Introduction
Last time we described the activity of the universal church in the context of the current period of salvation history between Christ’s ascension and his second coming. Accordingly, we live in the overlap of this present age – corresponding to the first creation – and the age to come, corresponding to the new creation, and inaugurated in Christ’s resurrection body. Following the pattern of salvation history – both linear and cyclical – the church now inhabits her own cycle within the story. She was sent from Christ down the mountain of his ascension, back into the world in this age, so that she might return to Christ again in the age to come, bringing the nations within her.
We saw that the church’s entrance at this point recapitulates both Adam’s and Jesus’ first entrances into the world. As to the former, as we have a comprehensive concern as humans for all creation. As to the latter, following Jesus’ earthly ministry, we have a particular concern to bring the gospel to fallen humanity. In both these mandates we are located between Christ and the rest of creation, and we have two orientations: from Christ toward creation, representing Christ’s kingly authority (whether in royal stewardship doing good for the earth in this age, or as his ambassadors declaring the gospel and appealing to people to ‘be reconciled to God’); and from creation to Christ, bringing the priestly return of creation’s thanksgiving – including that of a reconciled humanity incorporated into the church – the promised worship of all nations for the age to come.
The unity of our overall movement is not only eschatological but it is also doxological. As in the case of the eternal Son, the act of creation, and the original roles of Adam and Christ, so now we too display God’s glory, so that all the glory should ultimately return to him. Sharing this same currency, our words and deeds can interpret one another and each leads to the other: our gospel message results in changed lives and good works, while our good works also provide the plausibility structure for our gospel message.
How do these universal principles help us more locally?
Main resource: Our Local Opportunity to Serve God at Work
Category 7: Our Local Opportunity to serve God at Work
A Twofold Calling the Workplace
For a shorter version of the same core argument, see Local Context: Wisdom & Opportunity: The Church and the Workplace
Excerpt from Our Local Opportunity to Serve God at Work
Under Christ’s Lordship, between the gatherings of the local church, Christians have a twofold opportunity to serve God in the context of the work we do in his world:
From Christ to our field: we bring a divine contribution to creation in this age, wisely applying Scripture to be more effective pursuing what is good;
From our field to Christ: we praise God as we explain the way our field itself points to his glory, and by drawing alongside our colleagues we seek to bring them with us all the way to Christ as we point them to him in the gospel, the church and the age to come.
Conversation Starter Questions
Is it hard to serve Christ by serving your colleagues?
What are your public opportunities to praise God for your field?
Further Reading: Marilynne Robinson and John Wyatt
From Christ to our Work
This chapter by Marilynne Robinson shows how an understanding of creation informed by Scripture can help one push back at some claims of a particular field - in this case some naturalistic claims made by neuroscientists - and how one can contribute to the development of better neuroscientific models, and thereby further human flourishing.
Marilynne Robinson, “Humanism, Science and the Radical Expansion of the Possible: Why We Shouldn’t Let Neuroscience Banish Mystery from Human Life.” Chapter from The Givenness of Things: Essays (London: Virago, 2015).
From our Work to Christ
This talk by John Wyatt shows how it is possible to draw on one's academic expertise - in this case in the area of science, post-humanism and Artificial Intelligence - to make a case for the relevance and plausibility of the doctrine of the gospel, thereby pointing people to the person and work of Christ.
John Wyatt, ‘Science, Modernity, and the Post-Human’. Talk given at Forming A Christian Mind, Cambridge, 2020.