The Metanarrative of Work 

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The theological vision of work began by looking at the metanarrative of the epoch in the bible and how works are shaped and are shaping the world. It starts at the creation story [Genesis] and ends at the new-creation story [Revelation], and this provides a profound framework for the understanding of the notion of work in these metanarrative. By tracing work through the metanarrative, we can see how God's purposes are fulfilled in creation, fall, new nation, redemption, and the new creation.

Here’s a summary of the key perspectives on work within the metanarrative of scripture:

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1. Work @ Creation: Genesis 1-2. Work begins as good, with humanity created for a purpose (for partnership) with God in caring, tending, expanding the garden and nurturing humanity. God puts all the resources at the garden and he summon man who are created in the image of God, who posses God's characters to be creative to work and produce products that reflect the glory of God. We are given a vocation and charism which hangs on the hope of new creation- in fulfilling the creation mandate-where we are to be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth- where we are called to care, subdue and harness the potentials of the creation. (Gen. 1:27-28, Gen.2:1-5)

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2. Work @ Fall: Genesis 3-11. The fall brings toils, struggles, and futilities into the world, corrupting work’s original purpose and the work became difficult as the ground are cursed. Gen.3:17-19.

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3. Work @ New Nation. Genesis 12 and the rest of the Old Testament.  God’s redemptive mission began to re-shaped work through His new covenant established within the nation Israel. Even in the midst of sin, we see God's redemptive plan breaking through the prophetic and wisdom voices of God throughout the life of the nation as God establihed their identity.

 

4. Work @ Redemption. Gospel and the rest of New Testament.  Christ’s incarnation and his redemptive work at the cross, through his death and resurrection restores the dignity and purpose of man and its work. Although the full effect of redemption and reconciliation are now added to the creation mandate. The work is seen through the gifts of charism which hangs on the new creation- the empowerment of the Spirit (irrevocable Ro.11:29) and God through their vocation  imparts charisma as he wills (1Cor:12:11).  When there is brokenness, Christians are called to healing and when there is oppressions, Christians are called to liberation, when there is disfranchising, we see empowerment. We are seeing this reversal but not in full impact as we are still living in the already and not yet phenomenon of our restoration.

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5. Work @ New Creation: Revelation 20-22. The new creation offers a glorified vision of work, where humanity will labor in perfect harmony with God in a renewed heaven and earth. The eschatology hope in the prophetic vision of Isaiah ( Isaiah 65), gave us the hope of the continuity of work in the new Kingdom, hence our work is not futile, it is meaningful, enriching and purposeful.

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By understanding work within this biblical metanarrative, we gain a deeper appreciation for its divine origin, its fallenness, its redemption in Christ, and its ultimate restoration in the new creation. This vision instills hope and purpose in our daily work, as we recognize it as part of God’s on-going narrative.

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Imago Dei and Missio Dei

A. Spirituality of Work - The Priestly, Prophetic & Kingly function of the workers @ Work 

There is a need to embrace work through the indwelling of God anchored in vocation and charism as a priest, prophets and Kings. This is when work and faith is described as fulfilling the cultural mandate and great commission, when work and faith intersect, when imago dei (Gen.1:26-28,2:15) and the missio dei (Matthew 28) comes together to form the basis of the intersection. this make our work matters to God, it makes our work holy and dignified.  We are called to be co-creator with God in His on-going creation and redemption through the God's indwelling as he called us and dispense his gifts to us.

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The workers are priest because their work is Kingdom focus- they point people to the "audience of one-God", they lead the people to worship and perform the sacrament in ushering in God's presence at all time. At the garden they are created as "imago dei", the image of God where the role of cultivating and caring is not just in the material sense but in the spiritual sense, taking up the notion as priesthood of all believers. 

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The workers are prophetic in nature bringing redemptive hope, Spirit anointing and empowerment to uphold ethical boundaries of the workspace and steering the people through the voice of God.

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The workers take the role of a King, where they are to rule, subdued, protect and steward God assets. This is the role how God has shaped the "Who" @  work. taking the model of Adam's role in the garden through cultivation and caring for the work space designated to them, and advancing the work (sacred domain) as in Genesis 2.

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B. The Mask of God @ Work

God indwell us and work through us by calling us and dispensing his gifts to us to care for his creation. We are called the "masks" through which God's providence and care are expressed in the world. This masks is expressed out in our image of God (imago dei) and we become 'like God' as we creative work out our called through the talents and giftings as we impact the work ( missio dei). God working through us, and in us and he hides himself in us are found in the writings of the church fathers, reformers and early thinkers. God dwelling in man for the purpose of salvation and service is the concept behind the mask of God because we are an image of God with a mission from God. ​​​​

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(D) Work as Station of Life

The service/work domains are called stations- these stations are roles, work and assignment and all these works are equal in the eye of God. This shape the value of the work, where our work matters to God and God matters to our work. By understanding the stations/we know our vocation and gifting better, we begin to see who we are and why we are doing what we do? The concept of "givers gain" which we coined in our network affirms that the work we do is for the flourishing of life. We will explore the different facets of the stations- the questions of choice in those stations, can the stations be change over time? what about multiple stations in life? and practice and claridy the givers gain concept.  

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(E) Work, Rest, and Play @Work 

The work life balanced must be put in-place in the work theology, We who are the worker must have a time of work, rest and play just like God's work in the garden. Human work can only flourish if there is a delicate balanced between work, rest and play. This rhythm reflects God’s creation and his design for life, enabling us to sustained our work and honor God through some form of spiritual discipline that we can practise. embark on to find the sweet spot within these elements.