Episode 2: Work After the Fall

In the last episode, I spoke about the theology of work and how it is also the theology of God at work. Today, I will continue by focusing on the consequences of the fall on work and its continuous relevance.

One of the most immediate results of the fall has to do with what work requires:

Firstly, as a result of the fall -

1.  Mankind has to toil in order to produce.

God told Adam in Genesis 3:17b-19 -

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken.

The fall requires mankind to work much harder for the ground to yield to his labor. There is a need to toil “by the sweat of your brow”. This becomes grievous and openly expressed in Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 -

What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

Moreover, the cost of the toil is eventual death — “you will eat your food until you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:19). In a humorous way, a bumper sticker reflects this need to work for survival: “I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go”.

Secondly, as a result of the fall -

2. Mankind experience pain and challenges at work.

The bible calls this thorns and thistles like those you see in a dry and patched land such as the desert. These imply a certain amount of frustration and futility in our work. They are one of the first things mankind was made to realize after the fall. These include:

1. A hostile environment such as flood, drought or invasion of pests which frustrate productive work;
2. War which disrupts and destroys what work has built up;
3. Conflicts in relationships which can arise from pride, envy, ambition, self-centeredness, insecurity, power struggles and the many follies of mankind;
4. Mismanagement and corruption that result in unproductive work or failures in work.

Well, you could add to the list.

My own experience confirms how things could have been so much more productive and meaningful if not for all the unnecessary politicking, personal interests and greed that are part of the job-mix. I am constantly reminded of these pains and challenges which frustrate work. We accomplish far less than what we put in or set out to achieve because of the fall.

Thirdly, as a result of the fall -

3. Mankind seeks to be like God

This idea came from the fall. Satan was not lying when he convinced Adam and Eve that if they ate from the fruit of the tree, they would be “like God”. But “like God” is not God. Indeed, their eyes were opened to what they thought were the possibilities of becoming God-like. It did not take long for this insidious notion to be manifested.

We read in the early part of Genesis about the arrogance of mankind in wanting the tower of Babel to “reach to the heavens”. It was not merely to build the tallest structure but to be “like God” or to reach God-like status. History repeated itself throughout ancient civilizations where kings and conquerors aspired to be “like God”.

For instance, the ancient Egyptians believed that their Pharaoh was really the incarnation of Ra, the sun-god. The Chinese emperor was believed to be the son of the dragon god. Indeed, almost all ancient cultures have some sort of belief in self-divinity.

The quest to attain divinity or to claim divinity is an ongoing one.

Fourthly, as a result of the fall -

4. Mankind charts their own destiny.

With the amazing breakthroughs in science and technology, nothing seems impossible over time. Cloning humans, manipulating genes, using robots to replace humans and the like are no longer dismissed as fantasy.

Therefore, some do not believe that they need God in their lives. They feel pretty self-made and self-sufficient. They presume they are the captains of their own soul. This was expressed in the last section of Ernest William Henley’s poem, Invictus. A portion of it reads:

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

But no one can be the captain of his own soul at the end of life. This delusion of being self-determinant is an effect of the fall.

Fifthly, as a result of the Fall -

5. Mankind experiences futility in their work achievements.

This is very well described by the author of Ecclesiastes in the bible who concluded in Ecclesiastes 2:17-20 -

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I have to leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So, my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labour under the sun.

This speaks of a sense of futility. There is no lasting achievement. Someone will benefit or gain from your achievement. Someone else may squander or destroy it.

A good example is what happened after President Barack Obama stepped down from the Oval Office. All that he had worked to achieve was almost all reversed by President Trump!

This is equally true of riches that one has earned. The Chinese have a saying: “Wealth does not pass three generations”.

But this is not unique to the Chinese. The same sentiment is expressed across multiple cultures, from Japan (“rice paddies to rice paddies in three generations”), to Scotland (“the father buys, the son builds, the grandchild begs”) to the U.S. (“shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”). This is often known as the three-generational curse.

Another reality is how quickly one will be forgotten over time. This is picked up again in Ecclesiastes 2:16 -

For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!

Ask any teenager about famous pop idols or political figures of bygone years. Even if just one generation has passed, many would draw a blank as though they never existed. All the more when it comes to ancient history, no matter how powerful the figures and empires. Many will just become a faint memory that deserves, at best, a passing mention.

Work achievements can also be frustrated when someone else takes the credit for or enjoys the fruit of one’s achievements. Again, Ecclesiastes expressed this frustration in Ecclesiastes 2:21 -

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

The results of the fall are evident everywhere!

However, despite of the Fall and the negative consequences associated with work, I want you to know that work is ordained by God. Work was not a result of the fall but only made more difficult because of the fall (Genesis 3:17-19). Let me repeat…Work was not a result of the fall but only made more difficult because of the fall

Mankind remains a co-worker with God. The curse is not on the work. It is on the ground (or environment) in which work is applied. It does not take away the dignity and value of work.

Work is one of God’s primary means for our spiritual growth and transformation where “perseverance, proven character and hope are deeply forged”. Despite the fall, work continues to have positive attributes. It is worth noting that firstly -

1. Work is a gift

Ecclesiastes 3:13 reminds us that “everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil — this is the gift of God.” Without God’s enabling in terms of knowledge, skills and other qualities, we will not be able to achieve abundance and ingenuity in sustaining life and comfort. This enabling also distinguishes us from animals.

2. Work provides rewards

Work is needed if we are to reap the benefits of what we wish to obtain. Proverbs 10:4 points out: “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” And as mentioned, work does provide for both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards.

3. Work can be a ministry

So far, we have seen how work is ordained by God despite the fall, and the blessing is universal. However, for believers in Christ, work has an added dimension. Work enables us to serve him. We have a new boss — Christ our Lord. Our work is not just for our employer but we are also accountable to our higher authority. This is why Paul says in Colossians 3:23-24 -

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

We can therefore appreciate that while work can be a curse, it is also necessary and beneficial despite the Fall.

That’s all for today. In my next episode, I want to talk about how we as ordinary people can be used in an extraordinary way by God at work. Indeed, we can bloom for Him. Till then, have a blessed week.

Study Questions

1. Based on the theology of work, why did God “rest” after six days of creation?

2. What did God intend us to do for his creation?

3. What has changed in the nature and outcome of work after the fall? Share your personal marketplace experiences.

4. How does one find meaning in work despite the fall?