WORK AND WORSHIP

Interestingly, the word cultura in Latin also implies cultus or “worship.” Right from the beginning in Paradise, man was given both work and worship. At creation, there was no separation between man’s cultural duties and his worship of God. Both culture and worship were one. That means that there should be never any conflict between those two activities. A Christian should never have to choose between his professional life and his spiritual life. God wants every believer to excel in both!

In fact, when your vertical relationship with God is strong, your horizontal relationship in the marketplace will be successful. The Bible pattern is this: (a) Our work is to be done in a worshipful manner, and (b) our worship of God is to be enhanced by the culture that we do.

Think about it. The weekly worship services in City Harvest Church are greatly enhanced by the songs, lighting and musical production of our members. Their creativity makes coming to church each week a full spirit-soul-body experience. The colorful, cultural work they do in the house of God brings the attendees spiritually closer to the Lord.

Because culture and worship are so closely related from the beginning, a congregation can never carry out the worship of God without interfering with the culture of the world. Theologian Henry Van Til says, “Culture is religion externalized!” What you believe concerning God will always be expressed in your culture! If you believe in a generous God, the culture you create in your home and workplace will be one that is very giving. If you believe in a stern and angry God, the culture you create around you will be one that is very critical and judgmental. If you don’t believe in the existence of God, you will create a godless culture.

Culture is your belief expressed outwardly!

FROM GARDEN TO CITY

There is another thing: culture is progressive. As you apply your gift, talent and ability, you get increasingly advanced, refined and sophisticated in your creativity. What began as horticulture in the Garden was developed into agriculture. It ultimately became the biotech culture of the 21st Century!

The Bible begins in Genesis with a garden, but it ends in Revelation with a city. The goal for mankind is to progress culturally from a beautiful garden called Eden to a glorious city called New Jerusalem. Eden was just a simple plain but the New Jerusalem is a glorious architecture with walls, gates, streets, trees, parks, rivers, canals, etc.

Since the first chapter of Genesis, all of human race —saved and unsaved—have been moving toward that goal throughout history. We see that progressiveness from the simple city of Cain, to the soaring tower of Babel, to Solomon’s glorious temple, to the ancient wonder of Babylon, and to the sophistication of the mega-cities of our time! All these testify to the cultural mandate God has instinctively put into man, and the creative urge God had hardwired into Adam and the entire human race. We are all city builders! We can’t help ourselves. We have to create and progress culturally.

BEGINNING OF THE SCIENCES & ARTS

In Genesis 2:19, Adam started naming the animals. By naming the animals according to their species, Adam had to use careful observations and analyses before coming to their rightful conclusions. That, in seed form, was the beginning of all sciences.

In Genesis 2:23, Adam became very romantic. He waxed lyrically and said of Eve: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” By composing a little poem to praise the beauty and virtue of his lover, Adam started aesthetic arts for all mankind.

So right there in the Garden, you have the birth of the sciences and arts. But God didn’t just give Adam things to ponder upon in his mind, He wanted Adam to work with his hands. He gave Adam the responsibility to care for the Garden (Gen. 2:15).

WORK IS THE KEY TO RELEASE POTENTIAL

Work is not the result of sin. Long before sin came in, God gave man the command to work. As such, work is not an evil thing. Neither is it a curse nor punishment for sin. What is sad today is that many Christians think that coming back to God means that we don ’t have to work anymore. There are those who presumptuously teach that work is the curse of the law, and that work is bondage. Nothing can be further from the truth.

We may not be saved by works, but we are certainly saved to work! God loves to work! God hates laziness and idleness. God didn ’t create the universe merely by dreaming or wishing about it. God created the universe by working hard. In fact, He worked so hard that He declared the seventh day to be a day of rest. (Think about it, if God needed to decree a day of rest, He must have worked very hard!)