A word on "WORK"

In last weeks sermon, see the notes below, under the Main 1 heading in the application section I made the remark, "On more than one occasion I have invited you to check what your favorite radio or t.v. preachers have to say. And I also invite you to check what I say against God’s declared determined word."

The remark was made to encourage people to turn to the revealed Word of God and not take any one's word for it. In the context it was in reference to Eve's dialogue with the serpent and taking his word for it.

Later during the message I made a few unwritten comments about what Adam and Eve forfeited and lost when they rebelled against God making a special note of their now broken relationship with the Lord God. In my off the sermon note remarks I mentioned that they were in a perfect paradise with no disease, no etcetera and not having to work...all of it was lost. Paradise lost.

After fellowship time was winding down someone came up to me with a question about something I had said. I wasn't sure what to expect. They asked about Genesis 2.15. So I looked it up immediately and read it out loud. And was cut to the quick for my "off the sermon note comment" that they didn't have to work. I should have done my preparation more thoroughly.

BLESS GOD for this person's inquiry. They did exactly what I challenged them to do by turning to the Word of God and not just taking my word for it. Amen and Amen.

Now I did a little follow up word study and here's what I found.

Genesis 2:15 "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it." [NASB] The NIV uses, "to work it and take care of it."
The Hebrew word used for "cultivate" and "work" has the meaning of "to serve." Man has been created to serve not to be served. And so here in the garden Adam is to make efforts to keep the garden in order growing and producing. Even in Eden plants do not look after themselves. Victor Hamilton in his commentary makes the following observation. "The point is made clear here that physical labor is not the consequence of sin. Work enters the picture before sin does, and if man had never sinned he still would be working."

Genesis 3.17-19 Now the work of Adam to produce food will involve "toil and pain." It will be physically strenuous and the only respite comes when man dies.