AletheiAnveshana: 18th Sunday: Work Hard for the Imperishable

Monday, 8 July 2024

18th Sunday: Work Hard for the Imperishable

 

Work Hard for the Imperishable

Ex 16:2–4, 12–15; Ep 4:17, 20–24; Jn 6:24–35 (B 18)

“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life”

The aim of work according to God’s will is much more than daily living. When Jesus spoke about the works of God, the Jews immediately thought in terms of “good” works. It was their conviction that a man by living a good life could earn the favor of God. When the Jews asked Jesus about the work of God, they expected him to lay down lists of things to do. But Jesus says that God's work was to believe in him whom God had sent. Paul says that the one work that God desires from man is faith.

We must work for the perishable bread. Civilization means continuous hard work. But when we come to consider spiritual life and growth, the idea of work seems to slip out of the mind altogether. Belief in Christ is obedience, because God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, as the Object of human faith. It is the will of God that men should believe on his Son. It is the supreme moral probation of every Christian when Jesus comes to him and demands his faith. Christ points away from many works to this one work – faith.

As a matter of fact, belief in Christ is the turning of the soul to righteousness. For this is the means of securing pardon and acceptance, of becoming right with God, and of securing spiritual strength and guidance for the duties of the earthly life. It is a great moral principle that the gospel uses for highest ends, that faith underlies doing. A Christian’s inner convictions determine what his or her habitual works, moral life, should be. Such is the relation between faith and work, as taught by both Paul and James. The one apostle lays stress upon faith and the other upon works. And both plead for the authority of the great Teacher himself.

Believing is the beginning. Work is the continuation of life. Belief is the inner, work is the outer, process. Belief is the motive, work the result. Belief is the cause, work the effect. The Divine life for a Christian is a work but it is a work based upon a Divine Person. And it is faith that unites the worker to the living and personal Power. It will be in three directions, each of which corresponds to what Jesus told us of God. (i) God is love. In our lives there must be love and service of others corresponding to the love and the service of God, and forgiveness of others corresponding to his forgiveness of God. (ii) God is holiness. In our lives there must be purity corresponding to the holiness of God. (iii) God is wisdom. In our lives there must be complete submission and trust corresponding to the wisdom of God.

The essence of the Christian labor in life lies in a new relationship to God, a relationship which issues in that service, purity and trust which are the reflection of God. This is the work which God wishes us and enables us to perform.

“Hope of life is the beginning and end of our Faith” (DO)

 

 

 

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