It is not just our spiritual work and our spiritual life that will endure and that matters to God, but all work and life undertaken with faith, hope and love (1 Cor 13:13; 1 Thess 1:2-3). The kings of the earth bring their glories into the holy city (Rev 21:24) and that transfigured creation will be embellished by the deeds of Christians, deeds that “follow them” (Rev 14:13). So our labour in the lord is “not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).